Wooden swage block?

[Matt in NY]

I read in The Backyard Blacksmith that it is possible to make a swage block from a block of wood.

Has anyone here ever done this or seen one?

I have a couple unsplit log lengths that I have been thinking about using, oak and apple.

I'm trying to think of how to dig out a hole in them.

I also have been reading the blue print section and have found some suitable starts for a swage block using the OIC method. I have an old draw behind seeder that will yeild lots of stuff.

Also, my pigs have been digging up plenty of goodies for me. I put them in an area that I am clearing and cleaning up. There used to be a shed there. I have retrieved several wrought iron hinges, wagon parts and hammers. They are still working, but they'll see the smokehouse soon.

[John Martin]

Um, a drill and a drill bit. Buy one of the ones that are used for drywall for putting huge holes in walls, but get one for wood. (Many actually). The other thing is you drill a circle and then punch the inside out and sand it. I'd go with the drywall one though, faster and easier.

[Justin Caradoc]

to make a "ladle" form you can use a 4" cuttoff wheel in an angle grinder. That is what I used to make my dishing form for armor. I took the wheel and laid it flat on my oak stump and traced the outside circle and inside circle to use for the round pattern. I then slowly cut out the dish. I only rough cut it into a bowl then I used a hammer to pound the grain flat. If you are going to use wood for a swage block I would sugest you use the end grain for the forms. cut out the form then hammer smooth. Hammering compresses the grain which makes that part denser so there is less deformation when you hammer into it.

[hill.josh]

You can also burn the holes into it. If you want it to last longer try hammering some sheet metal into the most used parts.. worked pretty good for me

[rustyshackleford]

I've got a small 5x4x4" piece with some spoon and ladle forms in it. Very effective. Used a chisel and dremel, then the hammer like Justin mentioned.

[Frosty]

Just start using it with hot steel, the forms will develop soon enough.

A few good blocks of wood are necessary in my shop. One of my main uses is to straighten twists. Use a wood block and wood mallet to hammer twisted stock straight or contour as desired without damaging the detail.

Frosty

[Old South Creations]

good ideas. I was wondering how effective a wood swage block would be too...glad you asked the question!

[Gobae]

I made a dishing swage from a stump of oak using one of these:

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=926

Very aggressive and quick. The only caveat would be, that despite its looks it doesn't leave shavings of any sort, but lots of sawdust. So, good ventilation or a mask is most helpful.

[Bentiron1946]

Thirty years ago or so in Oklahoma I met a smith that had a very large elm stump that had a whole series of depressions in it. They were well used and charred some. He used them the shape his spoons, ladles and bowls. He did have a cast iron swage block for making tenons and such but he sure made some beautiful stuff on that elm stump. I am thinking that maybe the Iron Age smith use wood swage blocks before the advent of large scale casting.

[Flaming S Forge]

I use hickory and white oak for mine. I welded a square shaft that fits my hardy hole to a flat piece of metal and screwed it fast to the bottom of the wood. I used a grinder to roughly make the shape I wanted. Hammering the hot metal made the final shape I wanted. It works real nice attached to the anvil. Soak the wood in water before you use it or it will burn in deeper than you really want it to. I did a demo making spoons with horse heads on the handles at our county fair recently and took my wood swages along. I purposely didn't soak them so I would get flames and smoke as I worked. The spectators loved it. The person that invited me to do the demo told me he wanted to hear lots of hammering and see some smoke. I gave him what he wanted and was invited back for next year.

[divermike]

Matt,

one of the NYSDBA members can get old bridge segments, he gave us some, 14 by 14 old growth timbers, he said he could get more. Any chance you will be at the Sylvan beach all hands meet?

[Matt in NY]

No, this is a busy time of year for me. I'm trying to get stuff squared away for winter. I haven't even got all my potatoes dug! Then there's butchering to do. I told myself I have to get things in order before I get to putting a shop together and really start to do some blacksmith exercises. I have a lot of learning to do. And, a lot of setting up to do.

Thanks though,
Matt

[creek]

I've got a couple of stumps I use for forming. Frosty is right, you just start hammering hot metal on it and it will start to burn a shape in it and give a nice smell! I think I seen something on youtube where someone was using a stump, but not for certain.