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What did you do in the shop today?


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Frosty, thanks for the tip. 

Jennifer, i m having a hard time visualizing that. I have to watch my twin grandaughters today so it will give me an oppertunity to google search some examples. This is the first set and i need at least 2 more so i will try and get them at least some texture and depth. Thanks for the input. 

I should also peruse the fire dragon thread i suppose.   

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Got back from my trip to Montana with the Chaingang. I don’t have too many pictures of what we made, but you can see most of it on the anvil in front of us in the group picture. I think we forged 8 or so sledges, hammers, hammer eye punches, an axe, and many other tools. One of my favorite trips, should be a YouTube video coming out soon showing it. 

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That sir, is a set of tongs! :D   Nice work on the hammers. 

  I spent a few hours Forming the jaws on my new tongs to do a specific task.  Then used those tongs to forge out a rough dagger shape. I still need to draw out the tang, and fine tune the blade.   It started life as an old kingpin from my old Ford pickup.

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7 minutes ago, Chris C said:

Arthur, that really looks clean....................but an "ear-less" horse?????

Indeed, I forgot about the ears. Next time!

26 minutes ago, jlpservicesinc said:

Looks good.. Your way ahead of me.. I've never made one.. :)  Nice work.

Thanks for the compliment. But I've seen your work, jlp, and you're far ahead of me in a lot of other items! :)

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10 hours ago, GolFisHunt said:

I attempted a jump weld and a basket. I'll call them partially successful.

Fyi..  That is not a jump weld..      That is just a flat weld. 

 A jump weld is when the item is added to the side of the item.. Or Jumped on to the main part.   Like when making a swage or when adding an item to the side of a an object like grapes and such.  Usually done with the end of a bar.  It is one of the hardest welds to do well..  Wrought iron was easy, but now with mild steels its a tad tougher. 

Your heat was not high enough on the basket and your scarfing was off some on the lap weld.     Nice try though.. 

These are the basic welds,  flat, cleft, jump, split, , butt   IIRC that is them..     All of the welds in different situations are any of these just used in a fashion that gives the required results. 

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3 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said:

These are the basic welds,  flat, cleft, jump, split, , butt   IIRC that is them..     All of the welds in different situations are any of these just used in a fashion that gives the required results.

Great videos Jennifer, interesting to see your methods.

This comprehensive  list may be of use as to variations on what they are and where to use them

 

References are from the CoSIRA Books,  The Blacksmiths Craft     and     Wrought Ironwork

1.     Faggot welds 

 2.     Bolt end scroll RDC WI Lesson 5

3.     Chain link  RDC BC Lesson 10

4.     Straight Scarf Weld (Drop tong) RDC BC Lesson 30

5.     Collar weld (as ball or cube or head for bolt) RDC BC Lesson 20 and 21

6.     Balls on bars (eg doorknockers, infil bars) SDC WI Lesson22

7.     Water Leafs RDC WI Lesson14

8.     Top scarf welded ring (Tyre)  RDC BC Lesson 14 similar to straight scarf weld 4

9.      Running Scrolls  RDC WI Lesson19

10.    Finials, Dog bars (1+2) RDC WI Lesson 25 (1+2+2) as sample

11.   Round bars  RDC BC Lessons 5 with glut for radius and 7Barb end as log roller

12.   Welded and drawn down point RDC BC Lesson 9

13.   Side scarf welded rings    a) square bar   and    b) round bar RDC BC Lesson 13

14   Turned Eye weld  RDC BC Lesson 15  Hinge eye weld

15.   Cleft Weld  RDC BC Lesson 31

16.   Glut weld square corner RDC BC Lesson32

17.  Eye welded to shank RDC BC Lesson 33

18.   Scarf and Cleft T weld RDC BC Lesson 34

19.   T shaped pocket weld RDC BC Lesson 35

20.  Diagonal and Straight Corner welds RDC BC Lesson 36

 

 

Edited by John B
tidy up somewhat
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John,  Thanks.. 

 I love those books. My favorites actually..   I loved practical blacksmithing too, but the information in it was wonky sometimes.. 

A person really could learn how to be a great blacksmith with just the The Blacksmiths craft..  In fact I was thinking that I would do a series on each of the skills in the book.. 

Would be fun. 

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Thanks Jennifer, there is so much more to this craft than people realise, having come from an industrial background, most of my abilities were originally based upon these books.

I had so much trouble trying to get good information forty something years ago, which is why I carry on and support passing on the information so passionately.

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Chris,  John mentioned the books..    The "Practical Blacksmithing"  M.T. Richardson is an old book that was a series of journal articles in the "Blacksmith and Wheelwright". Much a trade journal at the time.. I think it was monthly.  Trade journals in the old days had a bunch of information sent in if someone had an idea or thought they had a better way and were proud to share it.  So, it's funny because all the articles were form patrons whom paid for the journal, yet contributed all the content. 

They made it into a 1 volume out of a set of 4 . Originally there was a fully set of 12 or 14 journals.. I missed a chance to buy the complete set of originals way back in the day. 

  To this day it's one of my favorites but know better now, that some of the information is wonky.   I actually worked from that book for many years and learned a bunch from it..   It is funny that it took me a while to see things that they knew as daily business. 

The 2 books that John mentioned are very much important to my blacksmithing journey..  Same deal here John.    I am self taught by reading and experimenting. the Wrought iron gate was directly out of the Wrought iron book of CoSira..  I learned everything I needed in that book. 

When I'm not being lazy I use the formula for rings out of "The Blacksmiths Craft".. I just dug out my copy to look up the "Welding types". but couldn't find them quickly so went by memory. 

 

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7 hours ago, CtG said:

Blue, that anvil seems to be working out pretty great for you- awesome

Yes it sure is. And the hardy hole has been a life saver.  A hot cut hardy is the only way I have to cut stock at the forge.

Got the tang drawn out and blade filed down, ready for heat treat.   Tang is a bit too long, but I figure  it would be easier to shorten, than to lengthen.

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46 minutes ago, jlpservicesinc said:

A person really could learn how to be a great blacksmith with just the The Blacksmiths craft..

Yes, but you mentioned The Blacksmith's Craft.  I was asking if that was the one written by McRaven.  If so, I think I read parts of it one day at our local library and I've had my thumb on the "buy" button for a used copy for about a month now.

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CoSIRA Books,  The Blacksmiths Craft 

You can get a PDF copy of it right here on IFI in the resource section.. Maybe someone can link it.. This poor book is starting to fall apart.  It was in my old shop for 10 years. 

I don't have a clue as to the book you mention..   I don't have any modern books other than a few swedish ones..  I like these as well.  Not really my kind of smithing, but they have some good reference materials in them. 

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