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Thread: Most important Tools
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16th December 2004, 02:17 PM #1
Most important Tools
I'm a total novice when it comes to metal but I'm very interested in getting started. What are the essential tools for a metal worker. Maybe we should start with what is metal work. I'm interested in blacksmithing but a lot of the talk seems to be about lathes. Please shed some light and open my eyes to the possibilities with metal.
HH.Always look on the bright side...
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16th December 2004, 02:48 PM #2
An anvil and a FBH.
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16th December 2004, 02:49 PM #3
Just like woodwork, there are a number of techniques covered by the term metalwork.
You have your basic blacksmithing, which involves heating metal to a point where it becomes pliable and then using a series of hammer blows and other techniques to shape it. You also work with the concepts of hardening and tempering.
There is casting, which involves heating metal until it melts and then pouring it into some form of mould in which it cools until it is solid again and takes on the shape of the mould.
You have your engineering field in which you work with solid metal stock and work it into shapes using a lathe, a miller, a drill press, files, etc. etc.
Then there is sheetmetal which involves taking flat sheet and cutting, folding and fastening it into some shape or other.
Obviously each has it's own set of tools and techniques and applications to which it is suitable. I've seen examples of practical and creative work in all of these - the old form vs. function argument. I guess you will need to think about what you want to do and then see which of the streams will get you there. You can then set yourself up to do them.
You can combine these of course. For example I have a series of books by a fellow named Dave Gingery. He starts out with casting - making a furnace, melting metal, constructing moulds. Then he details how to make a metal turning lathe, using parts you cast from scrap aluminium. The lathe builds itself to a certain extent - you'd need to read the book to see what I mean. Once you have the lathe, you cast more parts and use the lathe to shape bits for a thing called a shaper which is a sort of precursor to the modern milling machine. You then cast more parts and use the lathe AND the shaper to make bits for a milling machine. Finally you use the lathe, the shaper and the miller to make accessories for the lathe. There's even some basic blacksmithing in the early part of the process. I reckon this is a great way to get into it and it's cheap because it's mostly done with recycled stuff.
His theory is that the people from early times didn't have all the gadgets and machines that we have now, yet they managed to do high quality precision work. He reckons we've forgotten a lot of the skills that used to be essential and if we take the time to learn them, we can do the same things they did without the huge cost involved in setting up a workshop.
There are quite a few people out there who have made the machines, many of them in Australia. All you need is time.
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16th December 2004, 02:50 PM #4
Thanks Termite, I've got a FBH, just need an anvil, do you reckon Al's got one in the craporium? Might need some heat as well.....
HH.Always look on the bright side...
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16th December 2004, 02:54 PM #5
HH, blacksmithing has to be the ultimate "dark side", everything is done by hand.
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16th December 2004, 02:56 PM #6
SC,
Can you give me the ISBN of the book please?
How realistic do you think it is to have a forge for blacksmithing in your garage / workshop, some just seem to be a small pit with hot coals, are these fed with gas or are they literally a coal fire? Obviously you'd need a flue of some description and do you reckon you could have one in a residential area?
HH.Always look on the bright side...
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16th December 2004, 02:58 PM #7Originally Posted by Termite
HH.Always look on the bright side...
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16th December 2004, 03:02 PM #8
Hate to dissapoint you HH, but once you've got a forge an anvil and a FBH you then make most of the stuff you need, what a bummer
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16th December 2004, 03:09 PM #9Originally Posted by Termite
And I can always buy lots of different FBH's, vices, tongs, cold and hot chisels, punches, cold and hot sets, hardies, drifts, fullers, flatters, swages, mandrels and bolsters....not sure what all this stuff is yet but it'll be fun finding out..Always look on the bright side...
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16th December 2004, 03:14 PM #10
Termite's point is that you MAKE all that stuff, not buy it. Well I suppose you COULD buy it if you wanted to but half the fun is making the tools. You do have to buy tool steel though.
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16th December 2004, 03:15 PM #11
You can get the Gingery books from here: http://www.ploughbooksales.com.au/
Search for Gingery. There's a few of them (about 5 I think).
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16th December 2004, 03:29 PM #12
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16th December 2004, 03:31 PM #13Originally Posted by silentC
HH.Always look on the bright side...
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16th December 2004, 03:38 PM #14
The ones I've got are the "Build Your Own ..." Charcoal Furnace, Metal Lathe etc. They're more pamphlets than books though, so don't expect 500 pages and colour illustrations.
The thing you have to watch with furnaces is the build up of toxic gases like carbon monoxide. You need good ventilation and there's also the risk of fire, so you need a space that has no flammables near by. A lot of people keep them outside and just cover them up when not in use.
It's things like this that make me wish we lived out of town. My brother in law has 10 acres so I'm trying to get him interested in it. Then we can build a forge and a furnace out at his place.
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16th December 2004, 03:44 PM #15Originally Posted by silentC