Building a Die to Forge a Custom Bolt Head 

Fantastic job, great to see somebody caring enough to go to all that trouble to make the exactly right bolts rather than compromise.

Great job, nice video. It's good to see things being repaired in our throwaway world.

Keith Rucker has the worlds best job! Vintage machinery and steam locomotive, what a combination and really appreciate the thought process in figuring things out.

Keith, wow! I think I just put my thumb on my fascination with the work done by you, the other Keith, Tom, Paul S and Adam . In today's world of CNC you can have anything made... for a price. But in this simple demo you made something not "off the shelf" with a hunk of scrap and a few bolts. It may not be lost, but it is a dying art. Thanks for preserving this, both literally and on video. I know you are gearing up for ARNFest this month. I live just down the road a couple miles from Colfax, CA. Colfax Railroad days was this past weekend celebrating 150 years of trains in Colfax. Got some shots of the recently restored (computerized) and still in service, SP rotary snow plow and Flanger. I'll email them to you.

Nice job! Regarding the bolt production sequence, I think I would set the bolt into the die about one inch high and LIGHTLY grip it with the die for heating. This way you can heat the die a bit at the same time you ate bringing the bolt blank to forging heat. You then loosen the vice to drop the bolt into forging position, tighten the vice and commence forging. This allows for maximum heat at forging and eliminates cooling of the blank while setting it into the die. If re-heating is required to complete forging, just loosen the vice, raise the bolt, heat, loosen the vice dropping the bolt, re-tighten the vice and resume forging. This method allows for a hotter blank at commencement of forging, and has a side benefit of getting the job done faster.

Thanks Keith. "Always forging ahead"

Very interesting to see how you went about making the Die . Impressed Keith as always with your Ability to solve a problem

You're a hard working man Keith Tucker! I hope everyone appreciates you great efforts. David, over in Ala.

Hi Keith. If put the bolt in the fixture a few inches high and snug the vice then you can heat the top of the bolt to red hot, loosen the vice and toe bolt will slide down to the stop, tighten the vice and forge the new head.

A really good video Keith. Always admire that you take the time to do a job properly, and end up doing a really worthwhile repair as a result.

....never tire of watching your shows, Mr. Rucker, .......always great projects or repairs lined up, excellent workmanship, and explanations as you progress. Thanks for taking the time to share with us........Rick

I always enjoy watching how you so creatively solve problems unique to all that wonderful vintage machinery, but I gota tell ya that steam whistle blowing in the background upstages you every time. Thanks for another great video Keith.

That is a very nicely done project. Thanks for showing us how you did it.

Good work Keith. Necessity is the mother of invention.

That just goes to show that if you are willing to fix something well every time it breaks, you can keep it in service practically forever.

If you still have to do the other bolts, Maybe you can heat them raised in the vice. It'l heat the die at the same time. the you can just loosen the vice and let them drop down. It ill probably make you do them in one heat. Nice project and video again, thanks.

Good job Keith, if you don’t have them, forge them!!

Interesting to see the original design solution for a unique scenario of fastening between rack peaks like that. A contemporary replication of what worked for a over a hundred years, as opposed to trying to reinvent the wheel is in itself an admirable form of respect in regards to preserving the historical legacy of fine craftsmanship. In fact, it's perhaps that extra mile of detail that is at the very heart of a long enduring legacy of fine craftsmanship.

I thought of a couple of modifications to that die would make it easier to produce the bolts. 1) A deep counter bore in holes that slide on the roll pins would allow you to fit some springs over the pins that would open the die for you. 2) Place a block on top of the stop you clamped to the vice screw. This lets you heat the bolt held loosely in the die, then drop it into place by removing the block. 3) If you're replacing all the bolts, clamp the torch to a stand that would allow you to point it at the bolt head, then swivel it out of the way.

Very interesting; It makes the mill area self sufficient if another breaks plus if someone with a mill like that one breaks bolts you can use that for a demonstration... well I meant in person and not on a video. Thanks, Greg

Nice repair job, Keith! Pretty cool using modern equipment to make antique parts. Maybe someday when the sawmill is running you could snap a little video of that. I think it would be interesting to see. Thanks for the video! -mike

Nice repair. Making use of the tools that are available. Time is money.

Great video - the die was a lot of work but the bolts you made are works of art - brought a smile and make me want to get out in the shop. You balance thorough video presentation with clear narration very well.

Great black smith quick work Keith ! Thumbs up man

I wish I had the ability to make parts like you do! Several times I've found my self cobbling things together with hand tools, ( file, hammer, torch, grinder, &/or a dremmel tool) but they do function as I intended them to.

Job well done, custom fit.

