When I was a Wheelwright apprentice I bet I made 100,000 of these. Bill Calhoun was my Master, he worked at the Borax mine as a Teamster Blacksmith and Wheelwright. I was 10 years old when I started working for him turning Oak and Ash Spoke blanks in the stack. First thing the Ol boy taught me was to sow leather straps, and now I could never imagine one of my kids doing that. Sorry for the rambling, I guess I’m one of “Those” Old guy that says Back in my day
The problem is not the experienced rambling on, the problem is the less experienced not knowing how to listen to those ramblings. I was always that weirdo that liked to listen to the old timers talk. Share your adventures and knowledge to whomever will listen. There are those of us that love these stories. My point sir, don’t ever be sorry for sharing. Someone will always appreciate listening.
Great video John! I've made a few nuts and bolts for some projects. Another thing I've done was making nails that won't pull out. That might be a quick video. Basic 3" square nails but I put Barb's on the corners and gave em a 1/4 twist. I also took the extra step of fullering the 4 sides before I put in the Barb's so they stood out more. 10 years later they're still solid.
Isn't this a chicken and egg scenario? how do we forge the tap without the die, or the die without the Tap?! (No one say with a metal lath, you will ruin the paradox)
Great video. A few years ago I restored a corn picker built in 1904 by two brothers living in North central SD. The machine was mostly made of wood. Many of the bolts were hand made carriage bolts ranging from 1/4" to 1/2" and up to 24" long. It was quite obvious that producing the bolts in quantity was more important then in quality. Heads were oblong, some split and most off center, but they did their job and are still doing it.
There are solutions that at first glance are not found, but with these tips it is easier to solve some problems, thank you very much for taking the time to share with us. 👍
Thank you for your time we know your really busy. Bolt making was the first job we did in metal working at school 38 year ago. Think I've made maybe 3 or 4 since, but I know how lol great reminder thanks Anthony Kent
Watching gramps doing this has been permanently installed in my noggin. Thanks for bringing this all back bud. Too bad the store is sooo handy now eh !
Definately a can do in my shop. Have done it before with round stock. Now I need to forge the stock to do it. This is pretty cool. I will be doing it tomorrow for sure. Thanks John like you say another thing to add to the arsenol.
After watching JPL Services do her bolt and she to does great work, Well made me realize that I use to see imperfections on some of the sqare nuts in my youth.I reckon they had been made by Blacksmiths Thanks something we should know.
I also started sewing leather straps in 1973 I was 9 and our neighbor was a blacksmith and made horse harnessing stuff for the Amish ... and seemed I was at his house and shop more then home ... then I made nuts and bolts 🔩 and always decorative nothing ever went in any work that didn’t have his custom bolt heads ! I think I made 10000 at least in 3 years before I found the girls down the block ...ferns lemonade and cookies and standing at the forge for a couple of hours a day after school for a 20.00 on Friday ... couldn’t compete with the young ladies down the street And me having guns of steel and was the fastest pitcher in high school and being the only boy on block in there age bracket I was set !
Hey John, hope you still get these. This was a great video, and I have been trying to catch up on your older ones. I would love to see more like this for practical applications. We need to know how and why are grandparents did this back in the day, and there are so many things most folks have lost. .
I feel like this was a personalised video as you mentioned the punch/drift question I asked and I noted the mic coming off and the separate dialogue for the filing parts of the video.... it makes a huge really positive difference to the watch-ability of the video. I hope switching the mic on/off isn't too much of a pain. Thanks so much! Awesome content.
I do try to answer the questions when I can. I am glad it helped. The only issue with the mic is remembering to take it off and more importantly remembering to put it back on when I am done making noise.
got a set of taps and dies in the shed, had them since I was a kid, must have a look at them. I assume they are imperial, not that it matter when your starting from scratch!
Love your videos! I always learn something. Do you have a video that shows how to forge a wood screw? If there is more than one method of making the threads for a wood screw, could you make a video on that? Like those in antique furniture maybe.
I really like that pyramid bolt head with the lines cut in. I guess I would have cleaned the scale off the bolt before cutting the thread, just to not cut through any scale. But since you filed the tip, I guess there is very little contact with the cutting edges and the scale.
Typically the bolt needs to be cleaned up a little and that will also remove the scale. This one ended up exact size so i didn't want to reduce the diameter anymore.
I’m working on restoring an 1800,s horse cart. There are some missing nuts and bolts. Now I know how to make proper looking square ones. I have had to replace all the wood but most of the metal bits are still there. I’m bogged down making steel tyres for my wheels at the moment.
