Canisters part 2

Hey Nick, I'd never done chainsaw before (or a canister for that fact), so it seemed a good way to try it out. I know you can weld chainsaw chains together without a can but, I would think (hurt's me too) using it along with other steels, the can and the 1084 powder would be the way to go. What are you doing with them. Got me curious now.
 
Hey J-


Okay, I didn't realize it was chain...I just knew it's pretty! :)

Chain is a lot easier to weld in a can with powder...filling those voids really saves a lot of headache. What kind of canister did you use?

I've used cans to weld up powder "picture" billets...but haven't put any of them into blades yet. Honestly, while I think it's really cool to be able to make powder billets...most often it looks funny to me to have 3 or 4 "pictures" in the blade. I think it's hard to make the design flow that way.

You can also weld up a can and fill it with bar-stock in all sorts of patterns. Say for instance, a basket-weave... a BIG billet (like 6-10 lb.) :D

Some cans (like ss pipe) will pop off of the steel after getting the guts welded. But if you're using a mild steel can, you either have to grind it off, or figure out a way to incorporate it into the blade.

Just my experience though...there are a million possibilities that I don't even know about yet :D

Nick
 
I just got done with this canister a few minutes ago. I start'd the cans a 2" square at 3 1/2" long filled with chainsaw, bandsaw, 1095,nickel,4600 mixed with 1084 and 1084 powder. I was able to get two billets @ 1/4" thick 1 1/4" wide and 12"+ long. I start grinding the scale off to see how deep I had to go to see a pattern, started see one around 1/32th deep. So IMO the can get really thin when you draw it out over 24". I think (scray):confused: :confused:
 
Sounds pretty cool George.

Hey Nick, how do you do the basket weave pattern in a can? That sounds pretty neat. I've got alot of playing to do.
:D
 
J. this is how I plan on doing it. Cut the 1095 and L-6 into 1/4" strip and to the size of the can, weaver them together insert in can(don't go there)stack them up in the can till is full put in 1084 powder, weld a cap on, the weld. Make sure you draw it out on the side on the weaves.
 
Stack bars in a can like this

---lll
lll---

Get the idea? If I had Autocad on this pc or a scanner even, I could give you a better drawing.

As you draw and stack this, it will become a basket-weave. Of course you will have to accordian cut or loaf a billet like this to make it big enough for a blade.

That method IG suggested sounds WAAAAY too hard for me to try :)

This basket-weave pattern is like "W's" it's a good foundation for nearly limitless more in depth patterns.

Nick
 
No, sorry George, my little diagram with the "l and -" keys sucked.

Think of it this way:

Stack 8 - 1/8" thick x 1" wide pieces (alternating layers). This will make a 1" square stack.

Then do the same thing again, but rotate the ENTIRE stack 90 degrees. Put them together. So one stack is on the flats, and the other stack in on edge.

Weld (not forge weld) all of that together You will have this type of thing

--------llllllll
--------llllllll
--------llllllll
--------llllllll

(I know that looks like 4 layers on the flats and 4 on edge, but stretch with me here).

Then put together the same thing and flip flop it.

llllllll--------
llllllll--------
llllllll--------
llllllll--------

Now if you put those two stacks together, you have the start of a basket-weave. Keep in mind the basketweave is on the END grain of the billet. From the sides, it will just look like some coarse lines.

stacked together:

--------llllllll
--------llllllll
--------llllllll
--------llllllll
llllllll--------
llllllll--------
llllllll--------
llllllll--------

Now you have to imagine those are solid stacks of bar-stock. The only reason you see gaps is because those keys are the only ones I can think of to show what I'm talking about. The ONLY thing the keys represent is the direction the bars are stacked.

The top 1/4 is stacked on flats, the other top 1/4 is on edge.
The bottom 1/4 is on edge, and then on flats. Get it?

You can do ALL sorts of things with this start, or you can weld it up as is. You can weld a billet like this without a can, with squaring dies pretty easily. But you can make the billet REALLY big in a can.

I think Bill B. has done some basket-weave, maybe he can explain it better than I am! :footinmou

Nick
 
Cool Nick. You could, in essence, forge weld as you have in the diagram and then cut squares and do it as mosaic, correct? For the basket weave pattern, I mean.
 
Yea, you have to look at this as a mosaic. The only other way to bring the pattern out would be to do a strong twist that's heavily ground into, or a deep ladder pattern.

Typically though, I would say to do an accordian cut on the billet, flatten it out, and there's your pattern. A loaf like you mentioned will work too, but with a loaf you have a series of single welds, which I don't feel is as strong as an accordian cut billet.

Just my $0.02 though,
Nick
 
Thanks Tracy, that was pretty cool.

Nick, I'm assuming the "accordian cut" you mentioned is the basic reverse of the "notch & fold" that's done when building layers? I've never seen that before (accordian cut). Any tips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top