frame

Forget the fork in these photos.. I made a new one. Added this one to the 'remember' pile. My first fillet frame.. learning and learning and learning. All are for me and no one else. Not ready for 'prime time'

No delusions here Yo!!

shadetree fork making

The start... To build anything, one must have all skills available. layout, tool making, forming, filing, fit and hand work. Dont fool yourself.. if you cant even run a file or set up your torch... or even know what torch to use.. stop now step back and learn. I dont really care how you learn.. a few miles of shitty shop jobs or classes. Trust me, one or two classes aint gonna do it. Get over yourself and off the computer. Info like this dont fall off the electronic tree.. so to speak. I am leaving so very much description out of this process. To type it all out would mean volumes. I make mistakes.. yeah.. I have a fork and frame garden growing in my basement. there are errors then there are ERRORS!!.. Most of the time its the steel being just what it is and unpredictable in its minutia. I am learning about frame building which is its own vast specialty apart from basic steel working.

Here is some more.. dig the high tech method of preventing tube collapse during bending of the blades.

new fork for the recent frame

These are in sequetial order.. see the above post for pre- fit work

Equally bent blades.. sneak up on the curve if you dont have stops installed in the fixture.

2) ovalized TT bending lever with a 'soft' plactic insert to avoid kinking the blades when moving over the form.
I slot the blades after bending. With two wood blocks in the vice jaws to pad the steel, the blade lines up for better sight lines. This helps with hacking a centered slot to be finished with files.

Pinned and ready for brass

Nice, strait and true!! Both blades fall on center.. no turkey legging here Yo!!