Forged products are created using hot and cold processing. The last method does not require special skills, but to implement it you need special devices. There are various drawings of cold forging machines, many of which are suitable for creating a tool yourself.
Manufacturing Features
Forged metal elements are formed as a result of deformation, and during the work the performance characteristics of the material must be taken into account.
The structure of the metal crystal lattice consists of grains having irregular shape. The tool used for forging affects it and leads to a change in the appearance of the part. Special meaning has a selection of machine drawings, since the workpiece must retain its previous properties.
Homemade cold forging machine: manufacturing rules
There are certain rules, compliance with which ensures obtaining the desired result:
- Creating a suitable configuration is possible using several tools.
- Before production begins, the parameters of the formed products are calculated.
- The rods used for workpieces can have different diameters, which are selected taking into account the degree of complexity of the equipment and subsequent operation.
- It can only be processed because other types do not have the necessary plasticity.
"Gnutik"
For cold forging, you can make it yourself, just understand the intricacies of using the tool and select a suitable drawing. "Gnutik" is necessary for creating corners of various configurations. Its main structural elements are a driving stop and two shafts placed on a steel plate.
Homemade cold forging of this type must be created in accordance with certain features. For example, the deformation angle must initially be determined. It is also possible to add an additional bending element; if used, a third rotating shaft is mounted.
The tool is made of special steel, since it bears heavy loads during the process. It is worth noting the possibility of collecting various parts, including wavy ones.
"Twister" and "Snail"
Today, artistic forging is not complete without screw-shaped parts. Their creation is ensured by manual cold forging machines called “Twister”. They have a characteristic feature that consists in scrolling the rod along the axis. The tool consists of a movable and a fixing part. The rotary handle deforms the workpiece, which is fixed between the main parts of the structure. It is worth noting that the spiral is formed from the side of the product fastening, and the applied forces can be reduced with proper calculation of the lever that exerts pressure. This device allows you to produce parts for metal fences and window grilles.
“Snail” is the simplest homemade machine for cold forging, which ensures the formation of spirals with the required number of turns. It is the most popular and can be adapted to produce the desired product. The tool is equipped with a hand or electric drive, the type of which is selected in accordance with the intensity of use.
Homemade cold forging machine: preparation of materials
First you need to draw a spiral with an identical pitch of all turns. In this case, you need to start from the workpieces used, since the stroke width, as a rule, is within 15 mm, while the tool is intended for rods with a cross-section of 10 mm. Free space is necessary for maneuver, since when the workpiece is fully compressed, bending will become impossible.
Next, you need to cut a plate measuring 20x20 cm from steel sheet. Despite its small dimensions, it will ensure optimal workflow. In accordance with the length of the expected “snail”, a steel cut is made. The strip must be bent using pliers, placed on the plate and outlined with a bright marker on all sides.
Next, a part of the rod is cut off with a length equal to the width of the steel strip. The main thing is that it does not exceed this parameter, as this can lead to injuries during the bending process. The rod is necessary to secure the material at the first stage of creating the product in order to prevent free movement at one point.
A part with a length of 10 cm is cut off. It will combine the sheet and the base on which the fixation will be made. Due to the high load, only thick-walled materials should be used. After all the main elements have been prepared, you can assemble a homemade cold forging machine, the drawing of which is presented below.
Assembly of the structure
The steel “snail” is divided into turns, the first of which will hold the workpiece, and the others will contain the turns of the rod themselves. The central part is welded to the base, and the resulting seam should not have even the slightest defect. The pieces of rod are welded to the main part of the strip, the distance between them should be 3 cm. Care must be taken when forming the seams, and then knock them down with a hammer.
Then installed in necessary places strip sections and are outlined with a marker. The resulting circles are needed to form holes. They must perfectly match the diameter of the legs to ensure easy installation and removal.
The final stage is the welding of the profile pipe in the lower part, as well as the fixing element next to the “snail”. Photos of homemade cold forging machines made in a similar way are presented above.
Few people know that multifunctional machine For cold forging, you can not buy it in a store, but make it yourself from materials that are available at any blacksmith. Since universal factory-made devices are too expensive, a homemade machine will be an excellent solution for people specializing in the manufacture of artistic forged products.
Metal structures made using cold forging technology differ unique design, in which bold architectural solutions. They are relevant for the external and internal decoration of country houses and modern apartments. Forged gates, fences and gates, window bars and other products attract interest to the often boring landscape design estate territory.
Unlike traditional technology, cold forging is simple and safe, not requiring the use of cold metal and temperature control. A homemade cold forging machine will be used to make forged elements, parts of a certain type and solutions to various forging problems.
The use of such equipment will allow you to achieve ideal geometric parameters, which is especially important when implementing design ideas to create original parts with various patterns. Decorative cold forging involves the use of soft metals - nickel and magnesium alloys, steel, brass or copper.
The manufacture of products is limited solely by the imagination and skill of the blacksmith: using this machine you can create openwork elements for internal and external stairs, forged elements for decorating gates and fences, etc. These products can also be used to decorate fireplaces, stoves, barbecues, house walls, gazebos and terraces.
Types of cold forging machines
Modern cold forging machines can be driven by an electric motor or mechanical force. A machine with an electric motor allows you to perform a huge amount of work much faster than a manual one, but it requires special skills and work experience from the master.There are several modern types of machines used in cold forging technology:
1. snail machine with removable or solid parts, used to make parts in the form of a spiral;
2. a universal machine used for cutting, riveting and shaping the product;
3. a bending machine designed for arc bending of metal parts at an angle;
4. twister machine, which allows you to make bends along the axis of the finished object;
5. wave machine, which allows you to produce wave-like elements from metal rods;
6. a press that allows you to apply matrix prints to the finished product;
7. a machine that forms rings from metal rods.
DIY snail machine
The simplest type of machine equipment for cold forging is quite simple to manufacture and can be assembled from scrap materials with your own hands.DIY snail machine video:
To do this, you need to arm yourself with drawings and parts necessary for assembly:
metal rods;
steel sheets and strips;
steel profile pipe.
Tools needed welding machine, pliers and grinder.
So that the homemade machine serves faithfully for for long years, you need to follow the instructions given above and also watch the video.
