psacustomcreations Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Today was a continuation of yesterday's taper practice. Based on the advice I received yesterday, I put a piece of 1/4" plywood on the anvil and hit that a few times to see how the hammer was actually hitting. Shown is the face of the hammer I am using. I measured yesterday's taper to see how long it became. Then I marked it again and continued the taper process. I taught myself MIG and TIG and know padding beads can be boring but it teaches the motion and consistency. I am trying to use the same thought for this craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Work at making the transition from straight to the taper crisp with no washing out between the 2.. if you mark the bar for the taper.. Start your taper at the mark.. Nice work and great to see you coming along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psacustomcreations Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Thanks. I need lots of practice but in time hope to be decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 You're doing fine, like most any craft it's a little knowledge and a LOT of practice. Have fun and don't sweat things that don't go the way you think they should. Keep notes, especially if something weird happened you might want to do THAT thing on a future project. Honest it happens more than you think. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 A buddy collects hammers. Not a smith though. has an antique 16 pound sledge that he has hanging on a bunch of deck screws. had to add more as the weight bent the originals. I knocked out a hammer hanger for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Nice Motomike.. I'd be happy to have a bracket like that to hang my sledges on.. Well done and I like the design.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thanks Jen, that means a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 In between waiting for a message for the factory that I could start working remotely on an issue that had us working OT I fired up the forge and did around 10 cubicle hooks from scrap. (They hang on your cubicle wall and allow you to hang your coat and backpack on them.) Every time a set went into the forge I can in and checked email and im...Luckily my computer was about 10' from my forge and right next to the door... I check the fit tomorrow and then will work on finishing them. The last one took a quarter of the time as my first one and they would go even faster if I was at my shop with appropriate tooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thomas.. Dude you gotta show some pictures.. Maybe others would want to steal your idea.. Hint, hint.. Motomike, I'm gonna use your design if that is ok.. I like how you offset the eyes also.. Good work is good work and thanks for showing it.. There have been so many people on here that their work just gets better and better.. It's amazing to see and watch as you guys grow.. It's awesome.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Maybe when they are painted. Q&D as I only charge breakeven. The first ones I did were from used landscape timber nails. My cubicle hook is made from 1/2" and has a dragon's head on the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Love to see any and all.. Pictures and the million words thing.. I"ve been loving all the different takes on items being made here so lots of great inspirations.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 No pictures, but did the final test fitting of the pieces for the handle on my first Bowie. Just needs some glue, pins, and shaping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 1 hour ago, jlpservicesinc said: Motomike, I'm gonna use your design if that is ok.. I'd be flattered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psacustomcreations Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 I should have posted this and asked yesterday. As I was making my tapers, the last half inch of one end split. I assume it was from working it too cold. I continued to heat and beat and it seems to have closed up but not fused/welded. With my limited skill/tools I also assume the best option is to cut off and start over. Is is possible to forge weld this back together and if so, how? I am thinking if this happened early in a project, cut and start over. But if the piece was cut to length and you were somewhat near completion, how do you save it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Cut off and start over. It's theoretically possible to forge weld it back together, but that's more trouble than you need right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psacustomcreations Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Ok. Do you think it is from being too cold or poor hammer technique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Too cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 1 hour ago, psacustomcreations said: But if the piece was cut to length and you were somewhat near completion, how do you save it? Cut the bad part off and make a smaller knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 If you need to make a number of similar items and they are prone to having issues or they need to be quite exactly similar; make more than you need and then place the "seconds" on the shelf for a different one. Usually much easier to make a spare as you go along than try to get one made later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psacustomcreations Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Das, I am one of those strange people that don't watch TV and have never seen an episode of Forged in Fire. Not that I have anything against those who are making knives. I just took up this skill for art and sculpture purposes. Some of the knives and swords I have seen here and other places are pieces of art and the makers are true artists of the trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helena Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Another thing you can do in a pinch, is cut it off with an angle grinder, weld a sacrificial extra bit of steel on the end, and then finish the paper and cut the excess off. It's a botchy kinda way to fix it, but if it's at the end of a few weeks into a piece it could save ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psacustomcreations Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Good idea, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Psa, sorry, I must have read something into your post that was not there. I only have internet and dont watch much tv ever. Thomas's and Helenas ideas should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psacustomcreations Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 No reason for you to apologize and I apologize as well if I came across wrong. I am new here and people don't know what I do nor why I took up the trade. My metal work is similar to what you make. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 .If it's just decorative and you don't want to make another, weld the crack, give it a light grind then light forging to get the look back. I've tried forge welding things like that back together with limited success. Blades aside, you could possibly slightly change the design a little If it could fit what you are making. Often I will do as Thomas mentiones and make extra pieces to pick the best matching pieces to use. Please share some photos of your work. We love seeing what others are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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