Hand Tool Work, different medium

[harry strasil]

Here is some of my hand forged Iron Work, I might get in trouble again. But, its hand tool work with Forge, Anvil, Hammer and punches and chisels. LOL

L. to R. Papa Dragon, Baby Dragon, Momma Dragon and Uncle Komodo.



And my step grandaughters Xmas Present, Hillary.

[Alan DuBoff]

I like that sumo guy!

I would still like to find an anvil...not sure I could ever do anything like that, but was down at the Gamble house and most all of the strapping was similar design. I grabbed a pic of it. How hard would this be to forge straps like this?

(ignore the cobwebs, but these straps are used on the interior and exterior of the Gamble House, with the wedges to tighten them. this is outside the garage, now the bookstore)

[harry strasil]

That's fairly a simple project, could even be done cold with todays iron, That's what the old timers called a CRAMP joint. Old woodworkers used to call their clamps and what we now call furniture clamps, Cramps also.

[Alan DuBoff]

If one was going to think about creating a cramp like that (and BTW, much of the old text and especially the stuff from England does call them cramps)?

Seems long, narrow wedges would be needed, and smaller ones for the tightening wedges.

Would you just start out with square strap and grind it into a wedge?

[harry strasil]

Just take a wide piece and saw it an angle and then draw file the cut edges smooth.

You missed what is the important part to me, the wood locking pieces inset into the beams.

[harry strasil]

did you notice all the beams have rounded or chamfered edges.

I like to go into churches with Cathedral ceilings and timberframe supports and just gaze up at the joinery. Modern structures with that type supports usually don't use joints other than Fish Plates and bolts.

The beams in all the old buildings were chamfered as a sharp edge catches fire quicker than a chamfered edge.

We have one church here with hammer beam const and flying buttress's.

Its Amazing the weight and span a King Post or Queen Post bent will support.

[Alan DuBoff]

Harry, no I didn't miss those plugs, they're used exclusively all over the home. Even on the sill plates, there's scarf joints that incorporate the plugs so the pieces can pull apart length wise. The plug is the key that locks the joint together, in the sense of how the straps are used. Some plugs are used for decoration, and often the joinery was added to make piece more interesting.

Everything has soft edges in the home, all of the woodwork has joinery added to decorate the pieces, as does the timbers used in most all of the home.

There's also a common theme using the Japanese Torii arched gate, even on the planter outside. Finger joints were used mostly in the Greene & Greene work, and I believe because of the softer look, opposed to the sharpness and exact fit of a dovetail.

Much of the plugs are for decoration I've recentely found out and when I was able to tour the Gamble House a couple weeks ago, the docent said there's typically brass screws under the plugs in the work the Hall Bros did (Halls built all the furniture as well as did all the woodwork in the Gamble House, inside and out).

The was some cool work someone did forging up the fireplace tools and such, which had the same cloud lift pattern which Greene & Greene are noted for (taken from China).

[Dan Forman]

Harry---Those sculptures are great! Like the diaper on the youngster.

Dan

[Frank Chaffee]

Harry,
Wonderful work.
Can you tell us how you apply patinas to your work, especially the gift for Hillary?

Frank

[harry strasil]

they are all wire brushed, then a black heat is taken about 600 to 800 degrees and they are brushed with a wire brush with brass bristles, which leaves a bit of brass behind, then they are left to cool to room temp and then sprayed with a clear coat.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

That's art Harry, quite good art at that.

[Mike Henderson]

Harry, that iron sculpture is outstanding. Your technical control is impressive but your creativity is even more so.

Great job.

Mike

[Ken Bryant]

Great to see work like this. Fits perfectly with woodworking. Makes me want to start making my own hardware (especially boat stuff).