Rolling mill

P

percy

Well-Known Member
I just got a large rolling mill from a retired tool and die maker. I was wondering how useful this would be in the forging situation. I think it would be great for doing Mokume but how about damascus. It is large weight about 1000 lbs and has 6 inch rollers on it. Lots of power too.
Just wondering outloud I am thinking of doing my own mokume.
Tell me what you think about rolling mills please.
 
1000lbs isn't that big for a steel rolling mill Percy, and how useful it is, will depend a lot on how functional it is for hot steel. There are a huge variety of rolling mills made for many different materials, more commonly in that size for plastics, film, precious metals, etc.

As to how useful the right rolling mill is for *production* damascus work; highly. Mokume? Depends on what you're trying to do with it.

A rolling mill is primarily useful for reducing the thickness of stock. If you're trying to maximize the commercial output of pattern welded billets to thin (sub 1/8") stock, then it's practically crucial. Assuming the correct type and capacity of mill.
 
Thanks for the info Javan I probably got the weight 1/2 right it is a lot heavier than I thought, but either way I just wanted to use it for doing mokume as I needed it.
I like making mokume with a different pattern that you normally see and hope this will work on that.
Thanks again for the input.
 
The are terrible to have....sooooo, if you just give me your address I'll be there this weekend to take it off your hands, I'm a giver, what can I say!?

Seriously, they are great for damascus, depending on the pattern you want, may not be great for all patterns, but for stretching out a thick billet to a specific size, they are great! I'd love to have one! You may have to do some experiments to see what it does to different patterns, as far as Mokume, the way it's made is a quite different than Damascus, although it could still be used to stretch a Mokume billet the same way. Hope this helps, Rex
 
They're not as common, but I've seen some of the mills that have independent adjustment for each side of the roller.
Most keep the rollers parallel while allowing one to move vertically for thickness changes.
The ones that have adjustment on each side of the roller actually allow you to angle the roller. A nice feature for creating beveled blanks.


Sounds like you made a great score. With the 6" rollers, you'll have to work the metal quickly while hot.

Rob
 
The one I have has a five horse motor and looks like the one that is the first picture that came up on the you tube ad Chad Nichols posted.
It works great Gary had it hooked up and running within an hour of getting it unloaded. Only the upper wheel moves up or down. gary mashed two billets with it and went form 1/4 inch rough to 1/8 inch smooth real fast. I think it will work for what we want to do. I like cable mokume and I think rolling it out wourl make it easier and make it look great. I also like a pattern I call engrave in which I use a pantomill and on each pices of nickle silver and copper I engrave a lot of curly cues and such and then weld it together in my heat treat oven then get it forged out and it has a really neat pattern. It has been years since I have made any. I went to Arkansas School of Bladsmithing back in about 96 or so with Bobby Capedepon and Stever Jernigen was show how to do mokume and it was the neatest class I had been to. I am not into forging but I like the mokume on my folders. Now I will make some more and have it on a lot of folder and Chad Nichols damascus with it.
Thanks for the replies great group of people to be listening too for sure.
Percy
 
Percy the mill posted by Joly is the exact mill we have in the shop. I would be intrested to see some better photos of the in feed/outfeed table on that machine. Joe and I made that nickle stuff today. Little curve to it but it turns out nice. We took it down from about 1/2 down to 3/8 inch or less. I did not measure it when we were finished like that nickle blank I sent you. LOL

I dont know IF I told you but the railroad spikes stuff goes a lot faster with your method of hollow grinding. I am going between the Grizzly G1015 for quick hull out of the edges and some work in the recaso area (spellen I no) and the No Weld Grinder Sander (NWGS). I thought about rolling one of them in and stopping the mill then backing up. Decided not to though.

By the way guys.... the mill in my shop is the one Percy owns. I am the adopted parent. LOL
 
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