A 16? I'm building my stuff for a #10 right now. 1 inch pipe sounds big enough and 1/4" is plenty in my opinion. Quarter inch stuff is some meaty metal. That's what I use.
I made the tongs for my #12 out of junk I had handy. So the upright parts of the jaws are just 1/8" thick, which to me never seemed rigid enough. So before I ever used the tongs with a hot crucible, I welded on a thicker rib (a tine from an old garden tool) before I ever used the tongs with a hot crucible, on each side to stiffen them. With this addition I have never felt like it flexed at all when I've used it to move around 3/4 full crucibles of molten bronze. It ain't pretty, but I feel safe using it. Jeff
Yes guys, the part that is in touch with the "hot stuff" will be a lot thicker than 2mm (3/16" - 1/4"). The rest is 2mm to keep the weight down, and folding/welding of the structure will help strengthen it.
Always loved those movies OCD, I'm taking that as compliment. Believe it or not, even with the pigeon $#!7 welds, that old junk looks better this way than it did as piles of old bent up rakes and rusting bedframe angle iron taking up space in my sheds. (at least to me it does! ) But the point was not to show off my beautiful tongs ( ) so much as I just wanted to illustrate the point, for whatever it's worth, that if the steel in question doesn't seem quite strong enough, it may be possible to add some small ribs to stiffen it, without having to use up/buy a lot of extra/thicker steel. Jeff
How did you form the part that comes in contact with the crucible so that it fits the curve? I've always had trouble with that on my smaller tongs and worry about getting the correct curvature for the larger crucible.
Zap, Zap, Zap, You really need to stop hanging out in the back of the class with that Pregnant chick, the Stoner & ...................... Get a piece of scrap pipe, clamp down one end with vise grips, heat, bend, clamp, heat, bend, clamp, heat, bend, clamp ............ And if the working piece of steel is really thick refer back to my furnace dolly build. And Jeff, it was a compliment. I like the HD rugged stuck.
I've tried something similar before but it doesn't produce a nice curve that hugs the crucible properly. Usually makes a curve that contacts the crucible in 2 or 3 places putting pressure only at those spots. Not a problem for small crucibles but 51 lbs is a lot of pressure to rest in only a few spots. I'll try again though maybe if I am more careful. Or maybe I can find a local yokal with a bending machine to give me nice curves. The back of the class ain't so bad. Plus, the pregnant chick is nice and the stoner is gonna be a papa soon.
I use 1/4" stuff and heat in the forge. Then work it on the anvil. Zap heat your stuff up in your furnace and bend to suit. Yes thats the same microwave blower doing double duty on the forge too. I have a new blower for the furnace, just waiting on the speed switch from china. You'd think I could make a better plenum instead of using half ass metal tape.
You probably were asking Negativ3 about his shiny beautiful B. Oltrogge tongs from the OP and not my fugly tetanus risks above, but I will answer anyhow. I (should have but) didn't bother heating up the rake head halves, I just put them in the vise and yanked on them with locking pliers to bend them a little at a time, then tried test fitting them against the side of the crucible at the desired height (defined as the height where the already curved rake teeth already matched the crucible's up-down curvature fairly well). Sometimes a little hammering (NOT against the crucible) was needed to make the pieces be the same kind of "round" as my #12 SiC. Lather, rinse, repeat until the fit was nice and snug. Just a matter of patience, really. I did this before attaching them to the 1/8" side pieces shown above. Also, David, I could not find a pic of the tongs like mine that you Saw in... Saw. But when I was searching, I did find this, which is somehow even less relevant to this thread than the Mad Max or Saw movies: Jeff
quick question... I'm building a set of tongs for a #10 right now..... So far it fits the crucible like a glove. But is this enough gripping points? i dont know why, but I wonder if it should have 3 on each side... yes they are 1/4". Thanks.
I would trust that. But is your pouring shank is gonna get in the way when you want to put it down? Jeff
I've noticed a lot of the larger lifting tongs seem to have a build in stop that prevents you crushing the crucible when the two sides close. Haven't seen a good picture of how they made this mechanism, so I'll have to have a good think and see what I can come up with. Nice tongs btw. I'll give them a go as you say Tobho. I also bought 3/8" thick plate to make it out of so it doesn't screw me during a lift.
patience kids. I'm actually no shit welding the stop on it now. I'l post a photo shortly of how that works..
The stopping bolt is nothing more than a "L" welded to one of the handles and a nut welded to the other handle in the same location. Of course a bolt, lock washer and a spare nut is needed to lock it down where you need it. Adjust as necessary.
here is the stop on my 6. don' ask what happened on the new pair I'm building.. it's going to require a drive to the depot.. it would be better if the bolt was flipped around and the pole made contact with the head.. too late for this one. I weld my center pivot nut in place. Might as well pick up new hardware for this one too. lol ut i
Only problem I see with the placement of the stop on your design is it can’t be adjusted if necessary once stuck into the furnace when clamped around a white hot crucible if needed. Crucibles grow when hot, not that I’m telling you anything new.
it verrrkkksss.. it's a set and forget it. The stop is so you don't squash the soft crucible of metal The pouring tool can have that issue I agree
