How to Find A Hook Jig

It is a disturbing fact that from time to time I need something I can’t find. It’s disturbing because I’ve put a lot of time and effort into making sure that doesn’t happen.

I have been requested to make a coat rack similar to one I made several years ago. Actually, it was quite a few years ago. Back then I didn’t keep any records, so this was like starting from scratch and figuring it out all over again. I really don’t like that, but I can do it.

First, I queried my inventory and found where two coat hooks jigs were located. I found them and one was made for a very specific project which I probably will never repeat and the other was an enigma so I disassembled it.

So, not actually finding a suitable hook jig, I designed the type of hook I needed for this job and did two test pieces and made a new jig to duplicate the prototype hook.

This is a summary of what I did. First I cut 8” of 3/8” square bar and forged a 2” fishtail taper then rolled it into a scroll. Then I cut a piece of angle, a piece of pipe and a piece of round bar and welded up the radius jig. With the mass of the fishtail hooked on the round bar I torch heated as I pulled the radius with a cheater pipe. When the tangent looked right I welded on another little piece of angle as a stop. I made a twisting wrench by heating a piece of pipe which I thought would slip over the square stock when forged to square shape. With torch heat I made a snug fit onto a short piece of 3/8” square then used that piece to MIG weld on as the T handle. I torch heated the hook in the little triangular gap between the pipe and the angle stop and added a 180º twist.

Later, I’ll swell the top end with half face blows and punch a rivet hole so the hooks can be fixed to the mounting bar,

When I finish I’ll stamp a name, such as, "coat hook" and the A02 grid number on the jig designating what it’s for and where it will hang. Then I'll record that information on the inventory spreadsheet. It’s the old “a name and a home” strategy again. Next time, maybe I’ll be able to find it.

http://www.persimmonforge.com/