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Why does nobody talk about tongs slipping when it matters most?
I was forming a curve on a hot piece of steel. My tongs slipped, and the steel flew into a corner. How do you prevent grip fails on tricky projects?
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susanb342mo agoProlific Poster
That twist trick is good, but it's a band-aid. I just made sure my tongs matched the stock size perfectly for that specific job. No more using the almost-right pair. If the jaws are even a little bit loose, you're asking for trouble. A clean bite on the right size bar is what finally stopped the slipping for me.
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betty_kelly92mo ago
Used to just grab whatever tongs were closest, figured a tight squeeze was enough. Then I watched a piece of 1/2 inch round stock go flying because the jaws were for 3/8. Susanb34 is totally right about matching the size perfectly. Now I keep a dedicated pair for my common stock sizes, and it's a game changer. That clean bite makes all the difference when you're trying to control a bend.
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My first time bending red-hot steel, the tongs shot out of my hands. Evan's twist trick works, but you need to keep the jaws clean for a solid bite. It's a nasty feeling when that happens, just part of the learning curve.
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