Great video. Couple questions, without a guillotine, could you upset the end and use a chisel to form the tenon? As I have never used a tap and die, how many threads would you need to be effective? Again thank you for taking the time to answer this noobs so many questions. I believe that it saves a lot of frustration lol 👍🏼
I know this is blasphemy, but harbor freight sells a really great 45 piece tap and die set. It’s about $85 normally, but can be had for around $60 with coupons. It’s and excellent set for beginners, and it even works great for people that is them every day.
I have a similar set and have for years. It has all of the odd sizes I never use. But all of the common sizes have been replaced with higher quality taps and dies as they wear out.
Nice little project John. Question is it possible to make wood screws or sheet metal screws with a pan head or flush in the blacksmith shop .... THX.....Paul..
Would having an integrated slot along the side of the smithin' magician for a kiss block not be a good idea? Then you could butcher down to the size you want? Obviously your track would have to be pretty tight to avoid lateral tilting or you could just oversize your kiss a little?
As I said before, I didn't know you could do that, but now I know! Very useful, thank you. I have a question what is the angle of the cut off dies for the guillotine tool?
i want to turn a hammer into a wrench, and it will need some threads, because I want it to still be an adjustable wrench. Or vise versa, maybe the wrench will become the hammer. At any rate, I like wrenches and hammers, and I want to make one that is both. I probably need a forge, but I might be able to do all this with an angle grinder and a welder, but I don't know how to weld, and forging stuff seems really cool. Do you have any suggestions? Also, is a welder cheaper than a forge, or do I have that backwards too?
I think bolts were very rare before a tap and die of some form was invented. Clinch nails and rivets would have been the way to go. Early taps and dies were often less specific with a long tapered tap that would cut the same pitch on an assortment of diameters and dies were adjustable to match.
Regarding the point about using punches to drift, isn't the main issue(besides over-tapering the hole) the danger of overheating the punch and ths risk messing up its temper?
That is a big issue in thick material or where you will be leaving the drift in while you forge the outside of the eye. Not much of an issue in thinner material.
Yeah, makes sense. I was thinking in general terms, doubt a small thin piece like the washer in this specific job would be able to impart enough heat for it to be an issue.
That's a skill building apprentice job. Like making nails. It's important to practice the fundamentals. Like anything, most smithing skills are perishable, and if you don't practice, you get rusty.
Ha I guess you are right! They look really handy for more precise cut offs. Yes it looks like ideally they would be machined to get the cutting precise. But of course would love yo to show the Black Bear approach.
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When I was a Wheelwright apprentice I bet I made 100,000 of these. Bill Calhoun was my Master, he worked at the Borax mine as a Teamster Blacksmith and Wheelwright. I was 10 years old when I started working for him turning Oak and Ash Spoke blanks in the stack. First thing the Ol boy taught me was to sow leather straps, and now I could never imagine one of my kids doing that. Sorry for the rambling, I guess I’m one of “Those” Old guy that says Back in my day
Ah, the good old days
The problem is not the experienced rambling on, the problem is the less experienced not knowing how to listen to those ramblings. I was always that weirdo that liked to listen to the old timers talk. Share your adventures and knowledge to whomever will listen. There are those of us that love these stories.
My point sir, don’t ever be sorry for sharing. Someone will always appreciate listening.
Love those stories. 👍
HELLO MARINE ! I am one of those who like to say , Back in the day ! Also ! SEMPER FI
These are the good kind of ramblings though.
I am OBSESSED by hand-forged bolts.
Since you mentioned Peter Ross, seeing the gears he hand filed is some of the most impressive smithing I have ever seen.
He is a one of my favorite smiths to watch work
Found today this video, just happens I have an immediate use for this information! Thanks John, once again you are just in time!
Glad it was helpful!
Very nice John I thank you very much helping my therapy this morning
Great video John! I've made a few nuts and bolts for some projects. Another thing I've done was making nails that won't pull out. That might be a quick video. Basic 3" square nails but I put Barb's on the corners and gave em a 1/4 twist. I also took the extra step of fullering the 4 sides before I put in the Barb's so they stood out more. 10 years later they're still solid.
Ihave never done that with a nail, but I do barb hinge pintles
I was just thinking about how to do that and bingo.... here it is. Thanx 😀
I'm so relieved! I thought you were gonna say we had to forge a tap & die first. Lol
Only you would come up with that. LOL
I would like to do that, but really big for threading wood
John, I have the screw box and tap plans but I can't post it here. I'll email it to you. :-)
Isn't this a chicken and egg scenario? how do we forge the tap without the die, or the die without the Tap?! (No one say with a metal lath, you will ruin the paradox)
jetblackstar my head hurts now
Great video. A few years ago I restored a corn picker built in 1904 by two brothers living in North central SD. The machine was mostly made of wood. Many of the bolts were hand made carriage bolts ranging from 1/4" to 1/2" and up to 24" long. It was quite obvious that producing the bolts in quantity was more important then in quality. Heads were oblong, some split and most off center, but they did their job and are still doing it.
as always great work and the best person I see doing these videos. You describe your work in detail, as I am trying to learn.
