Northwest Blacksmith Association

Universal Blacksmith Tongs | Blacksmith Show and Tell | Forum

Avatar

Please consider registering
guest

sp_LogInOut Log In sp_Registration Register

Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search

— Forum Scope —




— Match —





— Forum Options —





Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters

sp_Feed Topic RSS sp_TopicIcon
Universal Blacksmith Tongs
March 13, 2017
4:24 pm
Avatar
Bill Kirkley
Member
Registered User
Forum Posts: 80
Member Since:
January 11, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

The box jaw adapter gave me the idea to carry things further and create a pair of tongs where the top and bottom jaws were removable.  This enables a single pair of tongs to handle a large range of stock sizes and shapes.  The following is a link to a YouTube video and photos of three jaw configurations:

LR-Univ-Tongs-1.jpgImage Enlarger

LR-Univ-Tongs-2.jpgImage Enlarger
LR-Univ-Tongs-3.jpgImage Enlarger

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments
March 13, 2017
6:57 pm
Avatar
Lee Cordochorea
Member
Registered User


NWBA Member

Board Member
Forum Posts: 595
Member Since:
April 26, 2010
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

See also: US Patent number 1420516 from 1921.

I like these better, though. The 1921 patent requires a milling machine or shaper to make them. (Although Monica Coyne might just be able to forge a set...)

No matter where you go... there you are.

March 16, 2017
6:05 pm
Avatar
Bill Kirkley
Member
Registered User
Forum Posts: 80
Member Since:
January 11, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Interesting Lee.  I am sure I posted a reply but it seems to be missing!?  Maybe it was on a different thread. 

I was wondering how you knew about the patent. 

March 17, 2017
6:46 pm
Avatar
billyO
Member

NWBA Member
Forum Posts: 234
Member Since:
March 22, 2011
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Hi Bill.  I'm wondering how much weight the adapter adds to the tongs? 

as always

peace and love

billyO

March 18, 2017
6:04 am
Avatar
Bill Kirkley
Member
Registered User
Forum Posts: 80
Member Since:
January 11, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

BillyO,  The heaviest set of detachable jaws is for the 1X1/8 flat bar.  They have a combined weight of 10 oz.  A coupler by itself is 2 1/4 oz.  The jaws on the tongs are 3/8X7/8X1 3/4 inches.  The density of mild steel is .283 pounds/inch cube.  The two jaws weigh .325 pounds(2*.375*.875*1.75*.283) or 5.2 oz.

Univ-Tongs-8.jpgImage Enlarger

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments
March 25, 2017
3:11 pm
Avatar
Bill Kirkley
Member
Registered User
Forum Posts: 80
Member Since:
January 11, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I made a detachable jaw to handle drifts and punches.  The three slots are 1/4 inch wide and just over 1/8 inch deep, 3/8 inches wide and just over 3/16 inches deep, and 1/2 inch wide and just over 1/4 inch deep.  I found that a pair of box jaws will hold round bar if the depth of the jaw is just over half of the width of the jaw.

Detachable-Jaw-Drifts.jpgImage Enlarger

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments
April 3, 2017
5:01 pm
Avatar
Bill Kirkley
Member
Registered User
Forum Posts: 80
Member Since:
January 11, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I made another set of couplers. I bent the wire as before with a torch. Several were greater than or less than 90 degrees.  These were bent cold to 90 degrees. Most bent without a problem. Several broke at the bend.    I am at a loss to explain the failure. 

I tempered the rest at 450 for an hour.   I tested several of the tempered wires and none broke. 

I thought if you heated high carbon steel and let it cool it would not harden and become brittle. Can anyone explain why this happened?

April 3, 2017
6:17 pm
Avatar
Bill Kirkley
Member
Registered User
Forum Posts: 80
Member Since:
January 11, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I posted this on Bladesmithsforum.com.  Jerrod Miller solved the problem.  He posted that this is basically W1 steel and that in small diameters it can harden if placed on a metal plate to cool.  I tossed them into a steel container.  So, I figure the heated area of some touched the metal container while others did not.

https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?/topic/35163-heat-treat-question/

Forum Timezone: America/Los_Angeles

Most Users Ever Online: 668

Currently Online:
7 Guest(s)

Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Top Posters:

Larry L: 1566

Grant: 1420

Bruce Macmillan: 625

Lee Cordochorea: 595

Lynn Gledhill: 572

JNewman: 520

Gene C: 504

J Wilson: 426

Eric Sprado: 381

Tom Allyn: 340

Member Stats:

Guest Posters: 22

Members: 8707

Moderators: 4

Admins: 1

Forum Stats:

Groups: 23

Forums: 97

Topics: 3530

Posts: 20278

Newest Members:

Jim Cameron, hsmac02, Theresa Mae Oborn, Anthony Parker-Hoang, PJF, Adamphipps, Jackstakes, crazywolf53, Rickwaldron, brianmanix

Moderators: Steve McGrew: 77, N.W.B.A.: 72, webmaster: 0, bluehost: 0

Administrators: admin: 539