First Fire in the forge, and weld.

[Finnr]

Looking great John. Does me good to see those tools being put to a good use. Keep hammering. It all comestogether real fast after a while.
Finnr

[m_brothers]

Originally Posted by keykeeper

Looks like you and little brother had a good time. I know you mentioned getting proper safety equipment, so I'm not gonna harp on ya for that. You'll find when you have some closed toe shoes on and pants, you can step up to the anvil and really get hammering. It'll maximize your hammering to a whole new level. How scale down the shoe or between the toes isn't very fun, eh?

Keep on forging!

-aaron c.

Yeah, hot scale and sparks in between the toes and under the foot aren't fun. Lol. But back when I had one heck of a make-shift setup, I could get right up and in there.

Originally Posted by Frosty

Your forge looks to be working very well all round John. Well done.

Seeing as you've acknowledged your safety gear situation I won't chew on you for it. THIS TIME!

Everyone gets hurt now and then no matter how careful we are but there's no excuse for being careless. Whatever you do to yourself, just don't get your little brother hurt for lack of basic good sense gear.

Once you have long pants and shoes on you can lose the tongs on pieces that long and everything will get easier. You will need to cool the end you're holding onto once in a while but that's no biggy.

What are the pieces of yellow painted angle iron on the tong rack for? I may like the idea and use it.

Congratulations John, you've got yourself a real live, honest to goodness smithy.

Frosty

Don't worry, Jerry, I went out and bought six pairs of safety glasses, one pair of fire gloves just in case (and if anyone insists on wearing them), a few earplugs, but the anvil doesn't ring like at all with hot metal on it, without the hot metal. You'd better hope you got ear protection. I'm getting a pair of work boots as well. But otherwise, right now I have, 4 pairs of ear plugs, 6 clear safety glasses, 2 shatter proof shaded glasses for forge welding, and grinding. Need a full face shield, but I'll get there someday soon hopefully.

Thank-you Jerry and Aaron for the thoughts and tips.

Right now, I'm ordering steel for tongs, s hooks, drive hooks and J hooks.

Jerry here are some pictures of what those "yellow (actually orange, bad lighting and bad camera) angle iron pieces".

The pieces that are identical can be used as adjustable S Hook jig, and the piece with the pipe on it is a set S Hook jig. The red fuller tool can be used in the anvil hardie hole or the vise, and all of these items were made by Chris (Hammerkid) as a trade for a blower that I sent him. However I have plans for a stock extension for the forge with the adjustable S Hook jib pieces. I'm going to make a stand that they just pop into, and then are held in place with a screw. They'll each sit in a pipe and both pipes will be welded into a stand. I held them together for what it would look like. Multi purpose Tools. Right now I'm in the process of making stands for all of the tools (anvil, post vise, stock extension, hammer rack/stand) lol.... Thanks for the interest in the tools.


Thanks again Art.

[Frosty]

I know you're a careful guy John, I just can't help getting preachy sometimes. I'd feel terrible if someone got hurt and I had a chance to say something and maybe prevent it beforehand. I don't have so many friends I can afford to lose one if I can help it.

I like the "S" hook jig, very slick. If you slipped a larger dia. piece of pipe over one of the pins you'd have an adjustable version of the other jig.

A double arm on the fuller and the dies will stay parallel for you and you won't have to reset for depth as often.

Thanks for the explanation.

Frosty

[m_brothers]

Thanks Frosty. I don't want anyone to get hurt or worse. And the Fuller can be set to different heights. The bolt on the back just loosens. I do not understand the double arm fuller that you were talking about. Sorry, lol. Could you please explain or describe what it is.

-John

[Frosty]

Have you seen a treadle hammer with two sets of arms, one above the other?

The double arms keep the hammer oriented with the anvil in two dimensions, vertical and side to side. The natural swing of the arms will alter the orientation longitudinally. (in line with the arms)

The attached picture isn't great but it shows how the arms are arranged and how the ram is held vertical.

It's more complicated to make but not too much so. The important things to have right are the holes. The holes in the arms must be the same distance apart or it'll bind. Same with the holes in the ram and vertical frame member though they don't need to be the same as the arms.

I get them the same by clamping everything together before drilling. Arms to arms and ram to vertical member.

Frosty

[rmcpb]

You are off and running. But not for long if you don't get the safety gear

Enjoy

[MRobb]

Great start! Looks good. I like your enthusiasm most. That will overcome most obsticals.
Can't wait to see what you forge. How about posting pics of the spike tongs. I need a pair & would like to see your design. Thanks!

Mitch

[rlarkin]

Man, my feet are in pain just looking at the images.

Originally Posted by MRobb

How about posting pics of the spike tongs. I need a pair & would like to see your design. Thanks!
Mitch

Here is the set I made. Simple rebar and some 5/8 chanel. Work great.

[hammerkid]

keep up the good work / fun john. yes get the safety gear beforwe you forge again. you have the sam sanders as i do that came from walmart for $2.00lol

[m_brothers]

Lol, Chris. 2 bucks sounds about right. I'll make the tongs into a blue-print. And then will submit them to Glenn. I like the bolt tongs rlarkin, but my are going to be specially designed to fit the head of the spike. I am making six pair of tongs. One for RR spikes as mentioned above, then two different sized square stock ones, two round ones, and one square stock bolt tongs.

John and Owen