To apply the image of a spiral and three turns on metal, use a regular sheet of paper. The reinforced rod must fit into the thread and be no more or less than 10 mm in diameter;
cut two plates from a steel sheet (100x100 and 130x130 mm);
Sand 3 cm of rods and steel strips with sandpaper and get rid of irregularities and burrs;
Bend the steel strips in accordance with the instruction template so that you end up with three spirals of different lengths;
Weld the parts, guided by the diagram and drawings. Welding must be carried out efficiently, because the durability of the machine depends on this;
The pipe is welded in the center of the machine at the final stage of its manufacture.
Following the instructions, diagram and tips, you will get an excellent do-it-yourself snail machine!
Pipe bending machine
Often, there are practically no problems with cutting a pipe, which cannot be said about cases when pipes need to be bent. A factory pipe bending machine is too expensive, so in this article we will tell you how to make a copy that is not inferior in its characteristics to its branded counterpart.
The main thing that can be useful when assembling such a machine is experience. Experienced craftsmen note that under a homemade pipe bending machine there must be a strong and stable base, which can be used as a metal table, an anvil or a working surface made of profile and steel. To manufacture the machine, you will need several shafts, which can be purchased at any auto dismantling or scrap metal collection point.
Each of the shafts is represented by a smooth metal cylinder with an axis of rotation and thick walls. Both cylinders are fixed on top of the table, while the central one is placed above them. The distance between the outer shafts determines the bending angle of the pipe. With additions in the form of rollers and stoppers, the distance, and therefore the bending angle of the pipe, can be adjusted at your discretion.
After fixing the cylinders, care should be taken to organize the torque transmission system. For this purpose, you can use belts or chain mechanisms from old Soviet cars or bicycles. The most optimal version of the mechanism is with gears, which should be installed on the two outer cylinders, as well as a weight located in the center of the lower shafts. Equip one of the outer cylinders with a handle from a meat grinder. Using this handle, torque will be transmitted to the machine.
Torsion bar machine
Similar equipment is used to create spiral-shaped parts using the cold forging technique. It is worth noting that manual work on such a machine is almost impossible, so if you are thinking about assembling a torsion bar with your own hands, you should use diagrams and drawings with electric option similar machine.To assemble a torsion bar machine you will need:
- steel beam;
- steel sheet;
- vices, clamps, clamps;
- motor, chain, gearbox;
- welding machine and grinder.
Operating principle of a torsion bar machine
The steel beam will become the basis of the future machine. A sheet of steel should be welded to one side, onto which a vice is attached using bolts and nuts. To prevent the metal from jumping out in the future during operation of the machine, plates are attached to the lower and upper parts of the vice.Rollers are attached to the other side of the beam, on which the working surface machine In the future, another vice with moving elements should be attached to the opposite end and make sure that the structures on both sides are located at the same level.
We live in an age of rapidly developing technology. And gradually folk arts and crafts are being squeezed out of our lives. And, perhaps, forging is almost the only craft that not only has not disappeared in the course of technological progress, but, on the contrary, has recently become more and more popular. What is the reason? In demand. Nowadays, forging is firmly connected with the design of residential premises and offices, with landscape design. With the growing number of country and holiday villages, it is difficult to imagine without forged gates and gazebos. Forging is still in demand in the funeral business.
Forging is not only large outdoor products, but also objects that decorate interiors of different styles.
Forging is a synthesis of craft and art, making each item unique.
And therefore, now the business of manufacturing forged products is very promising.
What to choose: cold or hot forging?
Hot forging is an ancient blacksmith's craft. Since ancient times, in forges throughout Rus', iron was heated on fire, and then craftsmen gave the softened metal the desired shape.
This type of forging requires a lot of effort and time, but products forged in this way are truly unique.
Today there are more modern version metal processing – cold forging. Basically, when creating a product, ready-made forged elements are used. This is a less labor-intensive method for the master and cheaper for the customer.
It is not easy to compare two types of forging. Hot forging is uniqueness and elegance, cold forging is durability and reliability.
Imagine the situation: you have decided to create a business manufacturing forged products. The first question is: what kind of forging should I do? Hot forging requires, above all, skill and skill. And this takes time. Therefore, taking a realistic look at things, let’s first turn to cold forging and gradually begin to create a business.
Sales market and competition
Any production is consumer-oriented. Therefore, first you need to study the demand for forged products in your area. Are there cottage villages nearby, individual construction, are orders from the municipality possible?
Get to know your competitors, real and potential. These are not only business colleagues, but the production of this area, located nearby. Forge shops, which are now being opened by large metallurgical enterprises; imported forged Turkish products, very cheap compared to custom-made ones produced in a small workshop; products from Europe, which are more expensive than Turkish ones, but also in demand.
Even a funeral agency that has its own small workshop producing monuments and fences will also compete.
Creation paving slabs today is more relevant than ever: everything more people they want to improve appearance your garden, yard and just local area. Read in ours how to realize yourself in this business.
Fundamentals of the bookmaker business:
We are starting to produce products
Exists standard product list, with which all blacksmiths begin:
- openwork grilles and gates;
- fences of all types and purposes;
- canopies for porches;
- garden furniture and gazebos;
- bars on windows;
- fireplace accessories and so on.
Over time, you can switch to producing exclusive products. This requires experience and the availability of individual orders. For example:
- knight's armor for the interior of a country house;
- unusual lamps (garden and indoor);
- parts for furniture, etc.
Video: DIY metal forging as an art
DIY forged elements: where would we be without advertising?
Any business, big or small, needs advertising support.
You can use local media for this purpose by posting photos of products, your interview, customer reviews, or a large article about your business.
Use the Internet. For example, at least just submit ads on Avito.
Many large and small cities hold festivals of folk crafts, including blacksmiths, on City Day. (For example, every year in August such festivals are held in the ancient city of Ustyuzhna, Vologda region, where blacksmiths come even from abroad).
Profitability of the blacksmith business
Let’s take as a basis the situation that you made the first trial product in your garage and have not yet registered as an entrepreneur:
- a set of the most necessary equipment for cold forging - 400 thousand rubles.
