Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
10:52 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
I thought I'd post a few of the things I've been making at the forge recently. I'm still pretty much a total newbie so my stuff won't compare with the fine things that experienced blacksmiths are posting on these forums. But maybe by posting my stuff I'll encourage some other newbie to post his stuff. Anyway, here we go.
Yesterday I made a spring fuller out of some 5/8" tool steel rod. Not sure exactly what type of steel it is but the spark test and the file test confirmed that it's carbon steel. I got the stuff at the local junk yard for $.50/pound. It still needs some refining but it works.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
10:54 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
Here's a photo showing how it was made to fit my 3/4" hardy hole. I did the math before I started and found that doubled over 5/8" rod made just a slightly larger cross section than my 3/4" square hardy hole. So all I had to do was smoosh it out a little and it fit just perfect.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
10:57 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
In the first photo there's a piece of 3/8" mild steel rod which I'd just fullered in the new spring fuller. I forged that rod down into a square nail with a faceted head. I used some scrap pneumatic drill rod as a monkey tool to form the head.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
11:05 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
I also made a cold chisel out of some of that drill rod. I was a little concerned whether or not I'd be able to close the hole in the rod. I first chased the hole with a long 1/4" drill bit. Then I cleaned the bore with a .270 cal cleaning brush.
I packed the bore with, what else, bore-ax, and set it in the fire. Once it got up to forge welding temperature I beat the crap out of it with a 3 lb. single jack. I started the smooshing about 3" up from the tip of the chisel and worked my way down, squeezing out the molten borax as I worked toward the tip.
When I cleaned it up at the grinder I could find no evidence of the old hole. Only time will tell if tool holds up but it was a good experience anyway.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
11:10 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
Here's a spark test showing what high carbon content this drill rod must have. It produces a very lively spark. I may try to make some drifts out of this material.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
11:18 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
Here's another image of the chisel. I water quenched it from dark cherry red - just about 1-1/4" of the tip and only for a few seconds. Then I quickly hit it with the angle grinder equipped with a sanding disk to polish the tip. I watched as the heat remaining in the shaft spread back to the quenched tip. When bronze hit the tip I quenched it cold.
The chisel took just 3 heats. One to forge weld the hole closed, a second to form the tip and a third to heat treat it.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
11:23 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
Here are a few miscellaneous things I've made - just stuff that will be useful for smithing jobs down the road. At the top is a screwdriver. Actually a buddy forged it and I just cleaned it up a little. Below that is the chisel, the fuller, a knife blank I've started, a crude flux spoon (not having a swage block I set my ballpeen in the vice and formed the spoon over the ball), and a couple of punches.
The square punch had some polishing done after tempering but the round punch still shows the temper colors.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
11:24 pm
NWBA Member
August 8, 2010
Offline
Great job on the tools, Tom! We like pictures 🙂
Dave
No one really listens to anyone else, and if you try it for a while you'll see why.
- Mignon McLaughlin
11:26 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
One last photo of a bending fork I made for the vice. It's made out of the same material as the punches and spring fuller.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
11:26 pm
March 21, 2011
Offline
Feel free to offer critiques and suggestions. We learn by our mistakes.
12:12 am
January 18, 2011
Offline
Tom Allyn;10402 wrote: Feel free to offer critiques and suggestions. We learn by our mistakes.
One thing, lose the sharp edges on the rivet header inside and out, little nicks are a pain and if you're actually making a rivet in that piece, you make a stronger rivet if it has a smooth transition from button to shank..........Cool tools, never seen a spring fuller like that..........bm
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
— Dr. Seuss
12:59 am
March 21, 2011
Offline
Thanks for the tip. [Image Can Not Be Found]
1:15 am
NWBA Member
July 2, 2010
Offline
Nice job on the tools.
I also really like the old wonder bar recycled in to a spring on the post vice.
Chuck
2:33 am
April 12, 2010
Offline
looks like a good start!
Id sugest saving your carbon steel for tools such as punches. your bending fork will be plenty strong if you just use mild steel!
spring fullers can be made out of mild steel as well! Get some superquinch and mix up a batch, you will be amazed how many disposable tools you can make out of mild steel and get hard enough to use for years.
have fun and keep on forging!
Ryan
7:30 am
March 21, 2011
Offline
Chuck;10405 wrote: I also really like the old wonder bar recycled in to a spring on the post vice.
Chuck
Thanks. That's the way it was when I bought it. It works surprisingly well. The only thing I did to the vice was add the throw-out bearing as a thrust nut.
And Ryan, yes you're right about using the carbon steel where it's best needed but I got this stuff at the scrap yard for next to nothing. I can afford to play around with it a bit. [Image Can Not Be Found]
Most Users Ever Online: 668
Currently Online:
28 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: 383
Tom Allyn: 340
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 22
Members: 8726
Moderators: 4
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 23
Forums: 97
Topics: 3538
Posts: 20289
Newest Members:
Tom, churndashmaven, cameliacity, fred.f.chopin, RuoYi, rodeoneerer, NWBABjorn, mddangelo, Nevillberger, Crusty VeteranModerators: Steve McGrew: 77, N.W.B.A.: 72, webmaster: 0, bluehost: 0
Administrators: admin: 540
Usage Policy