Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I have a propane forge. It has three burners and is rather large, so I am finding it difficult to forge tongs 1. when I don't have any to forge the metal with and 2. when the flame of the forge heats up the material too much for me to hold onto it. I don't have a functional coal forge and can't seem to find any material to make tongs anyway. Is there anywhere in Canada that I can buy a couple sets of pre-made tongs to get me started? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I don't know about within Canada, but I assume that places like Blacksmith's Depot and Pieh Supply ship thither. Wise move to look at purchasing tongs rather than trying to make them when you're first starting out. You will not regret the investment. If you can't hold it, you can't hit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 There's the bane of the propane forge,, they heat EVERYTHING that gets close to the opening. Can you angle the stock to the side so it's NOT directly in the flame exiting the door? Do you have something like a brick laid flat in front of the door to act as a sill? A sill will deflect flame upwards so material laying on the porch isn't in so much flame. Don't cut your stock short, leave it a foot or more longer than you need so it doesn't get too hot to hold. I keep a couple rags in the water bucket to wrap the handle end when it starts getting HOT. However, tongs aren't really a beginner project, the individual processes aren't even intermediate it's the need to match the halves that's kind of advanced for beginners. That makes buying a pair or two basic general use tongs a good option. It's FAR better to succeed forging early projects than it is to endure the frustration of difficult projects you might view as NECESSARY to continue. Tongs are handy, NOT necessary, there are work arounds like using longer stock so you can hold it directly. Not perfect but it works. I' with John, I'm sure someone in Canada sells tongs. Give a farrier supply a call, if there isn't one close call a farrier, s/he isn't likely to sell you one of his/er tongs but they'll know who does sell them. When I say Call, I mean on the telephone, NOT online. Voice to voice is much easier communications. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Also look into an air curtain for the front of the forge. I forged a set of Titanium tongs to slow down heat transfer up the reins with my gasser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Oh my God, Frosty, do people still talk on telephones????? "Air curtain"? I've never seen one on a gasser, Thomas. Any info/pics or whatever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Just a separate blower with a narrow rectangular outlet blowing up an inch or two in front of the forge opening to deflect the hot exhaust up. I have one; but as no power in the shop currently it's on a shelf, waiting,... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Greetings Orolin, Not a problem . Just use vice grips to hold your stock. A water soaked rag will cool the metal you don’t want to hang onto . Your first tongs should be of the box jaw design . The most universal ones. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Have you seen the quick or rapid tongs from Ken's custom iron? I can never remember which are the larger ones but anyway you can get a pretty good selection of tongs that only need a hole drilled/punched so you can put in a rivet and head it after twisting the bits 90 degrees. I think a five or six set bundle is about $50usd or maybe 12 dollars a set. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Toronto blacksmith sells tongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 pnut I did get a set of those tongs, though they are remarkably short and the instructions are not as clear as they could be. Frosty I have a few bricks, but it's kind of hard to set them up in front of the door. I made my forge out of a forty pound propane tank and a large piece of flat metal with two sides. The angle on the sides of the flat piece make it difficult to place bricks there without them falling off, though I could try welding an extension onto it. Jim Coke I tried to use vice grips the other day, but the opening on my forge is rather large and I don't yet have a door on it, so it burns my gloves. The flame extends about 3-5" from the opening of the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Try these. They're not pretty but they work until you can develop the skills to make better ones. https://www.iforgeiron.com/index2.html/blueprints/00-series/bp001 easy-to-make-tongs-r1099/ They make two sizes. Did you get the larger ones? Have you tried drawing the reins out a few more inches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 I apparently got the smaller ones, and I would draw out the reins a little ways if I had anything to hold them with. (I have pliers and vice grips, but as I said before, my forge gets very hot and the flame comes out a significant ways). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 You might want to read this about using the @tag. Using the @ name on the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 Ah I see. Very well, I will not use the "@" format as requested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Make a pair of the twist tongs I sent you a link for to hold the tongs while you draw them out. Just remember to take the tongs apart or it might be awkward. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 Fair enough. But I seem to be unable to open the link you sent me. It just sends me to the Articles page and no to the exact link. Nevermind, I figured it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Does it do anything? Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page it sends you to and you'll see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 BP001 Easy to make tongs or Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Glenn, the link I sent is the right one. He's just not looking far enough down the page. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 I figured it out, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 It used to trick me too. I'd try clicking on the topics up towards the top and just get sent back to the same page. It took me a few tries before I scrolled down far enough. Lol Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Do you have a welder? If you do weld some scrap (like rebar) to the work for an extension to keep it farther from the forge opening. Cut it off when done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 I do have a flux-core welder, but I still need some practise before I start welding on project pieces. I know I can just grind off the welded piece if it doesn't work, but I'd rather practise and do it right the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Welding a piece of something onto a project as a handle is some of that practice you're talking about. Temp handles don't need to look good, just hold for a while. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 The more I practice my welding, the better I get at grinding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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