TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Mail just ran, an I got in my new swage block from hollands! I wanted a little block that could set up on the forge so I don’t loose a lot of heat while working on light stuff, and not take up a lot of space, its only 8.4 pounds, but still big enough I think it’s gonna work out great! This is the first new block I’ve ever owned, so I’ll have to learn to dress it, my ol beat up 75 pound block was already smoothed over when I got it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 You’ll love having that sitting right by the forge. I have a piece of 3” round I sit on the forge when doing forge welds on small stock and it greatly increased my success rate. Keep it fun, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 I think you may use the new one more than the old one. I suspect that theire are more useful shapes on the new one. Also, I like the 60 degree Vs on the new one to make a true equilateral triangle. That, IMO, is a failing of many swage blocks, all the Vs are 90 degrees which is fine if you need a right angle but that is not always the case. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 2 hours ago, Goods said: You’ll love having that sitting right by the forge Ive had a few folks suggest I keep something on the forge and that it will help keep me from loosing heat so I’m finally getting around to it! Lol George, the beat up ol block is handy for makin Gary tools with the square holes an drifting through the big round holes but your right I don’t actually us it much, the new block has some spoon shapes, I’ve never tried my hand a spoons but now I ain’t got no excuse lol i bought it for the dish, im wanting to make some sleigh bells for Christmas an I wanted a dish to get them started into a ball shape before working them into a pipe, ring, or the bigger swage blocks round holes, i gotta make a run into town tomorrow, im gonna swing into the hardware store to see if they got a flap wheel for die grinders, the only flap disc’s I got here at the shop are for a angle grinder and won’t fit down int the forms, I do got some dremal flap wheels but I don’t think they would last long trying to smooth out the new block, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 If you have some round ball stones for the die grinder they work but wear out fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 I have one and really like it for when I need it. It gets occasional use. They do come rough but the price was right so I didn't mind taking a little time to smooth it how I wanted it. Die grinder, bur bits and rolock grinder discs worked well for me. Sand and polish to suit your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 I've got about a 35# swage black that I bought off a guy on fleabay 25 years ago. I smoothed the dish depression by using the edge of a 4" grinding stone on a mandrel chucked into an electric drill. Billy, I hate to sound ignorant in public but what is a "gary tool?" "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 Lol George that was a typo from my phones auto correct, apparently it thought hardy sounded like Gary! Bahaha Randy, I just had someone else tell me that stones would clog up fast, but maybe soapy water could possibly help Aric, Thanks for the advice, what’s a rolock disc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 I have never had a problem with the stones clogging up with cast iron, but it may be different with cast steel. I know they are about useless on aluminum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Sorry, no k. Roloc. It is a type of abrasive disc that goes on an arbor. There are all kinds of grits and abrasives that fit it. We use them at work and I utilize the worn out or discarded ones when i can. I only use what is truely not useful for the business. Others discard them before I would so those are better for me lol. They even sell them at harbor freight I believe. I buy new when I need to. It is a great system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Boy, Roloc is a rabbit hole! Looks useful I'll have to give it a try. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 I got the bowl shape ground down with a die grinder an a stone, then I used a fiber grinding wheel to polish it up nice an smooth, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 Looking good Billy. Are you going to soften the edges of the swages? You can use them in this orientation too and if the edges are sharp it'll mark projects you drive into them say a wood gouge. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 27, 2022 Author Share Posted August 27, 2022 Yes I’m gonna dress all the edges on the block, I’ll have to order something smaller to fit down in some of them, but for now I got the dish as smooth as glass so I can use that part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 I like the looks of it, I'll have to try a spoon swage sometime I do them over a through hole and regular swage. I'd really like to put that "french curve" looking swage through it's paces. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 28, 2022 Author Share Posted August 28, 2022 The spoon swages will probably be next to get cleaned up, can’t wait to try them out, im not sure what a French curl is or what it’s used for but it did go ahead an clean it up since it was relatively easy too, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobtiel1 Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 I always thought that "french curve" was used for shovels or something of the like. If we're referring to the same part. Nice swage btw, it looks like it has all the useful components of a swage block. Does it bounce around much due to the smaller size? ~Jobtiel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 28, 2022 Author Share Posted August 28, 2022 Thanks Jobtiel1, I dunno if it bounces or not, I ain’t used it yet, im gonna break it in soon with some sleigh bell blanks I’ve ordered, I’ll definitely report back an let ya know how it acts up on the forge gettin used! shovels is an interesting idea for that curl, I didn’t think of that, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 A french curve is a drawing / drafting tool that allows you to draw curves with changing radius. The swage on the far edge of your swage block describes a swage with a smoothly changing radius. Image below. The one on the bottom most resembles the one I had in the drawer of my drafting table. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 The shape looks good for bending a handle that would be riveted to the spoon portion on a larger ladle or something. I'm sure it has other uses but on a dishing swage that might be my first thought. Even tho that could easily be done over the edge of the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobtiel1 Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 That's also a good use. If your using the swage for multiples it would allow for easier consistency that way. and indeed seeing that there are spoon swages and a dishing form it would make sense that that curve is for a handle for those things. ~Jobtiel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted September 2, 2022 Author Share Posted September 2, 2022 I hope it works for multiples i plan on making a boat load of sleigh bells on it soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 Debi just received her mini swage block from Holland. It had some casting flaws in the bowl portion so she contacted them. She was expecting to have to ship it back and get a replacement. Now you talk about fantastic customer service, they are sending another one which will be inspected closely so there should be no flaws. They told her to keep the first one too. How about that totally unexpected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 Pretty impressive Randy, I'm sure there are 60,000 IFI members putting it on the + scale. Frosty The Lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 28, 2022 Share Posted September 28, 2022 The replacement swage block came in and it's perfect. So smooth Debi doesn't think it needs any polishing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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