MC Hammer Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 Like most on here, I've coveted a swage block for a while, but I just couldn't justify the prices they are commanding both old and new. I could see many, many times I could have used one and wished I'd had one. I was turned onto a guy on Etsy selling 11 x 11 x 2 inch thick A36 swage blocks for $110. I couldn't buy one fast enough. I won't leave a link because this forum frowns on that sort of thing, but if you search you'll find it just like I did. This size isn't for everyone, and I don't plan on doing any heavy sledge work on it. For me, a guy who'd never likely afford a big swage block, this was the perfect answer. I made the stand out of scrap wood I had hanging around, including a couple 2x4's I found on the side of the highway. The shelf supporting it while standing on its side has an inch thick piece of oak that the swage block sits on. I made the top shelf 11 1/4 x 11 1/4 just to give me room to get in and flip it. I plan on painting the stand and shelac'ing on certain areas with the idea of making it look like it's got some age. The swage block needs the edges knocked down a bit and a good wire wheeling with the angle grinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted March 12, 2019 Author Share Posted March 12, 2019 I got the paint and stuff for the stand so when it's all done I'll post some pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 Here's my finished stand. I gave it an antique look so it didn't look glaringly new in my shop full of old tools. I didn't spend a super amount of time on it, but I was happy on how it turned out. The great thing about shellac is that when the finish gets marred or dented I can just apply a new layer to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Till it can support a flame all on it's own? I'd rasp down the edges a bit and use a torch to go over the wood and wirebrush it and start using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said: Till it can support a flame all on it's own? I'd rasp down the edges a bit and use a torch to go over the wood and wirebrush it and start using it. My experience with shellac is that it loses its flammability once dry and will burn only as much as anything else such as just a plain old wood stand without shellac.. Are you saying to torch off the shellac finish? I actually did take and angle grinder and knock the sharp edges off the swage block and then I did some rasping to profile them a bit so that there's a radius on them and they don't leave marks on the things I'm working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 No; torch bare wood and "age" bare wood by putting in some "accelerated wear" To me that stand looks more like it was made from prefinished waterbed boards. I don't really know about the flammability of multiple layer shellac finishes; I'll accept your word that they are ok after drying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 That was funny! You know, it does look like water bed boards I've never really liked the burned look for artificial aging. I do it on tomahawk handles around where the hole is because all the old ones I've handled had that discoloration due to being in contact with the iron all those hundreds of years. I've just always thought it looked like it was burnt on wood things like that. What I was going for was something that didn't look like it was fresh lumber and out of place next to my old stuff. I got what I wanted and it looks like it fits in my shop now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeltree Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Can you post the size of the biggest square cutout in the center for me , thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 The center of this stand is 11 1/4 x 11 1/4 inches. Since the swage block is 11 x 11 I wanted some room in there to spare so I didn't have a tight fit. Here's the measurements for all the swage block features: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiapan Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 You just gave me a really great idea of what to do with a chinch of 2” plate I got. I will add it to my pile of projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 How easy is it to lift it out and rotate it edge down? It looks like it would be hard to remove and rotate. Also, it looks top heavy. Is it stable when rotating it, or does it want to tip over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 This thread hasn't been visited by the original poster since March 20, 2019, so you might want to send him a PM> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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