First, some physics. Forging as a process as a whole is the processing of metals by heating them. Hammers, anvils, furnaces, mighty blacksmiths in leather aprons - it's all about hot forging and classic blacksmithing. There are professionals, expensive equipment, separate rooms- Not a cheap job. We are talking about a completely different process - cold forging.

If you look, this technology is not forging. It would be more correct to call it the bending of metal rods, sometimes it is called "flexible". But, since the term “artistic cold forging” has already become established in numerous ranks of metal craftsmen, we will use generally accepted terms.

All artistic forging consists of continuous bends, waves, curls - they are all of different sizes, in various combinations. Do not bend metal with your hands, even if it is the softest. Therefore, the only main method of cold forging is metal processing by a machine tool. For everybody metal element there is a tool.

Examples of artistic forging.

The first step is to get them, but first, deal with the types of cold forging machines. The complexity of such equipment is low, the cost - too.

If you are going to do blacksmithing for yourself, a few hand-operated devices will be quite enough for you. The pace of work on manual equipment slow, but much lower manufacturing and use costs. Electric drives will be needed only in cases of commercial forging to order, then the game will be worth the candle.

Special machines for cold forging - a whole bunch of options, they are manual or with electric motors, homemade or purchased. To embody all conceivable and inconceivable artistic ideas in metal, 5-7 types will be enough. At least half of them can be made independently.

The main thing is to remember that cold forging of metal is on the shoulder for anyone who has the desire and perseverance. Before deciding to start cold forging, you need to understand some of the nuances of this technology and types of special equipment.

Machine classification

Types of machines for cold forging.

Cold forging machines are divided into four main types:

• Twisters or snails twist spirals with a flat surface and narrow cores, most often these machines are used for manual cold forging.
• Torsion types of devices designed for the manufacture of twisted volumetric spirals.
• Bending types– for spirals with wide cores.
• Inertial stamping- for decorative collars and processing of the ends of all elements.

Before a detailed description of each type, let's go through the cold forging technologies, there are only three of them:

• Hood: this is rolling and lengthening metal billet, the process is similar to rolling out dough with a rolling pin. In forging, pressing rollers work in this way. This technology is used to prepare paws, collars, peaks.
• Torsion: twists the part along the axis, see below for details.
• bending: bends of metal according to patterns in different directions.

Twisters or snails?

Description of forging machines.

Both of them are one and the same. The most popular cold forging machine among the general blacksmith community. In fact: at first glance, the machine seems too primitive.

But in it simplicity is combined in half with genius:

• it is easy to make it yourself;
• it is cheap;
• it is extremely easy to use;
• with it, you can make entire arrays of beautiful metal lace.

According to the principle of operation, twisters are a kind of bending machines, see below about them, with some improvements, beginners can easily work on them. In a word, a snail or a twister is an amazing machine according to all possible criteria: ease of manufacture, wide artistic possibilities, cheapness and ease of use, there are simply no others like it.

Twisters are found in two engineering versions:

This snail has weaknesses, where without it. It's all about the folding plowshare: the right material from which it needs to be made is also important, as well as the complexity of manufacturing the joints of the plowshare links. These joints must be extremely precise - they form the curl. The design and material of the joints must take into account repeated repetitions of turns with a serious workload. Second and last weakness- eccentric workpiece clamp.

Taking into account the frequency of use of the snail and its weaknesses The smartest thing to do would be to buy it instead of making it yourself. If we are talking about a debut in cold forging, and the choice of a machine is made for an absolute beginner, then the second engineering version of the snail will be the best option.

• Champion in popularity and positive moments in the work! Lever volute with fixed template and bypass roller. At its core, it is a pipe bender. It should be noted right away that this option is inferior in terms of labor productivity to a twister with a collar and a plowshare. Secondly, no countertop is suitable for it, here you will need a real steel frame with fasteners on the supporting surface. You can’t put a frame at home: you can only work on a lever snail in a workshop.

Machine for giving a relief surface.

Another feature of the lever snail is the slow pace of work. You can curl 3 - 4 curls, a little less than with a collar snail. However, the advantages of a lever snail outweigh all its disadvantages:

• All elements of the machine can be made of ordinary steel.
• Instead of a pressure roller, which is not made of ordinary steel, a bearing can be used.
• The material of the bed and other parts allows you to count on a long use of the machine.
• A greater variety of curls - you can change their shape with bends in both directions (in the first version of the snail, this is not possible).
• It is more convenient to work with the ends of parts that can be attached.

On a lever twister, you can work with strips of metal laid flat. This is considered a great advantage of the machine, since it is impossible to work with flat strips on other devices.

In this championship subsection, you can make a small championship summary in the form of advice to beginners: in debut artworks in cold forging, it is better to start with a lever twister - a snail with a fixed template and a bypass roller.

Torsion from the word torso , torsion machines

Curl technology.

Twisting along the torso, and that says a lot. Torsion machine for cold forging is designed for helical longitudinal twisting of rods. If you figure it out, then you can twist them without a machine: just clamp one end in a vice, substitute a block of wood under the other end, twist the rod in the guide tube. Everything is simple, but today we are talking about artistic forging, so the quality of twisting, taking into account the smallest nuances, is the number one requirement. Therefore, it is better to twist the rods, even along, even across, with the help of machines.

Unlike twisters, torsion equipment can be made independently, the vast majority of torsion bars among the people are homemade. These machines also need a strong frame with the same strong fastenings on the supporting surface. The rods in the correct torsion bars are held in square-section cartridges, which are fixed with clamps.

