Forge welding help needed

[Mark Elliott]

David,

That is an creative approach.   It would accomplish the weld without a rivet.    However,  in the particular case of the guard I am making now,  It would mean forging the whole piece from 1/2" square stock.    That is a lot of hammering, but everything could be done at the forge in one session.    I wish I had asked this question a long time ago.   I have now got three good guards for three different rifles.  I am not going to have to do any more forging for some time now.   I know Tractor Supply is going to miss me coming for propane refills.    I have gone through $82 in propane in the last  month or so.   

[David R. Pennington]

Mark, you now have the confidence that you can forge these gaurds consistantly. The $82 was well spent if that is all it cost to gain the skill. I do enjoy my coal forge for the versitility, and right now I have a good source for coal as long as it lasts. My neighbors don't complain. (I think they think I am crazy, they often see me in 18th century clothes carrying guns around) I have a project now that needs a guard forged and I transferred the pattern last night to a board to keep by the forge so I can keep it in perspective. I found paper drawings don't last long when you hold hot metal near them. Hopefully I can work up some gaurds soon.
We would like to see your completed guard if you could share.

[deepcreekdale]

David, the hardest part for we inexperienced amateur smiths is thinking ahead like in your drawing. We all tend to bring 20th century thinking into solving 18th century problems. To anyone here though that has not tried it, forging metal parts is a blast, especially with a coal forge. Like David says, as long as you keep learning it is not time wasted.

[Mark Elliott]

I will make paper templates first of something I am forging and then cut forging templates out of sheet metal.   I keep them on a wire ring.   I just keep cardboard templates of things I need to cut out like butt plates and heel extensions.   I also have cardboard templates for everything else like patchboxes, side plates, thimbles and nose pieces.    I have many envelopes full of these things for each type of rifle I have made.     

[fahnenschmied]

You could always fold your piece, forge weld it together, open it up to to where the weld is stuck, and then forge the curl wide and trim off.  No rivet needed - but the best advice is already given - specially cambering the surfaces so they dont fit tight at the edges. Maybe change what you are using for a rivet, just in case they are some odd alloy.  But I don't see how you can forge weld at all in a gas forge - an hour to get to welding heat?  I suppose once you get your coal forge lit, and a good clean welding fire built, and the $#@* coked out of it, and a welding heat gotten to....well, it doesnt seem like it takes an hour.