Hand welding with a small billet and bailing wire is fine.The bundle can be tightly wired together with iron wire. Tap each corner bend tight with a mallet as you wind around the bundle. Twist each tie tight on the side,snip the twist about 1/2" long, and tap the ends over so they don't stick out so bad. Add a twist every inch or so. The bottom bar of the billet should be about 3-4 inches longer than the billet to allow holding with tongs ( some like to make the center bar the long one). I just use a 24" bar for the bottom and have a built in handle. Keep billets small and this will work fine.
As you start the welding, start at the far end ( away from the handle). Quickly weld about one or two inches, and return the billet to the forge. Pulling off the broken wire at that area with a pair of lineman's pliers will help keep the iron wire out of the billet. Once the end is welded up, you can snip off the wires as you come to them. After welding down the billet, re-weld it again to make sure the layers are set well. Remove any wires that are stuck ( if you can), then re-weld it a third time , with more force ( but not too hard) ,to make it a solid steel mass. Brush it off well after every heat, and lightly reflux the sides before putting it back in the forge.
Cool the billet and grind off all traces of the wire. Square things up on the sides. Return to the forge and re-weld ,starting on the sides, as needed to get the billet into a sold mass of steel. You should not see layers very distinctly once it is welded up. If all is well, it should look like a big bar of steel. If there is a bad weld, it will show up now. Re-weld any that pop open until all is solid. Cool the billet and clean it up on the grinder again. Return to the forge,bringing it up to high forging heat ( nearly welding heat) and start the drawing out. Brush the billet before and after every heat. Once it is double the length,use a hot cutter to cut nearly through the bar, in the center. Brush it off, apply flux, fold with the hammer, bringing it down snug....but don't hammer on it. Re-flux, return to the forge and bring the heat up to full welding heat. Pull out and gently set the weld down the bar, starting at the fold. Re-heat and set the weld hard. Continue to draw,cut,fold, weld.... as many times as your time permits, until you are done. If you do your work well in the start up stages, you should be able to draw and fold the steel continuously without having to go and grind the surface at each fold.The trick is to never let the billet cool down below red heat. Flux only as little as is needed on folds, brush the surface every time before hammering, and set the weld completely before drawing out again. Remember to always square the sides before drawing the billet. If you have to stop, re-grind the surface before starting up again.
Good luck.
Stacy
