Tooling up for some upcoming projects

[M.G.]

Thanks, I think I will be making a top tool to match this strap. 

I messed with the die some more today, I had some flat bar stock laying around that was just about the perfect size to fit the die. (much easier to keep the workpiece going straight). I also used a 4lb hammer instead of my2.5kbs turning hammer. I was able to get a pretty decent forging of about 34 inches of length. With just a few nicks from the die, due to some unseated strikes. Oops. Oh well l, I think I only need 2 lengths at about 12.25 inches, so I should be able to pick some clean sections. Still gotta get the flashing cleaned up. But im pretty happy with the outcome so far.

[anvil]

Looking good! It's always satisfying using your own tools and getting results. 

I have done a similar pattern for cap rail out of 1/2"x1", but used only a top tool. Lol, not to beat a dead dog, so to speak, but the amount of work after detailing between the two different techniques will blow you away. No matter what, the experience you are getting is well worth it.

I've done it both with my 4# hammer and with my treadle. The treadle hammer works really well. 

[M.G.]

Yeah, it is a pretty good feeling for sure. I am looking forward to working out a too tool to match, I think I like the form enough to use it again in the future, so having all the tooling for it will be an advantage. Also I still been to form this strap into a ring so some sort of top tool that won't mar my shapes will be integral to getting the ring to shape.

 

I wish I had a treadle hammer, but I don't really have much room in my shop for big equipment.  So ill just have to get bigger arms. Or bigger friends to do some striking for me.

[M.G.]

On today's episode of Tooling Up.

Woke up and got in the shop to heat treat a hot chisels and itisy bitsy hand fuller, that I forged out yesterday, got all the way through normalizing lastnight before the wife called me in for dinner. But I got back at it this morning. After quench and temper, I put them to work with this decorative test piece. 

I think im going to make another hand fuller same width but a little longer, might make it easier to clean up the lines, and keep in its tracks for the longer runs. The chisels works pretty well, but I may make another one with a bit with a bit finer taper to the bevel.

[Frosty]

If you make your "fuller" (what I call a veining chisel) with a longer edge with a clear curve like an axe blade it will track easily and leave smooth flutes. A little practice is all it takes, start a flute with the chasing tool tilted back towards you and without lifting it out of the groove rock it forwards for the next blow, then tip it back and slide it forward stand up and strike.

A curved edge makes straight lines easy and lets you turn some surprisingly tight curves.

Nice fleur De Lis. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.G.]

Thanks, Excelent advice. I was thinking about that same shape, very similar to the hot chisels I made. Which tracked very nicely. 

The fleur de lis, came out really close to my sketch, it was right in there, dang near spot on a couple of times. Curves in all directions, but after more tweeking and re "straightening" and adjustments to the hard bends, I realized I had stressed the tightest and thinnest spots in the hard 90°. And was ritteled with stress cracks laterally. Might have even burned it a bit in those spots... So in to the scrap pile it goes, and next week I'll make a better one. Or two. I've got a couple of preforms ready to go.

[Frosty]

One of the toughest things to learn is when to quit. The better is the enemy of the good enough. Noooo, don't scrap it! Save it as a reminder in later years. One of these days your grandson will be out in gramps blacksmith shop wanting to do some forging and screw something up. You can chuckle and show him some of your old not so hot pieces and then a better one and so on. It's also a good way to remind yourself of your own progress.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Shainarue]

That's a real slick fleur de lis, M.G.!

Frosty, would you use a veining chisel hot or cold? I think I know that the only difference is the angle on the working end but just curious which you prefer. 

[Frosty]

A veining chisel isn't for cutting it's actually a chasing tool used to drive shapes into metal. The flutes in the fleur di lis and oh say Gewoon's leaf are chased in. A set of chasing tools pictured below.

What a person has to be careful about chasing lines that heavy is distorting the shape of the project. Wide deep lines like in M.G.'s project are more likely to. If the veiner is narrower then driving it cold is safer you can always go back over the flutes for better definition. IF they're curved like an axe as I described above. The chasing tools pictured are more appropriate for jewelry or chasing and repousse.

