Bruce Wilcox forging a strikers hammer video

Here are some more good power hammer techniques at work. Hammer is a little small for my taste, but I like the process.

Power Hammer Youtube Videos

One of the briefs I am currently working on for my course is called "3 dimensional specialist processes" or 3DSP for short. The brief calls for us to choose a specialist process that is relevant to our practice and develop it. I decided to go with power hammer tools and techniques. My intention is to develop visual qualities that can only be achieved using the power hammer. Essentially, I am looking at working with big stock and squashing stuff!

For the research side of things, I have been watching lots and lots of youtube videos as I find it to be the best source of information short of actually visiting smiths who do a lot of work with big hammers. I will be posting the videos here under the tag "3DSP," and commenting on them. I will be trying out as many techniques as possible at the forge and reporting back here with my results.

Here are a few videos to get started:

I find the techniques in this video to make a lot of sense and have already started making the tooling described. I hope to use side set tool to make tenons. 

This is another great video from Toby Hinkman. If I am ever in California, I intend to look him up and see if I can take a power hammer class. His "hip turn" technique makes a lot of sense, but I am not sure any of the hammers at the forge are suited for it. I will be trying it, however. 

This video is great. I can't believe these guys do so much work in one heat! I am also shocked at how they are able to transform a section so much, so quickly. The hole punching technique followed by the upset to release the tool is my favorite part. These guys know how to forge!

Gate project getting underway.

I will be getting started on this gate on tuesday for the design development brief. There may be a few changes happening, but it will be very close to this design.

The installation site is a garden behind Berrington Hall. The piece was theoretically commissioned by the orignal owner of Berrington Hall; Thomas Harley, who made his money in the ocean shipping industry by shipping provisions and arms to naval ships at sea. I was trying to capture a naval theme with the compass star and smooth curves of filled sails. The post will be hidden in bushes that surround the opening.

The site for the gate.

Great Video on Alfred Habermann and Anthony Benetton.