[TheForge] Project advice

[Saint Phlip]

On 6/17/07, Bruce Freeman <freemab222 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Phlip,
> Maybe I'm caffeine deprived this morning, but I had to
> read that twice before I started to understand.
>
> I take it the problem is how to swage down one end of
> the pipe over the hex mandrel without excessively
> bunging up the other end, which is to be the finial
> ornament.

Basicly, yes.

>
> I take it that you have no problem about what to do
> about the finial ornament.  However, without knowing
> what you plan to do with it, it can be a little hard
> to give advice.

The finial will be a dragon's head- not terribly complex, but
something I don't want to bung up while swaging down the other end.
Looking at what has to be done, I figured the swaged end ought to be
done first.

> For example, if you planned to swage the pipe down in
> the round to some sort of point (noting that 'SOR'
> does NOT apply to pipe),

SOR?

then it might make sense to
> do that first, because the result would be a pretty
> strong finial ornament, and easy to grab with tongs.
>
> On the other hand, if you were going to turn the
> finial end into something elaborate or otherwise not
> suitable for doing first, then I could see your
> working the hex end first.

Like I said, not terribly elaborate, but sufficiently so that I want
to avoid bunging it up. My prime idea had been that, once I swage the
hex end down, I'll make a special pair of tongs out of some of the hex
stock to handle the finial end with.

> As to swaging down to a hex, the main problem is the
> three-handed problem:  Heat the pipe and use one hand
> to place over mandrel.  Hold pipe with one hand,
> mandrel with second hand and hammer with third hand,
> and hammer pipe to hex.  You see the problem.

I'll be having help, either my apprentice, or (though he doesn't know
it yet ;-) John Husvar. It's a project I'll be doing at Pennsic. But,
the three hand problem is why I intend to make tongs out of some of
the hex stock.

> It may help to begin the hex without the mandrel.  You
> can hammer round steel to hex just like you hammer it
> to square, but with 60-d instead of 90-d turns.  So
> you give it a hint of hexagonality, reheat, and slip
> in the mandrel, and hammer ... with your third hand.
>
> A treadle hammer or striker would be useful.
>
> Was any of this useful, or did I miss your point
> entirely?
>
> Bruce
> NJ

Very helpful- you've gotten close to where I've thought about it.

What do I need to know about working with black pipe? Any oddments
about how it forges that I need to know?

>
> --- Saint Phlip <phlip at 99main.com> wrote:
>
> > I want to turn some black pipe into some finials for
> > my new, medieval
> > style smithing shelter. The pipe is 3/4", to slip
> > over nuts/couplings
> > appropriate for 3/8" all thread, which means I'll
> > have to neck the
> > pipe down a bit. I got a piece of hexagonal bar
> > stock that just
> > happens to be the right size to use as a mandrel,
> > but I'm looking for
> > advice and suggestions as to how to do this most
> > efficiently, so I
> > have a decent piece of black pipe at the other end
> > to turn into a
> > finial.
> >
> > Let the suggestions begin ;-)
> >
> > --
> > Saint Phlip

-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Priorities:

It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.

Blessed be the self-righteous, for they shall inherit themselves.