Smithing Magician

The smithing magician is a type of guillotine fuller. What makes it special, is that it has interchangable tooling. There are quite a few different examples out there. The one picutred below is an "H" frame, based on plans in Jerry Hoffman's "THE BLACKSMITH'S JOURNAL". (Jerry has a number of versions that he has developed over the years.) This particular version does not require any welding skills. Basically you need to be able to do accurate layout, use a drill press to accurately place holes and you need to know how to tap holes.

I have also seen smithing magicians with a "C" frame. which allows you to insert your stock from the side as well as from the front.

The dies slide in pair of grooves. Those grooves in the frame, keep the dies aligned. The picture below shows the smithing magician on a anvil. It will also work under a treadle hammer. A recent issue of Hoffman's "THE BLACKSMITH'S JOURNAL" showed how to rig a smithing magician to be used under a fly press.

My dies are made from A36 steel that has been Super Quenched. For the most part this has worked fairly well. Those dies which come to a sharp point or sharp edge would probably benefit from using a tool steel. I have found that I need to dress the sharp edges every once in a while.

• Smithing Magician:
  

• Tooling for a smithing magician:
  

As you can see in the photograph above, the tooling, as general rule, comes in pairs, a top die which is struck with a hammer and a bottom die.

The left most pair of dies are for doing square 1/4" tennons. The 2 grooves are wide enought to let you start with 3/8" or 1/2" square stock. The left groove acts as a butcher and isolates the mass which will become the tennon. You will butcher in from top and bottom and then turn 90 degrees and butcher in the 2 sides. When the dies have met, you are left with a 1/4" square center. The right groove forms the square tenon. With each hammer blow, you turn the hot iron 90 degrees. When the dies meet, you have a 1/4" square tennon. If everything goes as it should, your tennon is centered on the bar. ((Although this configuration works reasonably well, it would work better if the butchering and squaring grooves were on separate pairs of dies. Since each groove is off center, neither works as well as it would if it was centered. afd))

The 2nd from the left pair of dies are 1/2" fullering dies, used to neck in.

The 3rd pair from the left are a set of "V" dies.

The pair of dies on the far right are for making 1/2" round tennons. (The picture at the top shows dies for making 1/4" tennons.)

The single die at the bottom is a flat or anvil die, which can be used with the "V" Top die, or other top die. The imprint will only be made to one side of the stock.

The smithing magician below is made with a "C" frame, as compared to the "H" frame up above. The advantage here, is that it is easier to work pieces cross wise or at an angle. In addition, this one has a deep throat, allowing fairly wide stock to be worked both cross wise and at an angle. The "H" frame is really intended to only work pieces, passing through the throat of the "H". This smithing magician is fabricated by welding up the parts.

• Smithing Magician with a "C" frame as compared to an "H" frame:
  

-- AlbinDrzewianowski - 10 Feb 2008