|
Rams Head
|
|
© 2000 Alabama Forge Council
|
|
Reprinted from the Bituminous Bits
Vol. 12 #2 : Clay Spencer - Editor. |
|
By Mickey Garner from his notes taken in a
class taught by Charlie Orlando. |
|
Cut a 13" length of 3/8" square for the horns.
Center punch at center.
|
|
Heat and draw out from center to 13" long with a smooth, even taper downt to 1/8"
square. Keep it square, sharp edged and both ends the same length. |
|
Heat and cut half way through
at the center punch mark on the hardy |
|
Heat at the notch and with the
notch facing you, fold together. |
|
Heat, flux and lightly weld about
3/4" of horns together |
|
Cut a length of 1/2" square (long enough for a poker or whatever you intend to make).
Heat about 1" to 3" back from the end and round up a sectio which will be the neck after the horns are welded on, the face made and the neck bent. |
|
Heat both pieces and flux the ends. Bring both to welding heat
and lay horn on top of 1/2" square and weld about 1" |
|
Taper and round up about 1/2" for nose and mouth.
Upset end slightly to make the nose stand out |
|
For more precise locations make
light marks on both sides of where you want eyes, nostrils and mouth. Carefully inspect for evenness and make minor adjustments before you make deep punches or cuts. |
|
Cut the mouth with a thin
chisel, about 1/3 of the way from bottom to top of nose. Center punch nostrils on upper corners of nose. Punch eyes with eye punch. |
|
Heat neck area to bend neck.
Cool the nose. Bend in "U" shape.
Put cooled nose in a bending fork
held in a vise and pull ½"
shaft around to about 180°.
|
|
Heat the area below the neck,
cool the head and bent part of the neck.
Bend the shank
back to about 45° so the nose is
at the desired angle and you get the ? shape |
|
Heat the horns at top of head and bend
each out to side about 90°. Starting at
the head heat about 3/4" of horn, with a torch and twist toward back of head.
Keep twist uniform by heating a short
section and twisting. Cool if necessary or add more heat with torch to make sure horn twists where needed. Small tongs, pliers or small adjustable wrench are good tool to twist the tapered horns.
When you start the twist on the other
horn, twist it toward the back of the head also. This makes sure the horns are twisted in the opposite direction. |
|
Heat the twisted tip and start
scrolling with scroll tongs, or needlenose pliers (grind teeth off).
Wind the horns in a flat even spiral
with equal spaces between turns.
Use small tongs as tapered horns
grow larger.
Scroll the other horn.
|
|
After scrolling is done, heat the horn near
the top of the head and bend back near the head and parallel to the neck and head.
Bend the other horn back along side the
head. Use a small screwdriver of long tapered punch to pry inner turns out a little further than the next turn. Heat if necessary
Keep each side uniform and symetrical with
the other.
Wire brush and apply finish.
|
