Hot Metalworking Posts
How To: Make chainmail armor at home
Chainmail is quite difficult to make, but with this two part tutorial, you will soon be on your way. In these videos, learn how to make a piece of classic chainmail armor at home. Make smaller pieces to use as jewelry or decoration or make a whole suit for a cool knight costume.
How To: Make decorative chainmail at home
Chainmail is a classic accessory. It is a symbol of strength, royalty and the famous uniform of a knight. This two part tutorial will show in depth how to make the 4 in 1 pattern. This is the first basic pattern in chainmail, but with practice you will soon be maikng 6 in 1 and 8 in 1.
How To: Make a tin frame out of soda cans
How to Make a Tin Frame with Soda Cans You don't have to throw out your old soda cans anymore. Laura and Claiborne show how to recycle old cans into a craft project that creates a frame. You will need a wooden frame, soda cans, 5/8 of an inch nails, tin snipers, and a glue gun. While cutting the cans, make sure to be careful to avoid cutting your hands. Smaller square scissors tend to be more effective at cutting the cans. When cutting, try to cut the can in a rectangular shape. Try to avoid ...
How To: Make a cool recycled license plate mail box
Laura and Charles are a thrifty couple to have around in this time of recession. Using old license plates, some rivets and lots of love, they will teach you how to make a license plate mailbox. A simple and easy craft project that could be fun for the whole family, imagine the look on the mailman's face when he sees your new creation sitting in the front of your house. Your mailbox will be the talk of the neighborhood and who knows you just might start a trend! A friendly video with simple in...
How To: Make a vase out of old lightbulbs
This video illustrates how to make a vase out of old light bulbs. Materials:
How To: Wire a candle holder into a lamp
Have a candle holder that would make a great lamp base? You can wire that candle holder and turn it into a working lamp for your living room's newest decorative piece. This video takes you through the process of how to do so... However, with no narration, this how-to tutorial falls a tad short of being helpful. Wire a candle holder into a lamp.
How To: Make a shopping cart chair with MAKE magazine
Kick back with John Park as he demonstrates how to upcycle a no-longer-usable shopping cart into an easy chair. This Make: magazine-based project offers an introductory look at how to cut, bend, and shape metal using metal cutters, saws, vice grips, and other tools common to home workshops. John also attempts a “deluxe” version of this project that employs motors and switches to transform it into a “go-kart chair.” View the clip to see his mixed results, and download the PDF.
How To: Make an aluminum flower bouquet out of soda cans
Watch and learn with the GOMI crew. This instructional arts and crafts video shows you how to turn your empty cans into cool, beautiful flower bouquets. Recycle cans and make a fun flower design for your bedroom, dorm room or front porch. Place the aluminum flowers in a recycled glass bottle to use as a vase for your beautiful bouquet.
How To: Weave Byzantine chainmail
This metalsmithing video segment shows how to speed weave Byzantine chainmail.The Byzantine chain is a popular metal weave pattern for supple and flexible necklaces, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry. This video assumes you know how to construct 2x2 chainmail units.
How To: Making European chainmail
Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to weave a European chainmail pattern. You can expand this pattern to make a costume for your local Renaissance festival. This is also known as the four in one chainmail pattern.
How To: Chainmail a 4 in 1 European pattern
It's as easy as 2,3,4,5,6,7...what happened to step 1? This is Chthonic chainmail at its finest. This instructional metalsmithing video will help you in making your very own chain mail vest using a four in one European chainmail pattern. After going through the basic process of chainmailing a four in one pattern, you can troubleshoot to see how you can improve your metal working process.
How To: Make European 4 in 1 chainmail
Watch this short 3d animation of rings forming into a chainmail pattern to learn how this chainmail pattern holds together. This four in one metalsmithing pattern seems complex at first, but after thinking it through once or twice, the linking pattern should come quite naturally.
How To: Weave chainmail with a fork
It is possible to weave chainmail with a plastic fork. This instructional metalsmithing video will show you how it's done. This chainmailing technique does work better with a metal fork, though. You still need a pair if needle nose pliers to close the rings and work at a reasonable pace. Do you think it is possible to weave chainmail with a fork an knife? Now that would be truly decadent.
How To: Weave chainmail with a ring tool
This little ring is a frequently used chainmailing tool. The ring tool substitutes for a pair of pliers, and works for about eighty percent of chainmail patterns. Watch this metalsmithing video to see how the ring tool is used.
How To: Make a chainmail box pattern
Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to knit the chainmail box pattern. Use a quality set of pliers to knit this chainmail box pattern for complex chains. Use different widths of wire to make smaller or larger box patterns.
How To: Chainmail a spiral pattern
This instructional metalsmithing video demonstrates how to knit the spiraling chainmail pattern. This spiral pattern is useful for some chain link bracelets and necklace forms. Don't forget to use a quality set of pliers to save your hands some trying metal bending work.
How To: Make a chainmail cube
Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to make a chainmail cube. This is a simple pattern that takes a long time to complete, but creates an impressive design that differs from jewelry and armor chainmail projects. This metalwork cube is satisfying to hold in ones hand.
How To: Make chainmail
This instructional metalsmithing video demonstrates the basics of making chainmail. Making traditional chainmail is a long and involved process. First, you must spin the wire into a spool. Then you have to cut the coil into individual rings. Embark on the long process of closing and linking the metal rings.
How To: Forge a medieval arrowhead, or long bodkin
Watch this video demonstration on how to forge a medieval arrowhead, or long bodkin, by Paul Selby at an English Heritage Living History event at Kenilworth Castle. This type of arrow head was commonly used during the War of the Roses. This arrow is a professional craft, but a blacksmith in training can also learn how to forge arrows like this. These long thin arrow tips are designed for penetrating chain mail.
