Johnnyh98 Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Hello all Ive received a request to make a mushroom themed fire poker as a gift and im a bit stuck on where to start. I imagined it having a large toadstool as the main topper. Im just unsure on how id go about making it. Alternatively, id go for multiple smaller mushrooms coming from the top with thinner stalks and flatter caps... Any ideas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 I would upset the end of a round bar then use my round hole to form the top then a small chisel and a swage to detail underneath the top. Sounds like fun and send pictures :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Sounds pretty straight forward to me. The one thing you need to keep in mind is function, the cap needs to be a reasonable size with a round profile like a Morrel. How to is as easy as cutting a slice of solid round bar and forging the cap to profile, punching a hole in the center for the mortise and forging the handle end of the fire tool for the tennon then pein it in place and smooth with file and emery cloth. Detailing the underside like Pedro says is perfect. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyh98 Posted October 18, 2023 Author Share Posted October 18, 2023 Thats what i was thinking. I think a tenon and rivet joint would work but I want to avoid the line from where the rivet is peined to the cap piece.. Id like the mushroom to be quite prominent in scale to the fire poker shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 That's what the file and emery cloth are for. Don't make the cap too prominent or it'll make the poker hard and uncomfortable to hold. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyh98 Posted October 18, 2023 Author Share Posted October 18, 2023 cheers, i get that bit. Its more having the entire mushroom motif detatched from the shaft of the poker. I think that can be done by using either far edge of anvil or a hardy fullering tool and a little bit of upsetting, just to give the stalk of the mushroom more prominence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Detatched? Do you mind putting your general location in the header? There are a lot of benefits, not the least it helps me understand your version of English more easily. I assume you mean you want a single piece poker without joining different parts. You can forge the cap as I described but drill the hole a couple thousandths of an inch smaller than the tennon. You'd need the tennon to be as "perfect" as you can make it. Then forge weld them into one piece. Getting an interference fit to weld is pretty easy. You can do a jelly roll weld on the end and forge it into a cap. Or upset and forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Brian Brazeal did a youtube video a few years back on how to forge a mushroom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr4H6RxwXQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Here is another example, but not really suited to the end of a bar: Keep it fun, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Another way to make one is to make several smaller mushrooms with stems and forge weld them forward of the handle as a spark guard like a sword handle would be. I made one years ago for a friend and it was a big hit. Sorry that was before pictures were taken. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Maybe make a large cap heat shield and grip the stem, again like a sword. I kind of like it, then forge a long pointy mushroom on the pokey end to push and hook wood with the bottom of the cap. This is starting to be fun. How about a shovel or broom? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3F Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 I would basically make an oversized rivet as the handle with the dome being the mushroom cap with maybe a 1" round bar. You'd be upsetting it for days but when it's finally domed you could really shape it to the size you see fit. Then get it smooth and maybe punch some "0" looking depressions randomly around on the dome. After that you'd have to draw the stem down to be comfortable in the hand (guillotine would help) flare it out at the bottom then back down close to the diameter of the shaft of the poker and forge weld them together. Then I would basically make small clusters of random sized rivets, stems drawn down, and weld those along the shaft where they wouldn't be in the way. I'd also experiment would texturing the shaft to look like bark. Make a traditional pointy end and BOOM you got yourself a mushroom themed poker lol. Hope that helps. I definitely would like to see what you come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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