Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Hello Boss, thanks for joining in. Please come back often. I'm slow but consistant.
The Newell .45 cal front loader
- Thread starter Bruce Bump
- Start date
Hello Boss, thanks for joining in. Please come back often. I'm slow but consistant.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
I ground down my 4 layer on one side and cut it in two and restacked it. This time I ran a wire weld bead all the way around to seal out oxygen. This is a "dry weld" and no need for flux.
Also got some done on the hammer and trigger while waiting for the forge to warm up.
Also got some done on the hammer and trigger while waiting for the forge to warm up.
Dana Hackney
Well-Known Member
Ooooohhhh, I like it!
Hi Bruce,
Is this the same billet you were working when I was there? That is really looking
slick! How amny more times are you going to draw it out, cut and stack?
Did you surface grind the billet or just used the belt grinder? I was just wondering
if you are not using flux if it was best to have it perfectly flat or if eye-balling it was
good enough.
Beautiful work, as always, my friend.
Dana
Hi Bruce,
Is this the same billet you were working when I was there? That is really looking
slick! How amny more times are you going to draw it out, cut and stack?
Did you surface grind the billet or just used the belt grinder? I was just wondering
if you are not using flux if it was best to have it perfectly flat or if eye-balling it was
good enough.
Beautiful work, as always, my friend.
Dana
Allen Newberry
newberry knives
Nice to see some more progress. I have been enjoying your forum.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Hi Dana,
Yes this is same one. It was at 4 layers of 20 and now its at 8 layers of 20.
I want it at 32 I think. I just need to double it twice more and have a look.
The good thing about the dry weld is the surfaces dont have to be dome shaped because there is no flux to trap. Irregular surfaces are fine although all scale needs to be removed first. Eye balling is good enough.
Geoff bosworth
Active Member
Ive been following this thread for a while nowcool 1 thanks for showing how you make stuff bruce,those billets are looking great, i reckon i need to get me some new machines to play with.
Geoff.
Geoff.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
I cut the slot in frame for the hammer. The trigger is .187" and the hammer is .312" so I cut the slot to .187 and am in the process of thinning the hammer to fit the slot. I want to leave the top end of the hammer thick so it will have more weight to hit the muskett cap harder. I removed most of the steel on the belt and went to the surface grinder to remove the rest and make it flat and true. The height gauge lets me know how much I am taking off. One side is done so far.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Its fun for me too. Most of these projects are new to me too. I am learning as I go. The axe/gun took me over two years to complete because I just wasnt ready for some of the proceedures. The learning curve is constant and makes things interesting.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Today I cut the eight layer in half and rewelded it for a dry weld and forge welded it and drew it out again. Now it is 16 layers. I plan to double it one last time and have a look at the pattern. It should be pretty small at 32 layers. We will see. I've been thinking about "accordian cutting" the bar to bring out the pattern that is now showing on the ends.
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Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Here is one that I like by Jerry Fisk. Be sure to read the whole thing because even he makes a couple mistakes and starts over a couple times. "W"s are fun. http://www.fisk-knives.com/Progressive_W_pattern_Sendero.html
ddavelarsen
Well-Known Member
Man that was a treat! Thanks for the pointer Bruce.
ddavelarsen
Well-Known Member
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Here is one that Nick Wheeler sent me. No, I've only tried it on a miniature scale and totally arsed it up...
I have this one too. Its good and shows the final step to make the feather pattern by splitting the billet lenthwise with a dull chisel.
Nowicki
Well-Known Member
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
The blade billet is now at 32 layers "W"s and forged to 1 1/4" square. I forged one end tapered to about 3/4" for the tip. The reason I did this is so the pattern will be smaller tawards the tip end of the blade otherwise the "W"s will get strung out from forging the blade to shape. The other end is the tang and I pinched it down to start the tang drawing already.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
I decided to accordian cut this billet to expose the pattern. It wastes some steel but I like the results of the unique pattern that only accordian cutting will give. (wish me luck when I go to forge this thing flat)
ddavelarsen
Well-Known Member
Man what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in your shop Bruce! So much to learn and do some day. I do have one question though - how do you know which way the Ws are oriented? I mean, what if you cut the accordion 90 degrees off? Or is that even possible? I guess that's three questions.
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