Everything would be elementary if among the masters of cold forging were not considered special chic artistic figures such as a basket, a flashlight or a cone - figured thickenings from several twisted rods. All of them are called mysteriously - filaments. To make them, you need to insert a smaller bundle of rods into the torsion bar, most often 4-5 pieces.

You will have to tinker with cones and lanterns - the branches from the rods need to be spread out in breadth manually, which is very difficult and requires a decent skill. For high-quality filaments, the pride of blacksmiths, special headstocks with screw-feed spindles are attached to the torsion bars. Troublesome elements, but for the embodiment of artistic ideas and the aesthetics of metals - nowhere without filaments.

Bending dies.

Attention! Torsion bars are the only forging equipment for cold forging, in which electric drive justified and appropriate for any amount of work. This is true, it is painfully tedious and tedious work with a manual spindle drive. But it is not main reason. By hand it is impossible to achieve a uniform twist, for this you need a very uniform rotation.

Inertial stamping machines

This type of equipment is reminiscent of presses or pressure rollers, which are sometimes neglected by young craftsmen. But in vain: without shaped collars for connecting parts and decorated tips of rods, the work will never have an aesthetic appearance. These presses work like a flywheel in which the striker hits the die. Decorative details are small, the accuracy of their manufacture must be very high, so you don’t even need to try to make this type of machine with your own hands.

Everything would be fine, but only inertial stamping presses are an expensive pleasure. But here you can find a solution, let's call it "integrated blacksmith solution". All kinds of tips are very easy to make by hot forging. To do this, it is not necessary to be an experienced master. Either visit a hot forging workshop, or get yourself an elegant blacksmith's forge - you can easily and inexpensively make it from improvised materials. For such petty work its own separate forge is not needed, there is nothing to do - to heat up the metal.

Bends or bends

In practice, bending machines are often called "bends". But among forgers, the gnutik is the most popular cold forging machine that makes metal waves and zigzags. This equipment is desktop and quite simple in its design. But it is better to buy it than to do it yourself. The fact is that this type of forging requires a very high precision in the processing of parts. There is a bend for cold forging quite inexpensively, especially for pipes less than 12 - 16 mm.

Another thing is bending, which is much simpler than bending: this is the bend of the rod at the right angle. Folds are made using templates. First, a drawing is drawn for the template, then a curl is welded onto the steel plate. Forging is to drag the product through all the bends of the curl.

It is still possible to make manual machines for cold forging in the form of bends with your own hands. The only part of such a machine that you will need to buy is the rollers. They need to be made only from special steel: either tool or chromium-nickel. The equipment for cold forging itself can be made of brackets and arcs with limiters that will define the contour of the wave. Waves can then turn out to be the most diverse, which is required.

Do-it-yourself machine

Machine for bending rods.

A home-made tool for cold forging is a very real thing, but its manufacture will take a lot of time and effort. Therefore, the decision must be balanced, and the preparation, including the drawings, must be serious and complete. by the most suitable place can become a garage shed, or hozblok. The design of the machine depends on only one factor: what are you going to do, what products to produce?

Do not forget that many forging elements can be performed without special devices. For example, using a conventional pipe bender, which is quite suitable as a variant of a simplified cold forging machine - you can do a lot of things with it.

You also need to understand that a universal cold forging machine that would make at least three different elements does not exist in nature. Most often, a snail is made with their own hands: it is popular, allows you to make a variety of curls and, in the end, is easy to perform. The second most commonly used at home is a homemade bending machine.

It is just as simple and inexpensive to perform. The query "how to make cold forging machines" will get you a huge number of links to videos with "experienced" tips. Most of them are to the point and from the heart, they will be very helpful in making final decisions.

Connecting parts and painting

Now all the curls need to be collected into a single canvas. The work is not easy, but very rewarding: it is at this stage that the main artistic idea begins to be realized. And meanwhile, at this stage it is possible to spoil everything easily. It's easy to do: start connecting the parts by welding, and then go through the grinder for cleaning.

But we have already talked about the professional ambition of cold forging masters, which can only be welcomed. Special clamps will look much more effective U-shaped, which are stamped on inertial machines. Do not be lazy, but work hard with the clamps - this is the key to the successful completion of the forging of the product.

Torsion of metal on the machine.

Now about painting. Thank God, now there is something to paint: thanks to modern building technologies, on sale great amount colors for every taste, wallet and, most importantly, purpose. Paints for metals - countless. Most often, special acrylic paints for metal or blacksmith's enamels are used.

Very often, for completely unknown reasons, master blacksmiths prefer a finish coat of paint with blacksmith's patina pigment - "antique", while showing amazing unanimity in taste. If you are a forging customer, then you need to stop the master in time to offer him your own version of the color and texture of the coating. But seriously, who said that forging should be dark and antique? What about white? Colored? That's where the vast space for the most daring artistic decisions.

Resume like clockwork

Types of stamps and finished curls.

A good story is always easy to finish - the conclusions fall on their own, within the framework of logic and priorities.

