Bustapepper Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Built my 2nd set of tongs today. Sized them for 7/8 round bar. Fits 1 inch as well. Not the perfect grip into the bar I wanted. But they will do I think. Lots of practicing and lots of skills to be learned by building tongs I am finding. It is a pain to draw out the reins by hand but as I do it I am learning new technique, and proper hammer control. I went with the more extreme curvature because I think it looks kinda cool. Anyway from what I see out there they are far from perfect, but like I say, I had fun building them. Material I used is an old hex shaft that was in the scrap bin at work. Figured I'd use it. Cheers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Nice work, especially for a second pair. Definitely better than my first few sets. Keep it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Ya done good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Yeah you did. Good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTMichaud Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Practice makes proficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal the smith Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Nice tongs. I like using the curved jaws as it gives plenty of room if you have bends or scrolls on the end of your workpiece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustapepper Posted August 2, 2019 Author Share Posted August 2, 2019 I like them. I used them now to build two tools from a spring I salvaged from the scrap bin. They aren't totally secure, but they work. Thanks for the encouragement. Makes me want to keep doing what I'm doing and slowly refine the skills. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal the smith Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 “...doing what I’m doing and slowly refine the skills”. Amen to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 Good Morning Pepper, Nice start for Tongs. As you are forming the shoulder for the hinge area, leave a little more material. All the effort of the Jaws and the Reins are putting the most strain at the thinnest section, close to the hinge pin/Rivet. If you started with 7/8 material, there should have been enough mass, to start with. If you are making Tongs from 1/2 square, you need to upset the hinge area to create enough mass. I am not being critical (negative), I am just trying to point out the area to focus on next time. Were you at Ness Creek for CanIRON? Send me a PM if you would like talk about Tongs. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustapepper Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 I'm a self learner. Self taught. Not the most proficient way to go about it. I know I will gain a ton of knowledge of just getting hands on experience with a more skilled person. Which I will do in due time. I didn't get out to CanIron. Would be nice. But work schedule conflicts. I will always take the criticism, I will thicken the boss area, and keep the stress points thicker. Well I'll try my best anyway. I think I'll make another set of tongs in the near future try to get better, I kinda like the challenges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 Good Morning, There is a procedure that I have posted earlier, here. Start with the jaw on the near side of the Anvil, half faced blows to initiate the front of the rivet boss and start the length of the jaw, 1/4 turn left on the far side of the Anvil , angle the jaw when you hammer down with half faced blows (this creates the angle at the root of the jaw to the hinge boss), 1/4 turn left to create the back shoulder of the hinge boss and the start of the rein (leave more material at the start of the rein). Turn Left, Left for right hand Tongs, or, Right Right for left hand Tongs. Both sides of the Tongs are identical. The area of concern is the area that connects to the pivot Boss (rivet area), leave more material where the reins start and the jaws start, close to the rivet boss. If you imagine holding the reins and gently squeezing, the area next to the rivet boss is taking ALL the load, that is where they will deform first. It is just subtle, but it is huge. Enjoy the journey, making more Tongs will show you the subtle differences. Always break the edges, no sharp edges. Go over your work with a Flatter or a piece of thick scrap, to even out the Hammer marks. The job isn't finished, until it is finished, a quick swipe with a file will show you the high points. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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