Thread: Heating jig

Most decorative smiths use a gas furnace (oven) or a coke fire to heat their iron - Oxy is good for case hardening but it will get the outside of the metal to burning white hot before the inside is above room temperature.

I have seen some small stuff done with a propane/LPG torch, but it takes quite a while to get an even heat & usually it is done on a bed of coke to try to reduce heat loss.

You can make a reasonable forge from an old truck brake drum, some fire cement, a few plumbing fittings & an old vacuum cleaner. Most of the 'modern' blacksmithing books have some basic instructions on building a small/portable forge & you should be able to find some in the local library (or browse in a large bookshop like Dymocks or Borders).

Originally Posted by Tiger

Dear all,

I would like to shape some steel bits and pieces and use heat from an oxy torch to do this. I need to come up with some sort of jig that holds the torch while the metal heats up. I need to keep my hands free so that I can pound the metal into the desired shape. Anyone have an idea or picture of a jig which can be adjusted to suit the length of metal being worked on? I assume it will have to be made out of metal and can hold the torch securely.

I recomend you try and build a forge .There is a lot of info here; http://www.anvilfire.com/ -http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/green51.html---http://64.176.180.203/washtubforge.htm
Or do a search for charcole fired forge.
- One can build a basic forge cheaply,fire it with coke or charcoal >Using Oxy can become quite expensive quickly.Im happy to discuss ideas with you.Being on a woodwork forum i presume you do some woodwork,a forge could be wery handy to make all sort of tools .
Regards ,Bela

Or ,you can build a small lpg fired forge , here is a link
http://www.jamesriser.com/Machinery/...paneForge.html
Regards ,Bela

I agree with the comments about a forge, a lot cheaper to run, and heat up the whole work, but for a small job with localised bending an oxy-acet torch is good. I use the cutting tip, which you could clamp to the bench with a pair of vice grips (gently! ) held by a G clamp. I use an elaborate multiposition hold-all I built and fitted to the bench. In fact I built 2, one for the steel bench in the welding bay and one for the brick oxy-acet bench. I'll try and grab a photo today.

Cheers,

A quick'n'nasty forge can be made by simply lining an old car wheel with clay, although roadside mud'll do in a pinch, and plugging a bellows or shop-vac exhaust into the hub hole. A bit of mesh over the hole helps but with a bit of ingenuity ain't necessary. Very basic, but it has gotten me out of trouble in the middle of nowhere a few times...

Fine for heating the ends of stock, not so good in the middle.

Tiger,
Here are a couple of shots of my suggestions posted before, using oxy acet. The first is a jerry-built arrangement with vice grips and clamp...pretty rough, but works OK. Sorry the photo is a bit dark.

The next one shows a versatile clamp/hold-all that I built. Its based on one at TAFE that I used when doing a welding course, and have made a couple since. The jaws can roll around 360degrees, and slide in and out, while the whole arm moves up & down on the post (an old axle). It gets used a lot for holding parts when brazing, but here it is in use holding the oxy acet torch, which I do for localised bending on rod and bar. The taps can be adjusted while in the clamp.

Cheers,

Thanks, fellas for the responses. Andy have you got a patent on your jig. Impressive but what gives it the ability to roll around.

Jeez Tiger, if it had a patent I'm guilty of some crime! You might as well join in...
The roll action is done on that bar extending from the main mount post. There is a sleeve with T-handle pointing up...undo that and the sleeve can slide or roll around the bar.

Cheers,

Andy, the patent remark was more to say it should have a patent because it's a very good idea . Wonder how many times I wish I had something similar to help me when I use the oxy torch.