What did you do in the shop today?

[Chimaera]

I love the axe, Goods. How long does it take you to make something like that? Do you do it all by hand or do you have a press or power hammer? I'd love to make axes, but that seems like a lot of material to move/drift by hand.

[Goods]

Chimaera, it took me about 3hrs to get to this point. I did use the power hammer (Anyang 106) for the brut force steps: punching, drawing the cheeks, the set down in front of the eye, and some drawing of the blade. I did most of the drawing and shaping with a big ball peen and the planishing with a smaller flatter face ball peen. I find it much easier to get the shape in my head with a hand hammer.

(Also used the hammer a couple weeks ago to prepare the 4”x2”x1” of forklift tine.)

Keep it fun,

David

[Shainarue]

On 4/13/2023 at 12:07 AM, Frosty said:

If you don't mind, let us know what your coach says please, I'd like to compare thoughts.

I received the response from my coach regarding the 5 tapers I submitted (as well as the S-hook and leaf)

In regards to the tapers:
"[...] and think over all you've done a great job! I would like to see your tapers come down to an even finer point at the very tip. [...]" and then basically asked a few technique questions to make sure I understood the basics of the skills.

The only one he wants me to re-submit is the diamond taper. Needs to be sharp and also only one angle to the sides - as mine had two angles (how my brain envisioned a diamond, lol). He sent some chalk sketches of what he was expecting. 

So I'll be working on that this evening. I just wanted to update you since you asked.

[alexandr]

The snow just melted, and the gardeners "woke up" immediately. Many orders for arches.

[TommyVee]

Well, not all done at once, the accumulation of a couple of sessions at the forge.

Made two chasing chisels (¼" and ⅛" working ends) from a bit of  ½" coil spring.  These are not yet hardened and tempered, but that's either today or tomorrow's step.  I had made two quick and dirty chisels with the same working end size out of  SuperQuenched mild steel for the Viking Bottle Opener challenge and they worked well enough, but these should hold up properly.

[you can see additional bits of the same coil spring in the background of this photo, that was the other thing I did --- cut, straightened, and annealed the rest of that coil for other projects]

Forged another leaf key ring fob.

And inspired by Shaina's coursework, I started working through the ABANA "Controlled Hand Forging" lessons from the Hammer's Blow (since that ABANA class is full and already in session).  The first lesson in those articles is square tapers, and I've made three tries starting from a 24" length of 1/2" square bar.  These are not up to spec yet --- spec is that they should all be centered to within 1/16", straight sided to within 0.002" of "belly", and 3" long from tip to start of taper.  None meet those criteria, but my first three tries don't look *too* terrible to me.  Oh, and the lesson description says that when you're good you should be able to do the whole thing in two heats.  I'm not there, these took at least 4 or 5 heats each.

 

[Goods]

Just for reference, in an ideal world (no loss to scale, and perfect geometry…), a 3D taper will grow by 3 times. (Cone, pyramid, but doesn’t work with a square taper on round stock; need to be a constant cross sectional shape.) Mark off 1” with a center punch and work you taper back to the mark. If you keep the taper even from both directions and a fairly sharp point, you’ll be really close to 3”. (Geometry is fun?). If it’s not centered when you get there, light planishing blows with you stock and hammer blows angle correctly should center it with cause too much growth in length.

Keep it fun,

David

[gewoon ik]

Had a nice evening at the forge. Because they are construction my garden I made some leafs.

A leaf keyring. No photo, was claimed before I could take it by a friend who came by.

And a bottle opener (again). It does it job, but flatting the lip schould do tje job even better.

 

[Chad J.]

That's a good looking leaf Gewoon.  Nice clean lines.   I finished a second orchid tonight but had to abandon shop for a few moments when the orchid heads started shooting out some funky flame and developed a yellow soot on my.   I didn't think I bought galvanized sheet.  Anyway here's #2.  Didn't have nearly the fight I had with the first.   No welding, got the rivet right this time.  I have 5 more shaped to go.

 

 

[Shainarue]

Glad I could provide some inspiration Tommy! I also have the Controlled Hand Forging lessons printed and in a binder. I thought I'd start on those after the ABANA Level 1. Figured they'd be good for in between projects or such. 

Gewoon, that's a nice leaf. 

Another beauty, Chad! 

No pics because time got away from me and when I checked the time it was 10pm! So I scrambled to get everything put up and will resume tomorrow. 

Fought with staples again tonight. I might have to buy yet ANOTHER 8 ft of 3/8 bar but I WILL get this! 

One of the reasons I signed up for the ABANA course was to push myself to focus on technique and consistency rather than just good enough. I would have given up on these staples probably 5 staples in if I had done the course on my own (I've probably done 20 or so in the past month). But since I have a coach to submit my work to - and since I've paid for the course - I am much more intent on getting it right. And not just getting it right one time so I can submit it. I want to be able to do it consistently. 

My square tapers (from round bar) are getting MUCH faster and smooth though! 

[gewoon ik]

Shainarue i know the feeling. Also still busy with blacksmithschool. It helps to get the basic things correct.

I remember making square collars with sharp square corners (inside and outside) to dimension. 

