I've been very delinquent about keeping things up to date. I do have some photos to share which I will try to get to this week. Some of the update highlights.
I did make an attempt to remake the one part I mentioned in previous post. However due to the forging process a stress crack was introduced to the tenon. It occasionally happens but it also happened on the previous piece so I obviously need to change the process. I decided to scrap the piece and make another attempt. I had to also address another issue though.
A frequent techinique in blacksmithing is to have one smith hold a tool on a piece while the other smith holds the piece and hammers the tool. In other words, a two man job. In any real blacksmith shop of the middle ages you would have had multiple people to call on for just such a thing. For me, that is not an option.
I decided to go ahead an make an investment and purchase a tool known as either a Smithing Magician or Guillotine depending on who you talk to. It essentially acts a second hand to hold a tool in place. I ordered it last week and it arrived on Wednesday. I wasted no time and got to work with it to attempt to make the part once again. Things went much smoother and faster using the tool. It was a worthwhile purchase.
Anyway, I changed how I was making the piece to avoid getting another stress fracture. I still got one though but I think I understand the issue.
What it really comes down to is if I am doing heavy forge work on a piece, there cannot be a thinner piece that is holding the weight of the piece. Its hard to describe and will have to wait on me to upload a few photos.
Trying to keep things moving....
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