Making a fool of myself!

[merlinart]

Well they are not exactly hard to make are they David!
The bend at first glance may seem a little awkward but there is an easy way to form it, that said most special builders probably can't be fagged these days and I am sure that yours are of excellent quality.

Well, looking at the finished version, I certainly would find it very hard to make! The material is quite thick, and it tapers in width and thickness. I would find it extremely difficult to bend that thickness of steel, let alone to the correct curve and twist. I admit that I don't have the necessary heating, bending and machining equipment, just a vice and hand tools, so that doesn't help of course. But I think that I would also need a fair amount of experience of metal bashing to make something like that.

My blacksmith chum Nigel, could knock them up with ease on his power hammer. Those I have are laser cut and ground on the inside. Laser cutting them is the good and obvious method and then bending them. I got mine from Ian Tillman and he told me that they were bent on a 10 ton fly press...well I've got one of those as well, on permanent loan to Nigel next door!

I'm not entirely sure why they are ground and tapered on the inside....I have a feeling that I'm just about to be informed though!

Arthur