I can make sharp square corners now. But is is not something i would be learning outside school to be honest. Was brutal.

The leafs are similar to make as "droplets" or spades but those need to be symetrical and the tip still needed to be round. After 10 practice pieces and some more in varia other excercises i can feel a little musclememory

[BillyBones]

12 hours ago, Shainarue said:

Fought with staples again tonight.

I am not doing the curriculum but i did make one of those gate latches just to challenge myself. The staples was were i struggled the most. 

I was looking at the ABANA site at the gate latch layout. It seemed to show that the hook was folded over on the end and welded. The Mark Asprey video i watched showed him doing 2 folds to get filler material. Is that how the ABANA class teaches or is just the one fold and weld? 

[Frosty]

You were brash brushing your orchids weren't you Chad? You know common brass is a copper Zinc alloy, over heating it WILL burn the zinc. Was the smoke white with a blue tint and kind of lacy looking? Hmmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Shainarue]

Billy, I've been working ahead. So far there's only been one virtual class and it covered safety, terminology, a few different hammer striking positions, and tapers. So I'm so deferring to the Mark Aspery videos for the lessons. If I had to guess though, I'd say as long as it's done in a manner to demonstrate your understanding and ability to forge weld, and the material is increased enough for the hook notch, then it's probably fine. 

I rewatched a few videos this afternoon, had an big aha moment, tried it again tonight and successfully did two in a row!

Heres a pic of all 20 that I've done in the past 28 days. The two that I did tonight are on the far right. One square taper, one chisel taper. Both have 1-1/8" inner diameter and 1-3/4" tapers. So I've submitted those for review. 

[Frosty]

That'd make a pretty good story of Shaina's progress board. What came to mind when you said 20 staples in 28 days was the movie, "28 Days" making me think of a zombie staple gun. Well. . .  a "Zombie Hammer Tacker" staple reloads fits the image better.

Those last two look excellent, good utilitarian staples. Well done.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Shainarue]

Is there another movie besides the Sandra Bullock 28 Days? Because I don't follow the thought process to zombie staple gun, lol

I was thinking I'd keep doing these every once in awhile just to make sure I really got it. I figured I'd put them into the framing inside the shed, whenever I finally do that, and hang the S hooks from them to hold whatever. No idea what else I'd use them for other than parts on a sculpture. 

[TommyVee]

"28 Days Later" is the film Frosty's referring to.  British zombie apocalypse film.

[Frosty]

If you've ever used a heavy duty staple gun to stick down roofing paper, visqueen, hang posters, etc. you know how fast it wears your grip out. You'd LOVE a "hammer tacker," they set staples by swinging them like a hammer. Now, just imagine slamming a couple of your hand forged staples through a zombie's feet and on into the floor. Hmmmm?

I LOVE my hammer tacker, it even has a safety.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Shainarue]

I was familiar with a hammer tacker. I used that when helping my parents replace the roof on their house. So I totally got the zombie usage imagined. I just didn't get the thought train. But Tommy cleared it up. I hadn't seen that movie but being a huge Sandra Bullock fan, I KNEW 28 Days didn't have any zombies in it, lol

[BillyBones]

I had a bit of a brain cramp. When you said staple i was thinking the one on the other end that holds the hook. I think that is called a bale, may be mistaken. To confess, i did not actually make any staples. I made 2 plates with bales (if that is the correct term) to bolt on rather than a drive in staple. Becuase my staple making skills are quite poor, i can never get the legs to come out the same length and i have never had one stay, they always pull out. The hook i made is going on my barn so i want it to stay. 

Getting that bale (again, if that is the correct term) is a ...  

Try that technique of using filler. It is no more difficult than any other forge weld and i learned a lot about scarfing, kind of an epiphany, myself while doing it.  

If that piece is not called a bale i sure would appreciate someone correcting me. 

[Shainarue]

In some places of the project lists and whatnot, it's called a 'tenoned staple' and in others it's just referenced as a keep - but I think the keep is the complete assembly of the tenoned staple attached to the backing plate, right?

 

[natkova]

I use taylor measuring tape when i want to measure my coils.

ITs flexible and easy to measure with it.

 

[BillyBones]

From now on out i will just call them the loopy thingy with feet and the loopy thingy with spikes. 

Nat, i have always heard them called "seamstress tapes". Usually made of some kind of flammable material. If you want something similar that will stand a bit more heat,  take and old tape measure and bend in short lengths till it snaps. You will have flexible rulers in any size you want. 

[Frosty]

Yeah, "28 Days Later," is the one I was referring to. It's not a zombie movie?  I haven't seen it so my reference may be completely off target, I don't watch zombie movies with a couple exceptions. 

If you don't drive a stable in all the way it makes a nice bale. Handy things staples.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Shainarue]

British zombie apocalypse film according to TommyVee. I also am not a big zombie film watcher. 

 

So you call them bales like BillyBones too. So Billy, I think your term was just fine. 

[JHCC]

I think the proper spelling in this context is "bail". 

But hay, what do I know.

The best thing I've ever gotten from a zombie film was a commission for a "World War Z"-style "lobotomizer".