[TheForge] Warped!

[Fiorini & Skiles]

Thanks for the replies on the warping problem.

I will need to buy more clamps, and one with longer depths.  I know I didn't
do enough clamping.  I was welding in sections rather than having all 4
pieces fitted and laid out together.

The rectangle I was referring to was about 10"w x 19"h, made out of 3/4x3/8"
strap on the verticals and 1-1/4 x 3/8" strap on the horizontals, with the
widest part of the strap laying flat.  They were reasonably straight after I
welded the frame, but then warped after I welded in a tree trunk of 14g
sheet steel, mostly bending right above where the tree trunk ended, about
3-4 inches up the vertical.  The verticals were doing most of the warping,
bulging out like a beer belly.

I did two other rectangular frames with a decorative geometric motif at top
and bottom and didn't have the big warping problem.

I'd still rather have more & longer clamps and start mitreing.
-Kirsten
 bkmetal at mwt.net
http://www.mwt.net/~bkmetal/index.html
Japanese Forging Hammers at http://www.mwt.net/~bkmetal/Billhome.html