susanb34•2mo agoProlific Poster

My first clean forge weld after a year of practice

I used to just pile on the flux and hammer like crazy, but last week I finally got the heat right and held back on the power. The billet fused on the first try without any cold shuts. What's the one thing you changed that made forge welding click for you?

4 comments

4 Comments

sage3082mo ago

Guess @emmaclark and I both wasted a small fortune on flux before learning to chill out and watch the metal.

avery_jackson2mo ago

My shop teacher always said to use more flux than you think.

emmaclark2mo ago

Was it learning to read the color of the metal for you too? I fought with it for months until I stopped watching the clock and just watched the steel. That dull orange, right before it goes to yellow, that's the sweet spot. Holding back on the hammer force was the other half, just letting the heat do the work. Felt like a total idiot for all the borax I wasted before that clicked.

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the_thea1mo ago

Yeah, that dull orange is everything. I started to get it when I realized the color changes a bit depending on the light in your shop. On a bright day, that sweet spot looks almost yellow before it actually is. You have to learn your own space.