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Tecniques continued... |
Firewelding: One of the most difficult skills to master, requiring great judgement, and fire control. Pieces to be welded have to be brought to exactly the right temperature. Too hot....and it burns away, ruining all your work. Not hot enough, or not clean enough, and it don't stick! |
These are just a few of the methods traditionally employed by blacksmiths to manipulate metal, but the modern smith need not be confined to these techniques alone. Mig, tig & arc welding, when appropriate also have their place, as do such processes as shot blasting, galvanising, and lazer cutting. To be able to choose from all these methods, ancient and modern, gives one freedom to design and create truly unique pieces. |
Hot punching: Drilling is not the only way to make a hole in a bar of metal. Hot punching removes far less metal, and allows one to make a big hole in a small bar by piercing it, then enlarging the hole, allowing the material around it to bulge out. Square holes are no problem - or any other shape for that matter for the smith who makes his own punches. |
Twisting: Self explanatory really - or is it ? Mass produced " wrought ironwork" often features twisted bars, normally twisted cold, by machine. The blacksmith has a few more interesting tricks up his sleeve... |
click photo to enlarge |
click photo to enlarge |