Joshua States 2,514 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Aces Gary. All aces on this one. 1 “So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.” The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Josh http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg J.States Bladesmith | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71 https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Mulkey 1,445 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 3 hours ago, Dave Stephens said: Man oh man . . . that jigsaw puzzle is going to be a challenge to weld. Looks like it would want to fall apart in every direction of the compass. Definitely a "look what I can do" weld! Love it. Extremely interesting ideas, Gary. Really looking forward to seeing the end result. Thanks for sharing so generously. Dave I've not tried a weld like this before but I'm thinking that a lot of the success or failure on this one will depend a lot on how tightly I can fit all the pieces before fitting them into the can. For many types of welds I can forge any gaps together before welding the pieces but on this one I would be a little leary of doing that so I'm going to take the time to fit everything tightly to start with. It will require a little more set-up time but should be worth it in the end. Also, I think that making the can (or canoe) tight enough to hold all the pieces together tightly will be essential to getting good welds. We'll see. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Stephens 489 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 I think you're spot on, Gary. Cold fit is going to be the key. Have you considered just running a MIG bead down every seam instead of a can/canoe? It would mean a lot of grinding after the initial weld, but it would hold things in place until you set it, and you could do it without flux. Just a thought. Luck! Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Mulkey 1,445 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Dave Stephens said: I think you're spot on, Gary. Cold fit is going to be the key. Have you considered just running a MIG bead down every seam instead of a can/canoe? It would mean a lot of grinding after the initial weld, but it would hold things in place until you set it, and you could do it without flux. Just a thought. Luck! Dave I debated on doing a MIG on each joint but decided not to as even with minimum welding penetration it would waste a lot of material as well as requiring a lot of grinding. I got all of the corners ground to a good 90 degrees this morning as well as to make all of the squares exactly square. After a bit of a break, I'll start making the canoe later this afternoon. I plan on super gluing all of the components together, placing them in a partial canoe with just two sides. I'll then MIG the last two sides (and the cap) on the canoe tight up against the billet to insure a tight fit. Hopefully that will hold everything in place until it's all welded solid. I'll probably set the welds by hand with light blows first before going to the press just to be safe. Edited August 22, 2018 by Gary Mulkey 2 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Dougherty 1,401 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Can you superglue the pieces without contaminating the weld? That would certainly be a handy trick! -Brian Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Davenport 5 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 3 hours ago, Brian Dougherty said: Can you superglue the pieces without contaminating the weld? That would certainly be a handy trick! I don't know. He lost me somewhere on the first page.... Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Mulkey 1,445 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 4 hours ago, Brian Dougherty said: Can you superglue the pieces without contaminating the weld? That would certainly be a handy trick! Super glue burns off long before you get to welding temp and doesn't contaminate the weld. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Mulkey 1,445 Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 Well, I got this billet welded today. I decided to put a spot weld with my MIG on the confluence of the pieces just for insurance. I didn't have any white out to coat the canoe with so I tried some aluminum foil. this was the first time that I have tried this and it was a mistake. The canoe welded to the billet anyway and I had to grind it off. I guess that it would have been quicker to drive to the store for the white-out. There are a couple of unwelded edges here but those will grind off. For the most part I'm very pleased with the way this welded. The white lines on some of the welds will disappear when I soak this above critical as they are indications of carbon loss. Once I soak this billet above critical there will be enough carbon migration to make those lines disappear. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to post Share on other sites
Clifford Brewer 384 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 WOW !!! The pattern is already awesome the finished blade will be also.................. 1 If ya can't be good don't git caught !! People who say stuff can't be done need to git the hell outta the way of people who do stuff !!! Show me a man who is called an expert by his peers And I will show you a good man to listen to ...... Show me a man who calls himself an expert and I will show you an egotistical asshole...............!! Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Stephens 489 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Boom! Nicely done, sir. That's some ninja welding. Dave 1 -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Stephens 489 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Gary -- A trick I've heard if you don't have white out is coat the inside of the can with the soot from a too rich oxy-acetylene flame. Apparently that will keep the can from sticking to the billet. I've never tried that, but heard it works. Thought I'd pass it along. 1 -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Davenport 5 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) This is pure magic. It's easy to understand why pattern welded blades were so revered in ancient times. Edited August 23, 2018 by Scott Davenport 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 2,514 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Dave Stephens said: Gary -- A trick I've heard if you don't have white out is coat the inside of the can with the soot from a too rich oxy-acetylene flame. Apparently that will keep the can from sticking to the billet. I've never tried that, but heard it works. Thought I'd pass it along. Another one is to use heat treating foil and just oxidize the inside with any torch. I use a propane or MAPP gas torch and wrap my mokume billets in HT foil before I stack them in press plates. Ray Rybar taught me that. Outstanding Gary. What a great pattern. I especially like the way you alternated the W's in the center Edited August 23, 2018 by Joshua States 1 “So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.” The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Josh http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg J.States Bladesmith | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71 https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Dougherty 1,401 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Most impressive, and inspiring Gary! 1 -Brian Link to post Share on other sites
Charles dP 591 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Wow Gary. Mind blown again. Thanks. 1 "The way we win matters" (Ender Wiggins) Orson Scott Card Nos, qui libertate donati sumus, nes cimus quid constet. Link to post Share on other sites
Bruno 103 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Thanks for this Gary. Truly Inspired. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Mulkey 1,445 Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 Here's the entire blade after a rough grind & quick etch: Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to post Share on other sites
Ross Vosloo 174 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 a think of exquisite beauty. thats what i think of when i think high end custom bowie. a tech question. when you did the final weld, you mentioned a canoe and white out. is this a form of canister damscus? whats the theory and how does it work, if you dont mind me asking. im looking for any avenue that may help me finally do a successful damascus billet in my coal forge with just a hammer, so any help from any angle from a pro such as yourself might be the key im looking for Ross Vosloo Mhara Knives made in Zimbabwe https://www.mharaknives.com Link to post Share on other sites
Gary Mulkey 1,445 Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 1 hour ago, Ross Vosloo said: a think of exquisite beauty. thats what i think of when i think high end custom bowie. a tech question. when you did the final weld, you mentioned a canoe and white out. is this a form of canister damscus? whats the theory and how does it work, if you dont mind me asking. im looking for any avenue that may help me finally do a successful damascus billet in my coal forge with just a hammer, so any help from any angle from a pro such as yourself might be the key im looking for Ross, A canoe is simply a can that loads from the side rather than from the end. The white out is to keep the steel can from welding to the billet. The can helped in two ways. One it held all of the small irregular shaped pieces in place and two it eliminated any oxygen from getting to the welds. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to post Share on other sites
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