2Burner Atmospheric Forge

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Hi Everyone
This is a 2 burner atmospheric forge I used to harden and temper the two bowl gouges I milled from M2 steel. The gouges are a bit hard to see because they are black from hardening and I leave them this way. They were hardened in the forge and tempered and are now cooling. Only thing that needs done after they cool is to lightly resharpen them again.First time I sharpened the tool I sharpened on a 46 grit stone but on the second sharpening I used a 120 grit wheel. The tool is twelve " long and fits into the handle 2" deep. The tool is from 5/8" stock and they cut extremely well and seem to keep a sharp edge for quite some time but I always resharpen pretty often. Made several of these gouges and find out that M2 steel is the best steel to use to make tools at home. Doug Thompson recommended the steel and he is right. Any comments or questions will be appreciated. Mitch

[Henk Marais]

How do you cut the groove in the steel?

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Henk
Thanks for the reply. I cut the flute in the rod using an end mill in a small milling machine. The end mill is the tool that does the cutting in a milling machine like a drill bit cuts in a drill press. I am enclosing a picture of my milling machine that I used to cut the flutes(grooves) in these two bowl gouges. The machine doesn't have an end mill cutter mounted in this picture, but has a drill bit to do some drilling in steel. You can still make one of these tools without a milling machine. I made several using an angle grinder and a few using a 1/2" wheel you can buy for $8.The wheel has a 11/4" arbor in it so you need to make an insert to let it mount on your grinder. I used a hard piece of maple for mine. Just take your time grinding the flute. All you need is a couple inches long flute and harden it. It will cut as good as most tools you buy. Good luck. Mitch

[Bob Haverstock]

Mitch,

Thanks for posting the metal work, I was wondering if you were having success. It looks like your are.

I make many of my wood turning tools. I try to keep 2 or 3 handles finished and waiting. This way when I make another iron there is a handle ready for it.

If you aren't carefull, you will go crosseyed. You will see a fresh cut tree on one side of the road and a pile of jack hammer bits on the other. The closer you get, the more your eyes will cross. With luck, you can recupe in about 5 miles. I suffer from this frequently.

Bob Haverstock

[Tom Lewis]

Very interesting thread. I also like to make my own tools. I am curious as to the heat treating process you used to harden and temper the M2 steel.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Bob H
Thanks for the reply Bob. I appreciate your input. I haven't had much luck with getting replyies to my homemade tool threads on other forums lately. Got to the point I stopped for a while. I also used to have a handle made and ready for my next made tool but I would have the wrong length handle for the tool made so, now I just have the 2"x2" blank cut and ready to turn and making a handle only takes a few minutes after starting. Got a good laugh about your going cross eyed remark. I have been there too. Thanks again Bob. Keep in touch if possible. Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Tom Lewis
Thank you Tom for your reply. Glad to see your interested in making your own turning tools also. Could you possibly post a picture or 2 on some tool you made. all of us would enjoy seeing what you made and at least a few turners would be happy to know how you went about making the tools. We are all amateurs at this and could help each other.As to your question how I hardened and tempered my tools made from M2 steel.This is what I do. I mill the tool on my milling machine( you can make these tools without a milling machine),then I grind the tool using the Wolverine jig to the grind I want. Next I fire up my 2 burner atmospheric forge that is fired with propane. This forge quickly reaches welding heat(2300 degrees) You only have to reach 1475 degrees to harden turning tools. You heat the tool till when you touch the tool with a magnet it is no longer attracted to the magnet, then immediately quench it in a bucket of motor oil. I do it a bit different with this forge. The forge heats the entire tool to over 1475 degrees very quickly so I let it get hot as it wants then take it out of the forge and hold it untill it cools down a bit and is attracted to the magnet again and then put back in the forge for a few seconds to go over 1475 again then quench. This works great and I don't over harden After it cools I steel wool lightly so the tool is a bit silver again then put back in the forge till the color of the steel is a straw color. Take it out of the forge and let it air cool and the tool shouldn't be too hard. I then lightly resharpen the tool and turn a new handle with this tool, for this tool. This M2 steel is very nice to work with and it stays sharp very well. I am very pleased with all the tools I made, they cut real well. Hope this helps and if I can help you with anything just let me know. Mitch

[Bob Haverstock]

Mitch,

We are an obscure breed, we tend to be both cheap and stubborn. We know that we could painlessly buy about any gouge or scraper that takes our fancy. But we don't do it that way, we make our own tools.

