Projects

Course Info

Instructor

Michael Tarkanian

Departments

Materials Science and Engineering

As Taught In

Fall 2008

Level

Undergraduate

Topics

Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
  - Metallurgical Engineering

Learning Resource Types

Image Gallery

Download Course

Bottle Opener
Three-Legged Table
Metal Rose
Pineapple Twist
Iron Heart
Tools

Bottle Opener

The first student project assignment was to make a bottle opener. Start with a piece of bar stock 1/4x1, and put a notch in it 1.5 from the end. Use a spring fuller to neck the material at that point down to 0.5 wide. Use a spring fuller to neck the material at that point down to 0.5 wide. Hammer a taper into what will be the handle of your bottle opener, up to the area that was just fullered.

The first student project assignment was to make a bottle opener. Start with a piece of bar stock 1/4"x1", and put a notch in it 1.5" from the end. This will become the neck between the handle and the opener. Use a spring fuller to neck the material at that point down to 0.5" wide. Hammer a taper into what will be the handle of your bottle opener, up to the area that was just fullered.

Start rounding off the corners at the end, by hammering on them at a 45-degree angle. Start rounding off the corners at the end, by hammering on them at a 45-degree angle. Use a punch to begin to create a hole in the center of the bottle opener head. Continue to heat and punch until you are approximately 3/4ths of the way through, then flip the stock over and punch through the other side. When you are close to punching through the material, place the piece over the pritchel hole. This way, when you do punch through, the punch will not damage the anvil face or shatter. Continue to use the punch as a drift to open up the hole, until it is big enough to fit on the horn. Hammer the drift into the material over the pritchel or hardy hole. A hardy anvil can be used to open the hole, as an intermediate step between the drift and the anvil horn. A hardy anvil can be used to open the hole, as an intermediate step between the drift and the anvil horn.

Start rounding off the corners at the end, by hammering on them at a 45° angle. Use a punch to begin to create a hole in the center of the bottle opener head. Continue to heat and punch until you are approximately 3/4ths of the way through, then flip the stock over and punch through the other side. When you are close to punching through the material, place the piece over the pritchel hole. This way, when you do punch through, the punch will not damage the anvil face or shatter. Continue to use the punch as a drift to open up the hole, until it is big enough to fit on the horn. Hammer the drift into the material over the pritchel or hardy hole. Flip sides every heat to prevent unwanted distortions. Extra hands may be needed to hold the punch steady while hammering. A hardy horn can be used to open the hole, as an intermediate step between the drift and the anvil horn.

Widen the hole using the horn of the anvil, a small hardy horn, or a succession of larger drifts, until is is roughly the size of a bottlecap. Widen the hole using the horn of the anvil, a small hardy horn, or a succession of larger drifts, until is is roughly the size of a bottlecap. Widen the hole using the horn of the anvil, a small hardy horn, or a succession of larger drifts, until is is roughly the size of a bottlecap. While hammering using the horn, the majority of your blows should be around the circumference of the piece, not on the faces. While hammering using the horn, the majority of your blows should be around the circumference of the piece, not on the faces.

Widen the hole using the horn of the anvil, a small hardy horn, or a succession of larger drifts, until is is roughly the size of a bottlecap. It should have a roughly round cross-section. While hammering using the horn, the majority of your blows should be around the circumference of the piece, not on the faces. You do not want your piece to become thin and weak during this operation. Only hammer on the faces to correct unwanted distortion created by hammering on the horn.

Form the tab for lifting the cap using a blunt punch, pushing the metal towards the hole. Form the tab for lifting the cap using a blunt punch, pushing the metal towards the hole. Test the result on a bottle to see if anything needs altering or neatening up at this point. Test the result on a bottle to see if anything needs altering or neatening up at this point. Cut the workpiece off the stock, leaving 4-6 after the neck as a handle. Cut the workpiece off the stock, leaving 4-6 after the neck as a handle. Tidy up the corners and faces, as needed. Crack open a cold soda and enjoy! The finished bottle opener.

Form the tab for lifting the cap using a blunt punch, pushing the metal towards the hole. Test the result on a bottle to see if anything needs altering or neatening up at this point. Cut the workpiece off the stock, leaving 4-6" after the neck as a handle. A hardy or hacksaw can be used. Tidy up the corners and faces, as needed. Crack open a cold soda and enjoy! The finished bottle opener.

Using a sharp punch, a curved cut is started and then reinscribed until the cut is complete. Using a sharp punch, a curved cut is started and then reinscribed until the cut is complete. Note the use of a bronze plate to preserve the anvil face and punch tip from damage. Note the use of a bronze plate to preserve the anvil face and punch tip from damage. Leaving the piece in the fire too long or at too high a temperature can melt the metal, deforming the shape and weakening the structure. Leaving the piece in the fire too long or at too high a temperature can melt the metal, deforming the shape and weakening the structure. Here, the student successfully salvaged the opener.

This student punched a hole too far from the end of the piece, and decided it would be easier to remove the extra metal than even it out. Using a sharp punch, a curved cut is started and then reinscribed until the cut is complete. Note the use of a bronze plate to preserve the anvil face and punch tip from damage. Leaving the piece in the fire too long or at too high a temperature can melt the metal, deforming the shape and weakening the structure. Here, the student successfully salvaged the opener.

