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What did you do in the shop today?


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Welding with a torch, the procedure is very much akin to tig, in that, you heat the metal with the torch, and dip filler rod into the puddle.  But it's slower, so you have some time to observe what is happening. Like tig you can puddle the weld around and flatten it out. Can't be done with stick, and mig.

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I used to work at a plant that produced Air Conditioner units.  We used oxypropane torches to seal all the copper joints and the test was to over pressure the unit before charging it with high pressure air.  Any leaks would reveal themselves.

I got to the point where I could do about 15 units an hour for everything but the coil itself.  That was for the very best guys because you had to be fast and have a light louch.  We used special torches that had a y head bent back on itself to heat both sides of the tubing simultaneously.  Long sticks of silver based solder was what we used to join them.  If you weren't careful you could melt right through the wall of the copper tubing in a flash.

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Okay, so you were silver-soldering the joints rather than torch-welding them with copper as a filler metal. Gotcha.

1 hour ago, Paul TIKI said:

special torches that had a y head bent back on itself to heat both sides of the tubing simultaneously. 

Like one of these beasties?

Capn Hook Tip Uniweld Mtf-5 (5 Flame) Acetylene

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I like those a lot Das, I can't think of a better term than delightful.

The flame on an oxy prop brazing torch is just moving too fast to weld with, it's more than hot enough but as soon as a puddle starts to form the flame blows the melt out. It CAN be done but you have to hold the torch so far back it makes a way too large HAZ.

For heating, brazing and cutting oxy prop is really hard to beat.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Scott, Frosty Thanks. 

We always need a bit of luck Scott. :lol:

It is about over. It was local in my hometown Charleroi that isnt as busy as it used to be. 

The bicycle rim snowman sold to a lady that owns a local pizza shop. Psycho jack snowman sold but I still have the new one, Happy Jack. 

The little fork reindeer were a hit and sold. I will have to make a bunch more since they were easy and I have a lot of old silverware to work with. 

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I've seen some cool things done with old flatware, dragon flies from knives, lady bugs and turtles from spoons and all kinds of leggy thingies from forks. I think you've posted quite a few haven't you, Das?

Your last deer head has an alien feel for me, I like it a lot, it'd fit right into a sci fi story or RPG. 

I started keeping my eyes open for flatware a few years before Covid but all of a sudden people wanted almost new prices, especially in 2nd. hand shops. Before we had transfer stations and went directly to the land fill you could find some now and then but no longer, everything goes to a transfer station. 

Man, I miss the good old days of picking the landfill. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

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1 hour ago, Daswulf said:

Scott, Frosty Thanks. 

We always need a bit of luck Scott. :lol:

It is about over. It was local in my hometown Charleroi that isnt as busy as it used to be. 

The bicycle rim snowman sold to a lady that owns a local pizza shop. Psycho jack snowman sold but I still have the new one, Happy Jack. 

The little fork reindeer were a hit and sold. I will have to make a bunch more since they were easy and I have a lot of old silverware to work with. 

You didn't come over? Thas only 1u30 from Ghent.

Or you mean not the charleroi in belgium?

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It would be Charleroi in Pennsylvania, United States. ;) 

I'd gladly stop by were it the closer Charleroi. 

Frosty, I get it when the price is right. I know what you mean, some second hand places want .50c each. I could actually make the price work if they sell, but much prefer free or dirt cheap. I have enough at the moment that I'm not desperate enough to pay much. 

I do use butter knives for dragonfly wings and have used utensils in other pieces. I have posted some here. Somewhere. 

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Worked on the picket some more today:

IMG_0713.jpeg.abe549f5b8d0a8ea1e544032bb770117.jpegIMG_0712.jpeg.600986cadcdd7caa4b76ad7be3c0c235.jpeg

I almost got the first floret done when work called. I turned the fire off, but didn’t take it out:IMG_0711.jpeg.4acf91dc03a159a5053f4457d5d181db.jpeg

Lesson learned! Well, maybe the next ones will be mor consistent… I could always forge a hungry caterpillar to add this to another arrangement and make it work ^_^.

Keep it fun,

David

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Goods, maybe i missed it, but how did you do the sockets for the middle bar? 

Christmas fast approaching. Seem to be running out of time but got another book stand made and 2 outdoor sconces. 

image.thumb.jpeg.8c8647af15356c94d1f8578134ba1f9f.jpeg

image.thumb.jpeg.020fee86594f3b1893a648178d541260.jpeg

Yes the one sconce needs a bit of tweaking on the basket. Dropped my form tool i was using and it rolled under my toolbox, my back hurts, my feet hurt, i was getting frustrated, a few bad words and i called it a day. 

Also on todays episode of need a tool, make a tool. Was trying something new today and it was small and finicky. I did not have any way to hold it very well so i made 2 sets of small light duty tongs. Made of 3/8" round and they hold surprisingly well for their size. Top ones are set at 1/4" bottom at 1/8". 

image.thumb.jpeg.5c96989007bfc5fe2416d6948492000a.jpeg

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Billybones, it’s a one piece 1/2” square bar with the center 4” forged round, with a 1” section on either side of the round left square and the leaves forge welded on there. Beyond the leaves, I twisted it 135degrees on each end which was forge to octagon till the last 3” on each end. No sockets?

Keep it fun,

David

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Thanks Billy and Bluerooster about the bearing snowman. The bearings work well for the look. I have one more started and depending on bearings, I plan to make more in different poses or such. 

I have some projects started that are still waiting as of years to be brought back out. So taking a break on something is no big deal. No worries, we get back to them when the time is right. Whether it be a day or 7years. Lol

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Nothing much pretty today, but picked up a bit in the forging area today, processed another five-gallon bucket of wild clay for maybe crucibles, added a small cover I made for the tuyere, and drilled and attached the band to one of the anvil blocks.

Also adjusted the forge to be more appropriate for charcoal by adding clay (and sand for temper) walls to make it narrower and deeper, sort of like that clay taco that Thijs Van de Mannaker forged a spear in for one of his videos. It still doesn't behave like coal, but fuel consumption slowed down considerably, it re-focused the heat towards the middle beautifully, and with the new screen, I didn't have charcoal get in the tuyere and heat it up.

 

Anvilband1.jpg

Clay firepot1.jpg

Clay firepot 2.jpg

 

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Love the bearing snowman Das, looks great.

I really like outdoor sconces you made Billy, hoping to make something similar for holding a light outside my work shop. It’s pitch dark here at 5pm now, this time of year you really notice where you need lights:rolleyes:.

I won’t bore you with photos of more fireside sets or wacky lamps.

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