Dave51B Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 When you say "very small split crosses"... How small are you talking? I've made a bunch out of 1/8" square key stock for ear rings. There are a few tricks involved, but very doable. Any questions? Life is Good Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 11 hours ago, Dave51B said: When you say "very small split crosses"... How small are you talking? I've made a bunch out of 1/8" square key stock for ear rings. There are a few tricks involved, but very doable. Any questions? Life is Good Dave I have one. First, what do you cut it with? it seems like it would have to be a very thin blade, 'cause after you cut it seems like you wouldn't have anymore steel left. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishDave Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 13 hours ago, Dave51B said: When you say "very small split crosses"... How small are you talking? I've made a bunch out of 1/8" square key stock for ear rings. There are a few tricks involved, but very doable. Any questions? Life is Good Dave I think the stock was 1/4 round so by the time I had sawn the slot it was pretty skinny, I may have worked it when it was a little too cool and it broke at the thin part in the corner between the arms. 2 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: I have one. First, what do you cut it with? it seems like it would have to be a very thin blade, 'cause after you cut it seems like you wouldn't have anymore steel left. Littleblacksmith I cut mine by hand with a regular hacksaw and you make a valid point, not much left once you take out the width of the kerf. Also hard to cut straight in such thin stock. All part of the learning curve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 These, I cut with a regular hand hacksaw with a 32 tooth blade. Lately I have been cutting with a modified portaband using a 24 tooth blade. As you can see, I don't make the final cut on the bottom (top) leg. Just use the extra material to make the loop to hang. Life is Good Dave 17 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: I have one. First, what do you cut it with? it seems like it would have to be a very thin blade, 'cause after you cut it seems like you wouldn't have anymore steel left. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishDave Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 I have been experimenting with some 3/8" square stock and when making the longitudinal cuts I do them along the diagonal of the stock rather than perpendicular/parallel to the sides. This creates a triangular section on the arms which if you are careful not to forge it out too much gives a nice extra dimension to the finished article. Still finding 1/4" stock a little hard to work with but practice makes perfect I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Pictures Dave, where are the pictures? If we can't see them they aren't. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishDave Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 9 hours ago, Frosty said: Pictures Dave, where are the pictures? If we can't see them they aren't. Frosty The Lucky. Yeah I know, I need to remember to do those first thing this morning before I fire up the forge and my hands become black and greasy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Okay. . . This time. Uh. . . Greasy? What kind of blacksmithing is greasy? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Perhaps he starts out a forging session hugging his mechanical powerhammer---one of the ones where too much oil/grease is barely enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Strange behavior but more productive than hugging a tree I suppose. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishDave Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 34 minutes ago, Frosty said: Okay. . . This time. Uh. . . Greasy? What kind of blacksmithing is greasy? Frosty The Lucky. You were the one who told me to butter everything first, did I misunderstand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 The water in Sacramento is . . . GREASY!? Wait a second I wasn't talking about actually using Butter to prepare the surfaces for kiln washing. Come to think of it though, buttering the forge before lighting it might smell pretty good. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishDave Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 6 minutes ago, Frosty said: Wait a second I wasn't talking about actually using Butter to prepare the surfaces for kiln washing. Come to think of it though, buttering the forge before lighting it might smell pretty good. Whaaaat? You mean that huge cloud of flies all over my forge is not normal? 11 hours ago, Frosty said: Pictures Dave, where are the pictures? If we can't see them they aren't. As requested: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 CLOUDS of flies? Maybe start a fish farm or grow carnivorous plants like Venus Flytraps and such. Gotta be a way to make a buck of clouds of most anything. That is an interesting shape for the crosses. I'm not sure about leaving them as is but that's just my taste. There sure is a lot of potential for shaping with the extra depth. All in all I like it. Good idea. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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