^ Back to top

Three-Legged Table

Measuring the legs to define when the curves should begin. Is this a comfortable height? Making the legs with a right-angle bend at the top, and a curve at the bottom. Making the legs with a right-angle bend at the top, and a curve at the bottom. Making the legs with a right-angle bend at the top, and a curve at the bottom. Making the legs with a right-angle bend at the top, and a curve at the bottom. Aligning the top and bottom supports to avoid buckling. Nearly finished! The legs need to be welded or fastened together, and a glass top added.

The student TA for the course designed and built a table with three curved legs. First, measure the legs to define when the curves should begin. Is this a comfortable height? Then make the legs with a right-angle bend at the top, and a curve at the bottom. To avoid buckling, align the top and bottom supports. To finish, the legs need to be welded or fastened together, and a glass top added.

^ Back to top

Metal Rose

Sketching the design helps identify problem areas and estimate how much stock is needed. Sketching the design helps identify problem areas and estimate how much stock is needed. Here, a thin cross peen is used to spread the metal into a leaf shape. Here, a thin cross peen is used to spread the metal into a leaf shape. Using the hammers face to flatten the dents made by the cross peen.

Sketching the design helps identify problem areas and estimate how much stock is needed. Here, a thin cross peen is used to spread the metal into a leaf shape. Use the hammer’s face to flatten the dents made by the cross peen.

This piece needs to be clamped aggressively, so it doesnt move while details are incised with a cold chisel. The finished leaf, with veins. On the other end of the bar, a tight scroll is formed. Re-working metal too much runs the risk of weakening or melting it. Re-working metal too much runs the risk of weakening or melting it.

This piece needs to be clamped aggressively, so it doesn’t move while veins are incised with a cold chisel. On the other end of the bar, a tight scroll is formed. Re-working metal too much runs the risk of weakening or melting it. Fire management is especially important when working with small, thin sections of metal.

^ Back to top

Pineapple Twist

One end of a square bar is twisted and curved, then the other. One end of a square bar is twisted and curved, then the other. One end of a square bar is twisted and curved, then the other. A cold chisel is used to make a groove in all four faces of the bar. A cold chisel is used to make a groove in all four faces of the bar. A cold chisel is used to make a groove in all four faces of the bar. Then the grooved section is twisted, and hammered to create four new faces in line with the original faces. A second set of grooves is chiseled. A second set of grooves is chiseled. A second set of grooves is chiseled.

One end of a square bar is twisted and curved, then the other. A cold chisel is used to make a groove in all four faces of the bar. Then the grooved section is twisted, and hammered to create four new faces in line with the original faces. A second set of grooves is chiseled.

Finally, the middle section is heated and twisted halfway back towards its original position. The finished twist. The finished twist.

Finally, the middle section is heated and twisted halfway back towards its original position. The finished twist resembles the bumps on a pineapple.

^ Back to top

Iron Heart

To implement this classic brainteaser, measuring the dimensions accurately is important. A taper is drawn. A taper is drawn. The tapered end is coiled up to form the wide end of the twisted bar. The tapered end is coiled up to form the wide end of the twisted bar.

To implement this classic brainteaser, measuring the dimensions accurately is important. It consists of a heart, a twisted bar, and a U-shaped piece with loops in each end. A taper is drawn and coiled up to form the wide end of the twisted bar.

The inner point of the heart needs to be wide enough for the twisted bar to pass through. Testing the fit. Testing the fit. Then form the rest of the heart. Then form the rest of the heart. Bending the stock into a precise shape is typically an iterative process. Heating only part of the metal at a time, to limit where deformation occurs, is helpful. Heating only part of the metal at a time, to limit where deformation occurs, is helpful. Heating only part of the metal at a time, to limit where deformation occurs, is helpful. The final part of the toy requires making a loop large enough for the inner point of the heart to pass through.

The inner point of the heart needs to be wide enough for the twisted bar to pass through. Then form the rest of the heart. Bending the stock into a precise shape is typically an iterative process. Heating only part of the metal at a time, to limit where deformation occurs, is helpful.

The final part of the toy requires making a loop large enough for the inner point of the heart to pass through. Putting it all together. Putting it all together. Success!

The final part of the toy requires making a loop large enough for the inner point of the heart to pass through. Putting it all together, the pieces fit!

^ Back to top

Tools

Tools in the forge are often made or repaired there, and display various decorative effects. Here, the handle resembles a twisted, multi-stranded rope. Tools in the forge are often made or repaired there, and display various decorative effects. Here, a twist alternates a square-cornered strand with a round strand. Tools in the forge are often made or repaired there, and display various decorative effects. Managing fire temperature can be difficult, and mistakes can melt the workpiece. This was going to be a new punch.

Tools in the forge are often made or repaired there, and display various decorative effects. Managing fire temperature can be difficult, and mistakes can melt the workpiece. This was going to be a new punch.

Having enough hold-downs is helpful when doing lots of work with punches and other hand-held tools. First, flatten one end of the bar. Next, curve the bar up and over into a perpendicular post for the hardy hole. Next, curve the bar up and over into a perpendicular post for the hardy hole. Last, neaten up the end to remove any sharp corners.

Having enough hold-downs is helpful when doing lots of work with punches and other hand-held tools. Luckily, they’re not hard to make. First, flatten one end of the bar. Next, curve the bar up and over into a perpendicular post for the hardy hole. Last, neaten up the end to remove any sharp corners.

^ Back to top