I know that just about all of my hand made tools are in some way inferior to the best commercial ones. I still take pride in my work, I sign and date the tools that I make. Normally it is an immediate need that motivates me to make a new tool. I know that style of handle feels best in stubby hands. I like to use my hand made tools to turn fire wood into fire wood.

I think there is room for us here at Sawmill Creek, we turn wood don't we?Don't we all gloat over free wood? I think that since we turn wood, we can get away with making some tools and posting some pictures.

When I'm gone, my nephews will get in a bidding war at my auction. They will fuss over some of my tools and plunder. That is a good thing, to be remembered for something small that you made.

So keep up the work, have fun, and do your own thing.

Bob

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Bob Haverstock
Thanks again Bob. That was a kind of inspiring reply. I've seen a few things you made and I wouldn't say they were inferior to store bought tools in any way. I think you should compare the quality of a tool by the quality of the turnings that tool turns out and am not too modest to say I say mine will match up to most in that regard. I think these M2 steel blades do as good a job as anything on the market except in the fact you might have to sharpen a little more often. Then it isn't a superior tool you buy but a superior steel. Nice hearing from you again Bob, keep in touch. (wink) Mitch

[Jeff Nicol]

Mitch,

You have went farther than I have on the gouges, I have the steel but have not done the milling and and heat treating. My Dad has the mill and he just moved and the machines are not set up yet so I have to wait to do the milling. I will build the forge to heat the steel and then see what happens! I have made lots of tools and other things too! I had to build a new bigger welding table today, as I was out of room building steady rests! I had some old cat walf material that is like small ladders and used that as the top, it gives me lots of places to clamp to and is light but strong. My next tool is a large skew, just to say I did it. Thanks for the post and keep showing us your projects.

Jeff

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Jeff N
Thanks for the reply Jeff. Let us all know how your gouges come out when you get to mill one. I will be anxious to see how your forge comes out when you finish making one. There are so many nice ones out there that you can make at a reasonable price. Keep in touch. How about a picture of your welding table? That would be interesting to see. I made a couple small skews from round 1/4" round stock, M2 steel. I was very pleased how they cut, now I will also make a large skew, but later. My next tool is going to be a C1O finishing tool soon as the carbide cutters are available. Nothing to making one of these. I made a CiL easy rougher and it is a great tool. Keep in touch Jeff. Mitch

[Bernie Weishapl]

Good looking tools and forge Mitch. Well done.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Bernie
Thanks Bern, I appreciate your reply. I know your a big advocate of a good bowl gouge and know the quality of work you put out on your lathes, I wish you could use one of the 5/8' bowl gouges I made fairly recently, I am so proud of the way they cut I would like an opinion of a quality turner. Love making these tools. Mitch

[Jeff Nicol]

Jeff N
Thanks for the reply Jeff. Let us all know how your gouges come out when you get to mill one. I will be anxious to see how your forge comes out when you finish making one. There are so many nice ones out there that you can make at a reasonable price. Keep in touch. How about a picture of your welding table? That would be interesting to see. I made a couple small skews from round 1/4" round stock, M2 steel. I was very pleased how they cut, now I will also make a large skew, but later. My next tool is going to be a C1O finishing tool soon as the carbide cutters are available. Nothing to making one of these. I made a CiL easy rougher and it is a great tool. Keep in touch Jeff. Mitch
Mitch, I will clean off the welding table and take a picture. It needs a couple more braces and one more piece of catwalk deck for the shelf and it will be set! May be some adjustable feet too!

Jeff

[Burt Alcantara]

Timely post for me. I've begun the process of making my own tools, thanks to David Ellsworth's new book. I don't have machining tools but do have access to a machinist just a few minutes from the house.

What I'm trying to do is make carbide cutters for hollowing. The hard part is finding the cutters. Most of the affordable available cutters are in the 14mm range but I'm trying to find something round in the 5-8 mm range.

I don't mean to hijack this thread is just exciting to see this much interest in tool making.

