A long, drawn out post about the new guy's second set of tongs

[Cleave]

First and second set of tongs, from 1/2" round bar.

The second set improved a lot over the first I think, the proportions feel better, didn't need to resort to twisting, and cold riveted them together (easy enough).

They aren't set to hold anything in particular so they can hold a lot of things, but not very securely!!! I can see adding a longitudinal v groove to them next time I have a fire going.

There's always room for improvement but I'm quite happy with pair #2.

Anvil - 60 lb Fisher from the 1880's
Forge - campfire with blow pipe

 

Edited Monday at 09:40 PM by Mod30

[ConstructionK88]

Nice. That top pair looks much beefier. I'm a noob myself so I may be out of line to suggest grooving the beak and quenching so it'll provide more grip. I made a pair just last week and boy did the iron fly until I ground grooves into it. Though mine were intended to hold "hot" work since it's soft and they can bite in good.

Also love the campfire forge. My first one was a hole covered in brick using a centerfugual fan and plain old wood!

[Frosty]

No quenching tongs Newbie!   Forget quenching anything you don't want hardened and hardened tongs are a B A D thing, they're always getting hot so any kind of heat treat other than MAYBE normalizing is a general waste of time.

Rather than grinding shapes in the bits, heat them to a nice medium to high orange, place the stock you wish them to hold in the bits as the form and beat the bits together over it on the anvil driving the form's shape into them. This will give you tong bits that closely fit what you wish to hold. If you want V bits, an excellent general gripping shape, use square stock on the diamond as your form. 

There are a number of excellent how to videos in the Iforge video recommendations section, I'd link but I'd have to search them out and I virtually never do basic searches for folk. Clues yes, basic research? 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ConstructionK88]

Ahhhhhh! I only quench to harden the teeth for grip! Hahaha not at all a full quench. Dip in out in out. It's merely to keep the teeth from turning into doh. Also I dip them in water in between hammerings to attempt to preserve them toofers.  But I'll take your advice to HEART! I only say such since mine are modeled on pliars and they need the bite more than the squeeze. My hammer is light but my arm aims to break the sound barrier. My prime goal is to make an all around tong that can do flat, square, and round stock. Around 1 1/12inch or less is my goal. 

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning K8,

Welcome to our world. Just about everyone of us has started making Tongs, similar to what you are trying to create. 1st, upset the area where you want the hinge boss, before you do anything else. You need more material at the main pinch point. 2nd, DON'T start with rebar. Use mild steel only (you then don't have to worry about hardening and breaking). 3rd, Learn the Left,Left or Right, Right Rule!! 4th Don't be ashamed of what you are making, keep them so you can look back in 20 years and say "This is where I Started!!". I still use the first set of Tongs that I made, almost 30 years ago.

Enjoy the Journey!!! No, you aren't going to use the same Tongs for dainty stock to 1 1/2" stock. Make multiple sizes. Work Smart, Work Safe. No, you aren't going to set the world on fire!! Enjoy the Heat that you have, there is no perfect.

Neil

[ConstructionK88]

My swede friend i plan on passing my work on till the world turns to dust! personally i dont hate rebar. it is a pain but isnt life. Ill use what i make till i die friend. i certainly plan on making more tongs. they are quite fun to make. Lets be honest here.....Tongs are way more important than anything youre using them to hold. Not going to use bare hands afterall!

[Cleave]

Yeah, I've played with set 2 and the work jumps all over, I definitely need to bang a V groove into it somehow next time I've got the fire going. Precious little time with work and family too.

Welded up a bending fork for the hardy hole last weekend with the father in law.

[arkie]

21 hours ago, ConstructionK88 said:

Ahhhhhh! I only quench to harden the teeth for grip! 

I NEVER harden any tong jaws.  Why?  If you need hardened teeth or grooves to hold your work tightly, then your tongs aren't designed or made to fit the workpiece correctly.  That's why many tongs are made in various sizes (3/8", 1/2", 3/4", etc.) to fit the work.  Homemade tongs are usually hot fitted to size.  During forging, if you are needing to switch ends of your workpiece, then the hardened jaws might mark or roughen the gripped part.  I have made and bought tongs and have never run across any that were hardened.

[ConstructionK88]

@Arkie That i fully understand my friend. They were just my first ever pair and i needed some multipurpose tongs for the moment. the only thing they cant do well is hold stock larger than 3/4in but that isnt an issue right now. I will indeed make different tongs meant for the job later on. generally speaking i mainly use them to hold the tang or a less viewed piece of work so any marks are a moot point. a pair of V channel with a flat lip will be my next project. i think theyll be a bit more rounded for my intended use.

[arkie]

V bits are good (both V's or flat + V like yours). I need to make a flat + V.  Have fun making your tongs! I think it's gratifying to make your own.

 

[Cleave]

Yes, I made myself make my first set, without buying any, then recognized a number of ways to improve things, and made the second set. A great learning experience, and saves money too. The point of the craft for me is just about learning how to make things, most will probably be tools for blacksmithing and maybe some basic woodworking tools too.