How do I heat this??

[Houjous]

I have designed a 7' x 7' trivet that bisect ever inch not above or below the two 1/4' rods but through each other. The only thing I cant figure how to do is heat up the drifted hole to smoosh the other rod into place and even out the top of the bumps so its flat and even or if there even a better way to hold the rods in place.

 

thanks

[Frazer]

A 7 foot trivet... That would be pretty large for my table! I'm guessing you mean inches not feet. If you could attach a couple of pictures of what you're trying to do it would probably help..

It sounds like you have the 1/4" rod passing through your drifted hole and your plan is to squeeze the hole to with the 1/4 inch stock in there hold it in place. That might work, but those joints aren't going to be very strong. I'm not as worried about it coming apart in use as loosening up on you during assembly. Is it an option to do a mortise and tenon for each 1/4" bar? The square shoulder of your tenon helps to hold the pieces together while you join them.

Regardless it sound like torch work to me. If you need a very localized heat it's the best option.

Again, some pictures would be helpful.

Oh, and welcome aboard! Glad to have you.

 

[pnut]

Make tenons for the joinery. You might even get an excuse to make a monkey tool. Use a solid fuel forge to heat it. Isolated heat is one benefit of solid fuel.  A ground forge will work for a one off project. 

Pnut

[Houjous]

monkey tool? what do you mean isnt that a wrench?

3 hours ago, Frazer said:

A 7 foot trivet...

you are correct i meant 7 inches. ill have to look at a torch.

Edited September 15, 2021 by Mod30
Excessive quoting

[JHCC]

A monkey tool is used to shape the shoulder of a tenon. In its simplest form, it's a chunk of metal with a hole the same size as the tenon; you slip the tool over the tenon and hammer on the back end to clean up the shoulder. For exampe:

[Frazer]

A monkey tool slips over a tenon and allows you to square up the shoulder without damaging the tenon itself. I use a Mark Aspery style monkey tool (he has a youtube video on his channel showing how he makes them), but there are different varieties (like the one JHCC just showed). It's essentially a piece of steel with one hole drilled in it to accept the tenon and a second larger hole/slot to allow scale to be pushed through (clearing out of the hole for the tenon).

Here's the thumbnail from Mark Apery's video on tenons.

[ThomasPowers]

For square tenons I use deep wall sockets that were thrown out at the scrapyard.  I have 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" ones on my tool rack.

I use square tenons for things I don't want to rotate when fastened.

A ground forge can be free to build and use. A torch costs if this will be a one-off.

[Dax Hewitt]

That is a cracking idea. Time for me to raid my old tool box. I replaced all my imperial tools with metric ones about 15 years ago but couldn't bring my self to part with the old ones. 

[ThomasPowers]

Here there is a mix; especially if you haunt the scrapyard where some items may be 80+ years old.  I am amused at how many vehicles get scrapped with tools still in the boot! (And one time a shop cleaned up and dumped about 100 pounds of old wrenches and sockets in various conditions and qualities---that's about US$20 worth!  I've got 8 grandkids so it's nice to have "disposable" tools for when they are young!)

[anvil]

a pic or drawing would be nice. Its hard for me to understand what you are doing. What does it bisect every inch? Are the 1/4" rods rivets? Are the 1/4" rods tenons on the end of a bar for legs? Whats the thickness and width of the material you've, I assume, punched and drifted? alas, what are you joining together: the ends of the round part, legs, handle or perhaps "stuff" in the middle?

Ive made a few trivets: plane round ones, round ones with "stuff" in the middle,  round with legs and even some with handles etc. 

[BillyBones]

19 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

I am amused at how many vehicles get scrapped with tools

Thomas, i would bet money that many of those cars came from repair facilities. Last year when i was still working in a garage we scrap 8 or 10 cars between Jan. and April. When we scrap them of course we look for valuables but as far as tools go Craftsman gets scrapped and anything that is below that quality, not that Craftsman is poor quality but our boxes are filled with Snap-on and such. Everything left goes with the car to the scrap yard. Once i got into smithing i started making sure to get lug wrenches though.

[ThomasPowers]

And sockets for bending jigs?  As a working shop; probably no unplated wrenches anymore.

[Houjous]

So the build will be a 7 inch by 7 inch trivet with every inch a punch and drifted hole for the bisecting rod to go through. I think I'll be bending the feet in from the rods that are closest to the corners that aren't part of the parameter. I might end up welding feet on depending on what it looks like

[Frazer]

Like this?

I know the feet aren't what you're describing... However, I do think this will be an easier way to do it.

If my doodle is incorrect please make your own or send pictures of the actual piece you're working on. It's very hard to offer advise when I can't picture exactly what you're trying to describe...

[anvil]

what thickness of material where the punched holes are. if its 1/8" thick or 1/4" there are different solutions. basically punch thru from one side but not to your final diameter, then drift with your punch from the other side. With practice, the bulge will be gone when the diameter is what you want. Or under punch the dia then turn it over and lightly hammer the bulge out, then drift to your final hole size.

If the bulge you are talking about is the "frogs eye, and you want this, then drill your holes. A frogs eye is the bulge you get on the sides, not the top or bottom.

[Houjous]

so similar to your drawing. there will be 7 rods on the y axis and 7 rods on the x axis. rod 2 and 6 will not complete the distance and bend down to make the feet between the 6th and 7th rod and 1st and 2nd rod. if that makes more sense. 

so the drawing would look like every rod in the y axis would have 7 drifted holes in it for all of the x axis rods can cross unblocked. the legs will be between the drifted holes of the second most outer rods on the x axis so the beginning and end of rod 2 and 6.

 

hopefully this makes more sense.

[BillyBones]

I had a set of wrenches that were the black like impact sockets. Worst investment i ever made. Not becuase they were not quality tools but becuase they were black. Working under cars i have a habit of setting  tools in the frame while working. A bright chrome wrench is easy to see, the balck is easy to miss.