Burt

[Jeff Nicol]

Mitch, Here is the welding table so far, I need to finish a couple of things and put a vise on it. It is 32x48 as space is a premium in my shops! I will be moving it to another little shed that will become the welding house. I don't like all the dust in the wood shop, I keep the fire extinguisher handy and sweep and clean all the shavings in the shop before I weld. So far no smoke! (Knock on Wood) I used all the stuff that I had collected over the years to make it, the LOML says I am a pack rat, I say I am a millionaire in waiting!

Jeff

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Jeff
Sounds good, I will be waiting to see your work. Mitch

[John Fricke]

Sorry, I don't know the proper terminology for the questions I am about to ask.
Can the M2 steel be heated in the forge and pounded flat to make scrapers or skews like the blacksmiths used to do?

Or do you get blanks that are already more or less in the proper shape?

Where do you get your M2 blanks?

Did you build your forge? If So where did you get plans?

[phil harold]

hmmm

this has piqued my curiosity...

I have a mill

so where do you get m2 steel
and how can you build a forge quick and dirty?

[Tom Lewis]

Here are three tools I made of O1 tool steel. O1 steel is relatively easy to heat treat and is readily avaliable.
The first tool is made of 1/2 inch O1 drill rod. The second is a spear point, the third is a negative rake scraper. I use all three of these tools a lot.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

John Fricke
No problem John your not knowing the terminology that is what we do here for one another. We help each other much as possible. Anyways thank you for replying. Now to answer your questions.Yes you can heat M2 steel in my forge and beat it into different shapes you want. This forge was made to make knives and it quickly heats up to 2300 degrees( welding heat). Some forges can't do this so you might find out before buying or making a forge. John you don't actually buy blanks of M2 steel, You buy round rods that are 36" long in your preferred diameter. You can buy flat stock also. I buy the M2 from Crucible Steel in Meadville Pa, not far from my house. Make a Crucible search to find one closest to your home. Also a good company to deal with is Enco. Search for their address. Depending how much money you can spend there are many different kinds of forges you can get. Zoeller forge is run by a guy who sells everything you need to make any of the many different models he has. Go to his page and look under Mini forges if you don't have a lot of money to spend. This sounds silly but you can make a great little forge using a large coffee can. Hard to believe? Go check it out. The Mapp gas and the torch with a hose is made by Bernz O Matic and is available at Home Depot. You can make one of these in no time flat. I got mine from a guy in North Carolina, but Zoeller can give you almost the same thing, but these aren't cheap. Write to Zoeller, he is a nice guy to talk to. Let me know if you get a forge. Good Luck. Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Burt
Welcome to the tool making club, we all get excited about making our own tools. Burt, I am not sure I understand what you say you want to do. You want to make carbide cutters you say? Not sure you can do that but why make the cutter when they are so cheap? I just made a Hunter finishing tool and the carbide cutter cost $20 . I also made a C1L easy rougher gouge and bought the carbide cutter for $13. These kind of tools are easy to make and work good as the ones you buy, for way less money. Craig Jackson sells the carbide cutters for the C1L roughing gouge. Hope this helps you and if you have more questions fire away and don't mind about hijacking my thread, we can hold our own. Mitch

[Jeff Nicol]

hmmm

this has piqued my curiosity...

I have a mill

so where do you get m2 steel
and how can you build a forge quick and dirty?
Phil, Here is one place to get M-2 Steel: http://amtektool.thomasnet.com/category/steel-gage-stock?

Jeff

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Phil Harold I buy M2 steel from Crucible steel Search for them to find one closest to your home. Also buy at Enco. For easy forges search out Zoeller forge and start looking under mini forges first, then let your wallet decide on the other ones he has. Thanks for the reply Phil and good luck. Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Jeff Nicol
Great looking table Jeff Sure looks like it will give you a lot of use in the future . Thanks for posting it and here is hoping you might of inspired someone on this thread to make one something like yours. Great job buddy. Mitch

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Tom Lewis
Thanks for posting your home made tools, They look teriffic. Looks like you did an excellent job on all three tools. I just recently made a negative rake scraper myself. I never used O1 steel but read a lot about it. I hope the guys on this thread post some replies and tell you what they think of your tools. If you made more tools please post again and thanks. Mitch