Hot cut hand shear hardy?

[Jasent]

Thank you tp.   I’m glad to see it’s a usable scrap and I didn’t haul it home in my work car for nothing.  Hoping to get started tomorrow on the build after I put a block heater in the tractor 

[Jasent]

Well I got it put together.   Had trouble with the 1/8 leaf springs but 3/8 round bar was no trouble at all.  Leaf spring just cools to fast.   Made it so it can cut pulling down or lifting up. 

Bent the handle a bit trying 1/2” rebar but I knew I was pushing my luck with that stuff 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Flatten the handle some so it’s somthing like 3/8 thick and 5/8 or so wide (assuming 1/2 square) That will make the handle twice as stiff

[Jasent]

It’s 3/4x3/4”.   Bent using a cheater pipe on it to see if I could cut the 1/2” with more force 

[ThomasPowers]

Next one you build; try it with the bolt hole deeper into the body of the piece---it will help reduce it from springing out.  Also are you using a grade 8 bolt?

[Jasent]

Yes it’s grade 8.   It works well for small stuff but your right. It tends to want to spread on heavier stuff. I’ll keep this in mind on the next build.  

With the 3/8 bar it was faster than hardy hot cut.  I’m thinking next one should be 1/2” bolt and like you said deeper so it holds its self straight with more support.   

You must be getting to know me well assuming I’m planning to build another.  This is just version 1.0.  

The blade holds up good just keeping the angle the blade was worn at.  I’m wondering if there is a edge angle I should be looking for. I’d like to be able to cut the leaf spring easily and faster than hot cut cause really if it’s not faster than it’s a waste of time

[ThomasPowers]

I'm sure that there is a "preferred angle" but that may have a bit to do with the alloy of the cutter as well.  I don't know where to check for that though---perhaps the old time machinist books or Practical Blacksmithing.   (Or chek what is used on Edward shears...)

Blacksmithing is an iterative process; both in forging things to finished shape and in making your own tools!   Please let us know when you get to the one that works so well you have to brag about it!

[jlpservicesinc]

I had tried to make one of these 30 years ago..  2 things I had to do to make it work consistently enough was to put a sharp cutting edge on it, beveled out  (sharpened ) like a pair of scissors and eventually I welded on an outside limb so the cutting blade was supported on 2 sides..  If I were to do it again., I'd figure out a way to put a pressure screw on it to force the cutting blades together.. 

I built it for shearing up to 1/4"X 4".   I eventually bought a cheap shear which I kept for hot work only. 

[Jasent]

I just used this shear the other day to cut 1/8” aluminum plate cold. Was like cutting flashing with tin snips. But the main support bar got in the way after few bites.  Had to flip sides and cut fro the other side.  

A pressure screw would definitely help with cutting the leafspring!

this shear has come in handy several times in the last few months even with my limited shop time lately.  Spring time on the farm is busy and working full time makes it worse.   

[anvil]

Nice.

Consider this, the size of your tool will quickly tell you the size limits of what you can cut. If things go wonky, you have reached your size limit. Want to cut heavier stock? Make a bigger hand shear.