Frosty Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 Piddler dude: You have a point, there IS a pompous attitude at work in this thread but it isn't Charcold's. You post a how to video on a site with more than 45,000 members in around 150 countries and you really think you're not going to get critiqued? Don't YOU think it is more than a bit pompous visit someone ELSE'S block party and tell THEM how they should reply to you? You've gotten nothing but honest opinions from folk who have been working with this stuff for, in some cases, more than 50 years, I've been a hobbyist for close to 55 myself and I LISTEN to everybody. I rarely point out mistakes without being asked unless they're dangerous mistakes. OR presented as facts. The utility pole makes an okay stand IF it's made stable enough, I cut a circle from piece of minimum 1/2" thick plywood and just screw it to the bottom of the pole. The user standing on the base makes it stable enough to use turning forks and being round it's easy to tip it and roll it around the shop, even if it's a dirt floor. A horizontal rail anvil isn't the best but I've used them, I gave my improved model to a guy breaking into the craft. It's still be on my bench but blacksmithing tools are really hard to come by here so I passed it on. Where your's could really be improved as a horizontal anvil is to NOT cut so much of the web out. Make a short horn, not the blunt flat roundish thing you torched out, a REAL horn, more or less conical to a point and ground smooth. I rarely use the horn on my anvils other than as a bottom fuller of various radii. On rare occasions I will true up a rig at a demo, the audience expects to see it so I do it for the show. Torching out the heal end on yours was a mistake it's WAY deeper than could possibly be useful and worse makes all that face a spring board rather than an anvil face. Had you left the web to the end the whole anvil would've been more rigid and returned more energy to the work and so been more efficient. Here's a thought for your next one cut the rail longer than the stand is wide so both ends overhang it an inch or so on the horn end and say 3 inches on the heal end. Why? With the horn out in clear space you can work from underneath on the far side without the stand interfering. Make the horn MAYBE 3" - 4" long and make it shiny. If you're going to make one make it right. Yes? The overhang on the heal end forms a REAL heal in the form of the flanges, one on each side of the web that will let you do fine work on say toasting forks without needing an anvil bridge. You can also grind the end of the web and flanges into fullers and say a ball swage. Striking horizontally is no big deal, it's just a skill set. For safety round the corners and blunt any sharp edges of the overhangs, no good reason to poke holes in and slice up your clothes or legs. Don't grind the horn to a sharp point for the same reason. Why take ANY of my suggestions? Better anvil and much LESS work. Think I forgot the hardy hole? I'm not against torching out a hardy hole in a rail anvil if it's a finished job but there are better alternatives. My current favorite is the "Portable Hole". This is a piece of square tubing reinforced at the business end to take a pounding and mounted on a stable mobile stand. Search out "portable Hole" on Iforge for discussions of what a sweet piece of equipment they are. Even if you can't do some welding you can easily just screw or strap one to the utility pole or whatever anvil stand. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 Go easy on the kid Jerry, no sense running him off. He just got his feelings hurt, then I think he got his feet back under himself. He still seems a bit sure of himself, but many of us field big egos around here. Though I would expect between turkey and beer, it might take a bit for him to digest all the advice we threw his way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 7 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: many of us field big egos around here. It’s not ego; it’s just realism. Frankly, given how awesome I am, my humility is pretty staggering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 Out of all of the many, many magnificent traits that I am proud of, I am proudest of my humility! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 Kind of reminds me of a T-shirt we got for my brother a few years ago: "Those of you who think you know everything are really annoying to those of us who actually do." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 I was trying to give him useful tips for building a horizontal rail anvil in a way he couldn't say I was picking on him. Frankly I think he should be making how to videos about making how to videos. A LITTLE polish and they'd be excellent. I know how hard it is to be humble from up here. Frosty The Humbler than you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 24, 2017 Author Share Posted November 24, 2017 3 hours ago, Frosty said: . Frankly I think he should be making how to videos about making how to videos. A LITTLE polish and they'd be excellent. I'm not sure if I'm just being too humble but was that an actual compliment? Or deep sarcasm..... Btw, as far as egos go..... frosty if you'd read you would see where I said the Anvil was free and already made so your suggestion would be considerably more work than my first option.... any who nothing wrong with realism and nothing wrong with saying yeah it will work but could definitely be better anywho y'all keep it coming cause I ain't stopping already told ya if an idea comes up that's from here y'all are in charge I'm just the joker in front of the camera y'all gotta make it look the way ya want I've tried and y'all cried about it lol thanks for the advice and help seriously & hope everyone had a HAPPY Thanksgiving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 I think Jerry is serious in his complement. pidler, enjoy your holiday weekend as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 8 hours ago, John McPherson said: Out of all of the many, many magnificent traits that I am proud of, I am proudest of my humility! It is quite humbling.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 On 11/24/2017 at 4:31 PM, Charles R. Stevens said: I think Jerry is serious in his complement. pidler, enjoy your holiday weekend as well. Maybe he's not lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 After the great white birch went a few rounds with him, you never can be to sure! Lol not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 There's always that lol the unknown that is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 On 11/24/2017 at 10:07 AM, Buzzkill said: "Those of you who think you know everything are really annoying to those of us who actually do." I actually do know everything (just ask my wife) however sometimes I can't remember where I put it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 I'm not asking your wife, she'll make me help you find it. I recommend the same course of action where Deb's concerned. She is NOT bashful about putting people to work. Pidler: I killed the sound on your video after listening to you for a minute, then skipped through the rest. If you can't tell when I'm being sarcastic you aren't as sharp as I think. Stick to what you know. