Bruno C.

Has anyone been able to identify this vise ? -b

Thanks Otto Ray, It's an interesting vise. I've not seen one like it before. Looks like an adjustable/preset vise jaw mechanism. It's interesting. I had plans of building a post vise out of some 2 inch axle I have, but had trouble figuring how to punch the hole for the screw. This vise design solves that problem. If you felt like taking it apart and posting pics of it in pieces, I'm sure the whole community would rejoice Thanks for the pics, -b

Can anyone provide better pics of thise vise ? -b

Call them up directly. They are nice people to talk to, and they build a quality product. I don't think shipping would be much more than $120 +/-. I think the shipping weight on the two burner forge is somewhere from 60-90 lbs. And they package it very very well and secure. I'd like to pick up some of them new Diablo burners myself one day. -Bruno

My favorite part is the Guy that was wearing gear/face mask and a full shield to operate the huge steam hammer :), and the factory floor full of large lathes was cool too. I wonder how many if any of those behemoth machines still exist let alone are in use today. I truly hope many have been spared the trip to the scrap yard. Giant Tongs! -B

Thought this was Awesome!

I bought a ryobi angle grinder from a near by Home Depot for $60 years ago. Didn't expect it to last. It's still alive, and I've definitely used it out of scope of what the manual says it will do. It will do the job, repeatedly. I would say that if you find a local metal supplier or welding shop, you should be able to find thinner cutting blades than whats available at home depot. The thinner blades really make a difference. A thinner wheel makes for an easier cut with a substandard or underpowered grinder. Either way, I've cut through railroad track and fork lift tines with my little 4 1/2" angle grinder. It takes a little technique and patience for really large stock, but it is possible. -Bruno

My meagre workspace constantly fills and clutters up with the dealings of several different projects. Be it vehicle maintenance or the bits and pieces involved or attempted at the knives I try and make. Funny how fast a large table can collect items not needed for the task at hand. I make it a habit, mostly of necessity to clear off my tables, and free up the floor space when I'm working on a project. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of unfinished projects sitting in a crate somewhere. Every project I take on seems to take more time, money and space than I usually allot for the task. I find an uncluttered shop beneficial when working on a project. Gives me room to locate tools, walk around or just throw things for those times I need to. I tend not to start new projects that take focus and involvement when there are other projects at hand, otherwise I'd have a vast wasteland of crates full of unfinished projects and no notes to describe what I was thinking. -Bruno

May the Gods toy with their souls for all eternity and may their sleep be ever interrupted and unfulfilled until the Gods have their chance.

Looks Awesome! I do like the compact design, lots more perspective in the video. What did you use for a ram guide ? You have a square ram, but a rounded guide? Brass bearing (babbit?) , or uhmv ? I ended up using 4 pieces of UHMV with adjustment available.

Nick, Save your money and buy a manufactured forge from an established manufacturer. I understand, if you are even here in these forums you enjoy making things with your own hands. Many of us are like minded. But for what you will ultimately spend building/fixing/tuning your own forge you can buy one for only a little bit more (if not less). As Mr. ThomasPowers has stated, you are likely to have more than one forge. I say get a good one to start forging and learn how it works and what to expect from a decent forge, then you will have some more information under your belt that will allow you to decide what you need to be more effective at what you are trying to do. To give an estimate, if you want to build something like a forge out of a propane tank, and do it properly, assuming you have the tools at hand, you can expect to spend at least $250 to $300 if you are careful. But then again, what is your time worth ? If you want to forge, buy a forge. If you want to delve into the dynamics of forge building, then do as others have suggested and do plenty of research on burner design, forge construction, maximum volumes for specified burner designs and all the safety requirements there in, as many of the materials (if not all) required to build a forge are hazardous to your health and those around you. I've built two of my own forges and found it rewarding, but I also spent lots of time researching, at least $300 on the forge/propane materials and (extras), and a bunch more money working with scrap and gas for trips to where I need to go. In the end, had I simply bought the right length of material in the first place (forge shell), I could have avoided a lot of work and saved some time and money after you calculate what I spent on cutting disks, paint, welding rod, grinding wheels, gas, electricity and any incidentals along the way, that $300 could probably buy me a really nice reliable forge that works out of the box. Building a forge is a very rewarding prospect if done right. I'm happy with what I came up with. But you'll get a whole lot more bang for your buck if you let someone that knows all about it do it for you instead. It's a lot of work. My .02 cents. -Bruno

I like it. Looks stout and compact. How does it hit ? I too am a fan of the bolt together model as mine is built that way. Just about every piece is bolted down. Works great. I would recommend though, that you either bolt the machine down and possibly over something like a 1" rubber mat to save your floor. I have mine in a garage, and it only has about four inches of concrete, so I opted to cut through the concrete and mount it in the dirt as I was sure that the concrete would not hold up. I'm glad I did because after I got the 2hp motor going and saw it running, it sure makes a bang. What kind of motor do you plan to use ? And is the frame filled with anything ? I filled mine with sand to add weight and reduce noise. -Bruno

Gas Forge using Stainless Steel ? I'm confused. You would need to insulate the forge in any case using some sort of refractory that would hold in all of your heat. The shell, being made of iron, stainless or dirt just acts as an embodiment for the materials you use to hold in the heat. I would think an extra inch of insulation would have much more beneficial effects for forging than using a stainless steel shell. Sure stainless steel is awesome, and if you can afford it or have it available and can work the material, then by ALL means, go right ahead. But I think you may be over thinking the whole situation. A painted steel/iron frame should be plenty effective, and for what you would spend on the stainless steel + welding wire, you can simply buy an extra inch or two of insulation such as kaowool, cerablanket, kast-o-lite or what have you. I don't know what "emissivity coefficient" means, so I don't know what to tell you about that, but I think more insulation you have will always be more efficient in forging applications since if the heat can't escape, then you don't have to worry about what's past the insulation. If you want to use stainless, Then Go Right Ahead. But I don't think it will offer that great of a fuel savings if you are only using minimal insulation. I can almost guarantee that a properly built forge will never get through to your outer shell. Unless of course this happens: I assure everyone that recognizes that forge in the pic, that the damage was due partially to my lack of knowledge on the subject plus unnoticed shipping damage. The manufacturer in question made it right 100%. -Bruno

In the Latest episode the blacksmiths were preparing for a raid. Doing the usual as you would expect from TV, hitting a sword like object while cold then dunking it in water for dramatic effect. *Sigh*. Awesome show though, so I just close my eyes during any smithing.