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Hand Forged Holdfast

Started by purple otter, March 26, 2013, 09:12:45 PM

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purple otter

Got home from work today and it was a nice calm day,so I decided to do a little forging.I wanted to try making some holdfasts for my new bench. I had an old coil spring that was 5/8" so first I had to un-coil it.

  

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The spring straightened out to 96". I cut the stock to 24". I got carried away forging,so I didn't take many forging pictures. Here is the shaping around the form.

  And here are the pair of completed holdfasts.

  

 
I never used holdfasts before, I am surprised how well they hold. I read that 82 degrees is the magic number,they were right.
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So that's what a PURPLE OTTER looks like.  :D

Very NICE metal working. Keep the pics coming.  smiley_thumbsup
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clww

That's what I call tremendous craftsmanship!  8) 8)  Thanks for showing us all.
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Armand Tatro

Could you be the blacksmith Hackberry Jake is looking for?  Just thinking.  Armand

Axe Handle Hound

Clearly this is not the first time you've forged something because those are beautiful and I love the leaf pattern on the tip.  If you're interested in selling any of those let me know!

thecfarm

Nice sweatshirt.Just wondering whats your ties in Maine? Or was it a yard sale item.  ;D
Those look some nice. That leaf design looks good. Been doing it long?
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Dodgy Loner

I wish you lived closer, otter! I'd love to visit your shop. Those holdfasts are beautiful 8)

I just have the plain-jane Gramercy holdfasts, but they sure do the trick!
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

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Jemclimber

Thanks for the pics and ideas, nice work. I would love to make a forge in my free time someday, yours looks great.
lt15

t f flippo

Purple Otter,

Beautiful work.Thanks for the pics.Made a post today on Timber Framing link about blacksmithing.
Just getting set up to try and do some smithing.A hold down is on my list.

purple otter

T C, I don't know if you have a forge yet,mine is just a half of a beer keg with legs welded on it. The small blower motor is from an old furnace. It is modeled after the brake drum forge on www.anvilfire.com.
Hudson Oscar 228 on homebuilt trailer, Kubota B2320 with homebuilt forks,Stihl 028 Super & 029 Super, Solar Kiln .

Magicman

That is very nice craftsmanship.   smiley_thumbsup
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Lud

Well done!  I'll have to check out that site!
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t f flippo

Purple,
Thanks.Starting to add links to my "Favorites". ABANA, IFORGE IRON and ANVILFIRE

Been thinking about it for years.Was going to build a coal forge out of an old truck brake drum.
Decided on a gas forge to get started sooner and for convience.Bought a ForgeMaster Blacksmith
from Pieh Tool Company but I'm seeing a drum forge in my future. The local blacksmith guild,MASA is having a seminar /hammer-in this weekend in my area at the Furnace Town Museum.

Your custom built forge looks "hot" ,but everything is over shadowed by your high quality work.

TC

scsmith42

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Riggs

Very nice, thanks for sharing.
Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.~Ernest Hemingway

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isawlogs

 Nice , well done and vedry nicely decorated with the leaf pattern.  8)

I would really like to see pics of your forge, I have a plan in my head to put one together soon, i have been gathering the nessecities, I have a vice, an anvil that was just given to me, a bucket full of tongs and other blacksmih tools I need to put the peice de resistance together, that is da forge.

  thanks for the pics.
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

samandothers

Wow thanks for sharing.  You are talented. Great work.

purple otter

As requested here are some forge pictures. Hope they help for anyone who is thinking of building one.

 
It's just 1/2 of a 1/2 keg lined with firebrick . The air comes through 1/4 inch holes drilled in about a 2 1/2" circle.

 
A 3" tee is welded to the bottom with a cleanout flapper. I used a small draft induction motor from an old furnace,but any small blower will work . I know some hot water tanks have them ,and I've even heard of old blow dryers being used. A damper is needed to control the blast.

 
And there you have it. I use charcoal for fuel but coal can be used too. Anyone with their own sawmill can make charcoal out of the edging and flitches,but that is anoter topic.
Hudson Oscar 228 on homebuilt trailer, Kubota B2320 with homebuilt forks,Stihl 028 Super & 029 Super, Solar Kiln .

Dodgy Loner

Quote from: purple otter on April 01, 2013, 05:04:31 PM
I use charcoal for fuel but coal can be used too. Anyone with their own sawmill can make charcoal out of the edging and flitches,but that is anoter topic.

You are correct, and that topic is right here :)
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

SwampDonkey

Those are well done. Not that I would know. But they sure look good in their new home.  :)
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1 Thessalonians 5:21

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