In our review of cold forging technology, the harmony of conclusions is obvious:

• cold forging- a wonderful technology that allows you to combine what is impossible to combine in other processes:
• practical use in the economy;
• the possibility of artistic creativity;
• invention and application of own engineering findings;
• simplicity and reality of implementation for beginners;
• increasing self-esteem as a craftsman and as a tenant of a house with elements of artistic forging.
• Devices for cold forging can be independently and efficiently, it is better to start with snail and bending machines.
• It is more expedient to do manual equipment with a manual drive. Electric option use - too resourceful. The only type of machine that is best done immediately with an electric drive is torsion bar. The quality of the twisting of the rods will be much higher in this case.
• In the manufacture of forged products in a cold way, "help" from hot forging will not hurt. It is impossible to make a machine for tips and other small decorative elements on your own, and a purchased one costs a lot of money. Our advice is to make a decorative trifle by hot forging. A small and neat forge in the household will not hurt. Yes, and it will contribute to professional growth: start with cold forging, come to real blacksmithing ...
• You should not become isolated in the stereotypical painting of antique forged products. Modern paints and ubiquitous eclecticism in design make possible the most unexpected color and texture solutions in metal work.

People have long noticed that metal heated in a forge can be given almost any shape. Forged Products look great in any interior. They can be a decorative element of both wooden and stone cottages.

Among the owners of private houses, there is hardly a person who would not like to have a wrought iron fence, railing or stairs. But, despite the many advantages, products obtained by hot forging - a process in which the metal under the action high temperature becomes plastic due to high price not available to everyone. There is an alternative - cold forging metal. Its main advantage is not only low price, but also the availability of technology for independent repetition.

Cold forging of metal is a process in which the metal is not heated, and the shape of the product is given by bending, pressing, and welding from several blanks.

Some experts consider the name "cold forging" not entirely correct. In their opinion, only the process of plastic deformation of hot metal can be called forging. But the name of this metalworking method stuck. Moreover, users believe that in some cases, cold forging of metal can be a worthy replacement for hot forging. Is it really so we will tell in today's material.

Features of cold forging

There is a popular belief that products obtained by bending come out monotonous, more like factory stamping put on stream. However, practice shows that with the right approach, using cold forging, you can create real author's works.

Most often, the method of cold forging metal is done:

• bars on windows;
• elements of canopies, railings and canopies for entrance group;
• decorative elements for fences gates and gates;
• curly legs for tables and chairs;
• decor elements: flower stands, fireplace grates, framing of paintings, mirrors, etc.

For artistic - hot forging of metal, products obtained by cold deformation on special equipment are issued, later welded into one piece: elements of a fence, fence or gate. Moreover, an uninitiated person will not immediately understand how this product was made by forging.

Goblin 2 FORUMHOUSE user

In my opinion, forged elements made by cold deformation (bending) look no worse than the same elements made by hand - hot forging. And they cost less.

Kholmoff FORUMHOUSE user

Cold forging of metal allows, with the help of a fairly simple set of equipment, to create typical elements - torsion bars, rolled peaks, volutes, elements of spatial bending. And then, by combining this set, (from about 10-15 types of typical elements) create complex patterned products. Anyone who owns a metalwork tool can master the process of bending, there would be a desire.

Ordinary geometric shapes, combined with curls and waves, can look very beautiful in metal, because. any most complex pattern consists of many simple elements.

A significant advantage of cold forging metal over hot forging is high productivity. It doesn't take a lot of space to work. There is no need to equip and kindle a forge, to forge, to hammer on an anvil. By changing only the equipment, you can quickly create a variety of elements, but to connect the nodes you will need to master the welding business well.

Kholmoff FORUMHOUSE user

I used to do cold forging and learned how to cook semi-automatically in two days.

To receive good result, the process of cold forging of metal should be divided into a number of successive stages:

• Idea and problem statement.
• Schematic sketch of an idea by hand on paper.
• Accurate drawing of the product, either by hand or in a graphics program.
• Breakdown of the entire product into separate simple elements.
• Drawing, or printing on a printer, life-size units of a product.

Some printers support poster printing, i.e. they print parts of a large image on A4 sheets, then all that remains is to glue them together.

• Quantity calculation required material.
• Production of individual elements.
• Grinding and assembly (welding) of individual elements into a single structure.

Despite the apparent simplicity, cold forging of metal requires a thoughtful approach and competent calculation of all the details of the future product. FORUMHOUSE experts advise - to visualize the idea, pre-make individual knots from wire real size. This will help you understand how they will fit. various elements with each other and correct mistakes in time, or find more good combination patterns and individual elements.

The main elements obtained by cold forging of metal include:

• Paws and peaks. These elements are rolled out metal rod.

• curls. Includes: volute, chervonka and snail. At the volute, or, as it is also called bagels, the ends are bent in one direction. Chervonka looks like a $ sign. The snail resembles a comma.

• Rings are made of rod, round or square section wound on a special mandrel. It turns out a kind of metal spring, which is then cut into rings.

• Torsion. One of the most common elements. Obtained by twisting one or more rods.

All of the above elements can be made by combining just three technological processes.

1. Hood. Thanks to this process, by reducing the section of the workpiece, it increases in length. In this way, paws and peaks are usually obtained, for which the metal is placed in a special rolling or crimping machine. By passing the workpiece through the rollers, and gradually reducing the distance between them, the material is rolled out. Relief notches can also be applied to the rollers, which give the surface of the workpiece a certain texture.

2. Torsion. Metal (strips or rods) twist along its axis. You can twist one, two, three, or more blanks. To do this, one end of the workpiece (or workpieces) is placed in a vise, and the other begins to rotate along the axis. If you twist several bars, and then compress them, applying a force along the axis, they will disperse in an arc. You will get a thickening of woven rods called "Flashlight" or "Basket".

