How Do I Bend Brass Rod to Form Rings?
- 1). Put on the safety glasses. Secure a piece of iron pipe into a bench vise the diameter of the desired brass ring. Make sure the pipe is laying on a horizontal plane and the end is past the end of the workbench for easy maneuverability for forging.
- 2). Fill a metal bucket 3/4 full of cool water. Place it by the forging area. Place the hammer by the bench vise.
- 3). Light the acetylene torch. Put on the welding gloves.
- 4). Heat the end of the brass rod until it is a hot cherry red color. Immediately place the cherry red tip over the iron pipe.
- 5). Shut off the torch. Use a hammer and hit the area that is red hot. The metal will bend easily and begin curving around the pipe. Continue to hit the brass rod until the red glow disappears.
- 6). Dip the forged end into a bucket of water to cool it off. This is called quenching the metal. Leave it in the water for five to ten seconds.
- 7). Light the acetylene torch. Reheat the curved end until it is red hot. Slide it over the iron pipe. Hit it with the hammer to force it around the circumference of the pipe surface. Quench in the water bucket when the rod has lost the red glow. Repeat the process until the ring is complete.
- 8). Cut off any excess brass rod with a hack saw. Place the ring around the iron pipe and tap the seam together.
- 9). Either weld the ring seam while it is on the iron pipe or remove it from the pipe and weld it on a flat surface.
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