Justin Topp Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 Me again... today I got some stuff done after school. I made a new hot cut hardy from 4140. I also made some tongs for holding 1/4” round stock. The tongs have forge welded reigns. Huh the pictures seem to have flipped sideways. Sorry about that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 Made a flux spoon to replace my giant one from a railroad spike. Made from 1/2” square stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Nice job. That's a project on my list, for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 Thanks Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 My dad had a chat with a bunch of railway workers and the gave him these when he mentioned I’m a blacksmith! Super happy. around 50 spikes for free. I also picked up some stock for tongs. 1/2 inch by 1 inch flat stock and 1/2 inch round stock. 20 feet of each cut into 10 foot segments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 BONANZA!!!!!! Talk about material to practice on. Good for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 So much stock to play with. Anyone got good ideas for the railroad spikes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Long list: Steak flipper, steak fork, coal rake, spatula, spoon (another), bottle or can openers, book markers, letter openers, wall hooks, cabinet door hardware, tent stakes, candle holders, miner's spike candle holder, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc........................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Plenty of ideas here. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/44160-the-handy-rail-spike/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 GREAT LINK! PLENTY OF IDEAS FOR SURE!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 Thank you both! So many ideas I’ll have to try! Anyways I finished my first pair of tongs with the new stock. Bolt jaw tongs with forge welded reigns to hold the 1x1/2 inch stock. It was kinda awkward holding it with flat nib tongs but now I’ve got these tongs and they work perfectly. Although they don’t quite look perfect Next up is tongs for the spikes as they are slightly smaller than the last spikes I had so they don’t fit right in the tongs. Slowly but surely building up my collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 Railroad spike tongs are done. Forge welded reigns. I have also started a swivel shackle for a chain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 thanks for sharing your journey. Nice seeing no snow directly on the anvil. Your progress is wonderful and appreciate you showing your work and the substantial progress you have made in skills.. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 Thank you! And yes it’s been in the 30-40s so snow is all melting away finally. Perfect forging temps too haha. Hopefully I keep making progress! Need to make a tool table/rack so that’s on the to do list now. Too many tongs and hammers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 Decided to try drawing out the reigns instead of forge welding and this was the result. The reigns are a bit short but I started with two pieces of 1x1/2 inch bar stock. 4 inches long. I’m going to do 5-6 inches next time for room for the reigns. Fits 1/2 inch square and round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 Didn’t do much forging today. But I needed more space for tools so I built a workbench for my tools I’ll add some more racks later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Nice table Justin. I'm still enjoying watching your progress. You're getting better all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 Thanks. It works nicely for how little work went into it haha. About 1 hour in time and 40$ in lumber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 Going to go make a cupping hardy tool. Finally figure out how. I have a 8 lb cast shotput ball that would be perfect. It will probably break but I don’t mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Justin: Man you learn FAST! RR spikes make good tong stock, someone posted a how to video here a while back, anybody have a link? The V bits you made for the tongs will be very handy all round but I think you'll be happier if you make box jaw bits to hold the spikes. I've always found it less convenient and more tiring to forge square while holding the tongs at a 45 degree angle so the stock lays flat on the anvil. V bits are more universal where box jaws tend to only like one size very well. You're really putting a nice work space together the bench really brings it up a notch. When you drive the shot into the block for the cupping tool, make sure the block is SCREAMING HOT and let it soak extra. When you get ready to drive it, have a sledge hammer handy, head on the anvil, handle pointing to your hammer hand. Yes? If you wrap or tape a piece of leather on the hammer face it'll be less likely to break the shot. A piece of say 1" lumber will work for taking the impact shock out of the blow but can be pretty awkward. When it's good and hot, time for thinking and planning is OVER, drop the blank on the anvil set the shot and HIT IT! Have you thought about how to keep the shot where you want it? tongs? Sure sure but a two handed sledge will get the job done faster with less chance of breaking your die (shot) and you may have to hit it more than once. For this kind of operation I mark center, center punch it then use a large ball punch or grind an obtuse cone with a blunt end to make a serious divot in the blank. Once you've HIT IT the shot will stay put for seconds. If you have to pick the shot up off the floor for a second blow put the blank back in the fire, the anvil is sucking heat by the second. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 Thanks frosty! Joey van der steeg has a video on it I like. But I’ve got a load of the 1x1/2” stock and I like it for tongs quite a bit. I think I’ll make some bolt jaw style box tongs For the spikes. Similar to the 1x1/2 inch tongs. They are box jaw style for a more comfortable hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 Just saw you added more. The plan was to get it to shape roughly and use a rounding hammer and a mild steel hammer or a wood mallet to strike the rounding hammer and set. A divot in the billet for the ball shot to sit in. I’ll get it to welding temp drop it in. Drop the ball on and wack with my 9 lb sledge I appreciate the advise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 Well. It’s kinda horrible so far. Folded over and I didn’t notice till it was too late. Decide to fix as best I can and then just go with it. Still 1.5” thick so lots of room to flatten and widen still but it is really off set from the hardy hole. Luckily this tool doesn’t need to be perfect and 100% super strong. It will be left normalized unless it should be heat treated? It’s 4140 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 Decided I should scrap the other one and start over. Going a hundred times better now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 Well it’s finally done cup is bigger than it appears in the picture the cup didn’t take up the whole area so I added a chamfered edge so it could look fancy haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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