Forging video - gently persuading some mosaic damascus blocks together.

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WillC

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Here's a quick vid of me getting some damascus together today. I'm forging it in this way with tongs so I can forge on all all sides to keep it in a big block for the time being. The tall billet is a W's pattern on the final stack. The big square one will be butterflies pattern, its a sort of basket weave of W's. Need to get some squaring dies sorted for the press, would make the basket weave type patterns easier.:biggrin:
Just gentle persuasion at welding heat so I have solid welded blocks.
Drawing out happens later in the hammer.
[video=youtube;2Qoj3f3ANak]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qoj3f3ANak&context=C4266b25ADvjVQa1PpcFPGoawvwc6QHgMS2oI0V5l_ rZiyFRZqR1U=[/video]
If you drop it...... better pick it up quick:D
 
This reminds me of trying to make my own 6 sided dice out of clay. Very difficult to get the thing square. My God that looks like a lot of work.
 
It is a bit like that. Actually I just had the hammer dies milled flat. They were really dished before from years of forging endless tapers. That made it an even more fun game keeping it square. Always having to correct the billet by forging it on the diamond, bit like juggling. Much easier with nice flat dies.:D
 
Man, I SO envy you guys with the big tools!
 
Will, how big is that press? Those flat dies are HUGE!!!
 
I was wanting a bigger press for that 4 inch block. 30 tons spread over 16 inches doesn't go very far. The large dies are reflective of its main general purpose, which is to keep large parts straight as they are being forged out or cold curved on the horizontal press. Its also handy to have a big space to chuck tooling when required. The top die is secured with a 30mm pin welded to the back that bolts tight in the top block. I can drop that out and bolt fixed tooling to the headstock.
Its pretty much ideal for my forgework like that. But for damascus making I can see me investing in a lump of steel for an anvil and have some smaller forging tools and multitools for fullering or laddering. The ram is free turning on it at the moment though and would need to be tethered to a guide to keep small tool die blocks lined up.
Really would be handy to keep that one as it is an have a more powerful faster one set up for forging operations..........money being no object. I'll keep my eye open for a 200 ton forging press on the scrap heap:D

Johnny, - many many times, often other people have had to inform me that i'm on fire. Actually grinding is usually the main offender. An apron saves allot of T-shirts. Polyester goes up in flames nicely, as i'm sure you Chefs know from catching your sleeves on fire:bigeek:
 
Looks dangerous in there.

When I saw you fumble that block of fire at 0:53, I thought "what if that brushed against his leg on its way to the floor?"

I guess shorts and flip flops are not ever appropriate attire in your shop.
 
Looks dangerous in there.

When I saw you fumble that block of fire at 0:53, I thought "what if that brushed against his leg on its way to the floor?"

I guess shorts and flip flops are not ever appropriate attire in your shop.

Strange.. i was thinking of toasted " chestnuts" if you are not too careful...

have fun...
 
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