Now let’s calculate the cost of producing 1 meter of garden trellis with a height of 2 m:
- metal – 500 rub.;
- Anti-corrosion coating - 15 RUR;
- electrodes – 20 rubles;
- electricity – 100 rub.;
- miscellaneous expenses - 400 rubles.
Total 1035 rubles.
One meter of forged product costs on average 3000 and above.
This will take more time if you have built a workshop. But this is also a more serious investment in business.
Paperwork
Creating any business starts with. Without it, it is impossible to issue the relevant documents. In many regions of the country under good business plan available .
Further registration must take place in accordance with the law “On state registration legal entities and individual entrepreneurs dated August 8, 2001 No. 129-FZ.”
Metal forging ── this promising direction business, and proper organization he will prosper successfully.
One way to decorate areas is to use forged items. Fences, benches, gazebos, stair railings and other similar structures look very decorative. Moreover, in most cases, these products are not forging in its traditional sense. Most often, this is done not in a forge or with a hammer and an anvil, but with the help of some devices that allow you to create a wide variety of patterns and products from metal strips and square rods. For the manufacture of similar products Cold forging machines will be required. Some of them you can make with your own hands, others are easier to buy.
Fences, railings for stairs and balconies can also be made with your own hands. Railings for a porch are a decoration, and not a purely utilitarian device.
What kind of devices are used?
Cold forging is characterized by various curls, bends, twisted rods, etc. Almost every type is made on a separate device - a specific machine. Their drive may be manual, or perhaps electric. For small volumes “for yourself”, manual cold forging machines are used. Although they are not particularly productive, they are much easier to manufacture. If it is necessary to put production on stream, similar devices are made, but with electric motors. In this case, there is almost no need to physically work, but the complexity of making the device increases significantly. In our material we will talk about manual machines for cold forging.
What devices are used:
For a beginning craftsman, the most relevant machine for cold forging is a snail. Only with its help you can make many interesting things - from a fence and gate to a bench and other similar products. In second place in terms of necessity is a torsion bar machine. It adds variety to the details. All the rest can be purchased or made as you improve and gain skill.
Homemade “Snails”
Essentially this is a modernized one), but these improvements make it easy to make curls from fairly thick rods (up to 10-12 mm cross-section) and repeat them with a high degree of accuracy.
These cold forging machines have several designs, but the easiest to implement is the one with a round table, which has a central leg. A lever with rollers on bearings at the end is movably attached to the leg. They make the bending process easier.
The table surface can be made of steel sheet with a thickness of 10 mm or more. For the leg, you can use any thick-walled round pipe. It is important to make the structure stable, since lateral forces will be applied, so side posts, spacers, and a stable base are needed.
Drawing of a cold forging machine “Snail”
It is easier to make a lever from a square pipe with a thick wall - at least 2-3 mm. The cross-section of the pipe is 25*40 mm or so. The lever can be attached to the leg using a bearing, or you can simply take a small piece of thick-walled pipe with a larger diameter, put it on the leg, and weld a stop strip on the bottom so that the lever does not fall down. The option with a bearing gives easier movement, but if there is lubrication, the second option also works.
The shape of the lever is also important. The lever is double, the upper part is working, the lower part is supporting. Wherever there are connections, it is advisable to add reinforcement, since the efforts are significant.
A mandrel or jig is fixed on the table - the shape along which the curls are bent. They are made in different diameters so that you can make curls of different diameters. Such mandrels can be prefabricated to form a larger number of bends. Each such sample must have rods that are installed in holes in the table. This is how this template is fixed. Also, its shape must be designed in such a way that the end of the rod is well fixed in it.
Often, mandrels are machined from a metal circle of a suitable diameter using a grinder, but there are options made of metal with steel plates welded onto it, curved accordingly.
How to make a similar machine for cold forging is in the next video. There is also a good description of how to bring the ends of the workpiece to a decent condition - ordinary raw edges look very rough. There is special equipment for processing them, but, as it turns out, you can do it without it.
Torsion bar machine
As already mentioned, these cold forging machines allow you to make on a bar longitudinal bends. This is a relatively simple design. The main task is to fix one end of the rod motionless, attach a lever to the second, with which you can twist the workpiece.
A piece of profiled pipe with a thick wall (at least 3 mm) is suitable as a base. The retainer can be welded from the same rods, leaving a square gap of the required diameter. You can use a properly sized cable clamp (available at a rigging store). Any of these stops is welded to the base.
Cable holder - excellent rod clamp
Next, you need to somehow ensure grip and torsion of the second part of the workpiece. This can be done using two bearing units. A pipe of a suitable diameter is inserted inside, and a handle is welded to it on one side - the design resembles the letter “T”. On the other hand, a clamp is made in the pipe: four holes are drilled, nuts for 12 or 14 bolts are welded into them. The result is a good clamp - the bolts are tightened after the rod has been inserted.
An even simpler machine for making torsion bars using cold forging is in the next video.
Video about homemade devices and machines for cold forging
One can only envy a person who is partial to forged products. He has everything you need to realize the most daring design projects. Devices for the production of cold forging elements can be purchased at finished form or make it yourself, but in one case or another, you can be sure that working with them will be convenient and easy. At the same time big physical strength no need, all you need to do is press the necessary buttons and turn the special levers in a timely manner.
The only thing you need to remember is that the production of cold forged products requires compliance strict rules and consistency. In other words, cold forging is a step-by-step technological process in which metal blanks are deformed, depending on the desired project. To have a better understanding of this work, you need to understand what types of forging there are, what the popular forged elements are called, and what it looks like to make forged products with your own hands.
In the manufacture of metal products, 7 types of cold forging can be distinguished. These are a kind of stages of creating elements that need to be performed when working with blanks.
All work must be carried out in accordance with the requirements and rules, otherwise you should not hope to receive a beautiful forged product.
The most important stage is forging metal blanks. This is the largest, most responsible, complex and serious process, so you need to treat it very carefully. Cold forging can be of several types:
- Upsetting - it is performed under high pressure. This is necessary in order to increase the workpiece on the sides by reducing its height.
- Broaching - this stage is performed by heating a metal part and then hammering it. This is necessary in order to reduce the cross-sectional area by increasing the length of the metal rod.