3. Bending. The metal is bent special machine using templates.

To bend metal in different planes, you need the simplest equipment and simple machine equipment. There are many cold forging machines on the market. But due to the high price, their acquisition is justified only if further profit is planned. A novice craftsman who is engaged in cold forging “for himself” may well get by for metal bending.

At first, you can get by with simple conductors and mandrels inserted into ordinary metalwork vise. You can make a torsion bar by holding the end of the workpiece in a vice, then put a pipe on it, and, using a wrench, twist the workpiece along its axis.

Alexei62 FORUMHOUSE user

All tools for cold forging (except for the welding machine) can be made from improvised means.

For cold forging metal, the following tools are most often used:

• Gnutik. With its help, the workpiece is bent at a certain angle.

• Snail. With its help, the workpiece is bent in a spiral. By changing the templates, you can change the bending radius.

• Flashlight. It's like a tool for lathe. With this tool, metal blanks are intertwined with each other to obtain the element of the same name.

• Wave. The principle of operation of this tool is clear from the name. With its help, the metal is given a wavy surface. The distance between the "crests" of the waves, and their height, can be adjusted depending on the setting of the machine.

• Twister. Twists a strip or bar along the longitudinal axis.

The principle of operation of all the above machines is very simple. It is based on applying a certain force to the workpiece through levers, which leads to deformation of the metal. Bending of metal on machines is done manually. To facilitate labor, some machines are equipped with electric motors, which increases their price. Many home craftsmen prefer to make cold forging machines on their own. Also, with the advent of experience, and an increase in the complexity of products, it is necessary to equip the machines with a variety of equipment - templates, conductors, stops, limiters.

There is a lot of room for creativity here. Each master makes adaptations for his tasks. It is important to observe the principle of reasonable sufficiency. Most beautiful products can be done with a minimum of tools.

Secrets of cold forging

One of the main questions of novice craftsmen: "What metal is suitable for cold forging." According to the members of the forum, you should take the time to go around the local metal depots and get acquainted with the list that they offer. For cold forging, the most common "black" metal is used. The running size for strips is 14 and 16 mm wide, 2-4 mm thick. Bar - a square with a side up to 10 mm. Such material is easier to bend. Thicker material, a strip of 20x4 mm, etc., will have to be cut first.

Forged elements in design and architecture have been very popular for many centuries. Grilles for fireplaces and windows, fences or balusters for stairs, forged from metal, always have a refined and attractive look.

Today, even taking into account new technologies for metal processing, metal products handmade are as relevant as ever. Of course, do-it-yourself forging is not an easy task, and without some preparation it is difficult to make a really beautiful product.

But those who want to learn this ancient profession and if they are ready to work hard, need to get acquainted with the types and technologies of metal forging, know about the metals for forging, know about the process and handle the tools correctly.

What is metal forging

Metal forging is a process during which metal is processed in order to give it the necessary shape and size. There are two options for forging - hot and cold. And if you are interested in do-it-yourself forging, then you should understand these types of technologies, because each of them has its negative and positive sides.

Hot forging

When using hot forging, the metal blank is heated to the desired temperature, during which the metal loses its strength properties and becomes ductile. The high level of ductility is the big advantage of hot forging. This makes it possible to very quickly give the workpiece the required size and shape. In addition, hot forging opens up the possibility of using a huge number of forging methods, which helps to create many various options elements.

But heating the metal also has negative sides. Initially, this is the arrangement of a forge for the forge and the purchase of fuel for it. This can be problematic for people who wish to do their own hot forging in the city. In addition, any work with fire is a certain danger that requires compliance with safety rules. Another of the main factors of forging, which affects the choice of its type, can be called special knowledge about temperature conditions for different metals.

Cold forging

Compared to hot forging, cold forging does not require the construction of a forge in order to heat the metal. The essence of cold forging is that the metal is given the necessary shape by bending the workpiece, pressing and welding. Cold forging is much easier to perform, and a workshop does not need much space. To create a finished product, high temperatures are not needed, and this is only a plus for overall safety.

But this type of forging has its own huge drawback. Any work with metal is carried out only with prepared blanks, and there is no way to correct any mistake. Of course, this applies to all stages of this forging, but for the most part, the workpiece with an error will go to scrap metal or as a teaching aid how not to do it.

Regardless of which type of forging you choose, there are many important processes you will need to learn. First of all, this applies to the types of metals and the temperature for their forging and melting. You should also understand the technology of forging different metals. Below we will talk about them.

Metals for forging

forging equipment

Forging metal by hand is a laborious and complex process that requires the use of metals of a certain type, or more precisely, metal with certain parameters. For forging by hand, regardless of whether it is cold or hot, it is important to choose a metal with a higher ductility, since the convenience and ease of changing the workpiece itself and its shape will depend on this quality. It is worth mentioning that such metal properties as ductility and strength are interrelated. If one of them increases, the other decreases. So it is very important to understand the parameters of different metals and know about their composition.

for forging decorative type used metals such as:

• brass;
• copper;
• duralumin;
• other similar alloys.

That is, for manual forging, soft metals are used, which are easy to bend and can be given different shape. For the selection of the lightest and most malleable metal, you should look at the Steel and Alloy Grader. There is detailed description all alloys and metals, as well as their characteristics and composition.

Given the fact that the most malleable metal is copper alloys and copper itself, experts prefer ferrous metals in order to produce hot or cold forging. This preference is quite simply explained by high prices for non-ferrous metals. Since for forging metal the cost is by and large depends on the prices of blanks, and not everyone can buy fences or balusters made of copper.

