precision pipe flattening

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

Reply to
Grant Erwin
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Put a pair of vise grips on the pipe. If you want the ends parallel, forge them flat while the vice grips hang down.

If you want them perpendicular, you can either eyeball the vise grips horizontal or move them.

Paul K. Dickman

Reply to
Paul K. Dickman

What I would do is to build a wood holder - like a Horse - and have a clamp setup on top that is easily set but firm on the flat. Then it makes the flat in the up/down position if done by plan. Have the anvil at the other end to pound on. Heating might have to be with a torch with the pipe in a rotated up position - rocking on two side legs of the loaded down horse.

The distance forge / anvil / iron man to horse is a variable. The height should match so when the pipe is very short it still lays flat.

Press sounds great. To beat the 2 degree you might have to use a metal horse and rely on a flat square floor.

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Reply to
Grant Erwin

OK, I'll bite. If it was me, I'd lay it on a surface so it wouldn't roll and slightly notch the top dead center on each end for an orientation marking. And yeah, as mentioned by others, you'll need a horse or some such at the same height as your anvil.

GA

Reply to
Greyangel

Depending on size & length of pipe, I'd be tempted to try holding one flat end in a vise, and cranking on the other end with either an adjustable or pipe wrench. And if it looks like it will be too stiff to do it cold, I'd do it hot. Might not be good enough to avoid a 1-2 deg. misalignment, but it'd allow you to correct one off by 5 or

10... My $0.02, --Glenn Lyford
Reply to
Glenn Lyford

Precision is such a variable thing.... How about this? Build a small table, the same height as your anvil, and, set it far enough from the anvil so that the end of the pipe will lay on it. Flatten one end of the pipe, then, reverse it, and, lay the flattened end down on the table. Clamp if it seems necessary. Flatten the other end. This should get it "close enough" to parallel for the purpose. After all, you are not really building a piano here... Regards Dave Mundt

Reply to
Dave Mundt

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