After many hours work, the Cromwell II rises again, in “engineering laboratory blue” regalia. An old hot water tank shaped with my first attempt at copper planishing acting as the catchment tray and all rust removed, she looks very smart and just the part. I am proud of my labour of love. Hence I arrive at my first experiments in Spin Forge forming, here a tube rolled into a closed form that will be a blank for making a large Burr. Very exciting to draw on my early throwing experience as a potter, but incredibly this time with red hot steel. My mind was awash with possibilities, but I must focus on my current intentions.
The Final Assembly
Run-Off down to +-0.005mm… not bad and hopefully not compounded too much when the chuck is added. Though I will intend to grind that in situ as well…. “Precision” is a wondrous place to spend a million+ fickle hours imagining the consequences of compound error…..
The manipulating/throwing finger/lever is made of spring steel for durability and matched with the adapted wood lathe tool rest I hope it will function well enough that control and balance are mine while playing with revolving red hot metal….
Oxy/Propane gives focused heat
red Hot Steel formed like Clay
Bullet point….. First Spin Forged Burr Blank