For the next time......put a block on top of the stopblock, heat the bolt in the dye, remove the extra block, the bolt fell down on the stopblock and you don't have to remove the bolt with two pliers.

Mr. Rucker,That was awesome !!!! Great job .My Best As Always ,Tighe

Great work as usual!! Love to see some serious blacksmithing!

I really like the repairs you made . thx from berlin, germany . go ahead like this and thanks for all of your videos.

Good Work

Solid job well done!

Very cool fix job!

you do excellent repair work and are quite the contortionist Thank You for all you do.

Very nice work Keith!

Nice bolts and a great video. Thanks.

Keith,I really enjoyed the video, and appreciate the mindset that where another person might have simply ground off a bolt head so that it would fit, you took the time to make a more authentic piece.Throughout this video, as in some of your other videos, I found myself thinking that with your calm, measured, common sense approach to each challenge, and the very clear method by which you explain each new step, that you'd make a truly outstanding high school shop skills teacher; those would be some lucky kids!On another note, I think that it is a truly wonderful service that you're providing to the museum. Several times I've heard you say that you work there as a volunteer; I can only assume that you are doing that as a labor of love. I also assume that the museum, like many others, must operate on a very tight budget. Have you given any thought to creating an account such as Patreon or another such donation account so that those of us who truly appreciate the fine work that you do, as well as the service that the museum provides in preserving a part of our American heritage, can donate to? I'm sure that many of your 38, 180 subscribers would love to help support your efforts.Sorry for the long-winded post, but thanks again for what you do!

Great video Keith. I see your getting that ready for cutting some of those logs into lumber for that new workshop. GETTER DONE!

Another great video. Thanks for taking the time to make it. What might seem simple to some, can be clever for others. Cheers.

Interesting video, Keith. Thanks. They say for riveting, you should leave about 1.5 times the diameter sticking out. That looks about like what you did. Anyway it came out very nice. Thanks for sharing. Joe

Hello Keith, Nice to see a workshop video and interesting that you also showed where the repaired piece is going on the machine. Always beautifull to see those old machines and how they did in fact the same as in this time. Only thing that has changed is the way they make machines and perfect-ionized old technology. Anyway, thanks for the good video and many greetings from Roel !

Nice video Keith, Thanks for sharing.

Great episode! Surprised you did not have to chase the other volunteers away while all of this was happening. Really nice job!

This was great! I can just imagine some gearhead carpenter working on this 100 years ago with hand tools.

Nice job on the die and making of the new bolt heads. Definitely looks like a two man job when you make the rest of them to keep from having to light and shut down the torch so many times!

love the steam whistle in the background

Love that "MITEE" cutting oil. (about 11:40) My favorite dark sulphurated.

I learned a lot on how to make a simple die that works. Thanks.

Thanks. Really interesting to see how this and so many other parts you've made at done.

Enjoyed the video, thanks for all your efforts. Just a safety suggestion: on the bolts holding the lead blocks down, shorten the bolt ends, if someone falls and lands on one they have a 2" deep bullet hole in their chest possibly fatal.Thanks much, Joe

Awesome job. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and skill.

Reminds me of the "shoe bolts" that Ben Thresher forged from carriage bolts for attaching iron shoes to the full moccasin runners on the farm sled he built in the documentary "Ben's Mill" many years ago. Great job!

Hi Keith, Many, including myself enjoyed this video. One thing I wondered about was if you should have trimmed the ends of the bolt threads used to secure the lead weights. There seemed to be enough tripping hazards in the area to make the bolt threads hazardous if you fell on them. Regards

Great segment Keith. Nice approach to solving a tricky problem. Thanks for sharing... Fred

Keith: Pre-heat the die just like you have done. Place the cut-off bolt in the die, sticking up about 2 inches. Snug the vise. Apply heat to the bolt to the orange state. Then loosen the vise and the bolt will fall in place without extra handling. Tighten the vise and pound away. Saves a few seconds of handling and keeps it hotter longer.

Great job done ! Suggest you consider a cover for the lead. Keep it from leaching out with oak sap into the ground or hands... Just a bent metal cover.

Thanks Keith! Great video as always.

Another great video, Keith. Always interesting to see you make the tools to do the job. What I appreciate most is your attitude - even a bolt head that no-one will ever see gets done right because, well, you'll know it's correct. That's the mark of a true craftsman in my books. Thanks, and keep 'em coming!

Another great video. By the way, your videography, audio and editing are excellent quality. Always get excited when you post a new video. Thanks,

Awesome video Keith, I don't have any experience in forging so this one was particularly interesting to watch. I also had the same thought as Flip de boer. It would have been a great idea to raise the bolt up, heat it, then have it drop. At any rate, I definitely learned something! Thanks!

