JHCC Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 Do you have a hold-down? That's a good way to hold workpieces in place while you punch, chisel, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 Thomas (or anyone else), how do you preheat your quenching medium? I can't see heating a couple gallons of oil in a big pot on the kitchen stove and then carrying it out to the shop not to mention the domestic discussion that would entail. Do you have a stove of some sort in the shop or do you heat a large piece of metal and quench it to heat up the oil or what? "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 I'm pretty low-tech: I have a big chunk of steel (a bunch of 1/2" rods welded together from a failed tooling project) that I heat up in the forge and dump into the quench tank. It's got a hook on one end, so when I'm not using it, I can hang it on my tong rack where it's easiest to forget where I put it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 I have a piece of 1" rod that has a hole drilled through it near one end. Threaded through the hole is some 1/8" steel wire with a hook on one end. Heat it up and place in the quench tank and hang the hook off the rim of the tank so it's just about 1/2" off the bottom and let it warm the tank. When it feels "right" to my hand touching the side of the tank near the top, then I remove and hang it in a convenient place to drip---nice to have a dirt floor where a shovel removes an oil spot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 Same here, a piece of 2 in square steel about 6 in long. Usually put it on something that could use some oil rubbed on it to help with the rust, and like JHCC wonder where I left it the next time I want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 41 minutes ago, JHCC said: Do you have a hold-down? I don't have a hold-down but i plan on making one. I would still like to make this tool holder though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 If I could make a suggestion, I'd recommend making the hold-down first. You might find that it eliminates or reduces the need for the tool holder. If you still want/need the holder, then go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 Thanks JHCC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 I would like to try making a hold down out of one of these clamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 That could work, but something self-adjusting (like a chain hold-down or the classic swan-neck that fits in the pritchel hole) would be faster and easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 JHCC, yes and the chain style would be more versatile too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 That's what I use: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 I tend to use my chain hold down more than my angled rod hold down. Mine is a drive chain, one end is fastened to the anvil stump; the other end has a 22" bar of 1/2" square stock fastened to the last link. To use I throw it over the workpiece and then step on it at a convenient height as it lies on the ground at an angle. (Actually for a lot of light work it doesn't need to be stepped on.) As for the 22" bar---well I once picked up several hundred 22" drops for less than scrap rate---about a nickel a piece, IIRC, so a lot of stuff I do tends to be made from 22" bars of 1/2" sq stock... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 I preheat my quench oil with the 2 1/2" x 30"+/- round bar I have from somewhere. I heat it and let it lean against the inside of the 15 gal grease barrel, when warmed up I lean it against the inside of the cut down 55gal containment drum. I ground the edges of the end I dip so it's less likely to poke a hole in the barrel. I also have a sheet of 14ga steel cut to fit for puncture protection and an expanded metal basket on a long handle to fish out dropped stuff. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 I’ve been using an old sash weight to preheat my canola oil. (Just get it up to a temperature where the side of the bucket is warm to the touch.) I keep the oil in a steel grease bucket with an air tight lid a little bigger that a 5gal bucket. It’s only filled to about 2/3s full of oil and I just leave the sash weight in with the oil. I am planning on making a inner basket/lining with some perforated sheet metal I’ve got lay around, eventually… David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hefty Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Not sure about in the States or elsewhere, but in Australia you can get buy cooking oils (canola, olive, etc) in thin walled metal 5L (just over a gallon) containers with a plastic lid inserted into the top surface. I cut the top off an empty olive oil one with a can opener and then filled it up to a safe margin below the top with canola. I heat a piece of 6"x1 1/2"x3/4" mild steel preheated in the forge. I like the idea of putting a hook on it, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 I have a paint thinner can with the top cut out, and use old peanut oil as a quenchant. I like the smell of deep fried turkey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 17, 2021 Author Share Posted October 17, 2021 I was thinking about using a hold down tool at the anvil. This would work if you were not using a bottom swage. One thing i wanted to do with this tool holder is be able to put a swage at the bottom below the chisel/punch/fuller tool, such as a v swage when i was forming v bit tong jaws. This tool holder would make that job much easier and come out much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 There’s an illustration in The Complete Modern Blacksmith showing an interesting setup like that. Let me see if I can find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 Update: found it; it’s on pages 168-169 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 17, 2021 Author Share Posted October 17, 2021 Interesting, thanks JHCC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 Here’s a photo from the CBA Facebook page that might be of interest as well: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 17, 2021 Author Share Posted October 17, 2021 JHCC, yes that pic looks like what i want to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 You want to build a lady blacksmith!? You're sure ambitious but I can't fault the goal. Joking aside, these type of tool holders tend to end up one trick ponies. You find yourself spending more time making the halves of the tool fit the holder than making the tool let alone using it. That isn't a deal killer there are jobs you do often enough to make one practical but you don't tend to find out what those jobs are until you've been at this a while. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 18, 2021 Author Share Posted October 18, 2021 Thanks Frosty. I'm going to design it to punch, slit, cut and fuller. I plan on using it a lot. Maybe ill make a dedicated anvil base for it so i don't have to put it on the anvil, maybe that way I'll use it more often than a punch. But when all is said and done maybe it will sit there and i'll end up just grabbing a punch or chisel instead, i don't know but we'll see. I will have fun building it though. I love building tools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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