[TheForge] Metal working problem...again

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Grant, the impact of the tooling, even hot, pretty much requires a steel 
back up.
I doubt the tooling would stand up for long working cold...and my 100# 
TH would be too small. The bronze stock is 1/4" before upsetting and 
roughing out the shapes.
I really sink those punches and stamps .That process distorts everything 
and results in a lot of displaced metal to the sides of each stamp. The 
pieces sometimes double in width during the embossing.
Preforming would require forging a steel form to back up each separate 
one-off piece...prohibitive time wise.
It's a stubborn problem..but then, so are we.

Grant Marcoux wrote:
> Pete:   Do the tooling after the gross forming.  If necessary, make a
> conforming backer fo rtooling from stiff pitch, or lead; either cast or
> worked down with a float file.
> 
> Grant
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Peter Fels &
> Phoebe Palmer
> Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 1:22 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Metal working problem...again
> 
> 
>> Hello all;
>> This is a problem that i keep running into, brought it up before, thought
> i'd try again.
>> I have a batch of small pieces,mostly bronze, belt buckles and openers
> mostly, that are in the "road kill" stage
> where they are all cut and shaped and i've worked over one side
> thoroughly with my treadle hammer and assorted tooling..so they are
> pretty detailed.
>> Next, i need to give them some 3D shape, depth and form.
> I heat up small areas, place them face down on wood ( green pine end
> grain) and strike them on the back side.
>> That works fine, except for 1 thing...the crisply embossed front sides get
> squashed, mashed, mushed and smeared. It's frustrating.
>> I'd appreciate any (um, constructive) suggestions.  pete f
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