- Firmware - this stage involves making holes inside the workpiece. When doing this work, you can get holes of different diameters and lengths. It can be open or closed.
Upsetting and broaching makes the structure of the metal workpiece more fragile, so further work must be carried out very carefully to prevent breakage of one or another part of the structure.
Cold forging devices
The production of forged products using the cold method involves the use of several devices or machines. As mentioned above, you can purchase them or make them yourself, but first, let's figure out what parts can be obtained using various machines.
For products made by hand, you will have to make special templates that allow you to create elements of various shapes and sizes.
You can see how to work with the snail mechanism in the following video:
- Universal mechanism - it allows you to perform several functions, cutting, riveting and forming metal products. By the way, such a device can easily be assembled with your own hands, which will significantly save your budget.
- Gnutik - this mechanism allows you to create arc deformation of a metal part. But here it is necessary to carry out accurate calculations and measurements so as not to make a mistake with the bend radius.
- Twister - the mechanism of this plan allows you to bend the workpiece along the longitudinal axis already finished product. The principle of operation of such a mechanism is to bend the product by clamping it on one side and the other. In this case, the rotating handle will allow you to twist the part.
- Wave - a mechanism of this type makes it possible to obtain wave-like parts from metal blanks. It is customary to produce “Boyarskie” or “Volna” gratings on such a machine.
- Stamp press - the name speaks for itself. This mechanism allows stamps with various carved elements to be applied to metal parts. Each master should have several such stamps in his arsenal, then the finished products will be more diverse. The principle of its operation is very simple, under the influence of pressure on metal elements Clear prints from the templates remain.
- Mechanical unit - this mechanism allows you to bend metal rods into a circle. However, the diameter of such products may vary. Therefore, such a device is indispensable in the arsenal of masters.
Do-it-yourself cold forging, step-by-step instructions and expert advice
Oddly enough, but forged products can be made even at home. Of course, they will not be as elaborate as hot-processed elements, but in quality decorative design they have no equal. All you need is a few tools described above, materials and most importantly, desire. The rest is compliance with technology.
The manufacturing process consists of several stages:
When starting work, check your calculations again; even a small error can spoil the appearance of the finished product, not to mention the fact that it may not fit the intended composition. Correct and customize finished parts It’s always more difficult; it’s much easier to check everything several times.
After making all the parts, you can begin to assemble the intended composition. It is better to use welding for fastening, but you should not overdo it, so as not to damage smaller elements.
The final stage will be the processing of the finished product, which involves sanding and painting the finished composition.
If you have taken up the production of cold forged elements, then you have probably studied the price market and assessed your financial capabilities. If not, then first pay attention to the cost of materials, necessary equipment and methods of processing the finished product. But in any case, a handmade product is worth all the costs. And you can reduce them using equipment if you make it yourself.
Forged products in architecture and interior design have been highly popular for a long time. Grilles for windows and fireplaces, fences or staircase balusters forged from metal always look elegant and attractive. Today, despite modern technologies In metal processing, hand forged metal products are more popular than ever. Of course, forging metal with your own hands is not an easy task, and without proper preparation it is difficult to make a beautiful forged product. But those who want to master this ancient craft and are ready for hard physical work will have to become familiar with the types and technology of forging metal, understand the metals for forging, understand the forging process and be able to handle the blacksmith's tools.
Metal forging
Metal forging is the process of processing a metal workpiece to give it a specific shape and size. There are actually two types of forging - cold and hot. When performing hand forging of metal, it is necessary to understand both types of forging, since each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
During the hot forging process, the workpiece is heated to a certain temperature, at which the metal loses its strength and becomes ductile. High ductility is the main advantage of hot forging. It allows you to easily give a metal workpiece a certain shape and size. Hot forging also allows you to use most of the forging technologies itself, which has a beneficial effect on the variety of work options.
But heating metal also has its drawbacks. First of all, this is the need to arrange a special blacksmith's forge and fuel costs for it. This can be a real problem for those who want to do hot forging of metal with their own hands in an urban environment. In addition, working with fire is quite a dangerous activity and requires increased fire safety. Another factor that can significantly influence the choice of forging type is specific knowledge of temperature conditions for forging metal.
Unlike hot forging, cold forging of metal does not require a furnace to heat the metal. The whole point of cold forging is to shape a metal workpiece by bending it, pressing it and welding it. Cold forging is somewhat simpler to perform, and it does not require much space to set up a workshop. The entire process of creating the finished product does not require the use of high temperatures, which has a very positive effect on overall safety.
But cold forging has one significant drawback. All work has to be done with certain semi-finished products without the opportunity to correct your mistake. Of course, this does not apply to all cold forging work, but in most cases, a damaged workpiece is only suitable for scrap metal or a teaching aid.
In any case, regardless of the type of forging, you will have to become quite familiar with a number of important points. Firstly, this concerns metals and temperature conditions for their melting and forging. Secondly, you need to know and understand metal forging technologies. Below we will look at what technological techniques are used for forging and how they are used in work.
Metal for forging
Hand forging metal is a rather labor-intensive and complex task that requires the use of certain metals, or rather, metals with certain characteristics. For manual cold or hot forging, the most important characteristic is the plasticity of the metal, because the simplicity and convenience of changing the shape of the workpiece depends on it. But it is worth noting that the ductility and strength of a metal are interrelated. When one of these characteristics increases, the second decreases. Therefore, it is so important to understand the characteristics of the metal and know about the composition of the workpiece.
Important! There are other equally important characteristics of metals. But since we are considering forging decorative products such as fireplace grates, balusters, fences, etc., there is no need to focus on wear resistance, red resistance, etc., as well as on alloying elements.
The following metals are used for decorative forging: copper, brass, duralumin, steel, as well as other copper, magnesium, aluminum and nickel alloys. Essentially, hand forging uses a soft, malleable metal that can be easily bent or shaped into a specific shape. In order to select the lightest malleable metal, you need to look into the Steel and Alloys Brand. In it you can find detailed description all metals and alloys with their characteristics and composition.
