Bit Making – How to Make Handmade Horse Bits Part 1
This is part one of a series of bit making clips that show how to make a loose jaw roping horse bit. I start off by showing you the cardboard drawing of the custom bit and describe the process off grinding out the shank bodies using an abrasive cut-off wheel on a Baldor number 114 buffer. I also show you the handmade 1″ X 1/4″ steel rings that will be welded to the top and bottom of the bit shanks.
For welding I use a Miller 250 DX tig welder that I purchased preowned and it really does a great job. Stay tuned for the next clips I think you will really get a kick out of the process I go through to make these handmade horse bits.
Bit Making – How to Make Handmade Horse Bits Part 2
Bit Making video clip I have just finished profiling the shank bodies and next the rings are welded onto the shanks. Now it is time to talk about hammering the welds instead of grinding the welds flush I like to hammer them this makes a much stronger bit shank than grinding the weld off of the shanks. I heat the the rings and a portion of the shank and then hammer the welds on my anvil and try to make all four rings match. Once the welds are hammered I surface grind the bit shanks on my 2″x 72″ belt grinder/sander starting with a 80 grit belt 120 & then a 320 grit sanding belt. Find the link to my bit and spur making website in the header of my YouTube channel. Thanks for watching and you are welcome to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Bruce Cheaney Leathercraft and Bit and Spur Making.
Bit Making – How to Make Handmade Horse Bits Part 3
Bit making tutorial with Bruce Cheaney on how to make a loose jaw high port horse bit for roping, reining and cutting horses. This video clip is a in depth look at the process of making this loose jaw bit you will learn how to truly put together a handmade horse bit.
Bit Making – How to Make Handmade Horse Bits Part 4
Engraving Silver and Steel Tutorial. Engraving is kind of the reward when you get to the end of a project like this. This bit represents a couple of days of work going at it pretty steady and I usually wait until the next day to the engraving just to let my nerves settle down a little bit I can do a much better job if I’m not under pressure to get something like this finished like this project. I like to use GRS engraving tools and gravers my engraving machine is a older model called the GraverMate the newer model is called a GraverSmith and a machine like this will last you for many years. For most of my engraving I use a 42 and 44 flat graver and a square graver that has been modified. The engraving style I use on most all of my handmade bits and spurs is considered the Texas Style, I find it much easier to keep the pattern simple and not to busy. Anyway I hope you have enjoyed the four clips on bit making.