Free Form Forging on the Power Hammer

Interesting use of two different hammer to make free form forgings.

More videos on power hammer techniques

Here is a good idiots guide to heat treatment. As I will be making different top and bottom tools for the power hammer, correct heat treatment is a must.

I have using industrial forging videos as reference for different forge processes. Everything is the same as on the anvil, just bigger and often more precise. I like the idea of having your entire process planned and calculated so that the correct amount of material is used and little is wasted. It seems to maximize the potential of the hammer.

Software that predicts the movement of hot steel, who knew? Probably overkill, but still would be cool to have a go with.

Here is an other industrial forging video. I like the offset bottom block. 

Interesting tong jig for the bottom die. Noting very arty going on here, just efficiency. Similar jigs could be set up for doing elements with multiple set-downs in process. 

These guys are just forging tapers, but doing it ver efficiently. It shows how much you can do in one heat with the machine set up properly and enough practice. 

An other example of an industrial smith maximizing the potential of the hamer by using special dies for the job.

Here is a great example of getting your process down on the power hammer. This guy is a little off in his material estimation, but does a great job of using all the swages to maximize the control of the hammer.

Blacksmiths in Bangladesh making rickshaws

These guys are actually making things that people need!

Indian Blacksmiths Making Bike Rickshaws

Nice upsetting work.

Some skilled industrial work is always good reference for your practice.

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.