Great job!

Great video. I was wondering how you were going to forge those angled shoulders! I learned a lot from this video! Thanks for posting it!

Enjoyed the video Keith

Nice job of making the die for the bolt head Keith. Pity the blacksmith had a day off. Just a tip:- turn off the acetylene 1st then the oxy' and you will not get black smoke at both ends of the heating process. :-) regards from the UK

Well done... One of the greatest repair video I have ever seen... But I was expecting to see the sawmill in action :) Anyway keep the good work !!

Another very interesting project. thanks.

Keith, fascinating video. I'd love to see the mill in operation.

I like the quick die

Nice work Keith! My only suggestion would be to cut the excess length off those lead weight bolts, they are an impalement hazard.

Love your power ratchet handwork!! :-)

That's a nice head die. Also made me realize i have a half of one in my metal scrap parts, never figured what it was :) it doesn't have alignment pins or a shoulder, so yours is fancy.

Interesting and ingenious.

enjoyed, keep it up Keith!

I agree with flip raise them up in the vise , heat to red loosen and plop then tighten and beat them flat . To me any operations , much quicker and less chance of getting burnt .

very nice work, love it, enjoyed every minute, thanks

keith very interesting video.

Now I know why you were having a hard time getting the bolts in. The first time I watched I didn't notice you were using a carpenter's hammer to tap the bolts in! No wonder! Just kidding; you did a fine job on the die and very interesting video, Greg.

nice job keith.very creative, i'm sure in a couple of hundred years some restoration technician will try to figure out how you made those bolts using your "primitive" manual equipment.

Im told that heating or welding Zink is not good for your health ! I found the easiest & safest way to remove the Zink is to soak the pieces in a week acid, I found that Vinegar takes about 24-32 hrs. rinse with water and your good.. I hope this helps !

Nice! Great work... :-)

what a hunk of steel for a table. that's the kinf of table you dont ever move. haha

My background is Cold Heading. Interesting to see it done hot.

Another great teaching video. Thanks for your efforts. Might you have run the bolt from the top down and using "C" or "J" clamp position and hold the rack, then remove top-loaded bolts and apply from bottom? Would give you the extra man.

Term we use with shoddy workmanship up north is " half-ass". Gotta come up with new term for u, maybe overkill. Great job and very entertaining as always.

Nice work Keith - inspired in fact!! Great video. :)

This was a lovely video. I am impressed with your die. Of course if you had a production run you could use a hydraulic press (I saw a guy in Talkeetna do exactly that) but the hammer works just as well. This thing is a sort of nail header. It does make me wonder how they would make dies like that back in the 19th century. Before mills were common. File by hand? Ouch.

what would the museum do with out people like your self, great work and very informative as always.

ugh, I wish I had a job like your. Coming to work to make something old new again..

Just happened to think...You may want to have your Blacksmith temper your bolts. The way you worked the bolts there will be some interstitial stresses that will benefit from a bit of stress relieving. A session of heating up the bolts and a proper quench will add years of use to the bolts. By the way, you could replace "interstitial" with "intergranular" and it would be about the same concept.

Keith, great job. I’m wondering about softening the bolt. Did you regarded the bolt?

Hi mate.I was thinking the same as Flip de Boer. At the same time the block would also be heated. Sometimes your just too close to the project, that you don't see the other ways of doing it. I'm the same, I'm too fixed in how to attack a project.

Would like a video of the mill in action.

Looks like you could use an apprentice when you are making those new bolts. If I lived closer I would give you a handand then there would be 2 of us huffing and puffing. Enjoyed---------- thanks

nice

gotta carry that dip errywhere ya go!

Do you have an idea of what causes the bolt to fail? I can see the need for that lead weight, watching that rack bounce as you add weight/.

Well. After watching this video, I got just one 4 letter word to say, C O O L.

Did you forget to open out the holes in the wooden frame to accept the new larger diameter bolts ? or did you want the "tight fit" ?

OK, which is heavier, a pound of steel or a pound of lead?

You shouldn't feel bad about the "modifications" to the sawmill. The way I see it, a similar mill operating in the 1900's-1910's (if that's a valid historical estimate) would likely have had similar modifications for similar reasons, so while the modifications aren't "Original", they're probably "historically accurate". A side question: Would it have been beneficial to file the edges of the transition between shank and head in your die, to produce a smooth radius? Does the head get driven tightly enough into the die that it would make a difference in the finished bolt? And is there clearance in the rack for it to fit if there was a radius there? I know that parts are weaker if they have sharp interior corners, as stress can be concentrated there and start to "tear" the material.