What did you do in the shop today?

[Dax Hewitt]

Paul in my world its function over form every time. As long as the tongs work you can make them look nicer later. 

Alexander, wow. Just wow. 

[BillyBones]

9 hours ago, Frosty said:

Have you ever watched people launching or loading from a boat ramp?

Yes, yes i have and that is the reason i let some one else do it. I aint ending up a viral video. 

[Frosty]

[SinDoc]

I got to watch someone load their boat up, get back in their truck and drive off the ramp only to realize they forgot to tie the boat down so it just floated back off when they pulled out from under it. Nothing ended damaged and no one got hurt so it was pretty funny.

[Paul TIKI]

Thanks Dax.  I tend to be the same way.  Once I get them straightened out a bit they should work pretty well.  I have high hopes for the forge redesign as well.  The dang weather is being contrary and I may not get to try it for another week though.  It's making me crazy

[Ridgeway Forge Studio]

On 8/9/2021 at 7:24 PM, JHCC said:

The tap handles have been delivered and installed. Photo courtesy of the brewer. 

I like the inspiration on the far right- it looks like Yellin ironwork!

[JHCC]

The original plasticine “sketch” was flat, and then — purely on a whim — I twisted it. The customer preferred the twisted version. 

He also asked for a more slender look, which is why the center "stem" is narrower in the steel version. Also note the marks in the clay from the dividers I used to step off equal distances -- such an incredibly useful tool.

[ThomasPowers]

Predates Yellen by a handful of centuries though...

I have learned that on a hot summer day; a cold sixpack of soda can be traded for a number of  stumps cut to exact size by  most tree workers!   

[JHCC]

"We do not seek to imitate the masters; we seek what the masters sought." -- Matsuo Bashō

[Pat Masterson]

On 8/10/2021 at 2:45 PM, JHCC said:

First of all, Welcome to IFI!

Second (which really deserves to be first), that's the most frightening/creative pair of tongs I've ever seen! I can't believe I'm actually suggesting a way to improve them, but you might find them easier to hold if you move the pivot closer to the jaws.

Got a good laugh from this JHCC. 
 

I second that “welcome” though Are John - I’m still pretty much brand new to smithing as well and IFI has been an amazing resource for me. 

[Dax Hewitt]

Those tap handles look excellent. I particularly like the spiral one. 

[JHCC]

Thanks! We're talking about making a dozen more for the brew pub he's opening up, so I've got to come up with some more designs (although he did say that he might have me duplicate these four, so he can keep them at home).

[George N. M.]

John, a fabrication question:  Do you use a saw (band or hack) to put the angle cuts into the original stock prior to curling up the "leaves" or do you make the cuts hot with a cutter?

Thanks.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[JHCC]

I used a handled hot set under the treadle hammer.

For the metal one, that is; the cuts on the plasticine model were with a steak knife.

[M.J.Lampert]

On 8/9/2021 at 11:16 PM, DHarris said:

Finally got up the courage to cut the antlers a neighbor gave me several months ago. I left them about a half inch longer than I expected they would need to be in order to have some extra to play with when getting the angle right. I am not quite sure how far down in the antler the tang needs to be in order to be stable. 
 

I probably should have tried making a blade from just steel alone first instead of trying to go straight to san mai first. 

D i would recommend wearing a respirator when working with antler as the dust is hazardous

 

also i would agree on the san mai

M.J.Lampert

[Chad J.]

Made a companion to my wakazashi.  Rail anchor.  I seem to be able to move it easy enough.   I also have a piece of mystery hex stock.  Inch, maybe an inch and a quarter across that I made a ticket out of and tried to break it.  And tried to break it and tried to break it...I stated with warm oil just a little past magnetic and couldn't even bend it.   I forged it down thinner...3 times(!) before I finally quenched it in cool water and hit it a couple times with a 12 lb sledge.  The result;

Anyway,  I think it's a tool steel and I may make a few machetes and other useful tools it of it.  But that stuff is tough without a power hammer.  

[Randy Griffin]

Looks like it needs some grain refinement. Try three normalizing cycles. Then quench and break it again.

[Chad J.]

I must have quenched that one piece 5 times at different heats before I got it to break after forging it down from the hex stock.  I'll try again tomorrow after my arm recovers.  I  had to break out my persuader(1 handed 8 pound sledge) a couple times to get it down to a breakable ticket

[ThomasPowers]

Not breaking usually indicates a lower carbon content than easy breaking.  I'd be thinking medium carbon.

[Chad J.]

So it would make decent tools.  I've been wanting to make a bick for my anvil and an eye drift for axes.  This seems like a good candidate for that.  Not gonna get it done today if I don't get moving.  

If it's medium carbon is it a decent metal for hammer heads?  

[bluerooster]

 I like those tap handles.

  The wakizashi pair look pretty nice as well.

I spent the day doing all kinds of stuff.  Started with moving the GFCI for the goldfish pond to a more accessable location. Then overhauled the walkway from the gate to the swimmin' pond. Then got a good start on fabricating a tool that I have no clue what it's called. Other than spring loaded top/bottom die set for the hardy hole.  I'm afraid the spring may be a bit stiff, but I'll know more inna day or two.

 

[Chad J.]

Made a bick for my anvil.  1 1/8th inch mystery medium carbon steel hex bar.  If I'm gonna keep working this big stuff In gonna need a striker or a power hammer.

[JHCC]

4 hours ago, bluerooster said:

a tool that I have no clue what it's called.

I’d call that a spring swage. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Yep...

 

[Mark Ling]

Tongs finished up last night, and had day one of a three day tool making class to teach today. Next week I’ll start on some more tongs, this time box jaw and V bit. Time to make some tooling specifically for those.