Thank you very much!
Wow! So informative. I want to make tiny screws for jewelry so this was a great video as a precursor! Thanks.
There are solutions that at first glance are not found, but with these tips it is easier to solve some problems, thank you very much for taking the time to share with us. 👍
Thank you for your time we know your really busy. Bolt making was the first job we did in metal working at school 38 year ago. Think I've made maybe 3 or 4 since, but I know how lol great reminder thanks Anthony Kent
Fine work from a Master blacksmith.
Beautiful, John. Very nice work. Thank you, as always, for sharing your knowledge and skill. Nice videography as well. 👍
Watching gramps doing this has been permanently installed in my noggin. Thanks for bringing this all back bud. Too bad the store is sooo handy now eh !
Definately a can do in my shop. Have done it before with round stock. Now I need to forge the stock to do it. This is pretty cool. I will be doing it tomorrow for sure. Thanks John like you say another thing to add to the arsenol.
Another good bit of information , one that I haven't done before ! It is one that I will put in my need to know ,
Column ! Thank you , Sir !
Very cool. Thanks John. Great video.
Great as always, John.
a very interesting process, handy to know how to do a nut and bolt.
After watching JPL Services do her bolt and she to does great work, Well made me realize that I use to see imperfections on some of the sqare nuts in my youth.I reckon they had been made by Blacksmiths
Thanks something we should know.
Really enjoyed watching this one.
John, I love this kind of stuff. 👍
Very interesting segment, thanks for posting.
Too cool. I think that just gave me a couple ideas for the future thanks john.
You’ve done a fine job! 😃👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Morning John really enjoyed that one thank you 👍🏴
That looks so fun I might try and figure out how to make a spring die just to make bolts!
Looks great. I’m gonna have to try that. Thanks
Another great video John.
What I love about blacksmithing is you learn from one project that can come in handy for another.
Awesome video, John. Now I know making bolts with nuts is really not too hard. Thanks.
I also started sewing leather straps in 1973 I was 9 and our neighbor was a blacksmith and made horse harnessing stuff for the Amish ... and seemed I was at his house and shop more then home ... then I made nuts and bolts 🔩 and always decorative nothing ever went in any work that didn’t have his custom bolt heads ! I think I made 10000 at least in 3 years before I found the girls down the block ...ferns lemonade and cookies and standing at the forge for a couple of hours a day after school for a 20.00 on Friday ... couldn’t compete with the young ladies down the street And me having guns of steel and was the fastest pitcher in high school and being the only boy on block in there age bracket I was set !
Love your ideas, something I never thought of doing . I will now. Thanks John
really like this! fits in with restoration work so well! and as always, you are a gifted teacher. thank you sir.
Another great video! Very informative. Thank you!
Very nice work.
Hey John, hope you still get these. This was a great video, and I have been trying to catch up on your older ones. I would love to see more like this for practical applications. We need to know how and why are grandparents did this back in the day, and there are so many things most folks have lost. .
I do still see comments on older videos
That is really cool!
I feel like this was a personalised video as you mentioned the punch/drift question I asked and I noted the mic coming off and the separate dialogue for the filing parts of the video.... it makes a huge really positive difference to the watch-ability of the video. I hope switching the mic on/off isn't too much of a pain.
Thanks so much! Awesome content.
I do try to answer the questions when I can. I am glad it helped. The only issue with the mic is remembering to take it off and more importantly remembering to put it back on when I am done making noise.
Fun . Haven't done that in a while.
Nice work...and good call, with the mic removal for filing! It was definitely quieter that way.
Glad it helped
Square headed nuts and bolts look great on wood or anything that needs to be held together
Now you understand why our grandparents always had coffee cans full of nuts n bolts. :)
Love it.
got a set of taps and dies in the shed, had them since I was a kid, must have a look at them. I assume they are imperial, not that it matter when your starting from scratch!
Thanks
thank you :>
Love your videos! I always learn something. Do you have a video that shows how to forge a wood screw? If there is more than one method of making the threads for a wood screw, could you make a video on that? Like those in antique furniture maybe.
I think that historically wood screws were hand filed and quite rare until they could be made by machine.
Be a good project for the blacksmith challenge
I really like that pyramid bolt head with the lines cut in. I guess I would have cleaned the scale off the bolt before cutting the thread, just to not cut through any scale. But since you filed the tip, I guess there is very little contact with the cutting edges and the scale.
Typically the bolt needs to be cleaned up a little and that will also remove the scale. This one ended up exact size so i didn't want to reduce the diameter anymore.
