Glenn Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Being as how you are using your vise already, take a couple of pieces of angle iron and insert a piece of 1/2 square bar into each one. Weld it in place. When you put it in the vise you can put 1/2 inch drive sockets over the sq bar for a large variety of size bending dies. Move the two pieces of angle iron in the vise jaws to adjust the distance between the dies, and clamp or close the vise. JHCC had a photo of his on the site a year or so back. There are many ways to make a serviceable bender. Just needs to be convenient to how you work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 That is really cool Das! I will make one for dedicated radius bends for sure! I made the sliding angle iron style one for bending various thickness of steel a couple years ago using bender dies from a Grizzly Bender. Works great! I bought the roll dies cheaper than my brother could have bought the stock and machined them for me! I didn't have a picture handy of the set up but here is a sketch and part numbers and prices: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Yes, using sockets for bending dies has been around for decades in the craft. I even have a socket drive attachment for my brace (as in brace and bit) with the square taper "acorn" on it just like old auger bits have . Very handy for driving lag bolts and even won me a John Henry bet with a friend with a battery powered driver. Good ideas get copied, tweaked or even reinvented on a regular basis and blacksmiths tend to be inventive people used to taking stuff and making it into other stuff---and making it into the tools to make other stuff too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Thanks for the sketch Stitch. Looks easy enough. I'll probably stick with the sockets for smaller stuff tho since I have them and they can play double duty if I go on the road with the kit. Thomas, I'm still behind on all the great ideas I have seen for tooling. Like a guillotine tool. I have enough leaf spring for the different dies and backup for replacements. That's one I could be using now. Other great ideas I'll get to on an as needed basis. With cutters, a welder and a bunch of scrap metal, I'm only limited on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Richter Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Got a nasty ember nest in the air/ash camber of the solid forge during forging some ball peen hammers. Ruin the nozzle regulator and linkage. Made a new linkage and butter up the nozzle with cast iron stick welding. Happy to fix it instead to spend 500 bucks for a new hearth sole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Nice repair Hans!! saved some $$$ too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Cleaned up the little rescue vise. Works beautifully. Here it is with is big brother, both picked up locally about 2 miles apart. Not sure who made these, the only markings on both are the weight above the screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeroclick Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 So I didn't do anything in the shop today. But I did manage to get my first commission which I am really happy about. It isn't a big one. It is 4 horeshoe hearts, and a standing horshoe center piece and should be really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Nice job Ben. Big brother and little brother. It'll be glad to get some use. So far I had a rough time getting the trailer up into the shop due to the wet ground and mud and the shop is uphill. Got the inside painted and got some tiedowns bolted in the roll out floor. Now to work on some other ideas and brainstorm more for a versatile blacksmith demo/ auction/ fleamarket/ camping.... Everything trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Forgot the pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Re-handled the rounding hammer with a nice piece of West Virginia hickory from IFI member skyforgemetalworks. Needs to be charred and waxed, but feels good in the hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 4 hours ago, Daswulf said: Forgot the pic. Are the walls of that trailer rigid enough enough for a fold down bench/bed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Good save Hans! Burning up the fire pot is the sort of thing that can ruin your whole day. Is there a way to install a sacrificial air grate so if it happens again you can just toss the burnt piece? The air grate in my coal forge is just a simple bar grate made of 1/2" rnd. stock tack welded about 3/8" apart. Not counting the 5 minute's labor to cut and weld there can't be $0.10 worth of steel in one. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 56 minutes ago, Ranchmanben said: Are the walls of that trailer rigid enough enough for a fold down bench/bed? Probably not but maybe on the side beams that the boards screw into. Just installed a bit of pegboard. On the one "joist" I screwed it into I had to drill and it seems very sturdy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Just toying with ideas. The 3 main things fit with room to spare. Turns out my random tie downs are perfectly spaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Worked on a place to sit and rock out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Das, If you turn the base of the vise one way (E-W) and the base of the anvil the other way (W-E), they may nest a bit closer to each other. Once nested, tie them together so they do not more or shift in transit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Das, with a single axle trailer you really need to watch load distribution to maintain some tongue weight. Not enough and it will get squirrely really fast. I try to maintain at least 200# on the tongue at all times - going up steep hills can reduce it. Looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 I like that idea Glenn Thanks. I'll give it a shot. It's all about trying and seeing what works best. Just like the first couple times demoing will be about knowing what I need and what I don't and what I forgot and all the stuff I didn't need to bring lol. Thanks BigGun. I'm sure I'll eventually find the happy medium with the weight distribution. The wheels are set back on the trailer. I planned on keeping most of the weight just in front of an on the wheels. 1 hour ago, Ranchmanben said: Worked on a place to sit and rock out. Looks cool but I'm unfamiliar, what is it? Rocking chair back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Das Before you go to the demo, pre-cut as much stock as you can. Use multiples of the 20 foot original stock, that is to say 4 each 5 foot sections, 5 each 4 foot sections, 10 each 2 foot sections, etc. A 2 foot section can be reduced on site to 2 each 1 foot sections, but if you are using a 1 foot section for a project, cut them at home. You can for instance pre-cut the double length of an S hook, forge the pig tail and loop on each end and then cut it in half. As the inventory builds, you can then just cut it in half and make one pig tail and loop and produce an S hook in half the time. Cut the S hook in half and make 2 drive hooks or beam hooks by just making a point on the cut end. Redesign the project to use these lengths. Package (bundle) each length separately so you can just grab the correct length and go. At the demo they know what cutting metal looks like after the second cut. No use wasting their time, they want to see you actually make something that they can buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Thanks for the good advice. I like it. I do plan to do any lengthy prep at home. Like if I plan to make split crosses I plan to band saw the blanks at home and have them ready to just bend open. I like the idea of working each end of a length for two s hooks. Good idea. I still have some time to prepare so no hurry really other then a bit of downtime when the baby comes soon. Just trying to get as much going on the time I still have now. Baby is coming, summer is coming and I'm scrambling to do a whole lot lol. It's all working out just fine so far. Things are coming together and it feels right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Richter Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 5 hours ago, Ranchmanben said: place to sit and rock out I hope this has to be the future back rest and not the part to sit on 7 hours ago, Frosty said: install a sacrificial air grate Thanks for the tip Frosty, next time you clean you solid fuel forge please take some pictures. I dont know exactly where to place. Usualy I get rith of the ember nests though the ash gate. Must be the bad antracite from the DIY-shop. 6 hours ago, Daswulf said: The 3 main things Das, envy you about this nice mobile work shop and the trailer. Just bussy to make or collect them on the right sizes. In my case not so much to make a living but more to join social projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Greetings Das, Be carful building your demo trailer . I started simple and ended up with a solar powered unit with TV, sleeping area, hot and cold water, micro, sit down shower, portal potty etc, etc, I have used it for demos for the past three years and it works super. I started with a 6x12 plain trailer than went over the top crazy . I transport most of my gear in the trailer but some of the real dirty stuff ends up in the pick-up.. Have fun with your build I sure did. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 10 hours ago, Daswulf said: 6 hours ago, Hans Richter said: I hope this has to be the future back rest and not the part to sit on Rocking chair back? That’s it exactly. Got a long ways to go on the rest of the chair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 3 hours ago, Jim Coke said: Be carful building your demo trailer Where's the air conditioner? That is a nice little trailer, I bet you save a bunch on not needing a hotel room. It reminds me of the tiny houses. I do plan to add a solar panel battery charger. One idea to use this trailer for is my auction goings so I'll be needing the extra room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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