3D Horse Head

[brianbrazeal]

Here is a pictorial story board on the steps to forge the 3D horse head.
http://picasaweb.google.com/brianbra...ith/HHStepsBig

[David Kunkler]

Great step by step. What size stock do you start with and what's happening in photo 38 ?
I can't quite make it out.

[brianbrazeal]

Great step by step. What size stock do you start with and what's happening in photo 38 ?
I can't quite make it out.

Thanks, David. I believe that was 1 1/2" square stock, but I have done them in 1/4" and all the way up to 2 7/8". 2" and under can be done in 5 heats, and it takes about 20 minutes to complete. Photo 38 is finishing the ears with a set punch, or in that case a piece of bar stock. Those pictures were taken in Alfred Habermann's shop in Ybbsitzs, Austria.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

Brian, Thank you so much for showing these steps. I learn alot everytime I see your posts.

A question.

I don't have a large radius fuller, like the ones shown in the pictures, I am guessing the horn of my anvil would be good to use in this case?

I have a hammer I can put a good sized radius on the face. I don't own a rounding hammer.

Anyway, thanks again.

Bryan

[brianbrazeal]

Brian, Thank you so much for showing these steps. I learn alot everytime I see your posts.

A question.

I don't have a large radius fuller, like the ones shown in the pictures, I am guessing the horn of my anvil would be good to use in this case?

I have a hammer I can put a good sized radius on the face. I don't own a rounding hammer.

Anyway, thanks again.

Bryan

You don't have a rounding hammer! What do you forge with? A rounding hammer with a square flat face on the other end with appropriately relieved edges has more dies or surfaces availiable than any other hammer out there. Most forging is done with fullers, and when you tilt a rounding hammer at different degrees, you have many ranges of fullers availiable to you as long as it is not a true half sphere. The pictures show using a 3" fuller and a striker, but I have made all sizes with my 4 pound Tom Clark rounding hammer by myself.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

You don't have a rounding hammer! What do you forge with? A rounding hammer with a square flat face on the other end with appropriately relieved edges has more dies or surfaces availiable than any other hammer out there. Most forging is done with fullers, and when you tilt a rounding hammer at different degrees, you have many ranges of fullers availiable to you as long as it is not a true half sphere. The pictures show using a 3" fuller and a striker, but I have made all sizes with my 4 pound Tom Clark rounding hammer by myself.

Most of the time I use either a 2.25 lb diagonal peen or straight peen hammer. When I don't use those I use my 4 lb double faced hammer. Usually when I am working on heavier stock like 3/4". (which I know for alot of people isn't heavy at all.)

I have several hammers I use for small items as well. All ball peen hammers of differing weights.

I understand what you mean by "Most forging is done with fullers". And I've seen you and others, online, using rounding hammers at various angles to get the effect you want. I just don't own one.

It is on my list of things to get however. And thanks for the reply.

[brianbrazeal]

I understand, Bryan. I am just stressing the importance of choosing the right dies for the exact situation for what ever forging situation that you are up against. The properly ground rounding hammer affords more dies than any other hammer out there. Go ahead everyone out there in the world and challenge me on that statement! If you don't have one, get one, or grind that double faced hammer and make it so.

[Dave Hammer]

Brian

Please post photos of your rounding hammer. Size, weight, radius', handle characteristics, etc.

Also, post pictures of your other tools with descriptions and enough detail so we can make them.

Incidently, I observed some of your demonstrations at the ABANA conference in Memphis. Very Impressive....

Hope to see you at Quad States...

[Robert Suter]

Brian,
I’m always up for a challenge,… but I’m not that big of fool. Seriously, as you have pointed out an important part of owning a rounding hammer, is that it is a ‘properly ground rounding hammer’. If you can find the time would you provide a tutorial on how you grind and finish a rounding hammer? I’m sure I and many others would find it enlightening.

[brianbrazeal]

I'll try and round that all up today.