BillyBones Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 MJ, look up center finding tool. It is basically a bar with 2 legs and in between them is a pencil or scribe point. They are not to difficult to make, my granddad used to make his own all the time. You can buy them at just about any store that sells carpentry or cabinet making tools. Just a quick look on that site named after that big river in S. America has cheap plastic ones for about $5 (USD) and metal ones for less than $20 (USD). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewoon ik Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 I believe thomaspowers mentioned a cheap and universal one. Just a bar with 2 pins thru. En in the center of the 2 a scribe. Still have to make one myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 MJ. what are you using to cut the crosses? I have a cheep portaband that I use with a homemade table and fence that I can adjust down close enough to cut them from 1/8" stock for earrings. Also, when I get set up to cut them, I will cut at least 50 or so. It is a pain to get them just right...... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 i like the center finding tool idea will look into it dave I am using a hack saw so that adds half the time again luckily I'm not going for the profit right now just for fun(and maybe cost of materials) i tried a zip cut wheel but ended up damaging one of the arms so i finished it with the hack saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 6 hours ago, M.J.Lampert said: Arthur that looks nice now if only stock was cheap enough a penny nail could actually be made for a penny in Canada, actually if only we still had penny's... just looked we are now over ten years without pennies up here Yes, for 10 years now we've been penny-less up here in Canada. But better penny-less than clueless, IMHO! Have fun, Arthur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 8 hours ago, Frosty said: use hard firebrick Will do. I have some fire brick in my portable jabod which I'm not using. I just saw someone else using angle iron and figured I'd use the iron since I wasn't using it for anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 But, but, but how do you give someone a penny for their thoughts or throw in your two cents worth on a subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Reprimed and repainted the signboard and the arrow, this time with the proper paint (I hope). I’ll let it cure for a good while before I mask and repaint the frame. 16 minutes ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said: But, but, but how do you give someone a penny for their thoughts or throw in your two cents worth on a subject. A nickel Canadian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 14 hours ago, Dave51B said: ....cut them from 1/8" stock for earrings... Hi Dave. Would love to see a picture of those earrings if you have one, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Rojo, I don't have a way to post pics from my flip phone. But I can text you a pic if you care to PM me a phone number. Life is Good Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Just a short session this morning, but enough to make good use of the nail header. First attempt was a failure (passed through without making a head), but here are number 2, 3 and 4 (from left to right). Fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 17 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said: But, but, but how do you give someone a penny for their thoughts or throw in your two cents worth on a subject. if we really want your thoughts we'll give ya a loonie, if we think your absurd we'll call you loonie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Tonight just wasn't my night. I don't usually get to forge on Friday nights because we have standing dinner plans with a home-bound friend. But she's in the hospital so we're home for the evening. I went out with intention to finish the tongs. All I had left was to flatten the section where the rivet was going, rivet, and shape the jaws/reins. First setback: chopped into my finger while trying to split some of the thicker forge kindling. Needed help from Ashley getting it bandaged because it was bleeding too much for me to do it on my own. Might need steri strips but just a tight bandaid and neosporin for now. Back outside, I decided I'd just flatten and drill the holes for the rivet instead of finishing because I didn't have a great grip with my finger all gimpy. Second setback: the hole I drilled was off center which landed it too close to the edge, pretty much ensuring a split once riveted. So I need to redo that side from the beginning. Honestly, that side needed redone anyway because I drew it out too thin. So I put the forge away and scrounged up another piece of 3/8 mild to use next time. Also scrounged up some square bar to mark up and cut to make a keychain split cross for my dad. Nursing my pride for the remainder of the evening, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 I admit to filling in a hole or two with a welder in order to save the work piece. Either reforging or grinding it smooth so it could be re-drilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 MADE IT TO THE SCRAPYARD TODAY!!!!!!!!! (Escorted of course.) Made it back online with help of Daughters who know smartphones better than my IT degree from 1999... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothman_c3w Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 I tried making a cookpot for the first time a few days ago. It turned out alright, but I have identified several areas of improvement to my process. I started with about 12.5" of 14-ga. sheet, and it ended up about 10.5" inside diameter and a bit under 4" deep. I didn't have a deep dishing hammer, so I made one out of a railroad bolt welded to a pipe. I will make more, but I plan to make them deeper, and a bit smaller in diameter. This one is too shallow; I don't like where the center of gravity ended up. Early on I hammered a sharp groove into the sheet by mistake. That caused issue later in the form of a tear. I carefully welded it closed and kept going. The repair is pretty obvious though (to me anyway). I may try to find some steel hemispheres from an architectural iron supply for a decent price to use as starting stock. I'm not sure if that's too close to cheating though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 I picked up another dome headed RR bolt at the scrapyard today. I find them easier to dish with if they are bent into an arc that follows my swing when dishing. Experimentation with your swing and dishing form helps get deeper pots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Here’s mine, along with another raising hammer with a similar curve: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothman_c3w Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Thomas and JHCC, I appreciate the input. JHCC, I've been loosely following your yarn bowl projects. I have family members that knit and I want to make a few for gifts; I just haven't yet been able to achieve the depth and steep sides I want. What sheet thickness do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Hey Thomas, did you have enough minions along to carry the loot? Mothman: Pretty decent pan, you did a nice job. Straight dishing isn't the best way to get a deep bowl. If you make creases around the rim then planish them flat it will upset the edge shrinking the circumference and draw the rim in. Pipe makes terrible hammer handles, it's too heavy and rigid while being round makes it harder to control. For sheet metal work you want hammers that can slap the work, thin whippy handles just stiff enough for good control. What did you use to drive the blank into? You have a good eye for this, a little practice and you'll be turning out some fine pieces. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Yes; but it was merely a handful of items; I need to get rid of stuff not add to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 So long as the minions felt useful and you introduced them to the guys at the scrapyard it's a good trip. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 Mothman, I start with about an 8-1/2” circle of 16 gauge sheet. (Why 8-1/2”, you ask? Because I picked up a bunch of 8-1/2” x 36” offcuts from a local fabrication shop.) 18 minutes ago, Frosty said: Straight dishing isn't the best way to get a deep bowl. If you make creases around the rim then planish them flat it will upset the edge shrinking the circumference and draw the rim in. This is true. Interestingly, here are two bowls made from the same size blank; the one in the left was dished cold on the fly press, which preserved much of the starting diameter. The one on the right was forged hot: dished in the middle and shrunk at the rim as Frosty describes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 Finished the hall tree i been working on. Take it to my parents tomorrow. Also made some tongs for a big chunk o' round stock i have a plan for. I of course made them backwards for me. Still need to trim and get the nubs knocked down some on the reigns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 Thomas, you are more than welcome to have the minions pack a semi trailer and send it up my way. Nice work Mothman and Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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