How To: Forge texture on steel for blacksmithing
Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to use hammering and punch techniques to create different textures on the hot steel. You can use these techniques to forge textured metal gates and smaller decorative metal designs. Forge steel texture by hand or with an air hammer. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and add a creative flare to your blacksmithing projects.
How To: Forge blacksmith tools for working on an anvil
Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to make hold down tools on an anvil for securing work. Forge a mushroom cap hold down, a bicycle chain hold down, and a spring hold down. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge some useful tools.
How To: Blacksmith decorative steel scrolls
Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge three different types of steel scrolls. You can use these techniques to forge fence posts and other decorative metal designs. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and add a creative flare to your blacksmithing projects.
How To: Blacksmith a steel rose
Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge and sculpt a steel rose. This blacksmith demonstrates the techniques involved in making an ornamental metal rose as well as other organic shapes. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a decorative flower.
How To: Forge blacksmithing tongs
Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge a pair of tongs for a small blacksmithing workshop. You can use this technique to make other tools for metalworking. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.
How To: Blacksmith air hammer techniques
Watch this blacksmithing video to practice air hammer techniques on a 75 lb small air hammer. You can use this technique for many types of free form metal forging. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.
How To: Blacksmith a mortise and tennon steel joint
Watch this blacksmithing video to forge a tennon and complete a mortise and tennon traditional joint in steel. The mortise and tenon joint is basic socket joint used for pick axes and other heavy duty tools. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.
How To: Begin blacksmithing by splitting and drifting
This instructional blacksmithing video demonstrates how to hot split a bar of mild steel and drift it to a desired size and shape. Choose your chisel and blacksmithing hammer. You want to begin splitting and drifting your piece of steel when the metal is yellow hot.
How To: Forge a steel striker for flint and steel
Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge a high carbon steel striker for flint and steel. The flint and steel striker served as the original portable lighter. Flint and steel lighters are also used on outdoor trips to light camp fires. These detailed instructions will allow you to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.
How To: Weld figurines
Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to weld a set of figurines out of sheet metal, nails, and a coat hanger. Oxy-acetylene welding is the only gas flame type of welding that is hot enough to melt all commercial metals. Use 22 gauge sheet metal to make clean and safe metalwork. Use a plasma cutter to quickly cut out the basic pieces. You can also use a blacksmithing hammer to bend the metal into unique props fpr your metal figurines.
How To: Begin welding with the proper tools
Interested in metal inert gas welding? This video tutorial provides some sage advice for beginning MIG welders. It's important not to dive into your welding projects without the proper tools. You will need a welding table, and wire brushes for steel and aluminum. You will also need wire cutters, sheet metal shears, a canister for storing stick electrodes, a chipping hammer, and an angle grinder. Once you have these simple tools on hand, you can begin to troubleshoot with larger welding equipm...
How To: Make a trophy & award
Trophies, awards and plaques commemorate a winner or an achievement in sport, business and political fields. Learn to make trophies and awards from a professional trophy maker in this free manufacturing video series.
How To: Make a custom knife blade
Are you interested in the art of knifesmithing? Learn how to make a custom knife blade in this free tools video series.
How To: Problem solve with begining MIG welding
Watch this instructional welding video to solve some basic problems you may run into with beginning MIG welding. This video provides tips and solutions to initial clogging issues. Set your voltage and wire feed speed correctly to avoid problems when beginning metal inert gas welding.
How To: Run a bead in beginning MIG welding
Curious about the basics of metal inert gas welding? Watch this instructional welding video for some vital safety tips. A shielding gas tank contains 3,000 psi of pressure, so keep your welding equipment safe distance from your high pressure tanks. To run a bead, you need to set your wire feed speed and your voltage in order to begin welding with an average angle iron. This video provides all of the preliminary steps to running a short bead.
How To: Get started with MIG welding
Ever needed to know the the basics of metal inert gas welding? This beginner's guide displays the necessary safety gear, such as the all-important welding mask and deer skin gloves. You'll also learn of some basic equipment options for gas cylinders, welding wires, feeders, and the essential parts of a welding gun. Follow these safety guidelines before getting started with MIG welding.
How To: Mig weld using the push technique
This MIG Welding Video shows the demonstration of a push welding technique that is use when mig welding. When mig welding you can either push or pull the welding torch. The push technique is the most common. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to weld using the push technique.
How To: Mig weld using the pull technique
This MIG Welding video, shows the Mig Welding Pull Technique. You can either push your mig welding gun or pull your mig welding gun during the welding process. Watch this video welding tutorial and learn how to Mig weld using the pull technique.
How To: MIG weld two pieces of sheet metal together
This Mig Welding Video Demo shows how simple and easy it is to use a MIG welding machine. Mig Welding Machines are use throughout the world. They are the suited for many welding applications. This video demonstration demonstrates Mig welding by welding two pieces of sheet metal together. Watch this video welding tutorial and learn how to fuse two pieces of sheet metal together with a Mig welder.
How To: Choose welding gloves
Keeping the hands protected from burns or rough equipment is the main requirement of welding gloves. There are a few things to look out for: quality material (all leather), reinforcements, good stitching, softness, toughness, comfort, and length. Watch this video welding tutorial and learn how to choose an appropriate pair of welding gloves.
How To: Arc weld
This video welding tutorial shows two arc or stick welding machines and explains how to connect the leads and hook it up ready for welding. Those interested in welding for metalwork will learn the proper machinery and equipment needed for welding and how to use the equipment correctly. Watch this instructional video and start welding.