Some Interesting ship fittings | Blacksmith Show and Tell | Forum

Back it the day..........Well, I made all kinds of stuff. A real "Iron monger". Made these fittings for the Navy. I understood they went on some kind skiff of something. Got welded on so they could burn off most of the galvanizing.

Pretty simple except for the transition area. Had to make a bottom die for the 4-B with a round cut-out angled down at 30 degrees or so. So we'd hold it flat and start hammering and pushing it down to the correct angle at the same time. Ya just can't get that shape any other way. Then edge it and flatten some more. Not as tough on the operator as it sounds, but ya really gotta HIT it if you don't want it kicking up on you, really counter-intuitive.

That's the bender I built 30 odd years ago. That was a hydraulic steering gear for a big ship. I used to bend 4" mild steel cold with it. and 6" alloy hot.

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Notice the follower bars and that I add more as it gets closed. Bend one end a little, flip it over and work the other end.

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I really like a rotary table bender for this kind of stuff.

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Tucks in real nice if ya got the length figured right. I love it when things go just the way you plan. In the above picture there is also slug the pushes against the flat (look close!)

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Yes, there actually is a designed in twist to the legs!

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Think we did about 800 of these at the time. We got real good at it.

[Image Can Not Be Found] Galvanized and ready to ship! Think they were 2-1/2" bar IIRC.