Wrought Iron Farm Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Hey y’all, want to make so garden tool for my wife and her family. I want1075 so that way it will hold a bit of an edge but don’t know which kind. Hot rolled, cold rolled annealed, scaleless blue tempered? What’s the best choice? Pic to show full list of options. Also what gauge would you guys suggest? I was thinking 14-16? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 If you will be hot working it; any cold rolling or surface treatment or heat treatment will be extra cost that is thrown away. If you will be hot working it go with hot rolled. If you will be cold working it and NOT heat treating it then you need to worry about being able to deform it enough to attain shape and having enough work hardening to make it stiff in use. If you will be cold working it and then heat treating; it go with what is easiest to work---annealed (actually I would go with hot rolled in this case as the heat treatment will produce the strength needed. Though cold rolled P&O will have less surface clean up needed.) If you had provided the details on how you plan to work it the people you are asking for help wouldn't have to type so much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrought Iron Farm Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 My bad, I’m going to cut out a spade ♠️ shape and pop it in the forge then hammer forge in the curvature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 HOT ROLLED! and get it heavy enough to remove the scale and polish it without getting too thin! Though if you have heavy clay soils; Stainless spades were extolled in "An Axe, a Spade and Ten Acres", George Courtauld (A nice quiet read...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFC Snuffy Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 Just a suggestion: railroad spikes can be used to make a decent trowel. You can find them all over Etsy for around $40-50. Chandler Dickinson makes a nice one here. If you're wanting a larger/wider blade, you could certainly rivet such to a RR spike, while still having plenty of stock for a nice twisted treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 PTree makes a lot of RR spike trowels; so much so he buys spikes new by the keg from the manufacturer and so doesn't waste valuable time explaining to the RR Police why you are committing a felony... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 Heres some concrete tools I made. Not gardening tools, but concrete and stone are pretty abrasive. Made from mild steel. I believe I forged them from 5/8" square stock. So, 1075 is overkill, and no other heat treat needed. I did the walls for a 20'x40' shop with these. The back wall was 5' high, the front was3' and the side walls were concave to fit a curved log. The pic of the pointer shows the beginning of the stonework. Nothing beats making a tool, then useing it! Good luck and have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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