Despite the fact that the most malleable metal is copper and its alloys, craftsmen prefer to use ferrous metals for cold and hot forging. This position is due to the high cost of non-ferrous metals. After all, the price of forging metal largely depends on the cost of the original workpiece, and not everyone can afford to purchase a fence or balusters made of copper. When choosing a soft ferrous metal for forging, you need to focus on steel with a minimum carbon content, about 0.25%. And also with a minimum amount of harmful impurities, such as chromium, molybdenum, sulfur and phosphorus. In addition, structural and tool steels with a high carbon content of 0.2% to 1.35% should be avoided. Such steels are the least ductile and difficult to weld.
When choosing a particular metal, you must use a Steel and Alloy Marker. But if you don’t have access to it, you can use the tables below to determine the carbon content in steel. The determination process itself is quite simple, just bring the workpiece to a working sharpener and look at the sheaf of sparks, and then compare it with the indicators in the table.
Today, thanks to industrial metal production, there is no need to create blanks for forging yourself. Modern forges use ready-made factory products for cold forging. The most commonly used workpiece sizes are the following: 30x45 mm, 40x45 mm, 10x10 mm, 12x12 mm, rods with a section of 10 mm, 12 mm, 16 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 50 mm, sheet metal with a thickness of 3.5 to 6 mm, round pipes 1/2", 3/4", 1", profile pipes from 20x20 mm to 30x30 mm.
Metal forging tool
Carrying out any metal forging work is impossible without a special tool. Blacksmith equipment for hot forging is quite diverse and includes an anvil, forge, various hammers, tongs, etc. The cold forging tool is somewhat simpler and consists of several special machines. Certainly, modern instrument, such as welding machine, grinder and grinder, are used in both cold and hot forging. Knowing the purpose of a particular tool, you can perform any work correctly.
Hot Forging Tool
- Horn. There is no way to do without it in hot forging. After all, it is in it that the workpiece can be heated to a temperature of 1400 °C. For the most part, the forge is a furnace designed to high temperatures and with blowing.
- Anvil. This tool is the support on which forging is performed. The anvil itself has several types, among which the most popular is the two-horned anvil weighing 200 kg. But the weight can vary from 150 to 350 kg.
- Shperak. When performing various artistic and decorative forgings, it is shperaks that are used. They have many different types, and each master can make them for himself. A common feature any shperak is that they are inserted into square hole anvils or fixed into a wooden log. The photo below shows the most common shperaks.
- Sledgehammer And Handbrake. This is the main tool of a blacksmith. The sledgehammer weighs from 4 to 8 kg and is used to deliver strong blows. Depending on the type of work and the thickness of the workpiece, the weight of the sledgehammer is selected. The handbrake weighs from 0.5 to 2 kg. Used to give the final shape to the product.
- Ticks. Mining pliers are the second most important tool. Without them, it is impossible to hold a hot workpiece for processing. There are several types of forge tongs for a specific profile and size of the workpiece. The photo below shows forge tongs of various shapes.
- Shaped hammers. When performing artistic forging, it is necessary to create curved blanks or blanks of a certain shape. For this purpose, shaped hammers are used. They can be either lower, on which processing is carried out, or upper. There are many options for shaped hammers and each master has his own. The photo below shows the main auxiliary tool.
In addition to those described above, various measuring instruments are used, such as a conventional roulette,double calipers, blacksmith's square, templates And calibers. The choice of blacksmith tools is huge, it seems difficult to list them all, so each master has his own set of only necessary and frequently used tools.
Cold forging tool
- Gnutik(photo below). This is a basic cold forging tool. As the name suggests, it allows you to bend a metal workpiece at a certain angle. In addition, the bend allows you to create arc elements of a certain radius.
- Snail. The name speaks for itself. Using a snail you can create various spiral-shaped decorative elements. The spiral is made according to a specific pattern, which, if necessary, can be changed to another one with a smaller or larger radius.
- Flashlight. This machine is designed to create a decorative element of the same name.
- Wave. Allows you to create wavy elements. When pulling a rod through this machine, the output is a beautiful sinusoidal workpiece.
- Twister. According to the principle of operation, this machine is similar to the Flashlight, but unlike it, the twister only twists the workpiece along the axis.
- Ring machine. As with all previous machines, the name speaks for itself.
In addition to those described above, there are also universal machines for riveting, cutting, crimping and adding volume. All of the machines described above can be made either independently or purchased in a store. Of course, homemade devices for cold forging will be somewhat inferior in quality to factory ones, but this is compensated by the uniqueness of the elements created with their help. For the manufacture of cold forging machines, drawings can be found both in the public domain and purchased from specialists.
Important! Cold forging machines can be manual or equipped with electric motors. Despite the presence of transmission gears, manual cold forging is quite labor-intensive and time-consuming, and to obtain large volumes of forged elements, it is better to equip the machine with an electric motor.
Separately, it is worth noting industrial machines for cold forging. Prices for similar cold forging machines are about 6,000 USD, but one such machine can perform almost all technological operations of cold forging. An example is the Master 2 machine from MAN. In the video demonstrating cold forging you can see the capabilities of this machine.
DIY metal forging
During the forging process, various forging techniques and methods are used to give the workpiece a specific shape. To perform each of them, a certain technology and tool for forging metal are used. The technology of forging metal using hot and cold methods is significantly different. As already noted, hot forging requires heating the workpiece to change its shape, while cold forging only bends the workpiece. Based on this, the main technological techniques are highlighted, knowing which you can safely take on forging metal with your own hands.
DIY cold forging of metal
Doing cold forging with your own hands is quite easy and special effort not required. All work is divided into several stages: creating a sketch or drawing of the future product, purchasing materials and the process of metal forging itself.
The drawing can be created in a special computer program, buy ready-made or draw by hand. You can find drawings for cold forging for free. To do this, just contact the craftsmen who have been forging for several years and ask for one or two drawings for training. Essentially, the drawing serves several purposes. Firstly, to know which elements will need to be produced by cold forging. Secondly, having such a project in hand, you can calculate the number and type of metal blanks, such as rods, profile pipes, etc. Thirdly, a drawing will be required to assemble all the elements into a single whole.
Separately, it is necessary to consider the cold forging elements that make up the project. Today you can find quite a lot of different forged elements, but they can all be combined into several classic groups.
