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Posted by Charly the Bastard on November 27, 2006, 7:07 am
Please log in for more thread options Prometheus wrote:
> Hello folks-
>
> By way of introduction, I am a woodworker by hobby and a
> machinist/fabricator by trade. Recently, I've been running up against
> a bit of a wall when it comes to upgrading my tools any further- the
> *really* good stuff is out of reach, and the cheaper stuff gets worse
> every year. Many older tools are getting to be almost impossible to
> come by at all.
>
> So, in the interest of continuing to refine my hobby work, I've
> started do some really basic smith work for making woodturning tools.
> So far, a propane torch, a ball-peen hammer and a small "anvil" area
> on the back of a bench vise are all I've got available. But with
> that, I have been able to make some metal spinning tools, and even
> discovered that it's kind of fun.
>
> I figured I could get a little anvil that might be more useful for
> making some short gouge flutes and various chisels at any given
> hardware store, but it turns out that's a pretty tall order-
> everything I saw was just a flat spot on the back of a vise.
>
> So, I'll have to order one or make one- but since I have the intended
> uses in mind, I'm hoping some of you could steer me in the right
> direction.
>
> What I'd like to be able to do is as follows-
>
> - Flatten bar stock to form basic "head" shapes in a variety of
> profiles, mostly smaller than 1" in width and length.
>
> - Forge flat chisels from flat or bar stock.
>
> - Forge "hook" shapes from bar stock (for hollowing)
>
> - Forge shallow fluted gouges from flat or bar stock with a flute that
> does not necessarily need to extend down the entire length of the
> tool.
>
> - The occasional knife-making project, just for the hell of it.
>
> Basic steps, as far I've been able to determine will be annealing,
> hammering, and quenching to harden the cutting surfaces, then grinding
> to refine the profiles, buffing the finished work and sharpening
> (correct me if I'm wrong, this is all pretty new to me)
>
> I'd like to be able to do this first with the regular old hot-rolled
> or cold-rolled 1018 steel available at most hardware stores, and then
> try and move up to tool steels once I get the hang of it. If I really
> enjoy it after making the tools, I may try my hand at making a little
> wrought iron, but that's a long way off in any case.
>
> What I have availible for tooling is a farily well-appointed wood
> shop, a manual mill, drill press, a large wood lathe, various
> grinders, hammers and buffing wheels. I'm willing to invest a little
> money in making a small charcoal forge with fire brick and purchasing
> an anvil, but please bear in mind that this for strictly utilitarian
> purposes for now, and I'm trying to save money- not spend it on
> tooling that is appropriate for a full-time industrial smith or a guy
> making broadswords or the like.
>
> I do have neighbors nearby, and already make plenty of noise with the
> chainsaw, and do some metal casting in the backyard, so less noise is
> probably good (IE, I'd rather not have an anvil that rings like a
> bell, if that can be avoided!)
>
> I came up with this anvil as a promising candidate:
>
> http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_23561_23561
>
> I did read through the posts here, first, and saw that a lot of folks
> were recommending a Harbor Frieght product, but given the quality of
> their woodworking stuff, I think I'd pass on that.
>
> So, any suggestions or concerns about the Northern Tool anvil, or good
> free sites that cover the basics of blacksmithing?
>
> Any general advice is appreciated!
Or... you could build your own. Got a scrapyard handy? Get yourself a piece of
medium size I beam for the body, hunt up a piece of Big Rig leaf spring stock at
a
spring fabricators, take them to the welders and have the spring stock welded to
the top of the I beam. Anvil. You said you have a mill, use it to shape the work
surface to your own needs. Since you mentioned gouges, I suggest half-round
grooves in various sizes cut with ball mills into the work surface at one end.
It's easier to drive hot metal down into a groove than it is to beat it around a
positive form to put the curve into it. You can kill the RINNNNNG by putting a
layer of sheet lead under the anvil when you mount it to the stand. Make sure
that
the stand has a generous footprint and some mass to it; having an anvil fall over
in the middle of a project can seriously ruin your morning. I used one of these
homemades for years before I scrounged my current one; worked great. As for Fire,
look at LP gas farrier's forges. There are lots of really good ones already on
the
market for reasonable prices. They're clean, quiet, easy to set up, and you don't
spend 90% of your work time futzing with the fire. You'll need tongs, gloves,
EYE
PROTECTION, hammers, a grinder or disk sander for fine shaping, a quench tank
which can be any metal container big enough to take the part, and a very well
ventilated work area. Forges generate lots of carbon monoxide, be safe. You'll
want your hot area to have a fireproof floor, because you will drop hot metal. IF
it falls, let it. Jump back, then pick it up with the tongs. A piece of sheet
steel will do to cover a wood floor, just nail it in place.
Happy Whacking
Charly
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