If you choose ferrous metals for forging, then you should focus on steel with the lowest carbon content, about 0.25 percent. In addition, it should contain the most minimal content of such harmful additives as:

• sulfur;
• phosphorus;
• molybdenum;
• chromium.

Also, do not opt ​​for structural and tool-type steels with a high carbon content of 0.2-1.35 percent. This type of steel has low elasticity and is difficult to weld.

When choosing one or another metal, you should use the Marker. If you do not have access to it, then you can use tables from the network. The selection process is very simple, you should bring your workpiece to the grinder and look at the sparks, and then compare them with the indicators in the tables.

Today, with the help of industry, there is no need to create blanks with your own hands. Today's forges use ready-made factory blanks for cold forging.

Forging tools

Carrying out any work related to forging metal is impossible without the presence of special tools. Hot forging equipment is very diverse, it includes:

• bugle;
• hammers of different weights and many other tools.

Cold forging tools are a bit simpler and include simpler machines. It is clear that such devices as a welding machine, a grinder and a grinder are used for all types of forging. Knowing about the purpose of all tools, you can competently carry out all the work.

Tools required for hot forging

It is impossible to do without it during hot forging. It is on it that the workpiece is heated to the required temperature of 1400 degrees. We can say that the forge is a kind of stove, which is designed for high temperatures and has a blower.

Anvil

This tool is the support where forging is performed. The anvil can be of different types, the most popular among them is the two-horned anvil, which has a weight of 200 kg. Weight can fluctuate in the range of 150-350 kg.

Shperaki

During the execution of various kinds of decorative and artistic forging, shperaks are used. They may be different types, each of the masters makes them for himself. common feature any type of this device can be called that they are all inserted into the hole square shape located in an anvil or attached to a log.

Handbrake and sledgehammer

These are the basic tools of any blacksmith. A sledgehammer can weigh 4-8 kg, and is necessary in order to deliver strong blows. Depending on the type of work performed and the thickness of the workpieces, the mass of the sledgehammer is also selected. The handbrake itself can have a weight of 0.5-2 kg. It is used to give the final shape to the product.

Ticks

Horn-type pliers are the second most important tool. Without them, there is no way to hold the heated workpiece in order to process it. Several types of pliers are available for specific profiles and workpiece sizes.

Shaped hammers

During the forging of the artistic type, it is necessary to produce bent blanks or blanks having certain forms. To do this, use such hammers. Such hammers can be lower for processing, and upper. There are many variations of such hammers and each master chooses his own.

In addition to the described tool, measurement tools are also used, for example, a tape measure, a blacksmith's square, calibers and templates. The choice of equipment for this craft is very diverse, it is very difficult to list everything, so it is worth saying that each of the masters has his own set of tools that he uses in his work.

Cold forging tools

This is the standard tool for cold forging. If you look at the name, then it makes it possible to bend the workpiece at the right angle. It also helps to produce arc-shaped elements with different radii.

Snail

The name of this tool speaks for itself. With the help of a snail, it is possible to create a variety of elements in the form of a spiral. The spiral is produced according to certain patterns, which, if necessary, can be changed from one to another, with different radii.

Flashlight

This machine is designed to create decorative elements that have the same name.

Wave

Unlocks the ability to create elements in the form of a wave. While squeezing through this machine, an interesting sine-type workpiece eventually comes out.

twister

By its principle of operation, this device is similar to a flashlight, but in comparison with it, the twister only twists the workpiece along the axis.

Ring machine

Here you can not describe and by the name it becomes clear what this machine is for.

In addition to the above, there are also universal devices designed for:

• clippings;
• riveting;
• crimping;
• giving volume.

All machines can be bought or made by hand. It is clear that do-it-yourself machines will be inferior in quality to those produced at the factory, but this can be compensated for by the fact that unique elements are made on them. In order to make machines yourself, you can find drawings on the net or buy them from specialists.

Important!!!

Important! For cold forging, machines can be manual or have an electric motor. Even if they have transmission gears, cold hand forging is a very laborious and time consuming process, and in order to get forged elements, it is best to make a machine with an electric motor.

Separately, it is necessary to say about industrial production machines. These machines are expensive and cost about $6,000, but if you purchase one of these machines, you should be aware that one such machine can perform all cold forging operations.

How is forging done by hand

During forging, a variety of methods and techniques are used to give the workpiece a certain shape. In order to fulfill each of them, its own technology and tools for metal forging are used. Metal forging technologies different methods is very different. As already mentioned, for hot type forging, it is necessary to heat the blanks in order to change their shape, and during cold type forging, the blank simply bends. Based on this, the main techniques, knowing about which you can start doing metal forging with your own hands.

Cold forging with your own hands

Cold-type forging is done with one's own hand is not so difficult and does not require special efforts. All work is divided into certain stages:

• development of sketches or drawings for a future part;
• purchase of materials;
• forging process.

Drawings can be created on a PC by installing special software on it, and you can also buy finished projects or just draw your own. You can find free drawings on the net or ask specialists for them. At its core, the drawing has several purposes. First of all, it will help determine which parts should be made using cold forging. If you have a drawing in hand, you can calculate required amount and the type of blanks that you will need, for example, rods, profile type pipes and others. Also, a drawing is needed in order to assemble all the parts together.

Separately, it is worth considering some of the cold-type forging elements that the project will consist of. To date, you can find many forging elements, they are all combined into certain groups.

