eric
Button Buck
Posts: 43
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Post by eric on Mar 10, 2009 10:01:09 GMT -5
Now I've bashed away shaping hot metal on many occasions, but I've never tried forge welding. So, I was hoping the more knowledgeable among you might be able to answer a question for me.
I know that forge welding temperatures need to be white hot (almost to the point of sparkling), and I have reached that temperature before, but always by accident because I forgot to remove the item or turn the airflow down, so I know my little forge can achieve it.
What's always confused me though is the issue of fluxing the parts to be welded. The books I've read say silver sand or Borax to flux the surfaces being welded - but they don't say how to actually do it.
Do you heat the metal first, then dip into sand? Do you flux it first then heat, and what stops the sand or Borax from falling off the surface? With damascus, do you flux between each fold? How?
Can someone please explain the steps for me. I can't find detailed directions anywhere.
Thanks in advance,
Eric
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Post by phoenix1967 on Mar 10, 2009 11:52:24 GMT -5
OK Eric Here's the quick and dirty on how I do it.
Let's say we are going to do a simple bar of damascus.
A simple one would be 3 layers, and I recommend you use all high carbon steels. For the purpose of this, lets say 1095 and L6.
1 bar of 1095 sandwiched between 2 bars of L6. you can start with as many layers as you want to start with a higher layer count, keeping the number odd.
weld one end together (not really NECESSARY, but it makes things easier) and weld on a handle, rebar is fine.
stick the whole mess in the fire and heat to a bright orange.
Fluxing... I use 20 mule team borax, found in the laundry isle at the supermarket. I bake it in the oven at 300 deg for a couple of hours, break it up (it cakes up) and sift it. I keep it in a coffee can, with a coffee scoop. Baking just drives some of the moisture out so it dont pop and spit so bad while applying to hot steel.
Remember that bar in the forge? bring it out when it hits bright orange, use the coffee scoop to sprinkle borax all over it. (hold it over the coffee can while you do this) The borax will melt into a glassy substance... make sure it flows all throughout and between the layers.
Put the bar back in the fire, and heat till it looks like partly melted butter (the surface of the steel is actually starting to liquify)
Now a note on safety! That flux is basically molten Glass! when you smack that puppy with a hammer, the flux comes out as a glowing shower of molten glass right about crotch height. a leather apron is HIGHLY recommended from here on.
pull the bar out and quickly tap it in the center of the bar, working outward to the ends. The Idea is to squeeze the flux out from between the layers, center outward. (Note that I said TAP. BEATING it at this stage will cause the layers to bounch apart. you are just trying to get a good weld here, not draw out the bar)
Take as many heats as you need to get the weld complete, fluxing before returning it to the fire.
AFTER you have a good, complete weld, draw out the bar... You are trying to get it to grow lengthways, so use the cross peen hammer or a fuller to mke sideways divots, then hammer out flat.
once the bar is about twice it's original length, you have what is known as a laminate. this makes a good knife as is, it's how many finnish knives are constructed. Let's say you want around 100 layers or so in your bar.
heat the steel up to forging temp (orange) and cut HALFWAY through the bar... bend over on itself, leaving a bit of space between the two layers. Flux IT! return to fire and bring to welding temp.
start TAPPING at the hinge to weld the two pieces together again. you now have 6 layers.
repeat the drawing out, hinging, and welding for
12 layers
24 layers
48 layers
96 layers
that's 6 folds, and 96 layers, close to 100.
7 folds gives you 192, and on and on
That's damascus, quick and dirty by Phoenix ;D
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eric
Button Buck
Posts: 43
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Post by eric on Mar 10, 2009 14:28:24 GMT -5
Ah! brilliant, so heating the steel up first causes the borax to melt onto the surfaces, then bringing the heat up again makes it weldable while the borax protects the surfaces to be joined.
Yes, I do wear a good leather apron anyway, and safety glasses. It was the fluxing technique I wasn't sure of. Thanks so much.
Eric
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Post by phoenix1967 on Mar 10, 2009 15:03:45 GMT -5
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Post by caretaker on Mar 14, 2009 11:44:18 GMT -5
wow! that brought back memories. My Dads brother had a shop on my grandparents farm. I remember watching him and later helping him. I was never taught to do the process by myself as I was too young and he passed away before he passed along his secrets.(car wreck) I learn sumtin bout every time I log on here.
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Post by phoenix1967 on Mar 14, 2009 14:21:41 GMT -5
Caretaker, it's good to hear from ya... I was startin to wonder if you had started that final ride yet!
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hedghawg71
Button Buck
"Disciple of Doom"
Posts: 34
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Post by hedghawg71 on Apr 16, 2009 19:28:45 GMT -5
Me too.
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