Making a fool of myself!

[merlinart]

You have the cowl so you can work out the radius from there Arthur, the part that bolts to the chassis is flat, then the curve starts where it meets the cowl. If you bend a bit of flat bar that is an inch wider than the finished horn, then cut the horn shape from the blank on a bias you will create the twist that you need at the same time.

OK, don't laugh...that never occurred to me...actually, I really ought to have said that I don't have a cowl, unfortunately I have two plus a grp one!

I must have gone into panic mode!

Arthur

[David Cochrane]

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.

[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

[Ian Williams]

Ok so I appreciate I may have better equiped workshop than some, the point I am trying to make is that you would be surprised what can be accomplished with a little knowledge a few hand tools and the willingness to try. I bend then by placing one end of the bar in a vice and heating in sections with an oxy acetylene torch, leave the bar a bit longer than final size and apply pressure to the free end, as you get the bar coming up to cherry red, it will start to move with surprising ease. Work in small sections moving the heated area up and around the curve, have a pre cut template to check progress as you go, half an hour later you will have two blanks bent to shape. Then mark the finished outline across the curve on a bias, remember I said earlier the flat bar should be about an inch wider than your finished horn. Cut away the surplus with a hacksaw, angle grinder of if you are lucky like me a band saw, then tidy with a file and or grinder, you can also thin the ends with a file or grinder, but I don't bother on a special. You may need to slightly tweak the radius at this stage, mark and drill mounting holes, a coat of paint, sit back and relax with your favourite tipple!
Not that hard really, and other than the heating with gas torch totally achievable with hand tools and a small amount of skill, my point being if you are capable of building a special you are capable of making Cow horns!

[merlinart]

Ok so I appreciate I may have better equiped workshop than some, the point I am trying to make is that you would be surprised what can be accomplished with a little knowledge a few hand tools and the willingness to try. I bend then by placing one end of the bar in a vice and heating in sections with an oxy acetylene torch, leave the bar a bit longer than final size and apply pressure to the free end, as you get the bar coming up to cherry red, it will start to move with surprising ease. Work in small sections moving the heated area up and around the curve, have a pre cut template to check progress as you go, half an hour later you will have two blanks bent to shape. Then mark the finished outline across the curve on a bias, remember I said earlier the flat bar should be about an inch wider than your finished horn. Cut away the surplus with a hacksaw, angle grinder of if you are lucky like me a band saw, then tidy with a file and or grinder, you can also thin the ends with a file or grinder, but I don't bother on a special. You may need to slightly tweak the radius at this stage, mark and drill mounting holes, a coat of paint, sit back and relax with your favourite tipple!
Not that hard really, and other than the heating with gas torch totally achievable with hand tools and a small amount of skill, my point being if you are capable of building a special you are capable of making Cow horns!

Agreed indeed on last sentence if not all, however, I can see precisely why the specialists have them laser cut and bend them in a substantial fly press, since doing them by hand and adding profit would probably render them quite an expensive exercise, as if they aren't already.

Why though are they ground thinner on the inside, when...it appears (I've never yet bolted anything to them, so the experience is awaited) the panels bolt through on the outside? I am intrigued, and assume there's a logical answer?

Arthur

[Ian Williams]

I am not suggesting anyone would make them by hand as a commercial enterprise Arthur!

They are cast steel and taper simply because it is unnecessary for the tip section to be any thicker, when you make many thousand as Austin did I imagine there is a saving in material cost... It is also a more elegant design aesthetically!

[Alan]

It’s simpler than you think. Look at any cow. Horns are tapered.

[merlinart]

It’s simpler than you think. Look at any cow. Horns are tapered.

OK, thanks to you and Ian...I was thinking too hard. 

I suppose though originally they were drop forged and tapered in the process then bent in a press? When I watch my chum next door to me drawing out a forging in the power hammer, it never ceases to amaze me just what can be done, imagine being in the drop forge shop in a steam locomotive works and with no ear defenders! Sometimes, I'm a hammer man in the forge with a sledge hammer...earns me a pint!

Arthur

[Duncan Grimmond]

While I agree that making the cow horns may not be that difficult, there are cherished suppliers who have the right thing in stock. Why go to a lot of trouble making an average or poor copy of a readily available correct item?
If they were not available by return post or if you were stuck for a repair in the Shetlands I'd understand but I believe in giving an established expert his due and the craftsman his wage...

[merlinart]

While I agree that making the cow horns may not be that difficult, there are cherished suppliers who have the right thing in stock. Why go to a lot of trouble making an average or poor copy of a readily available correct item?
If they were not available by return post or if you were stuck for a repair in the Shetlands I'd understand but I believe in giving an established expert his due and the craftsman his wage...

Hence getting mine from Ian Tillman at Oxfordshire Sevens where I saw a bundle of them flat on his bench, presumably just come in from his laser cutting people.

I get lots of nonsense laser cut, sometimes not cheap and I do look and think I could have done it cheaper, but if you want goo looking stuff, sometimes best to have it laser or water jet cut.

Arthur