[TheForge] Wire question

[Bob Ehrenberger]

----Original Message -----

Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2005 14:57:44 -0400
From: "Phlip" <phlip at 99main.com>
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Wire question


Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

OK, well, I'm sufficiently a clutz, that I figure all the extra stability I
can get is a Good Thing ;-) I'm using shim stock (0.007) for my layers, and
I specificly want to use simple carbon steel for the project, so I'm
figuring if I start out with thin layers, I can minimize carbon migration.
Later, if I decide to play with some of the more complex alloys, I won't
worry as much, particularly when I experiment with nickel, but for the time
being, I want to minimize time in the forge, as well as time picking things
up off the ground (I SAID I was a clutz) because I wasn't holding them right
;-)

And, since I'm using Hrisoulas as my instructer, first time through I'm
going to do my best to do it exactly the way he describes. Later, I'll
experiment and screw things up all by myself ;-)

Saint Phlip,
CoD

---Reply---

We have the Dr. H vidios and he hammers the wire into place as he wraps his
billet before heating.

I was lucky in that when we bought our farm the neighbor that bailed hay for
us used wire.  I saved a bunch of it to use at the forge.  I wire stuff
together all the time before welding, what I have forund is that you need to
have it tied in more than two places and not get the second wire wrap up to
welding heat until the first section is welded.  The wire tends to loosen
when real hot, I think that it is stretching more than thurmal expansion.  I
can usially get a short section welded without hitting the wire, and then
just slide the wire off the end.  If I hit the wire it will weld to the
work, and become a problem.

As far as using a lot of layers of thin stock vs a few of thicker.  It is
harder to get a good first weld with the thin shim stock, but then you don't
have to fold it so many times. The thicker stock welds easier but requires
more folds to get your layer count up.

My son does the damascus, I just do blacksmithing.  He tack welds his
billets before his first weld, and then folds by not cutting clear through.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net
573-633-2010