[firemedic]

I'm in need of a couple iron hold fast for a demonstration at LSU this Sun - one of my cast irons ones snapped and almost took out a kid's eye last year.

Anyway I'm making two styles of hold fast to try out and a dozen nails for what I'm building.

I'll show it all later but first a word of caution to others doing this:

Watch out for hot spots in your forge... it was going perfect until I burned it up

 

[Gilgaron]

What is a minimal metalworking setup for making woodworking tools etc? Anything suitable for a suburb or will you burn your house down?

 

[mdntrdr]

Do they make a Kreg jig for iron? :smile:

 

[firemedic]

Here's the result - they all grab really well in the bench but the larger ones with the upset corners hold a bit better as I figured.

The other pieces are bench hooks that need sone grinding and toothing.

All in all it was $8 worth of iron, lol.

I'll see what style I like best and make a run of them.

 

[firemedic]

What is a minimal metalworking setup for making woodworking tools etc? Anything suitable for a suburb or will you burn your house down?

I'm not the best to answer that question - I'm an absolute blacksmithing armature! I went to my friend's forge to make these, he's the blacksmithing instructor / demonstrator at the same museum I work at. He has a really nice forge at his house and he's a great teacher.

Maybe someone else would be better able to answer that question?

 

[firemedic]

Do they make a Kreg jig for iron? :smile:

I think they do - I't called a stick welder :laughing:

 

[railaw]

Related question- does anyone know of a blacksmith in Connecticut who might be willing to forge a pair of holdfasts? And is time to make (and I would assume therefore cost) very great?

 

[firemedic]

I was able to make 4 in under 2 hrs and I really don't have much experience in the black arts.

I should think a good blacksmith could whip out 3-4 in an hr. The 5/8" rod cost me $1.05 / ft at my local steel yard.

 

[tc65]

Any heat treatment needed after shaping for hardening/tempering or just call it good?

I've got a oxy/acetylene torch and could shape them ok, but probably couldn't get a uniform temp if needed.

 

[firemedic]

Any heat treatment needed after shaping for hardening/tempering or just call it good?

I've got a oxy/acetylene torch and could shape them ok, but probably couldn't get a uniform temp if needed.

Nope! It's mild steel so the only hardening possible is case hardening but not needed!

 

[tc65]

Thanks,

I think I'm going to have to give a couple a try this winter - especially now that's it's too cold to work with wood

 

[Wrangler02]

I'm the woodworker, and my son is the welder/blacksmith. I'm gonna have to talk him into making me a few! I have a couple of Asian cast units, stories of them breaking is a bit disconcerting.

 

[mike1950]

These work well for those who have no access to forge
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_Tools