- Paws. This element is the end of a metal rod rolled out in some form. This group includes the so-called Peaks. Despite the pointed end, the Peaks are made using similar technology.
- Curls. This group includes several common elements: volute, red and snail. Volute or Baranka It is a rod whose ends are bent in one direction. Chervonka- a rod whose ends are bent in different directions. This element is sometimes called the "dollar" because of its similarity to the American currency sign. Comma or Snail- a simple curl, one end of which is curved and the other straight.
- Rings. This element is created quite simply: a rod of round or square cross-section is wound onto a machine blank, the result is a spring, which is then cut into separate rings.
- Torsion. This element is quite easy to recognize by its screw twist along the axis. There are quite a few options for torsion bars, and one of the most common is an element such as a Flashlight, as well as a simple helical rod for a lattice or fence.
The entire process of manufacturing cold forging elements is based on the following generally accepted forging technologies - bending, twisting, drawing.
Hood is a technology that involves increasing the length of a workpiece by reducing its cross-section. In cold forging, one of the drawing options is used - rolling. It is with its help that various paws and peaks are created. To create the paws, a special rolling machine is used. The end of the workpiece is brought in and then the rolling mechanism is started, as a result the end is flattened with or without relief. A pressing machine is used to make peaks. The procedure is the same, but the end result is rolled out and pressed into a certain shape.
Bending. This forging technology involves bending the ends or another part of the workpiece at a certain angle. The bending itself is performed on almost all cold forging machines. The bending process can be observed during the manufacture of the workpiece on the Snail machine. First, the end of the workpiece is placed inside a special template and then bent at a certain angle. These works are performed on the Ulitka machine.
Twisting. This forging technology involves twisting the workpiece along its axis. In cold forging, this process can be observed when using a Twister machine, on which various torsion bars are created. To do this, one end of the workpiece is placed in a vice, and the other end is rotated along the axis. The Flashlight element is worth highlighting separately. For it, two or more rods are used, which are first twisted along the axis, and then compressed along the axis, as a result of which the rods diverge to the sides in a certain place.
Assembling all elements into a single structure performed by welding on a special assembly table. Today the welding machine is publicly available and is mandatory tool modern blacksmiths. Homemade cold forging is quite common among novice craftsmen and private entrepreneurs. It does not require special knowledge, skills or large premises for work.
DIY cold forging: video tutorial
Do-it-yourself hot metal forging
Compared to cold forging, manual hot forging is much more difficult and requires the master to have experience in handling the tool and good physical fitness. The work is carried out in several stages: creating a sketch or drawing, purchasing materials and forging.
Essentially, the difference between hot and cold forging lies in the technological processes used to process the metal. Firstly, this concerns the processing method. Secondly, almost any metal blank can be used for hot forging. But for convenience, it is customary to use ready-made rods of square and round cross-section. Thirdly, in artistic hot forging there are no frames for the elements of the finished product. Of course, you can stick to creating classic forging elements - curls, paws, peaks and others, but hot forging allows you to use the full potential of the master’s imagination, which opens up unlimited possibilities. All hot forged metal products are created using the following metal processing technologies: upsetting, drawing, bending, twisting, cutting, pattern incision and relief printing.
Draft used in metal forging to increase the cross-section of the entire workpiece or part of it. When forging, depending on the need, complete or local heating of the workpiece is carried out for upsetting.
Hood consists of increasing the length of the workpiece by reducing its cross-section. This can be done either by striking with a sledgehammer or handbrake, or by rolling out metal between the shafts on a machine. Unlike cold forging, creating peaks using drawing requires precise and careful blows.
Bending. This operation is performed to give the workpiece a curved shape. It should be taken into account that bending thick workpieces can lead to their distortion and it is necessary to perform upsetting to give the original shape. For bending workpieces, various shperaks, anvil horns, shaped hammers and jigs are used.
Twisting. This forging technology involves twisting the workpiece along its axis. As in cold forging, the workpiece is clamped in a vice and rotated. But unlike cold forging, the workpiece can be heated locally, which makes it possible to easily do local twisting.
Forging technologies such as cutting, pattern cutting And relief padding used in artistic forging using chisels. The edges of hot blanks, depending on the project, are cut and twisted using pliers. Also, while the workpiece is hot, a different pattern is printed on its surface.
When hot forging metal, it is important to know the heating temperature conditions. This will help process the metal more efficiently. Forging of ferrous metal is performed at 800 - 1250 °C. Of course, it will be impossible to measure a hot workpiece with a thermometer, and to determine the temperature you will have to rely on its color. The table below shows the temperature and color of ferrous metal workpiece.
Hot metal forging: video tutorial
Forging metal with your own hands is quite an exciting business that requires constant improvement. This applies primarily to the creation of various artistic and decorative elements. Those who have just started forging will have to work hard to ensure that their work has an ideal shape and high quality.
Let's look at the types of devices and the figures that can be obtained with their help. We have prepared drawings and thematic videos for you. We will also consider the sequence of making a cold forging machine with your own hands.
If you are just going to organize a cold forging workshop and want to avoid high expenses, then making your own machines and fixtures will help you create your own small business without excessive costs.
Basic devices and machines
Cold forging machines are mainly designed for arc or angle bending, as well as twisting. They can be manual or electrically driven.
The main types of machines and devices for cold forging:
- "Gnutik"
- "Twister"
- "Snail"
- "Globe"
- "Wave"
- "Flashlight"
Device "Gnutik"
Purchased or made independently, the “Gnutik” is a universal device that allows you to obtain an arc or angle from a rod. It consists of a base with a slider, on which a stop with an angle (90° or another as necessary) and two cylindrical fixed stops are fixed. By moving the slider and the angle stop, the rod bends at an angle. To obtain an arc, a third cylinder is provided, rotating on the side opposite to the angle stop.
The device can be made on a horizontal or vertical platform.
Axonometry of the device "Gnutik" - vertical arrangement
To scale the dimensions, here is a drawing of the bottom bar of this “Gnutik”.
Bottom bar
This device is universal. With the help of attachments you can not only bend, but also cut and punch holes. But this will be the next step.
