Forging Gas Keys

[bluerooster]

First, a little back story; I work construction as a lowly carpenter. Our latest job, is about 2 years worth of building barns, houses, and "fishing shacks" on about 1200 acres for the same owner. We are working under contract for a builder hired by the owner.  Well, Our first task was to renovate an old barn for hay storage. During the demo I found some old rusty metal suitable for forging.  Some of it became my new post vise, And I made a bottle opener from another piece.  The bottle opener I gave to the property owner, (it was his steel anyway).  He liked it.  Well, the guy we are working for, came back and asked if I could make hand forged gas keys, for gas log fireplaces.  I told him I could certianly give it a go, and see.   The handle and shaft I can do, it's the square hole in the end that I'm not sure about how to make.   I can make a socket, and weld it to the shaft and handle, but I'd like to forge the entire thing from one piece of stock.  

    Any ideas?

 

  Thanx,

    Shorty.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Could you punch a hole and then use a file to make it square? 

[Purple Bullet]

I don't know what you are starting with, but if you can find (or build) a replica of the valve stem the key is to fit on that can stand upright on your anvil or in your post vise (although you might need a good shoulder to do this in a vise) heat one end of your steel to bright yellow and smack it down on your valve stem replica. You might need to cool the replica and repeat until you have something that fits securely, then draw the rest of the bar out to length and add a curlicue or two. I'm not an expert, but that's what I would try.

[teenylittlemetalguy]

I don't think you will find an easy way to forge a blind square hole and keep the sides parallel. how about punching and drifting the hole in some stock and then arc welding it to a fancy handle?

 

[Purple Bullet]

By the way, Blue - carpenters are NOT lowly. Anyone trusted to work with a material as costly as lumber is nowadays commands respect,

[PHDforge]

What size is the square hole? I’ve used a HSS square lathe bit as a drift to create a square hole. I ground one end to a round shape to match the pilot hole I drilled first. It worked for a 1/4 square.

[bluerooster]

Thank you all for the replys.

TWISTEDWILLOW- Punching and filing was a thought, but too much time, and tedium.

Purple Bullet-  That's kinda what I had in mind, but would be a bit tedious for accuracy.   Yes, carpenters are lowly, which is what is so great about them. being able to show up those with a college degree, and thousands of dollars in college debt,  by using common sense, and simple math, on a regular basis,  is what makes my day.  And still be a lowly carpenter.  

teenylittlemetalguy- That may be a last resort. I'd rather do it all in one piece.

PHDforge- I've no clue as to size of the hole, but process would be same, no matter the size.

[ThomasPowers]

Drill & drift;  make it a bit longer so the wprking end is full size on your drift---make it fancy  Perhaps like some of the bottle opener ornamentation.  Expect to be asked to make more and have a price figured out!  Like drugs; the first one may be a free gift to get them hooked!

Thomas In Seattle!

[PHDforge]

The “Trades” have been given a bad rep. Not lowly by any means. Big thing is being employed and employable. Luckily I chose manufacturing and engineering. My students all get jobs with their degrees both associate and bachelor. Too many other non-employable majors out there. Too many good paying trade jobs unfilled.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I'd try punching them first. Make a tapered square drift and drive it into the end of some round stock.  Or maybe use a thicker wall tubing, drift the square, then forge the other end down and curl, twist, etc..

[anvil]

Thomas hit it on the head. Also, drill and then use a cold chisel and remove material. Make it like a closed end wrench with two handles in line with a nice little bolt to the fireplace cradle to hold it.. And this just touches the possibilities.

Have fun.

[Frosty]

Punch, slit or (my last choice but perfectly appropriate) drill and drift. Some valves are rectangular. I find the swell caused by drifting more attractive than just a square or rectangular hole. 

I'd practice the punch(?) and drift a couple times and when I like it I'd probably do the handle first so it transitions into the wrench head more smoothly, especially if you make twisted handles. Basket twists with some shiny glitter ball, bangle thingy inside would draw eyes hanging on a custom made storage hook on the fireplace: mantle or wall. Hmmm?

They should be expensive tough not exorbitant, say around $50. Exorbitant are special orders. No? Oh, plain janes around $20. Let the builder set the retail. Say, plain jane comes with with a nice display of higher end wrenches. 

About that "lowly" carpenter thing. I guarantee high end executives and scientists don't (most CAN'T) build their own, unclog drains, wire switches, etc. They call a "lowly" trades person and pay minimum 3x what they get paid.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Purple Bullet]

I A lot of good suggestions, but after rethinking my original suggestion and hearing the discussion about accuracy, I like Thomas' method also except "drifting" sounds like hammering in a square drift to force it square. I think I would make the  drilled hole large enough to fit the square drift, coat the drift with coal dust or  white paint, heat up your drilled piece, insert the drift (maybe it would be called a mandrel at this time) and forge everything square to match.

[bluerooster]

Drill and drift works very well.

[Purple Bullet]

Very nice. That should work well. On a utilitarian basis, I thought the squared off end would help the user in aligning the key to the valve stem, however, I see that you aligned the corners with the handle; a more elegant solution.

[bluerooster]

That was purely by accident, not by design.   But, even a blind dog will find a bone once in a while.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I think it turned out nice bluerooster! 

[anvil]

Came out nice. I do a lot of lever handles and match them to contemporary door deadbolts and mortise units. This is how i join them, so file that away for another application for this technique. I usually just drill it and drift it round. tap threads into the lever handle and secure it with a set screw.