Paws

This element is the end of a metal rod rolled out in any form. This includes peaks. Even taking into account their pointed end, they are produced using a similar technology.

curls

This group includes such elements as a snail, volute, chervonka. Bagel or volute is a rod, the edges of which are bent in one direction. Chervonka is a rod, the edges of which are bent in different directions. Some masters call this element a "dollar" because it resembles this sign. A snail or a comma is an ordinary curl that has one bent end, and the other remains straight.

Rings

This element is easy to create: the base of the glass is wound on a rod with a round or square section, and as a result, a spring comes out, and it is potto cut into rings.

Torsion

This element is very easily recognizable, as it is twisted along its axis with a screw method. Options given element has a lot and one of them, which is the most common, is a flashlight, and a simple helical rod for gratings and fences.

Basic forging technologies

The production process of all elements is based on such standard technologies as drawing, twisting and bending.

Hood

The whole process of this technology is to increase the length of the workpiece by reducing the section. When forging a cold type, one of the drawing methods is used - this is rolling. Just using it create different peaks and paws. For the production of paws, special machines for rolling are used. The edge of the workpiece is brought inside it and then the rolling mechanism is started, as a result, the edge is flattened with or without relief. In order to make peaks, pressing machines are used. The procedure is the same, but at the end it comes out pressed and rolled with a certain shape.

bending

This technology forging is the bending of edges or other parts of workpieces at certain angles. The bending process itself is carried out on almost any machine designed for cold forging. Initially, one of the edges of the workpiece is placed inside special templates, after which it is bent to the required number of degrees. Such work is done on a machine called the Snail.

Twisting

This forging technology involves twisting blanks along their axis. During cold forging, this process can be observed on a machine called Twister, torsion bars are made on it. To do this, one of the edges of the workpiece is placed in tesks, and the second of them is rotated along the axis. We should also say about such an element as a flashlight. For it, two or more rods are used, which are initially twisted along the axis, and then compressed along the axis, as a result, the rods diverge in different directions in certain places.

Assembly of all parts in one design

The assembly of elements into a single structure is carried out using a welding machine on a special assembly table. Today, the welding machine is available to everyone and it is mandatory for a modern blacksmith. Homemade cold forging is very relevant among beginners. After all, it does not require special knowledge, skills and a huge room to work.

Cold forging video

Do-it-yourself hot-type metal forging

If we compare this type of forging with cold, then this process is much more complicated and the master will need experience with certain tools and good physical fitness. The work process is divided into certain stages:

• development of sketches or drawings;
• purchase of the necessary material;
• forging.

In essence, cold and hot forging differ in the technological process of processing metal blanks. First of all, it refers to processing.

For hot forging, blanks of any metal can be used. But for more convenient work, already prepared rods with a square or round section are used.

In addition, with hot art forging, there are no restrictions on the production of elements for finished construction. Naturally, you can stick to production standard elements, but hot forging opens up the opportunity to use the entire fantasy of the master, and this opens up truly unlimited possibilities.

Any metal products during hot forging are created using the following metal processing technologies:

• cutting;
• drawing a picture;
• relief stuffing.

Draft

The draft is used during metal forging in order to increase the cross-section of the type along the entire length of the workpiece or on a certain part of it. During forging, depending on the need, complete or partial heating of the blanks is carried out for upsetting.

Hood

This process consists in increasing the length of the blanks by reducing their cross section. This is done either by hitting with a handbrake or a sledgehammer, or by rolling metal between the shafts on a special machine. Compared to cold forging, drawing a peak will require more precise and accurate strikes.

bending

This kind of operation is carried out in order to give the workpiece a bent shape. Here it is necessary to take into account that bending thicker blanks can distort them and in order to return them to their previous forms, it will be necessary to make a draft. For the bending process, a variety of shperaks, a horn on an anvil, conductors and face hammers are used.

Twisting

This forging technique involves twisting the workpieces along their axis. As with cold forging, the workpiece is clamped in a vise and scrolled. But compared to cold forging, the workpiece is heated locally, which opens up the possibility of local twisting with ease.

Similar forging techniques such as cutting, embossing and patterning are used in art-type forging using various chisels. Along the edges of the heated blanks, depending on the project, the metal is twisted with tongs or cut with a chisel. While the workpiece is completely hot, drawings and patterns are stuffed on the surface.

During forging of hot-type metal, you should be aware of the temperature regime for heating the metal. This helps to process the metal more efficiently. Ferrous metal is forged at temperatures of 800-1250 degrees. It is clear that it is not possible to check the temperature of the workpiece with an ordinary degree, so you will have to determine the temperature by what color the workpiece has.

Hot forging video

Forging metal with your own hands is an exciting business that requires regular improvement. this primarily refers to the creation of a variety of decorative and artistic details. Those who want to start forging will need to work hard so that their products have the correct shape and a high level of quality.

Looking at houses, most often country houses, people can often see beautiful gates, interesting fences and other metal patterns. If you remember that a forge is required to create metal products, then the question arises, how did the master make this interesting decor? Cold forging with your own hands helps a lot in creating such things.

The final price of art forging products is low, because both production costs and equipment costs are low. At the same time, the quantity and quality of products remain at a high level. Therefore, a blacksmith who decides to start earning money on his own will quickly pay back the initial investment. Particularly enthusiastic homeowners themselves can arrange an analogue of the forge in their garage. Forging metal at home with a cold look is extremely simple, and some small forged parts can even be made at home.