Getting an arc on "Gnutik"
Getting an angle on "Gnutik"
This is what a homemade “Gnutik” looks like:
Twister device
“Twister” is a tool for twisting rods, mostly square, along the longitudinal axis. This simple device can be manual or electric. Operating principle: both ends of the rod are secured, then one fastening begins to rotate, twisting the metal to the required shape.
Appearance of a purchased manual “Twister”
Look at the photo of a homemade “Twister” with an electric drive, assembled using used electrical equipment:
There is a special machine for making “Lanterns” and “Cones”, but for starters you can also use a “Twister”, as shown in the video (English, but everything is very clear).
Video 1. How to make a blank for “Flashlight” on “Twister”
Device "Snail"
The Snail Tool is designed to create curls (or spirals) and “currencies” (S-shaped pieces). There are various designs.
One of the design options: 1 - snail ploughshare; 2 - base of the machine; 3 - pressure roller; 4 - lever for controlling the pressure roller; 5 - fastening the base; 6 - finger for fixing the plowshares; 7 - groove for the pressure roller; 8 - control lever axis; 9 - spring for pressing the roller; 10 - clamp for the workpiece; 11 - driving ploughshare of the snail; 12 - main axis; 13 - levers
The result should be something like this:
Another lightweight design for bending rolled products with a cross-section up to 12 mm:
1 - cochlear segment; 2 - eccentric; 3 - handle; 4 - base; 5 - guide runners; 6 - axis; 7 - slider; 8 - axle nut; 9 - roller fastening axis; 10 - roller; 11 - drive axis; 12 - eccentric guide; 13 - central segment of the cochlea; 14 - eccentric wing; 15 - main leg; 16 - connecting pin of cochlea segments; 17 - adjustment screw; 18 - connecting ear of cochlear segments
Often the “Snail” device is made on a support, especially if you need to bend thick rolled products.
Several useful videos on homemade “Snail” machines.
Option with a massive base on a support:
Video 2. Making the base
Video 3. Making a snail
Video 4. Machine operation
Tabletop option:
Video 5. Part 1
Video 5. Part 2
We will talk more about such designs below.
"Globe" device
Such a device is similar in appearance to a school protractor and is designed for making arcs with a large bending radius from a strip, square, circle or hexagon. First, one end of the workpiece is fixed with a bend, then it is bent along its entire length according to the template. The principle of operation is somewhat similar to the operation of a canning machine.
Appearance of the device
Video 6. Working at Globus
Using exclusively muscular strength, arc large diameter can be made on a template screwed or welded to a workbench. It is good for bending strips, thin-walled pipes, etc.
Device "Wave"
You can produce wavy products from a round, square, hexagonal cross-section or tube using the “Wave” device. The deformation of the workpiece occurs between vertical rolls by scrolling.
Wave device and resulting products
Video 7. Device in action
Flashlight device
This machine produces blanks for “Lanterns” or “Pine Cones” elements, which can consist of 4, 6, 8 or more rods. According to the principle of operation, the machine is similar to the “Twister”, but here the workpieces are bent around the guide shaft, which forms a more correct and accurate configuration of the product.
Flashlight device
Video 8. Operation of the device for making “Flashlight”
Device for cold forging of the “Clamp” element
The cold forging element “Clamp” is designed to fix other structural elements together.
The device for bending the “Clamp” can be made according to the attached drawings.
Devices for making crow's feet
“Crow's foot” - flattening with the application of beautiful notches at the ends of the workpieces to make the structure more elegant or to reduce the thickness for various joints.
The ends of the elements are decorated with “houndstooth”
This operation can be performed using a machine with a die or fixture and a heavy forging hammer on an anvil. We provide both options in the form of videos.
Video 9. Machine for making crow's feet
Video 10. Devices for forging crow's feet
Video 11. Detailed Process stamp making
Below is a rolling machine to perform the same operation.
Machine for rolling "crow's feet" (the distance between the rollers is adjustable). Materials for a rolling machine: gears and shafts - spare parts from a used combine
Operating principle
Making a "Snail" with a drive
The electrically driven "snail" facilitates the production of curls and "currencies". This is especially valuable when the work is not “for the soul”, but for production large quantity similar products on the production line when working to order.
Below are the steps to assemble a rod bending machine maximum cross section 10x10 mm. The 0.5 kW/1000 rpm engine operates at the limit of its capabilities. Performs 6 shaft revolutions per minute. The snail segments are machined from a round blank St.45 without heat treatment, 25 mm high and 20 mm thick. The snail is mounted on a shaft on bearings from the rear wheel of a motorcycle - 7204. The support roller is firmly fixed in the groove. Pulleys are installed between the engine and the gearbox.
Below are drawings of the cochlea segments.
Snail element 1
Snail element 2
Snail element 3
Snail centerpiece
For a more massive rod (from 12 mm), the motor power should be more than a kilowatt. The photographs below show a machine with a 2.2 kW, 1000 rpm motor, giving a shaft output of about 10 rpm. This is already a machine for professional use. A used gearbox was used, the matrix was cut from a workpiece 30 mm thick - the most labor-intensive process.
For cold forging you will also need an anvil and a hammer. A forge is not needed, it is only required for hot forging.
Advice! Before starting work, draw a sketch future design real size . This will help you adjust the elements and not get confused during assembly.
Blacksmithing is hard physical work that requires special equipment combined with specialized knowledge and experience of the master. However, to make some artistic elements, you simply need to bend the blanks at the desired angle. Metal deformation can be performed without heating mechanically, cold forging machines are used for this. What features do such units have will be discussed in this article.
Selection of tools and materials for forging. Tips for beginning metal artists. Description of the forging process, features and warnings.
The main working force required to deform the material will be taken by the support, so the base of the future machine must be strong. An I-beam or a pair of channels welded together are suitable for this purpose. Stability of the base will be added by paws made of a similar profile, welded to the overall structure. Next, you can start making other components - the tailstock and spindle.
In each of the components of a homemade cold forging machine with your own hands, the cartridges intended for placing workpieces in them must have strong screw clamps (for the purpose of reliable fixation). Due to the reduction in the length of the workpiece when twisting, the tailstock is always sliding. It is possible to construct a headstock from a vice, securing them to the base with bolts of a standard size of at least M16. On the same axis with the clamping unit, a bushing is installed for the moving part of the machine, in which holes for the clamping bolts are pre-drilled.
