Quick blacksmithing update

Trying to keep things going.

  Did some more work with blacksmithing today.  It was mostly a day to fix a few tools and equipment.  Not very exciting but it needed to get done.  My weekends are pretty free for the next few months so hope to use that to build up momentum to getting back to the clock.

Too long away from forge

Today marked a bit of a milestone.  I finally dragged the forge out at home.  I've been doing demos and such but not at home.  With my job change I unfortunately got out of the habit of doing smithing.  So today I finally fired up the forge at home for the first time in a very long time.

Since I know that I am out of practice, I decided to help me get back in the groove I would focus on making some needed tools.  So I started with a pair of tongs to hold round bar vertically.  I was able in just a little over an hour get the basic shape done and get the handles welded on.  I had to stop due to the sun setting but I don't have that much left to do.

So if I can get myself back into the habit, I'd like to spend the next few weekends geting back into the habit and working on tools.  Then I need to finish up a camp set and a few other minor projects.  I would like to get back to the clock around April when it stays light long enough that I can work after I get home from work.

It is Welsh you know....

  I am trying to get back to the blacksmithing especially with the end of summer in sight.  Blacksmithing in Florida during the summer is really, really draining.

  Today I decided to play a bit more with doing wings.  Since I've decided for the project that I am doing that I want Welsh dragons, I switch gears a bit and went for more of a dragon wing style than a bird wing style.  As a reminder, I am doing something similar to the Bok Tower gardens gates.

  So after playing around for just about an hour, the proof of concept game out pretty decent.  It doesn't look that great in this photo because I was rushed by the setting sun.  Since the test game out pretty good, I am going to try a more careful test later this week.  It is hard to see because of the lighting, but there are some well defined ribs.  I may go for a slightly wider piece so that I can add a rib to the wing.  Also, I am going to make some specialized fullering tools to help with the forming.

Still alive...

Just let me blow the dust off of this thing...

Finally got back to forge work after a many month hiatus.  I won't go into all of the reasons I was away but the biggest was getting married.

So, dragged the forge out today even though it was too hot.  Cleaned some rust off of the anvil and fired up the forge.  Since it has been so long since I've worked, I decided to take it a bit easy today and just do some basic stuff.  Started with making a new fire starter since I couldn't find my old one.  Nothing more than a piece of steel made from a file and used to start fires in a less modern way.

Inspired by a visit to Bok Tower, I decided to play around with making an animal head for a project that I am working on for a friend.  So this afternoon I worked on a wing to see if I liked the results.  Still working on it (in fact, plan to head back out) and I will post pictures of it if I like the results.  In the meantime, here is an example of the original.  Notice the tower in the back ground.  They are fairly basic and after a bit of toying around, I should get it.

One step forward, two steps back.

I did more clean up on both the Crown Wheel outer circle and the spokes and hubs.  This included punching the hole for the arbor.  The next step is to punch the holes for the spokes into the outer wheel.  Then comes the part that I've been having problems with.  That is getting the spokes inside the outer wheel.

Also, I remembered that because of some things I learned last year that I need to remake the Crown Wheel arbor.  I'm going to try to do it sometime during the week.

Next time on the forge, I should have the camera again.

Continued work on Crown Wheel #3

  Spent some time this afternoon working on the Crown Wheel.  I started the day cleaning up the hub and spokes a bit more.  Once I was done with that, I formed the circle for the Crown Wheel (but not welded closed).  Unfortunatly I do not have access to the camera today so no photos.

  Going to head back out right now and try to get the wheel mounted on the spokes.  This has been my trouble area in the past...

A real update (finally)

So I finally got back to the forge and worked on the clock some.  I've actually been doing some other blacksmithing but I think I needed a bit of a break from the clock.  It really is a patience test since my skills are still growing it does get frustrating when I have to keep redoing parts when I want to be making progress.

Anyway, yesterday I started redoing the Crown Wheel (this is the third attempt) and I am going to try a few things different to see if it works out a bit better.  The general stages of construction will be...

1) Make hub and spokes.

2) Make hole for arbor in hub.

3) Create outer ring for Crown Wheel but NOT welded closed.

4) Punch holes in outer ring for spokes.

5) Put ring on hub.

6) Peen spokes over to hold onto hub.

7) Weld hub closed.

This is to attempt to get around some problems and difficulties I had last year when attempting this.  The big problem was getting the hub and spokes into an already welded closed ring.  The only problem with the technique listed above is that welding is the most difficult step.  Having said that, I'm fairly comfortable with welding now so I don't think it will be an issue.

Anyway, yesterday I worked on step 1 of reforming the hub and spokes.  I've shown this before but I'll post the pictures so that you have something to look at.  As usually, click on a photo for more detail.

1 1/2" x 1/4" stock...  Notice the three marks in the middle.  The center mark will eventually be the arbor hole.  The other two mark the end of the split for the spokes.

Holes punched to allow for easier splitting.

Start of the split using chisel and hardie (the tool sticking out of the anvil)

One side roughly formed

Start of the other side split.  Notice a just put a thin indent to start.  Then I reheat and really drive the chisel.  It usually takes 4 hearts to split a side.  One heat per side to mark it out and then one heat per side to drive it through.

Other side now split.

Roughly "X" shaped.

A little more refinement on the shape and this is where I stopped for the day.  Unfortunately I had to take care of some other stuff but I made decent progress.  This is actually the step I hate most about creating the Crown Wheel.

Finally, mystery photo of the day.....  What is it?  Scroll down to see....

This photo was taken a few weeks ago.  This was taken near my house and shows the vapor trail of the launch of the shuttle just a few minutes after launch.  It was near sunset which is while the trail is multi colored.  Of all the launches I've seen, it was by far the prettiest.  The photo does not do it justice.