In production, machine tools are indispensable. It will take about seven machines to deploy a fully equipped cold forge various kinds. Moreover, five of them allow handicraft production at home. But, as in any serious business, before you start creating, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules. There are still some techniques that allow you to produce the necessary parts without machines. They can be considered first.

Forging, bending and stamping

What is the difference between cold forging of metal and, for example, stamping? In stamping, the material does not spread at all or does it very weakly. For example, you should examine a beer can - it is knocked out with a single blow of the head of a stamp press.

If this is a complex product such as a teapot, then the punch will be of a sliding shape.

Naturally, at home it is very difficult to use these presses and it is difficult to make forged parts with them.

If you compare cold forging with hot forging, the differences are immediately visible. In the cold version, the source material does not need to be heated. In fact, this type of forging is riveting the workpiece with many blows using the necessary force. At the same time, the structure of the material changes: the outer part becomes harder, while the inner part contributes to increased durability and toughness of the part.

Riveting is done with a mechanical hammer. You can make it yourself, in some ways it is even easier than making some art forging machines.

Cold art technique is the bending or bending of a metal blank. The structure of the part itself is not seriously changed, and the reworked physical and mechanical parameters do not have a serious impact.

Necessary tools for artistic forging

The basis of the basics of cold forging is made up of some types of machine tools using a manual drive.

They are of the following types:

• Twisters - used to twist parts. The curls formed have a narrowed core.
• Twisting machines are called torsion machines. The workpiece is twisted into a volumetric spiral, for example, onions or baskets.
• Inertial stamping - the ends of the metal rods in them are splashed along the selected style, clamps can be made that connect the parts of the pattern. On long parts, this machine is able to squeeze out small disturbances and relief.
• Machines for bending material. There are several variations: pressure - produce zigzags and waves; lingering - squeeze out curls and rings with a thick and wide core (core); combined - can do all of the above.

Gnutik

A machine for bending parts is called by techies simply a bender. But in metalworking at the level of amateurs or private traders, all machines and devices that produce zigzags or waves are called gnutiks. Depending on the roller or wedge, the angle of the zigzag, the height and step of the wave can be changed.

People can make a metal bending machine at home, but it requires special parts that need very precise processing. Therefore, it is better to buy a bender, because its functionality is not limited to waves and zigzags - it often helps in the production of some parts for welded metal structures.

metal patterns

Curling machines - twisters

Requires special machines for each type of bend. For curling products using cold forging, a pattern was previously used - a lever-horn grip.

There are advantages: the speed is much higher than other methods and the manufacture itself is not difficult. And its disadvantages: this method involves the presence of great physical strength and is not distinguished by a high speed of labor.

Hand forging with such a machine requires a steel strip. The thrust part of this type of lever holds the workpiece in the required position, and specialists can make the bypass horn sliding and with additional fixation - the manufacturing time will increase along with the curling accuracy.

The second type of fixture for cold forging with a bend is also not difficult. This is a particularly strong board with support bolts from M8 to M24. To a much lesser extent depends on physical strength, but it is still required.

The workpiece is bent long time and according to independently created drawings or without them.

This allows you to create whatever your heart desires, for example, epic heroes for fans of Slavic fairy tales or Buddha, if a person is fond of oriental arts.

Snail

The snail for cold forging is further development twisters.
Became the most common type due to simple device and extensive possibilities. It's very easy to make your own. Differ in the high level of comfort during the work. In fact, these are the same cold forging machines, which have become somewhat more mechanized and improved. These changes made it possible to work with these machines even for beginners in blacksmithing.

Do-it-yourself metal forging using a plowshare:

• first, the snail itself rotates;
• then the part is fixed on the machine using a clamp;
• the roller is pressed against the workpiece by a spring;
• the snail rotates clockwise and is controlled by levers;
• as soon as the twisting is completed, it is necessary to remove the latch, lift the snail and pick up the final product.

The following features of a snail with a plowshare should be highlighted:

• does not need a specially equipped room - the vertical workload is negligible, and the horizontal one partially affects the support;
• because of this, complex supports are not required - a simple support made of steel profiles welded together is sufficient;
• allows single work - the gate can be turned with one hand, and with the other you need to press the workpiece to the pattern. As parts are made, they are automatically put into place;
• allows twisting spirals in a cold way up to five turns.

Drawings of cold forging machines are easy to find on the Internet, along with the necessary specifications and documentation. The plowshare itself requires high-quality material, because it experiences high loads. In addition to the necessary metal, the plowshare has problems with joints, which should have the following characteristics:

• machine parts must be accurate in order to comply with a given shape;
• working parts must become dead center, creating a stable shape, immediately after external pressure;
• as soon as the load is completed, the parts should self-wedging.
• material and design are required to create a long repetition of the production process.

Compliance with all technical standards laborious process even in industrial scale. Another place that needs special attention is the part clamp.

Beginners in practice may not be able to cope with the production of such a forging machine due to lack of experience, so it is better to use lever volutes.

With the help of such a do-it-yourself cold forging snail, it is similar in structure to. A home-made machine seriously lags behind in speed from a snail with a plowshare. Due to the fact that the load is shifted to the support, it requires special durable materials, which, in turn, are securely fixed to the surface. Therefore, the machine needs an equipped workshop or area for production.

Work does not differ in speed: when the lever is jammed, it is necessary to move the pressure roller. Allows curling up to four turns.