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 Frosty.... if you'd stop skipping through life you might not appear to be so cold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Sound idea Charcold, their is way to much bad advice out there we need folks like piddler spreading good advice and best practice. As i I have said, IFI is a peir reviewed resorce. Real experts will chime in to get the best information out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charcold Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I've seen similar techniques used by fantasy writers. They cant be asked to do 6 months research to get specifics down for blacksmithing or the properties of a magical weapon, so they post their idea to a forum and let people who know brainstorm it. I'm sure this is common with many authors, and video platforms like youtube are the modern book even though they are more analogous to pamphlets with the limited information they contain sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 What's your thoughts on simple how to make tongs from rebar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Instead of "how to make tongs from rebar" how about "rebar tongs experiment". You can even explain at the beginning of the video how rebar is inconsistent and isn't recommended for most smithing applications. It works for tongs if you have nothing else, but you could take advantage of the opportunity to research and discuss why rebar isn't suitable for knives, etc. Do a little research, and I think a good little talk about the dos and don'ts of rebar would really boost the level of how informative a video it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 I'm listening..... as far as for knife making that is definitely not happening not even going there with rebar.... and again it's going to be how to make tongs from rebar not why you should use something different..... this is for the everyday guy.... okay so he's going to the big box store and grabbing basic stuff.... look I appreciate the research remarks and suggestions but I honestly don't have a problem making tongs from rebar..... if I wanted tool grade material I'd go get me some S-7 or something it's a basic step by step on making a set of cheap functional tongs... Yes rebar is not consistent in quality or even metallurgical content but the common man doesn't care.... nor do I.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod34 Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 3 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: Sound idea Charcold, their is way to much bad advice out there we need folks like piddler spreading good advice and best practice. As i I have said, IFI is a peir reviewed resorce. Real experts will chime in to get the best information out there. @Charcold‘s comment to which @Charles R. Stevens is replying has been split into its own pinned topic under Reference Materials, as “Advice for creators of YouTube videos“. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 21 hours ago, Frosty said: I'm not asking your wife, she'll make me help you find it. I recommend the same course of action where Deb's concerned. She is NOT bashful about putting people to work. Pidler: I killed the sound on your video after listening to you for a minute, then skipped through the rest. If you can't tell when I'm being sarcastic you aren't as sharp as I think. Stick to what you know. From the song Amish Paradise by "Weird Al" Yankovic Think you're really righteous? Think you're pure in heart? Well, I know I'm a million times as humble as thou art! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I would recomend always testing rebar for suitability, a lot of the cheap 1/2" at the big box stores are acualy high carbon, and much will acualy air harden. We see similar isues with A36 being used as structural steel but not as severe or as often. Both rebar and A36 steels are designed to meet minimum structural standards, not a spacific metalogical standard. We have Coke full circle to testing steel to see what it is acualy good for. Mao my suggestion is to show the use of rebar, A36, and spring when you edit the 3 vidioes you can insert comments comparing the 3 steels as to how they work including pro's and cons. If you look around you may find a set of rail splices that you can bolt on to stiffen the web on your anvil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Piddler: I hear ya. I'm not trying to pick on you, and if you read my post, I said that rebar WILL work for tongs if that is all you have. The thing is, though, if you are going to make tongs, it means you will be using those tongs to make something else. 99 times out of 100, rebar won't be a good choice for the things you make with the tongs you made, so why not just buy a good selection of suitable steel in the first place? Again, not trying to pick on you, just trying to give constructive food for thought. If I was going to put the effort into making a pair of tongs, I would want to know whether or not they will crack when quenched during use, *before* I made them. Now again, if you don't yet have anything else to use, it is better to use what you got than use nothing at all. I would want to have some kind of disclaimer, though, before I made a thousand newbies watching the video leave thinking rebar is an ideal material to work with. Remember that you can post "let's learn together" videos rather than authoritative "how to" videos when you are just dipping your toe into something you don't have very much experience with. I hope this comes across as something to help you out rather than just slow you down. Just remember, though, sometimes slowing down is the best way to help yourself out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Piddler Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 I understand and again don't know that ever will I be an authority.... what I'm saying is rebar made tongs relates more to more people than me driving to the steel supply company and buying what yes would be a better grade steel this is simply put a video that says it can be done not that it's the only way or best way..... my videos are aimed at the common guy not the engineer who wants to over think everything.... look you could brush your teeth the same way for years and years with out any trouble and some body could slow you down and explain why your doing it wrong.... if at the end of the video the tongs pick something up guess what you just learned how I MADE A SET OF REBAR TONGS mind blowing I know Btw the pic is from my first attempt I don't need to know to draw out the reigns blah blah blah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts