Pnut; you are correct.  You want the angle iron to be right at the edge of the hole so when you close the vise it doesn't act like a shear.

Daswulf; yes you remove it for reheating; though fewer reheats if you can get more done in a heat with a stable fixture.  I usually cut the piece I had in the vise at a steep angle and then true it up into the short spike.  I make these out of the steel wire they tie bundles of rebar for shipping which I get free or at scrap price at the metal supplier.  Very soft!   Sigh most places are going to metal strapping nowadays.

Vise in the electrolysis tank. 

You flying the kites into the thunderstorm?

I hear that’s the key to success. Shocking, I know. 

Actually; no---having your disposable apprentice fly the kites into the thunderstorms is the key to success! (and yes I got the Franklin allusion...I'm well grounded in such things...)

Deciding on how I want the lower support. Sorta deciding on this, but some feels a little off. Any suggestions?

A straight support just bent to rivet into the bracket and to meet and rivet to the upper support? Same or similar twist.

Love what you have so far. 

Thanks Daswulf. I was initially thinking straight as well, but felt like it didn't have enough pop. The main hook is only 1/2'' wide, so not a ton of wiggle room. Similar twist for the lower adds too much pop for me. Maybe I'm overthinking it?

What I've concluded so far with the sketch, is using 1/8'' x 1/2'' flat stock and a small taper at each end. Although I remain undecided. 

No Mudman, that hook has more pop than the average customer deserves. Seriously it's just right, maybe some cool incising on the wall plate but not too much. Too much and it'll start looking busy and lose it's effect.

I think you're looking at a less is more situation. Any brace needs to be almost plain, a simple open twist or maybe some hammer marking on the corners. Simple and sweet.

Of course that's just my opinion. To quote my Grandmother, "To each his own said the old lady as she kissed the cow."

Frosty The Lucky.

Daswulf, I point the end of the rod, turn it 90 degrees, and start the scroll on the edge of the anvil for the first circle. Then it is heat as long a piece of rod as I can and holding the spiral with tongs, vise grips, etc, start wrapping the rest of the rod around the spiral. Keep the rod HOT and it will fit against the spiral during the wrap. Stop and heat more rod before it is needed, that is do not work the rod against the spiral once it starts to cool.  Stop when you get to the handle section and flatten the spiral on the anvil.  Then make the handle.  Spiral is and stays tight that way. When your finished, grind the point at the center of the spiral to the length and sharpness you want.

Pretty much what I did. I could have kept it hotter along the way. Every once in a while I'd have to flip the spiral down side over the far edge of the anvil and tap back at me to snug it up. That was also shown in whatever video I watched back when. I'll have to make another go or so at this since some people that have seen it are interested. Thomas's tool also sounds simple enough to make. 

Frosty, thanks for the input. It's certainly difficult resisting the urge, to add as many bells and whistles to things. I've done it too many times, only to ruin an entire piece. 

On the wall plate, I was thinking, maybe chiseling a border line between the textured bevel and flats?  Although I still need to drill holes for the wall mounting screws, they are going to be pretty close together. 

36 minutes ago, Mudman said:

On the wall plate, I was thinking, maybe chiseling a border line between the textured bevel and flats?  Although I still need to drill holes for the wall mounting screws, they are going to be pretty close together. 

Yeah, something like that. Maybe like the spine decorations on viking style blades? 

I really like it, the twist is beautiful, I'd put it on my wall in a heartbeat.

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty: if your talking about decorative spine filing, I'd probably pull my hair out attempting that. Perhaps a small fuller border instead?

Thank you, I hope the person receiving it, like the thing. Birthday gifts of this sort, make me nervous. As I'm not sure they'd like it. 

Mudman nice..  I would also chisel a few lock notches into the backing plate to help keep the arm from rotating.. I know the hook is downwards  I also can see that there will be a diagonal under it.. but because of the round tenon having a way to keep it from spinning is a common thing..  

I mention it only because that is what I would do.. 

Donated blood the other day, so I didn't have a whole lot of energy for forging, but I did noodle around in the scrap pile and weld up a halfway decent guillotine tool.  The HAZ coloring makes it look a bit crooked, but everything is square, and there's a nice sliding fit to the dies, so this should be an improvement over my old clapper-style tool.  Coat of paint coming tomorrow, and hopefully a test run as well.

Very nice. Please keep us posted on how it works.

Your guillotine looks a lot simpler to construct than many I've seen. Like JHCC said, please let us know how it works.  In the future Id like to make one myself.    

6 hours ago, Mudman said:

decorative spine filing

I just HAD to see this line right after searching out H R Giger images.  What happens if you lose a biker bar bet?

I agree Jennifer, good call. Mudman can practice his spine filling by filing notches in his mortise. 

Oh man I'm going to have this creepy imagery going through my mind for days aren't I?! 

Frosty The Lucky.

C’mon, Frosty, show a little backbone!

Just what I need, hip ribbing!

Frosty The Lucky.

If you have issues with a tenon rotating---make it and the mortose square! (or arc weld it on the back of the plate...)

I fixed up 2 sledges i found at the surplus yard. They had a lot of pitting on the face that needed some grinding. The small one i made in to a 2 faced rounding an flat faced hammer. The sledge i just cleaned up the face's and left the sides pitted. I like the look, it gives it a bit of character. I made the small sledges handle myself and the big one is a store bought one i had laying around. 

hikerjohnson - boy that post went by quick..    Looks great to me.. Good clean use of materials ..I'm going to file that one with the channel into the books..  Be looking forwards also to your take on it in use.. 

Busy day on the forum.. 

Here is the finished flat basket twist finished.. 

Jen, beautiful work on the flat basket twist.  I think I like those much better than the customary rod type.  I gotta take a stab at making a flat one...you inspired me!  (BTW, you inspired me to make the split, non welded ring trivet on your video as well, LOL)