Donnie Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Nice hangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Back still bothering me, so no forging. Instead, I did a bunch of marking, drilling, grinding, and welding on the components of the candelabra project. Here’s one of the central stems: And here’s the first mock-up with most of the pieces: (And no, it won't have paracord in my school colors in the final version, and it will have candle cups around the outside.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 That will be nice when you get it finished. I moved the charcoal forge to the barn, and installed a flue on the coal forge. The new smithy is just about to the point where I can start forging. The charcoal forge still needs a hood, and flue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Nice work There JHCC. Sorry to hear about the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Yeah, I had some problems a couple of months ago that had almost cleared up, and then I did something to reinjure it helping out my son’s robotics team last week. Spent most of the week hobbling around with a pair of canes. Thank God I’ve got a good chiropractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 11 years since back surgery.. Never felt better.. Well, that is a lie.. I felt a lot better in my 20's.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtG Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Back pain stinks. Here's to full recovery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Cool John. Coming along nicely. Nice work going on in here. It's tough to keep up at the moment. About the political sign metal, a friend dropped off a bunch of new unused ones from someones trash. These yield 6'10 1/2" of 1/8" stock. perfect for some spider web work. Twisting some around 3" stock for the start of some webings. Opening it up as it gets closer to center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage11 Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 You all are doing amazing work around here. Tons of cool stuff to admire and see. I like watching the work in progress as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 That’s going to be cool das Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Today, I made a set from the wrought iron billet from a few weeks ago. Was originally planning on a small hammer, but I need a hot set. Not real happy with it, eye is a bit wonky and larger that planned, but it should get the job done. Now, I have to make the handle. (Wrought iron body, leaf spring face.) David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad.blacksmithing Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Finished that ball peen today! I finally figured out how to keep the troughs shiny through heat treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Boy, that's one nice lookin' hammer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad.blacksmithing Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Thanks Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Condrad I really like your work.. You do a nice job on the forging. Aspects to which I find important in a clean forging are there.. Makes it all the nicer looking at your work. Goods Looks pretty good. The weld looks great.. Face size? Which method are you using to punch the eye? Looks to be like slit and drift? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 JLP, yes it was slit and drift. The face is 1 1/8” square. I was pleased with the face weld. I was having issues getting the heat I needed while working the wrought, then I gave in and used the last of the coal I had and It came right up to welding heat. I guess my forge is not setup well for lump charcoal. Time to track more coal down. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I've never been a fan of slitting wrought iron of this size. I use a 2 punch method to shear the end grains if the wrought is showing a tendency to split. If it is good stuff then just punch up round leaving slightly oversized on either side of the hole so I can then pack back down. Once I get to the desired eye hole size just brush the oval back and its finished. That way the eye stays pretty well centered. If it needs correction then usually it's not bad and a hammer eye punch is used for clean up. Fyi, wrought iron tooling usually needs to be be made stouter in size vs mild steel. Understanding the true merit of steels allows for a smaller tool that will show an increase of productivity as there is less mass in the tool therefore more of the energy goes into the work being performed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 On hammers with various oddly shaped peens for ornamental work: Yes they do exist. I'd assume every smith going that route has a bucket of ballpeen hammer heads sourced at or under US$1 per to make custom shaped peens to experiment with. Easy to forge the ball into a special shape you want to experiment with---how about a semi lunar cross peen so NO corners when used? Or perhaps try it as a straight peen? Over the years you can pick up an amazing number of odd hammers even if you don't want to make/modify your own. I do both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shabumi Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Got the chimes mock hung to hear them while hanging. The 1/8 inch hole was too large even drilled in hot metal, so I went with 7/64 holes which were the perfect size to hammer the bar in cold and peen the ends down, a nice tight fit. I went with a bar little longer than the chime is wide so as I peened it tight there was a bend in the middle to help keep the lines they are hanging on centered, still need to center the bend though as you can see that they don't all hang straight. I tried to get a picture of the inside, but my phone won't focus in those conditions. The next step is to finish the keeper, striker and sail, re-clean everything and put it all together. Here's how they sound. VID_20200224_111639242.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I started a hardy for my new hardy hole. It will be a hot cut when finished. And also started a light cross peen hammer. which still needs work. Oh, and the new hood, and flue, will suck the hair off your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad.blacksmithing Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 14 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said: Aspects to which I find important in a clean forging are there.. Thanks jlp. Its my goal to keep the forging on my tools as clean as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolFisHunt Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Great looking hammer, Conrad! I do have a question about the design of rounding hammers. What is the purpose of the fullers between the faces and the eye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad.blacksmithing Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 That's a great question. I don't think that there is any special purpose for them because a hammer without fullers would probably perform just as good. They are mostly for looks just to give the hammer more character. Maybe someone has a reason for them but that's what I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolFisHunt Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Aesthetics are a viable answer, but from a purely physics stand point, having the faces and, especially, the edge fullers closer to the handle center line makes more sense. Unless, of course, I'm missing something....nah, that can't be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad.blacksmithing Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 You could be right. It could centralize the impact. I'm sure there are a million reasons, as with everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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