How do you spend your spare time?
Posted: 14 Feb 2018 21:10
Mods I do not know where to post this, if inappropriate please move.
What I would like to know is how other members use their spare time, I will start with one of my passions. When other people sit in front of a TV, drink beer or play golf I play in my workshop.
I really enjoy playing with hot steel, a forge, anvil and hammer. You start with a mental picture and with rhythmic blows you form a tool that you can use. The pleasure of making a tool and using it, for me, words cannot describe.
I have forged my share of knives and have always been intrigued by the shape of Japanese forging hammers. So I decided to make my own and test the efficiency for myself.
Finished the second one today, the first one was to small, fine for light work but you could not really move hot metal with it.
The hammer head was forged out of a rear axle side shaft, donated by Gearmax Nelspruit. The height of the hammer 165mm, the face diameter 43mm, total weight with handle 1.5kg. The shaft end was heated and then upset to increase the diameter, then the face was forged in an eight sided shape. The eye of the hammer was formed by a drift. This drift was forged out of an old CV shaft. Hardened with a water quench.
I have played with the hammer a little bit this afternoon and am impressed. The Japanese know what they do, if they can design and build a Patrol they should know something about hammers.
Please share some info on your hobbies and how do you spend your spare time.
What I would like to know is how other members use their spare time, I will start with one of my passions. When other people sit in front of a TV, drink beer or play golf I play in my workshop.
I really enjoy playing with hot steel, a forge, anvil and hammer. You start with a mental picture and with rhythmic blows you form a tool that you can use. The pleasure of making a tool and using it, for me, words cannot describe.
I have forged my share of knives and have always been intrigued by the shape of Japanese forging hammers. So I decided to make my own and test the efficiency for myself.
Finished the second one today, the first one was to small, fine for light work but you could not really move hot metal with it.
The hammer head was forged out of a rear axle side shaft, donated by Gearmax Nelspruit. The height of the hammer 165mm, the face diameter 43mm, total weight with handle 1.5kg. The shaft end was heated and then upset to increase the diameter, then the face was forged in an eight sided shape. The eye of the hammer was formed by a drift. This drift was forged out of an old CV shaft. Hardened with a water quench.
I have played with the hammer a little bit this afternoon and am impressed. The Japanese know what they do, if they can design and build a Patrol they should know something about hammers.
Please share some info on your hobbies and how do you spend your spare time.
