Flint Steel

[Hunter]

Hey! long time since I have done a picture post..

Here goes.

 

Yesterday a PW forum member was after a Flint Steel, and being a beginer Forge teacher at a disabled school, I thought I would have a go at it myself, who knows.. worst that could happen was its some practice but it turned out ok. Here are the following photos of the project.

 

The first step was getting the forge going.. I have used this forge a lot now for metal bending, preping metal for welding etc..

Once fired up, the bar of carbon steel goes into the forge.

 

 

First end done:

 

 

 

A bit of non traditional cutting:

 

 

Back in the forge:

 

 

And the second end is formed:

 

 

 

 

Name stamping, this is done when the metal is red hot for softness:

 

 

Quick wire brush, then Finished!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope its ok, let me know if anything needs changing still

[kip270]

Very good, not many people can say they can do that

 

 

But does it work? :yahoo:

[Curly87]

Looks spot on mate!! Nice one,

 

Got some flint so i will have to give it a go, cheers for doing that,

 

might have someone else interested in one as well if you would be up for making another

 

is that one heat treated by the way?

[tuck1]

Excellent. Do you do made to measure BBQ grills?

 

Seriously, that looks very good, hope it works ok.

[Hunter]

Huya, thanks for youre replies. Yes this steel has been heat treated cherry red dip straight into the water, this traps carbon outside the metal molecules making it hard wearing. If you do this to many times, you will actually be able to snap the steel as it gets so hard, it becomes like cast Iron

 

Here is a BBQ rack I built the other week.

I can do more advanced designs, this was just from scrap.

 

 

Looking into getting some old cylinders, plasma cut the door out, hinge them, and put legs etc onto it, finished in black stove paint could look nice

[Dunkield]

Excellent work Hunter

 

There are not many proper craftsmen left, keep it up.

[Hunter]

Though I dont consider myself a craftsman, I would like to oneday, earn that title

My maths are pretty poor, (I learnt to use Lathes/Mills without many maths, and I can get all the work done, it just takes time.

I was called 'gifted' (yeh right) in school, had to take extra maths and english for a few years, but all I wanted to do was pratical work

I passed GCSE Resistant matiriels with an A* and knew I was made for practical work. I will do my best, but I dont know if it can give me a living.. B)

[Curly87]

I am truly the same way as you Hunter, rubbish at maths but not to bad with the hands. Thats why im studying Entrepreneurship at uni so that i know how to start up and run my own business so that put with some hands on skills might be able to earn me a living at some point... i hope any way

 

Huter if you can get hold of a beer keg you can make a pretty cool bbq, this was one i made for our uni house

[tuck1]

^ Looks great. We used on abroad which had an old windscreen wiper motor attached to the side, which turned a spit, and was run off a car battery charger. Whack a duck on there, stuffed with orange pieces, grab a cold beer and prepare for a feeding frenzy!

 

At the end of cooking (last 20 mins) baste with honey/soy sauce/olive oil/anything you like. Lovely.

 

Go on give it a try and amaze your student friends.

 

 

Hunter, that BBQ grill looks great. Have you thought about doing that for a sideline? I know loads of people who have scoured the web (myself included) looking for a made to measure one to put in a brick built barbie.

 

Just a thought.

 

If I lived near you I would be bending your ear for one right now!

[Oly]

Huter if you can get hold of a beer keg you can make a pretty cool bbq, this was one i made for our uni house

 

Did one similar myself but with a cleaned oil drum!!

 

Good to see the old ways still being used Hunter

[Hunter]

Im trying to set up as a part time weld repairer (self employed) its getting there slowly! I would definetly make BBQ grills etc if people wanted them. I have been given the opertunity to advertise in a local ironmongery, so may be an idea to nock up a business card..

 

I did my first mobile job today, for the http://www.forestry.gov.uk/bedgebury center, made brackets to hold bikes up. They will be in operation end of this week

[Tony9r]

Im trying to set up as a part time weld repairer (self employed) its getting there slowly! I would definetly make BBQ grills etc if people wanted them. I have been given the opertunity to advertise in a local ironmongery, so may be an idea to nock up a business card..

