firebug

Mr. Porter, I have read only a small portion of this thread and I am grateful that it is still active. I think I may have acquired your book while inheriting a box of blacksmith books from a friend. If not, I am going to purchase it, the information is worth far more than the cost. I currently have four new Rex Price of Hybridburners 1” forge and foundry burners and one T-Rex burner. I am designing a new forge that does not need to be capable of forge welding, just needs to get hot enough to easily do traditional forge work like scrolls, twists and sculptures etc. in addition to the burners I have two boxes of soft fire bricks rated at 2600 degrees and plenty of hard fire bricks. I have six full rolls of 2” thick x 24” 2600 degree blanket. Believe it or not, I found all six boxes plus some odd pieces on the side of the road which had fallen off of a trailer or truck. What are the odds? I am planning to build something similar to a forge I saw on YouTube called a Super C. It has a C shape with a 2” opening running along the side of the forge body at floor level. The opening is normally closed with the soft brick until you need the extra room, such as when you are forging larger scrolls. The overall length will be approximately 24” with a cast floor and 4” of wool all around. The ends will have sliding doors made from the soft bricks. I am currently calculating the number of burners required and already have plans for an idle circuit. If I haven’t completely confused you with my description, and you are aware of others whom have built similar forges, please send me in their direction. That goes for anyone who reads this post. Again Mr Porter, thank you for taking the time to write the book and to engage in this thread. Thanks to everyone else as well who have contributed to this thread. Gary

I truly appreciate that brother. Let me know what I owe you. I really want to maintain and understand how it’s supposed to work and be adjusted. I only used mine a little before I had to disconnect it and move to another shop. Every once in a while it would stick at the top. Gary Cremeens

I need someone to point me in the direction of any information concerning the daily maintenance and repair of Iron KISS airhammers. I have a 75 lb model I bought used. I am willing to pay for a copy of any written manual or video. If the info is located on the web somewhere I would be forever grateful if you would point me in the right direction. Gary

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn the cornerstone to your smithing, hammer swing. I have studied under Master Hofi while taking his classes in North Carolina and New York many times. I also went to his smithy in Israel and studied one on one with him for two weeks so I am speaking from experience here. Once while attending the hand hammer class in New York there was a German Master Blacksmith attending the same class. To be a Master Blacksmith in Germany you must attend a Blacksmithing College basically, for around 4-5 years. Along with about 4 years of apprenticeship. There are tests along the way as well. You cannot own your own blacksmith shop unless you are a Master Blacksmith in Germany. So to say this guy was a well educated blacksmith is putting it lightly. He and I were going to lunch on break and he is speaking in his accent, Master Hofi is traumatizing me. I said what do you mean? He said everything that Hofi was teaching us was exactly opposite of what he was taught, but it worked better. So here is this very well educated German Master Blacksmith saying the Hofi method worked better than what he was taught. By attending classes with Master Hofi my blacksmithing capabilities have ALWAYS surpassed my experience.

I bought an 8" about 2 years ago for 450.00. That was a fair price in my opinion. I like it and would buy another if the price is right. Like anything they are only worth what people are willing to pay. Sometimes emotions get involved and the price of things go up. If someone wants to give me 1600.00 for mine I will even pay for half of the shipping.

Yes let us know how it works out. If you don't mind let us know how much you had to pay for it in the end. I have the Phoenix 150B model and like it very much.

That is what I told him. I said that the economy is the reason no one has bidded on the hammer with a beginning bid of 10,000.00. I hate it for him but it ain't gonna happen. The one and only hope he has is that someone that is going to buy a new Phoenix anyway just happens upon his add. The odds of that in this economy are none to none.

The 150A Phoenix air hammer has been listed again on Ebay. I think this is about the 3rd time it was listed. I offered him 5,500.00 for the hammer if it didn't sell. He said I wasted my time. His opening bid is 10,000.00. I paid 7,500.00 for my Phoenix 150B delivered new. I personally like the B model better because you have better clearance around the anvil. The anvil on my 150B weighes 2500 pounds alone. The anvil on the A model is part of the flame cut 3" frame which does not weigh near as much as mine plus the one peace has much less room to work odd shaped material on. I like my Phoenix but have to believe that at 20,000.00 the 150A is way over priced. I just paid 8,500.00 for a Sahinler 50 that is just a little over 1 year old and has already been converted to single phase, has the optional metal base and an extra pair of dies as well as some other toooling for it. With it I do not need a compressor.

Thanks for the replies. I have bought a Sahinler that is a little over a year old. It has been coverted to single phase power with a 10 horse motor. It has the steel base and extra dies. I gave 8,500.00 for it. Considering the above would cost about 14,000.00 plus shipping new I don't think that 8,500.00 was that bad. It will be nice to have it setting next to my Phoenix 150B. I will now be able to have two seperate hammers with different dies set up and will be able to forge complete leaves or other shapes requiring different dies in one heat. The other advantage it that if one hammer goes down I will have another to work on. Also, one is self contained and the other requires an air compressor, each with their own characteristics.

Where is the hammer located and how much for just the hammer?

Thanks

I am looking for a used self contained hammer in good shape. Looking for a Anyang, Sayha, Sahinler etc. Don't really wnat a Nazel type. If anyone hears of one please respond to this post, I am "watching" this forum. Thanks for ya'lls help.

Even a blind squirrel can find a nut every once in a while: means even an idiot can learn something. Useless as tits on a bore hog: means whatever the subject of the conversation is, is useless. Country as a butter bean: means, well you know. That head has wore out 3 bodies: means really ugly person, has been said about me. Blind in one eye, can't see out the other: means can't see. I feel like a stump whooped chitlin (pig intestine):means I am extremely tired and beat. They used to sling the chitlins against stumps to clean them out. His face could hold a two day rain: means a really wrinkled face. I would rather be down here wishing I was up there, than up there wishing I was down here: means don't go flying if you think the weather ain't good. Even though flying has made the world a smaller place it is still hard to miss when you crash. It didn't take long to look at that: means something was very hot and you through it down right after picking it up. You can't ride two horses with one a##: means make up your mind. Full as a tick: means I ate too much. If you are going to be stupid you got to be tuff. When it is brown it is cooking, when it is black it is done. That one was said around the fire station a lot. You can't polish a piece of dung. Having retired from the fire service I could go on all night.

It is going to be expensive I am sure.