[TheForge] 8" hemispheres

[Justin Fellenz]

Don,

I've mentioned these guys before, but check out the metalshapers group
at http://www.allshops.org/. A lot of these guys have made cold-forming
sheet metal machines with an air chisel or riveter as an engine, with a
mushroom tip as a top die and whatever you need as a bottom...there are
plans on the site. I am out of room and haven't made one myself, but
from the videos I've seen it looks as though you could make your bowls
pretty quickly and without too much elbow grease on such a beast. One
of the folks I talked to said he can make a tank extension for a harley
(a deep and complex shape) in about 5 minutes on his, planishing
included.

A lot of the armorers I know that actually try to make a living at it
use presses. That's been suggested already I know but I'm told it's the
answer for production shaping. Presses are cheap, but the dies are a
hassle--although I have also seen people use wood or concrete male dies
(built from a fiberglass mold) and a female forged out of 1/4" plate.

Justin.
--- PlumDon at aol.com wrote:

>  
> In a message dated 10/26/2004 9:36:32 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
> tom at tomtroszak.com writes:
> 
> start in  the middle and do the
> edges last. leave as is for rustic look or planish  and sand for
> smooth(er)
> finish. they will be much thinner than 11 gauge  when finished. you
> may tear
> a couple before you get the hang of it, but it  is fun(?) and you can
> really
> go deep with practice. Just an idea... not for  quantity production,
> but it
> does work. For heavy production you may need  machinery...
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Tom, 
>  
> Thanks for this suggestion, also. But from a physical and economics  
> perspective I need to find another way to make these pay. It takes 
> me nearly 3 hours 
> to bang one of these bowls out by hand. The wear on a 65  year old
> arm is not 
> worth the effort. Another 2 hours to forge the other parts,  assemble
> and 
> finish. That's five hours for a product I can only get  $125-140. If
> I cannot find 
> a way to have the bowls spun or stamped  elsewhere, I will simply
> stop making 
> them. 
>  
> I'll echo the other voices and let you know I greatly enjoyed your 
> Discovery 
> channel show. A splendid exercise in creative self reliance. 
>  
> Regards
>  
>  
> Don  Plummer
> Plummer Design Works
> 392 Hallman Mill Road
> Phoenixville, PA  19460
> 610-495-5058
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