 

I did my first mobile job today, for the http://www.forestry.gov.uk/bedgebury center, made brackets to hold bikes up. They will be in operation end of this week

 

Good luck to you mate

 

I set up on my own as a limited company about 5 years ago as a general welder/fabricator, and rent a small 600 sq.ft unit on an industrial estate.

You'd be surprised what people want welding, repairing, making... can be a real challenge sometimes, but I really enjoy it all - plus the fact I'm my own boss B)

[Hunter]

Jobs I have had so far have varied from fabricating stainless items with TIG, to wheel barrow and lawnmower repairs. Im getting the whole cutting deck from a Toro Wheel horse in at the end of the week, to repair the wheel ears, and rusted holes around the rim.

 

I was given a gardening howe to fix after it snapped B) it really is an interesting job at times, or fixing people bodged previous attempts.

Tomoro I have a 306 exhaust to patch a broken seam.

 

There is work.. but I hope it stay like this or increases, to make it worthwile the money I spend on tools

About to invest in a new Mig welder that will weld up to 8mm plate. Then buying a sheet metal roler so I can make exhaust tubes etc

 

Enjoy TIG the most so far

 

[Tony9r]

Agree, TIG's my fave - nice and clean weld, plus any steel from 22 swg +

 

Would recommend wearing long sleeve's while welding mate, especially on that nice reflective stainless... red, raw arms in the evening - ouch!

[Dunkield]

Then buying a sheet metal roler so I can make exhaust tubes etc

 

& rifle moderators

[Hunter]

Then buying a sheet metal roler so I can make exhaust tubes etc

 

& rifle moderators B)

 

Airguns yest, definetly wouldnt risk a full bore mod I will be getting a Myford lathe/mill shortly, which I hope to build an airgun (minus barrel) from scratch Already on the design board.

 

I never really weld like that, was just for the photos :o I have a propper leather welding jacket, as the UV produced is enough to give you skin cancer

 

Cheers for the replies!

[Mungler]

Phil,

 

Great post and great pics as ever.

 

Have sent you PM about a small job.

 

Mung

[Foxer]

that is very good work....i am quite similar in the maths department was never really that good with those sorts of subjects but was ok with the practical stuff, i have been an apprentice motor mechanic since november and hoping to become fully qualified one day B)

[Hunter]

I did a year course in 'Motor Vehicle Maintenance&Repairs' good to learn how to use different tools correctly etc.. and a good step on the ladder. About 1/4th the course was H&S and I.T, but the rest was more interesting. A lesson on 'Engine Tech' and then into the workshop changing brakes, oil, valve adjusting, timming etc.. enjoyed it Good luck with it.

 

 

 

Mungler, cheers, PM replied, job no problem

[Dunkield]

I never really weld like that, was just for the photos I have a propper leather welding jacket, as the UV produced is enough to give you skin cancer

Indeed.

 

I did a mechanical engineering apprenticeship many moons ago, and one part was to spend 3 months in the welding shop. I was given a piece of steel plat about 8" square and told to run arc weld beads touching each other towards me. Once that was done an cleaned up I turned it through 90 degress and did the same until it was a good inch or so thicker. The crack was then to cut it in half with a bandsaw and see how many airholes there were inside.

 

I did this with a mask and gloves but in a tee shirt (pre-health and safety days..) my arms were burnt for days

[Hunter]

Ahhh good old college.

I did MIG day in day out for a few weeks, laying welds on 'V' out 5mm strips of carbon steel. Must have used 3 bottles of gas, and 15+KG of welding wire. The strips were around 300mm long, and got both chemical and destructive testing, as well as cutting to see the weld.

Really enjoyed it. Though I wish I had some ARC welding training,. though it is the most common DIY welding machine, they are actually one of the most advanced to learn and used in industry.

[Vulcha]

Am I an idiot for not knowing what flint steel is or what its used for. Also, TIg is by far my favorite welding aswell. Gas welding being my least favorite.