The moving part of the spindle is rotated by a handle consisting of 4 levers, which are of sufficient length to absorb the force applied for rotation. You can add rubber grommets to protect your hands from slipping.
The main difference in assembling a universal homemade cold forging machine is the design of the moving part. It should provide for screw feed when making lanterns and baskets and be fixed during normal twisting of the metal. Therefore, the moving part is equipped with a set of two spindles - smooth and screw. In this design, the sliding headstock requires a locking screw for fixation.
Helpful advice! If it is necessary to make a workpiece that is not twisted along its entire length, but only in certain areas, limiters are added to the design of the machine. They are made like a tailstock - with screw clamps and the ability to slide.
Working on a torsion bar machine is physically tiring; obtaining high-quality products in large volume difficult. Therefore, introducing an electric drive into the design would be an appropriate solution.
How to make a cold forging machine
The bending machine is monumental, massive, simple in design and assembly, but difficult to find and fit parts. Its purpose is to bend workpieces at different angles, so the force on all components will be equally large, which means that the requirements for assembly parts are high.
A thick steel frame is selected for the base of the machine. It is worth considering that the machine will be mounted on a table. Usually the fasteners are made with a bolted connection, for example, like a vice. There is a guide in the center of the frame that will be movable. It is driven by an eccentric mechanism, which, in turn, is fixed to the base frame. Additionally, three stops are installed, creating a kind of “fork” - these are the working elements of the structure. Depending on the bend profile, they are changed: round rollers - for making waves, “hammer” - for forming corners.
Working elements are made only from structural steel. Their strength is the reliability of all equipment. Processing and fitting of such products require exclusively professional equipment. Therefore, if there are difficulties in ordering, purchasing or manufacturing the main components, then it would be advisable to buy a machine for cold bending forging in a store. Its cost is low, but it can be additionally useful for bending pipes.
Do-it-yourself snail machine for cold forging: design options
The algorithm for assembling a homemade cold forging machine with your own hands is quite simple and understandable. Only when creating a snail, three variants of the design idea are possible, and even then very approximate. Each master sees the execution of a curl or spiral, as well as the sequence of bending the workpiece in his own way.
Like anyone creative process, making a snail for cold forging with your own hands begins with the basics - designing the key components of the machine. Applied to this case– this is a frame, a tabletop and a main shaft with a rotation lever.
The frame or table for the snail must be made of metal. Wood is completely unsuitable for this design: prolonged and heavy loads will destroy it after several uses. The material used would be a corner, thick-walled pipes or a channel. For the tabletop you will also need metal - a sheet with a thickness of at least 4 mm: the thicker, the more reliable. The shaft and lever are the main assembly that will force the metal workpiece to bend according to a given pattern. The lever is connected on one side to a roller that bends the workpiece, and on the other to the main shaft.
According to the type of design, snail machines come in three variants:
- monolithic with a fixed bending template;
- with removable bending structures that allow you to create different types of curls;
- with collapsible curl designs and a rotating tabletop for obtaining complex bending profiles of great precision.
Drawings of a cold forging machine for a snail with your own hands
Many craftsmen who take on the manufacture of machines for the first time neglect the design stage, build templates “by eye”, and develop and modernize components directly during the assembly process. A drawing of a snail for cold forging with your own hands should be done at the preparation stage. It will help to avoid some subtle nuances during assembly, and will also significantly reduce the manufacturing process time.
It is not necessary to follow the drawings made by another master. Availability of manufacturing materials or assembly conditions may vary, and it is likely that the vision finished design may also be different.
One of the design options :
1 - snail ploughshare; 2 - base of the machine; 3 - pressure roller; 4 - lever for controlling the pressure roller; 5 - fastening the base; 6 - finger for fixing the plowshares; 7 - groove for the pressure roller; 8 - control lever axis; 9 - spring for pressing the roller; 10 - clamp for the workpiece; 11 - driving ploughshare of the snail; 12 - main axis; 13 - levers
Diagram of a snail machine for processing products using cold forging
A drawing is especially important for constructing curl patterns with your own hands. A video of cold forging equipment will help you correctly calculate and build a proportional spiral. This stage is necessary so that the curl made on homemade machine, had an aesthetic appearance.
Helpful advice! Templates for the snail are built according to the rules of mathematical spirals, taking into account the number of turns, their density, the width of the opening for equipment on the machine and the initial radius of the entrance to the curl.
Making a snail: how to make a machine with your own hands
A monolithic machine is the most simple design snails The spiral pattern is applied directly to the tabletop. Then, following the drawing, several pieces are cut out of thick metal. They are welded to the tabletop, following the previously applied markings. Work on a snail of this type progresses slowly, but the machine allows you to bend both workpieces of symmetrical diameter and strips of metal that are laid flat, without vertical deformations.
A monolithic machine may have an alternative design when the base is not fixed, but can be rotated. For a given rotation and relief physical labor a worm gear is used.
How to improve a snail cold forging machine with your own hands
A homemade snail does not have to contain only simple elements. You can immediately assemble an improved model. For example, what should you do if you need curls of different shapes, and with different patterns of spirals? It would be impractical to assemble a separate machine for each sample. Therefore, instead of a tightly welded single template on the tabletop, a number of removable options are created with different patterns. Adjustments are made to the design that allow you to change the template, secure it stably, while maintaining the overall reliability of the machine.
The most professional of the snail models is a machine where the table top rotates and the curl template is made from several collapsible segments. It is worth noting that all sections are manufactured with high precision. It is difficult to implement this in a home workshop, so the production of the unit is ordered in workshops or at a factory. The curvature of the template is changed using adjusting screws, and a number of holes are made on the surface of the tabletop that will fix the template segments in a given position. You can bend any type of curl using this method.
Making a cold forging machine with your own hands, the drawing of which will help you complete this task, is quite simple if you understand the principle of its operation and design features. It is important to calculate everything carefully and take measurements. It is possible that someone will be able to come up with their own new options or improve existing models.