So, I'd do M.G.'s hot with his veiner red would probably be more than enough, orange would be too hot.

Bear in mind please that I don't do a lot of veining and only a tiny amount of chasing, there are guys an gals here with WAY more experience than I have.

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.G.]

Those are some really nice examples wish I had that full of a set. Guess I had better get to work. Hahaha.  

[JHCC]

Nice looking work!

[M.G.]

Thanks Shainarue.

And JHCC. Thanks for checking it out.

[anvil]

Nice. Heres a set of leaf tools that I really like.  I make them in a set of 3, a left, right, and a straight.  And I make these sets in in different lengths. i call it a teardrop tool and make them out of coil spring. Notice on leaf tool 1 the ding marks on the inside of the tool on the right but not on the left one. . Lol, thats where I learned what a rounding hammer is used for.   a rounding hammer is is used to round and make clean concave surfaces more or less like its mate..    Also the raised detail on the candle holder scrolls is made with a similar tool to the straight teardrop tool. They are easily made and very versatile

You hit it on the head, your stress cracks came from over working the steel and at too low of a temp. No matter the steel, "Get it Hot"! Or more colorfully stated. "When its yellow, its mellow and when its red its dead!"  Mild steel and especially wrought can easily be worked at a light welding heat, sweating, not sparking. A red heat is a finishing heat, not a forging heat. Best used for cleaning up missed blows and developing a nice matte texture. I always stress pushing your heats to the max and learning this basic early on. Being cautious so as not to burn your work is self defeating. Forging at a red is prolly one of the most common mistakes and its hard to break bad habits.  

I have another tool I like for leafwork and will post it tomorrow. Its for doing curved lines and will bevel the outer radius and leave the inner radius more vertical.

[M.G.]

Very nice Anvil.

The teardrop punches are defiantly on my list. 

I love the look of the scrolled leaf you've got there.

[M.G.]

Another day in the books. 

Started the day knocking some truck axel into a hammer billet, while knocking out a mjolnir pendant. 

Also forged out another veining chisel. From coil spring

Took a break to refill the gass bottle, and grab a snack. 

Then it was back to the forge to punch a hammer eye, and forge out a viking style cross pien. Came out just a smidgen under 3.5lbs. I then got both tools normalized before dinner.

I will probably get to heat treat both tomorrow afternoon, then hopefully I can get an handle made and the hammer hung. 

[M.G.]

And today, I got to heat treat and temper the veining chisel,  and hammer head. 

Was also able to get a handle shaped up from some more curley ash, then hung and wedged with walnut, and mild steel.

[Frosty]

Really nice hammer MG, I like it.

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.G.]

Thanks Frosty. I've been wanting to make one of these for quite some time.  

[Frosty]

How do you like using it?

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.G.]

Ah well I haven't had a chance to really swing it at anything hot yet.

I had just gotten the safety wedge forged and sunk in, with enough time to oil it up lastnight and got some photos just before dinner. Today I am helping the wife with some home projects and working on some business stuff for the day job. Hopefully next week I can get a chance to put it to work.

Check back in a couple weeks and I'll let you know how it's going. 

[Frosty]

A couple WEEKS!  Wassamatta you BOY? I would've smacked SOMETHING with that bad boy as soon as I had it wedged. Maybe oil the handle afterwards and let it dry for a couple weeks. Of course to save your rep as a blacksmith perhaps the better half needs something hit with a hammer!

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.G.]

Hahahah, well... I did get a couple swings in on some 3/4" round mild. I was gonna make the safety wedge with it, got a little hesitant to swing it for real, lanf I just wanted it done, so I picked up my 3.5lbs rounder and just smashed it out. Then the day was done. But I feel after a couple weeks I should have a good idea of how it performs and how I like it. I'm sure I'll make a couple more once I work with it a bit. And get a an idea for any changes I want to make.  I can already imagine some re balancing of material and lines. But im pretty excited to use it. We will call it a prototype.

[Frosty]

Proto type or not she sure is purty.

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.G.]

Thanks, that means alot!

[M3F]

Hammer looks great!