The Armour Archive

I made myself a centering weld jig.
I call it my 3rd hand.
It centers up the ball to facilitate the shank welding.



It has a hole in the base plate to align and hold the ball.
The guide above is perpendicular and centered over the hole with 1/2" offset to hold the 1" shank centered in place.
I have been meaning to build myself this for years.
Finally got around to it after 13 years of making ball stakes using by-guess and by-golly.

It will work on the large mushroom stake as well.
I just finished up this 4" shroom for one of our members in Germany.
It has a welded spider inside as well as being tin/lead alloy filled.
Darn thing weighs over 10 pounds.



Merry Christmas to you all.

Halberds

been using one like this since before I joined here though mine looks a little more rustic

Merry Christmas to you too Halberds. Making tools is important ... and you never know, you guys may get me pounding metal one of these days.

Hey Halberd! Nice gig! As for the mushroom stake, have you though about letting your customer do the lead fill to save on shipping costs?

Weight is not much of an issue
thats the joy of flatrate and regional flatrate boxes..
Regional have weight restriction based on size.
Standard Flat rate max out at 75#

One Tool to rule them all?

I have a bad feeling about this.

That is a good one Marshal, I tried to make one and called it the multi tool but got a lot of flack because it looked like a big dick.

This is my new welding vice.
I made it out of my old DeWalt cut off saw.
The motor burned out after 15 years of service.
I cut the vice out and fixed it up to be used as a stand alone welding vice.
It works quite well so far.

If you change the bar-stock size it will no longer be centered. Consider adding a loose plate with a hole for the ball and you can relocate the ball as needed for rectangular shanks, smaller or larger square shanks and offset/dogleg shanks. add a 2nd loose plate with a V-groove and it will position some (but likely not all) pieces for T-stakes or anticlastic stakes... actually a small vice with at least a 2" opening could probably do that if the support arm is high enough.

Nice clean work otherwise. Lots of professional welds don't look as nice. Any fixture jigs and 3rd hand mechanisms are always appreciated in small shops.

Sean

Thanks Sean, I did some mods for other tooling.
I made a Tombstone and Fluting Stake holder attachment.
Just slide the new vice under the upright fixture and botta boom... ya good to go.

Now to improve on my Stonehenge looking propane forge fire brick enclosure thingy.



Shown is a fluting tool being heat treated.



Ahhaaa just right for the quench....

Hal

The finished 4140 hardened fluting tool on a 1018 1" square shank:
Tool holder optional.



And a few more pics of some tools I finished up tonight.
An off-center ball stake:


A new anticlastic S-stake with tool holder.


One L-stake design, based on a client's request.

My client provided a drawing, I hope I got the point sharp enough.
The tool holder is offset and reinforced to accommodate the balance.

Better metal pounding tools through research and design input.
Thank you all for your support.

Hal

Always Hal! And though we busted your balls about your dick-stake, it still seems it was a decent idea... mostly

How about some flaming great balls of fire...
I was making ball stakes and decided to have a little fun.
Friends don't let friends build tools while drinking whiskey.

Hal

Halberds wrote:How about some flaming great balls of fire...

GreatBallsOfFire.jpg

I was making ball stakes and decided to have a little fun.
Friends don't let friends build tools while drinking whiskey.

Hal

You've need better friends then. Mine encourage it...

How do you *think* the first "offset ball stake" was developed if not by the application of ethanol to the construction process!

You are correct. I think whiskey had something to do with it.

How about a new Internet fad, pour whisky on your balls and light it?

Ouch... my balls are on fire...

It gets expensive fast when you have 90# balls!

What a waste of good whiskey.

Rev. A from my clients feedback on custom L-stake.
I reshaped the point to his current drawing.
Hope it is close enough.



It is to be used as field repair tool, replacing rivets and straps in armour.

Hal

Any idea what it's to be mounted to?

I have no idea how it will be used in the field.
If it was me I would bolt it to a 2 by 12 about 18" long and sit on the ground to use it.
I would also bolt the doughnut to the same board, just lift out the stake to use the doughnut.

Do you have any ideas to pass on about field work?

Hal

For field work, I have seen stakes that have a longer shaft that is pointy. To use it, just drive it into the ground. Now, you can't do heavy work on it like this, but it works great for lighter jobs like replacing blown rivets, straps, etc.

- Scott

Thanks Scott, That is something to keep in mind.
I appreciate input and feedback.
This has been the driving factor of my tool development for all these years.

Most of my tools have been designed for my personal use.
Some have been designed by professional metal pounders, that gave me the rights to reproduce the design.

However, not all pounders pound the same.
To see that difference with feedback, helps me design more to the individual needs.
I certainly appreciate the users feedback.

Thank you for your support.

Hal

I almost see it being nailed to a log or being bolted to the back of a truck, possibly being bolted to a portable bench that will be taken into camps. You may want to ask that in the future.

I make a bracket to take a metal work vice that fits a standard tow bar / ball

That is a good idea ID, I saw a camp potty and BBQ grill that fits on the hitch ball.

I did not think they allowed trucks into the camp area though.
Perhaps a smaller stump would be a good choice, they look sort of medieval to me.

will post a pic tomorrow, same vice fits my anvil stand, drop in, use, take out in seconds

That will be great... you know how much we like pics.

ok, here is the towbar on a ford transit, a medium sizes van common here and a vice on a post to fit it.
most towballs here bolt on like this, some newer ones are a swan neck and a few are removable.
on this a simple socket bolts on behind the ball and with the van doors open it can be used

Looks very handy, thanks for the pics.

Hal

no probs Hal
same vice on a post fits one of my anvil stands I take to events

Ckanite wrote:Always Hal! And though we busted your balls about your dick-stake, it still seems it was a decent idea... mostly

I will never be able to live this down, just fuck one goat...

However, I took Iron Dwarfs advice: Never question the intended use, just make the tool.
This is a custom tool for a new copper smith.
It is made to his specifications.



It is to help form the bottom of a copper bowl.
A 1/2" thick slab, cut from a 3" 1018 solid round bar.
Welded to a 1" by 1" square tool shank.
Ground and polished into a plausible tool.
I hope it works for him.

Hal

Halberds wrote:

Ckanite wrote:Always Hal! And though we busted your balls about your dick-stake, it still seems it was a decent idea... mostly

I will never be able to live this down, just fuck one goat...

SirBendickTool.jpg