The Art of Forging Tube Forward by Peter Renzetti
A description of all that is necessary to successfully forge your own artistic elements.
* the theory behind forging tube,
* proven forging die systems and hammer techniques,
* practical forging methods
* pictures of the art of the possible.
Planned release September 2024 (Anticipated initially available from Blue Moon Press)
This book is intended to be a guide for learning the technical skills needed for forging hollow forms. It will show you how far I have gotten and show you how to create the art forms that you desire but cannot currently make. When I first began this line of thinking, I would have said that I would never be able to forge a 2-inch diameter, 16 gauge wall thickness steel tube into a tapered spiral bulbous form, and further, taper its tip down to a stem that is 1/16 of an inch in diameter. Back then, that was a bridge too far; it was unthinkable to me. Today, this book shows you how to make that forging from start to finish in a day or less. You may not want to make the specific forms I show here, but this book was written to open the door for you to develop your own forms.
You will see the steps I took to get to my goal, and I hope you will also see how you can get there as well. There is one new thought process that you will develop: learning new ways to think about metal movement, ways that are different from traditional blacksmithing. I call it “thinking in tube” and the book covers enough of the theory behind the method for you to begin to think in this way. Many of the other needed skills are similar to those of blacksmithing and jewelry-making, but like all skilled crafts, these methods require some special tools, special dies and unique power hammers. My co-author, Dave Hammer and I were able to fabricate these tools and we provide you with the knowledge to do so as well. You will need an open mind to see what is possible, the capacity to learn from your mistakes, and persistence, but the book has over 230 pictures and sufficient descriptions to help you along.
Chapters 1 through 9 are presented in the sequence in which they were developed. The concept of free-form tube forging, where the blacksmith controls the final shape, is developed throughout the book. Once you understand it, it will become second nature. The latter chapters discuss additional important topics for you to know to make your forgings better. They include topics like fixed-form forging, the special hammers used for forging, and information on tube and heating it.
Bruce Jarrell
Dave Hammer
Sample Table of Contents
© Copyright: All rights reserved, 2023, Bruce Jarrell 3
Introduction. 4
Chapter 1 Thinking in tube. 25
Chapter 2 Principles for hot forging hollow round tube. 28
Chapter 3 A general strategy for forging thin-walled tubes. 35
Chapter 4 Fullering grooves around the circumference. 75
Chapter 5 Swinging Arm Forging- another approach to forging tube. 92
Chapter 6 Swinging Arm setup for fullering narrow axial grooves. 106
Chapter 7 Finishing Dies. 171
Chapter 8 A versatile, multi-purpose die design for forging with a ram. 186
Chapter 9 Small Special Purpose Dies. 188
Chapter 10 Fixed form forging: the original method. 197
Chapter 11 Tube types and heating. 208
Chapter 12 Hammers. 214
Chapter 13 Odds and Ends 231
Chapter 14 Inspirations, ideas, and the origin of various elements. 241
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