Blacksmithing ProjectTransforming a Piece of Steel
|
|
 1. Cleaning the fire to prepare for initial heat on a 5/8" square stock piece of bar. |
 2. Tools for punching, slitting, and cutting hot steel. The two to the left, punch and slitter, are both reworked ball peen hammer heads found at a garage sale. The tool to the right is a re-worked chisel made into a 'hot chisel' for cutting hot steel and iron. |
 3. A 'boot' piece, to patch a burned out firepot. This is one of two that will have to be fitted to repair the broken off bolt slots, and bring the throat into a tight fit once again with the bowl. I had also fitted the assembly with a new clinker breaker and rod. |
 4. The steel at forging temperature, a near yellow orange color. Since I am working cold rolled steel rather than wrought iron (which is rare to find now-a-days), I work this at a hot temp. |
 5. Upsetting the end of the bar to give mass and increase the size so as to create enough iron to provide a proper 'head' to punch a 5/8" square hole. |
 6. Another heat is taken and the bar is cooled to allow only a full heat on the end and thus lessen distortion of the shank while upsetting the end with a sledgehammer. |
 7. Distortion is corrected on the anvil. |
 8. Quenching the bar up to the head where I continue to upset to get proper mass. |
 9. Taking a heat. |
 10. A closeup of the upsetting on the end of the bar. |
 11. A closeup showing the increase in mass on the end of the bar. |
 12. At this point I am putting an angle to the head I have just worked. This is done to create an easier situation for finishing the piece when I mount it. |
 13. A yellow heat was taken and a slot is punched in alignment with the square sides of the head. First punched 2/3 through on one side, the tool is quenched. The bar is turned over and the punch through is completed matching the angle of the slot so as not to foul the hole in the swage. This is done in one heat. |
 14. Another heat is taken. Square punch is set through one side on a hole approximate to 5/8" (punch is aligned with slot to avoid fouling slot as the punching proceeds), then through the opposite side. Hole is less than 5/8" by a 'smidge'. |
 15. The finished part, formed and fitted to a 4 1/2' long firepit poker. |
 15. Who'd a-thunk it? It has become the 'prong' or 'catch' with spile of the fire poker. |
|
In the photos you see most of my blacksmithy, and the tools that I use to work steel in the forge. Many of the tongs, swage tools and anvil tools (including my hardies) were made, some with the help of fellow
smiths, by me in the smithy. I am forever making or reworking tools to assist my production of various items to fill customer needs.
I was once called a 'wannabe' by some 'expert smiths', well yes I am. I am like any smith worth working with: a smith who 'wants to be better'. When I can't get better I will quit smithing... |
|