Great subject! New sub here wondering about the need to harden this bolt/nut.
No need to harden. Most bolts are not. They need to be tough not hard so they don't break
Also, making these items gives us the opportunity to see a lot of blacksmith equipment and tools in action.
Thanks
I’m working on restoring an 1800,s horse cart. There are some missing nuts and bolts. Now I know how to make proper looking square ones.
I have had to replace all the wood but most of the metal bits are still there. I’m bogged down making steel tyres for my wheels at the moment.
I have never made tire. It requires some precise work.
i would love to see how drill bits are made i know its not something blacksmiths need to do but i would like to see it
grayem pepper they are not made by a blacksmith.
shifty345 I’ve seen some auger bits made by a blacksmith. Just using twisting.
Great video. Couple questions, without a guillotine, could you upset the end and use a chisel to form the tenon? As I have never used a tap and die, how many threads would you need to be effective? Again thank you for taking the time to answer this noobs so many questions. I believe that it saves a lot of frustration lol 👍🏼
I know this is blasphemy, but harbor freight sells a really great 45 piece tap and die set. It’s about $85 normally, but can be had for around $60 with coupons. It’s and excellent set for beginners, and it even works great for people that is them every day.
I have a similar set and have for years. It has all of the odd sizes I never use. But all of the common sizes have been replaced with higher quality taps and dies as they wear out.
Sounds better if you call them H&F tool supply
Putting the Mic in the glove helps thank you
Nice little project John. Question is it possible to make wood screws or sheet metal screws with a pan head or flush in the blacksmith shop .... THX.....Paul..
Yes, but you must hand file the threads. I have never found a die to cut that style of threads
Haji maestro super
Would having an integrated slot along the side of the smithin' magician for a kiss block not be a good idea? Then you could butcher down to the size you want? Obviously your track would have to be pretty tight to avoid lateral tilting or you could just oversize your kiss a little?
I have tenon dies that incorporate a built in kiss block. I had never thought about it for the butcher.
How about a video on hand forged door clavos
As I said before, I didn't know you could do that, but now I know! Very useful, thank you. I have a question what is the angle of the cut off dies for the guillotine tool?
I will try to check, but I am guessing about 30 degrees
Black Bear Forge Thanks!
i want to turn a hammer into a wrench, and it will need some threads, because I want it to still be an adjustable wrench. Or vise versa, maybe the wrench will become the hammer. At any rate, I like wrenches and hammers, and I want to make one that is both. I probably need a forge, but I might be able to do all this with an angle grinder and a welder, but I don't know how to weld, and forging stuff seems really cool. Do you have any suggestions? Also, is a welder cheaper than a forge, or do I have that backwards too?
How did they cut threads before they had modern taps & dies? I am thinking maybe a thread cutter on a lathe type tool maybe.
I think bolts were very rare before a tap and die of some form was invented. Clinch nails and rivets would have been the way to go. Early taps and dies were often less specific with a long tapered tap that would cut the same pitch on an assortment of diameters and dies were adjustable to match.
Hi John, would you consider forge welding a head on to a length of rod to make a long bolt?
That would be a good video. For longer bolts that would be the best way to go.
Very cool so how much is 1 bolt,1 washer and I nut. Thank you for your time and videos.
If I were trying to make a living making them the set would be about $20 but to just pass this set on more like $10. Did you send me an email?
Black Bear Forge yes I did
Good i would hate to have to decide on which person got to have it.
Black Bear Forge me or me would be great thank you very much.
Regarding the point about using punches to drift, isn't the main issue(besides over-tapering the hole) the danger of overheating the punch and ths risk messing up its temper?
That is a big issue in thick material or where you will be leaving the drift in while you forge the outside of the eye. Not much of an issue in thinner material.
Yeah, makes sense. I was thinking in general terms, doubt a small thin piece like the washer in this specific job would be able to impart enough heat for it to be an issue.
How do I make that heading tool?
I had to forge some of those some time ago.In a size I couldnt find to buy.Worked fine just that all nuts wobbled when screwing them on.Mystery to me.
Sounds like your tap drill size may have been a bit large
So next lesson forging a adjustable wrench ?!!!
Probably not, but maybe some year.
That's a skill building apprentice job. Like making nails. It's important to practice the fundamentals. Like anything, most smithing skills are perishable, and if you don't practice, you get rusty.
Very true
I wish I had a set of cut off dies for my guillotine set up.
See, you do have tools to dream about. I will try to show making a set, but they would be best done on a mill
Ha I guess you are right! They look really handy for more precise cut offs. Yes it looks like ideally they would be machined to get the cutting precise. But of course would love yo to show the Black Bear approach.
you are crazy. Everything I have been taught about threads seems like an epic lie.