Hi. For me (a very inexperienced smith) the terms "precision" and "forging" have little to do with each other. I am getting ready to fabricate a rack for my yard steel and I want to make it as cheaply as possible. In these days of expensive steel that means scrap pipe, which I can usually get still. I have made things from pipe, and I like to use the technique of flattening the end and then punching a hole and bolting. If I want to flatten both ends, though, then I want the flats to either be parallel to each other or perhaps perpendicular to each other, but not some random orientation like out 2º or 93º. Does anyone have any ideas how to do this? I plan to just heat the end and hammer it flat by hand, no power hammering or press work here (I don't have either at the moment).
Grant Erwin Kirkland, Washington