It has sensitive pluses for artisanal blacksmiths:

• only the roller requires special materials. The remaining elements allow the use of ordinary steel;
• it is recommended to use a roller bearing for the pressure roller;
• more than a thousand cycles of work provide almost one hundred percent efficiency in the use of parts;
• allows bending on spacers and patterns.

Tricks of the masters

The use of spacers allows you to instantly change the shape of the final design or make bends in reverse side, which the plowshare does not allow for structural reasons.

Does not require high precision in the manufacture of parts.

Fixing the workpiece is as easy as shelling pears - put it in a special recess.

Allows the use of the technique used in the industry - a small bend in the opposite direction in the core of the curl.

Possible use different techniques and bends in forging

Such cold forged products look better and are more expensive.

Additionally, it has a good and convenient advantage - the possibility of making flat bends with a thin core from a workpiece lying flat.

The lever machine allows the installation of a roller for clamping to the height of the strip thickness and the rim is wider than the railway wheel. This method requires painstaking: the lever must be moved a little, otherwise you will get a damaged inner edge. Unfortunately, this is the only method of making such curls in DIY production.

A lever machine is often created without the use of rare or expensive materials and not having exact schemes.

Masters recommend twisting rods for artistic forging without using machines at all. To prevent the part from bending at the end clamped in a vice under the far end, use a stand with a small cutout at the top where the rod should be fixed.

Rotary machines can speed up work, improve the quality of manufactured elements. Since the load strongly affects the support, the stand must be increased strength, for example, welded together from a hundred millimeters.

The starting material is held by a square frame. Due to the reduction in the length of the rod, the reliability of the fastening of the frame should be carefully checked. For this tailstock make a sliding look. It implies high quality cold forging of machine tools, otherwise the product will be fragile.

Any tool for cold forging requires careful personal care, timely repair and adjustment. And manual artistic forging does require skill and discipline from the master. All circuits, forging machines and even homemade machines require order and cleanliness.

Architects and designers often use forged elements in their work. Openwork metal grates covering fireplaces, or beautiful balusters on the stairs look elegant and noble.

If you know how to perform forging and learn this craft, you can create original products yourself.

This activity is suitable for everyone who likes to do physical work and who is ready to get acquainted with the technology and features of the choice of metal.

What do you need to know about forging?

Forging is a process of processing a special workpiece. Its purpose is to give the metal the required dimensions with a shape. There are hot forging and cold forging.

The master needs to get acquainted with both varieties in order to know the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Hot forging method

In the hot method, the metal workpiece is strongly heated. As a result, the metal becomes plastic. hot forging gives the workpiece the desired dimensions and the desired shape. A variety of work options are available to the master.

Heating a metal workpiece has its drawbacks. First of all, it is necessary to equip a special room. You will need to buy a forge, for which you will have to buy fuel.

Need to follow the rules fire safety, it is important that the master knows how to work with fire.

Having an idea of ​​the temperature conditions used in the forging process, you can easily choose desired view forging.

Cold forging method

Cold forging is a labor intensive process. To achieve the desired shape from a metal blank, it is bent, pressed and welded. The execution technique is a little simpler compared to the hot method.

The workshop does not require a lot of space, and for its arrangement you do not need to purchase a special forge, it is enough to buy a forging machine.

The process of manufacturing a product involves working with semi-finished products. Once a mistake has been made, it cannot be corrected.

Choosing a metal

For hand forged suitable metals with certain properties. The more ductile the metal, the easier it is to change its shape. However, plasticity is inextricably linked with strength.

An increase in one characteristic inevitably entails a decrease in another. When buying a workpiece, the master must know exactly what composition it has.

Decorative forging elements are made from copper, steel, duralumin or brass. In addition, alloys may also be used. Information about metals that can be easily forged can be found in the Steel and Alloys Grader.

What tools are needed for forging?

Inventory varies depending on the forging method. A blacksmith's forge with an anvil, hammers with tongs will be needed for hot forging.

For the cold method, you need the Gnutik tool, which allows you to bend the workpiece at an angle, and the Snail forging machine, which you can do yourself. The last machine allows you to create decorative elements with a spiral shape.

Note!

In addition to the basic tools for the cold method, Flashlight, Wave, Twister, ring machine and others can be additionally used.

The modern market offers industrial machines designed to perform technological operations. In the forging photo you can see the product made on the Master 2 machine from MAH.

Hand forged

In order for the workpiece to acquire the desired shape, the master must use different techniques and methods in his work. Need to purchase various tools and master different technologies.

The cold forging method does not require much effort from the master. The following stages are distinguished in the work:

• creating a drawing or sketching a decorative element;
• procurement of blanks;
• forging process.

Today, a drawing can be done using a computer program on your own or ordered by professionals. The project will allow you to calculate how much metal blanks you need to purchase before starting work.

Note!

The main forged elements are represented by the following groups:

• Paws. The end of the metal rod is given a certain shape.
• curls. The ends of the rod can be bent in one or two directions.
• Rings. Decor elements are made of rods with a square or round section.
• Torsion. It is characterized by helical twisting along the axis.

3 common technologies are used: drawing, bending and twisting.

• The hood allows you to increase the length of the metal workpiece, reducing the value of its cross section.
• Bending makes it possible to bend any part of the workpiece at an angle.
• Twisting is a technology in which the workpiece is twisted along the axis. For twisting, the Twister machine is used.

All elements are assembled together and fixed by welding. These operations are performed on a special table. Homemade cold forging does not require special skills.

DIY forging photo

Note!