AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Shop Made Tools => Topic started by: marcusb on February 12, 2018, 07:42:32 PM

Title: Detoured to Learn Forging
Post by: marcusb on February 12, 2018, 07:42:32 PM

Started down the gun building journey about 8 years ago, took a detour for a bit to teach myself how to forge. Well it turned into quite a Detour!. I have moved a few times, rebuilt a few houses, bought a run down farm and finally built myself a forging shop.

Main Anvil
(https://preview.ibb.co/g44cbS/IMG_3493.jpg) (http://ibb.co/n7isAn)


Post Vise
(https://preview.ibb.co/fiXii7/IMG_3496.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mQmnAn)


Forge
(https://preview.ibb.co/m3HNbS/IMG_3497.jpg) (http://ibb.co/d5ueO7)


Power Hammer
(https://preview.ibb.co/gB1FwS/IMG_3463.jpg) (http://ibb.co/hxK2bS)

Title: Re: Detoured to Learn Forging
Post by: rich pierce on February 12, 2018, 08:35:01 PM

Looks like a serious setup!  Glad you found a farm. My dream, still unfulfilled.

Title: Re: Detoured to Learn Forging
Post by: David R. Pennington on February 13, 2018, 03:36:03 AM

Sounds familiar. I started out thinking i just needed a little rivet forge in the back yard for an ocasional butt plate or triggergaurd. The blacksmithing has taken on a life of its own. Now I have a small shop, volunteer as blacksmith at local museum and events, do demonstrations etc.,.
I have all but given up on the farm idea now.

Title: Re: Detoured to Learn Forging
Post by: Buffaload on February 14, 2018, 08:07:50 PM

That's a unique helve hammer. What's the dope on it?
Ed

Title: Re: Detoured to Learn Forging
Post by: marcusb on February 15, 2018, 03:11:34 AM

Its a blacker hammer. Made in New York in 1928. Hammer head traverses the length of the anvil so you can work over the hardie holes, the edge of the anvil or the center of the anvil. The Anvil is a 500 pound fisher. I really like the hammer. Once i got it dialed in it has great control. You can adjust the force of the blow with treadle height adjustment. It also has a large clear space under the head so using traditional top tooling is no problem. Dies are easy to make, you just make a hardy tool. I made all the ones pictured on the tray. It hits with great force for its size, and really excels at driving drifts, punching holes etc. Only down side is it only runs 140 BPM so you have to use fullers for drawing out small parts, but its worth it to have the force of blows. I can work 2" easy enough, more with fullers etc, and that's saying something considering how large the die surface is. As close as you can get to the old method of forging with the smith and the striker by ones self.

Vid I made showing control after I fiddled with it some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wv3GfBw3Xk

Title: Re: Detoured to Learn Forging
Post by: Buffaload on February 15, 2018, 04:45:37 AM

Thanks for the history.  Its a unique design, really cool that you can move the head over the hardee holes like that and anywhere else on the hammer.  Have fun and be safe!
Ed