jpbreezy Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Hey everyone, I just completed my forge and have it working quite well. I was hoping to start making tools as soon as possible and am looking for simple things to make that will benefit my skill set. I have an ample amount of rebar lying around the yard that i was hoping to put to good use by practicing my forging. Any suggestions on what i should focus my time on making? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 First I wouldn't use rebar at all. Good tools to start with: I'd start with a poker and a rake for your forge. Then use coil spring and make a center punch, small cold chisel, and a scribe. You will use them every day. And they will teach you a lot about forging and fire control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Rebar I use for snakes and tentstakes. I'd scrounge some car steel and make a hardy and a hot cut and a spring fuller. It really helps if you tell us what you plan to do with your forge so we can suggest tools you will need. Shame to have you focus on stuff you won't use after making it no? If you are in the Socorro NM, USA, area Saturday, stop by the university and I'll have a forge running at the SCA event near the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickb Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Rebar is perfect if you bury it in concrete, not recommended for blacksmiths. Might be okay for a poker or a rake, nothing else. Great source of low price, uniform good quality steel is the local welding shop or fence and railing shop. Used automobile coil springs are great for hardenable steel (center punch, cold chisel , etc). but they are dangerous to disassemble. Ask the garage guy to take them apart, he has the tools to do it safely. Depending on your hand-eye coordination and accuracy skills with a hammer, I would start with forging tapers . For example forge a 1 or two inch long square taper on a 1/2 inch square bar. Next forge the same tapers on half inch round bar. Then continue by forging a 1 or two inch round taper on 1/2 inch square bar and on 1/2 inch round bar. If you are having trouble with these then find a stump and a pound of tenpenny nails (about 3 inches long) and practice hammering them into the stump. Now that you are comfortable with the above, start with making a center punch, cold chisel, scribe. Up to this point you may have been using vice grips to handle hot metal so it's a good time to make some tongs. And don't forget, hold the black end and hammer on the red end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 I use rebar for bottle openers, which I then give to construction guys as a thank-you for their structural steel scrap. Everyone benefits. Everything else as described above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 JHCC; let me see if I got this right: you give them rebar and you get real wrought iron in return?---Ever though about going into big business or Politics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 or call in my place on saturday, we run courses and are happy to discuss it courses are 'ONE TO ONE' unless arranged differently complete beginners advanced toolmaking copper and brass work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Another excellent use for rebar outside concrete and very basic tools like fire pokers, etc. is pegging corners on log structures. We'd notch and trim the course (that layer of log) then drill the corner down through the notch about 1/16" smaller than the rebar pin. Mix a little bondo, 1/2 C was good, wipe the end of the rebar pin and stuff the rest of the Bondo in the hole then drive the pin in flush. Rebar is really inconsistent metallurgically, it can have serious differences in carbon or other contents in a short distance. A good example of how you can't rely on it is on public display on "Forged in Fire" as noted by how often the rebar handles welded to billets break off. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 I use rebar for a bunch of things but not tools. The first pair of tongs I made was from rebar and one jaw broke off while holding hot steel making me do the forge & anvil dance to avoid the flying hot steel. (lesson learned early) I still use the coal rake made out of it and a water dipper handle as examples. If I knew where in the world you were located. I would invite you over to pick through my resource pile. Suitable steel like sucker rod ends for anvil hardy's or coil springs for chisel's & punches, mild 1/2 inch square bar sections (the list goes on) can be had if you GTTS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbreezy Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 Thanks to everyone for help, it's much appreciated. I think I'll have to invest in some good, quality iron and practice making simple tools from there and build my way up. I have a special desire to forge knives and work my way up to bigger tasks but I think its best to start small and practical. Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exo313 Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 13 hours ago, Frosty said: ...how often the rebar handles welded to billets break off. I feel there's at least a 40% "never touched a welder before" factor at play there as well. But I see your point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 19 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: JHCC; let me see if I got this right: you give them rebar and you get real wrought iron in return? Actually, the real WI came from some guys who wouldn't take anything in return. Not even doughnuts! The rebar bottle openers and a rebar rattlesnake paperweight went to two different contractors on adjacent construction jobs at the college: the construction of a new campus hotel and the renovation of part of the theater. That's where almost all of the steel for my treadle hammer and portable hole/striking anvil came from. 19 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Ever though about going into big business or Politics? And here I thought you were my friend.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 The check bounced.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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