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I Forge Iron

bengriswold

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    Portland, OR
  • Interests
    Creating functional things, Woodworking, chainsaw milling, spoon carving, welding , blacksmithing, bonsai, being outside, sarcasm,

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  1. Trip- Thanks for sharing this. I've been doing research on this very topic and somehow I ended up here which is ironic because I did not expect to find a post like this on IFI. I know its an old thread but I am curious if anyone reading this has built a similar system. I can certainly relate to the author of the article and have a bunch of my stuff jammed into one of those Costco carport tents after buying some a house and some property with no outbuildings. Building some sort of small pole shed for a smithy is on my list but unfortunately much further down.
  2. Kurokubi, good question as I have pondered a better way to do this for a while as I often have large lumps as thick as a forearm. I take an old cardboard box that is wider than it is deep or at least roughly square (heavier cardboard is better) and cut a U shape in 1 of the 4 sides. The bottom of the U goes about about 2 to 3 inches from the bottom of the box. The purpose of the U is a slot for whatever striking tool you choose to use. Then I set it on a stump and just break it up with an axe or hammer and all the pieces are usually contained in the box. It's so simple to make another I usually don't bother to reinforce it but I have used duct tape to make it more durable and reinforce the bottom.
  3. Frosty, not that anyone comes to IFI to learn about the science of seasoning cast iron.. =) but with science stuff like this I think your statement sounds like a fact. While it may be your experience it is certainly not a fact. I have personal experience that contradicts this as do many others on nerdy cast iron forums and cooking science websites. http://www.castironcollector.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3234 http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2337724/cooking-with-cast-iron user danab_z9_la is a chemist who gives the most complete accurate picture of how to care for/cook with a cast iron that i've ever read so just read what he says and apply it. A properly seasoned cast iron is a matrix of polymerized and carbonized oils when done properly forms a hard durable carbonized polymer matrix. If you have developed a proper seasoning layer, scraped your pan clean, cleaned with soap and heated to 450 for as many minutes as it takes to stop smoking and there is a dull black not shiny finish (which will be the case if the seasoning layer is a good one) you will not have a rancid smell even after years of storage. a properly seasoned pan cannot have the seasoning washed out of it. That would require heat around 550 to 600 to flake it off slowly and abrasives a lye bucket are the common methods. Your seasoning layer is not good if it can wash out. By the way your one of my favorite people on here and I've got a lot of respect for you.
  4. Frosty - the basic idea to prevent this is you want to polymerize or burn off all the oil on the surface and in the pores of the cast iron prior to storage. JHCC basically said the same thing If you put a cast iron away with that has a visible layer of oil on it that's the reason for the rancidity. It's hard to describe w/o a picture but prior to putting it in storage you want to to have it a dull black color with just barely any shine or none at all is fine actually but usually there will be various bits of shine on different parts of the pan (rim, edges inside corners etc). On a evenly seasoned pan You can achieve this in the oven and hold it around 350 for 20 or 30 mins and then raise up the temp till your smoking slightly. Rub down with a dry paper towel if oil seeps out of pores as the heat builds and basically just look for that dull black but try not to overdo it. 375 to 400 seem to be about the right temp for most oils to smoke. This is basically burning off the unpolymerized oil that is sitting on the surface or in the cracks. This can be achieved on the stovetop as well and in less time but it doesn't heat the sides as well. so it really depends on how nicely machined the and smoothed the sides are and how much trouble you want to go to. Bacon grease is fine in cast iron but it will never polymerize and you will want to burn that out real good (or just cook something else that will soak it up) before longer term storage and then heat the pan in whichever method you choose to get a dull black surface. Use a good thin springy S.S.metal spatula (the dexter brand is great) to scrape as much as you can prior to any of this as this will reduce the smoking of unburnt food during the process. I find veg oil or shortening are great oils to use right before going through the "dry heating" process. Don't oil after this until you are ready to cook again.
  5. VaughT - I love that little punch holder. I use toilet paper cardboard tubes in an old nancy's yogurt containers for a similar storage effect- though obviously less durable. Also welded up one with a bunch of conduit cut-offs for my smaller punches. This is so much simpler.
  6. That looks real nice and simple and real hot. I am curious what are the things you want to improve? Great Job.
  7. Cool Story. Watching people who are masters in their craft is really a joy. Sorry I did not see this earlier John but I wanted to be sure to thank you for taking the time to explain this. Very interesting. referring back to the video helped me to understand your explanations much better.
  8. The cardboard tubes inside a roll of pallet wrap are particularly robust if you have access to a production facility cardboard bin. I have cut these different lengths and glued them together to make a freestanding "cubby" shelf, the difference being they are laid on their sides rather that the tube openings facing the ceiling. I also picked up a whole bunch of poster/ paper roll tubes once from a posting on craigslist intending to use them as setting forms for concrete posts but i had leftovers and ended up making a larger one of those freestanding shelves. really heavy stuff will squish it down a bit but with really thick walled tube mixed in I imagine you could create quite the sturdy free standing shelf with a frame on the outside to keep it all together while the glue dries. Maybe you wouldn't even need glue if you framed it. I have a bunch of short six to eighteen inch long round 3 to 6 inch diameter thin walled pipe I am saving up to make a similar shelf that is more heavy duty. I like to lay them on their sides just because of floor space being at a premium.
  9. When you do try it tell us about it and better yet take a picture. Its interesting how they say in the video "the worker has to first shape a spider" This is obviously industry specific jargon I am pretty sure I remember reading a post on here where some was using these hay forks for to make actual forged arachnids... aka spiders =P Very cool. There are a few places in Europe like this i want to visit and this sounds like it should be added to the list. I want to visit the Rivierre Nail factory in France. Great article on them here: http://www.core77.com/posts/53466/Why-You-Should-Use-Nails-Not-Screws-Also-Why-is-This-Nail-Factory-Covered-in-Vegetable-Oil
  10. Thanks Jhcc. That's a useful link. I tried searching quite a bit for a video of someone doing this by hand but found nothing. I think it would be an interesting process to watch.
  11. I've got a bunch of rusty, handle-less pitchforks / hay forks lately as the tapered diameter of the tines seems about right for a couple projects I have in mind. I find these at used tool places, flea markets, etc. My question is this: How are these forged by regular folk w/o all that expensive machinery? I found one video on youtube that showed the process https://youtu.be/jY14Oi0i4gg?t=1m38s Clarington Forge ( I believe) uses to make them in a industrial production type setting. I found this fascinating as really am having a hard time imagining how the process would work by hand; especially with multi pronged forks of 5 or more. I will just make clear that this is not something I intend to tackle but rather a question or curiosity and love for the craft. Thanks,
  12. Water Glass - AKA Sodium Silicate. What I did was buy some kitty litter in a purple bag at fred meyer maybe "kroger" on the east coast. Doesn't matter the brand but it has to be 100% silica gel- mine was in a purple bag and said amazing something litter. I already have the Lye - Sodium Hydroxide and I did what this guy does but in a much bigger batch outside: Got a big 2 gallon bottle of the stuff now and I use it mixed with perlite and fireclay for a cheap forge lining. I also rub it into my mechanics gloves so i can do metalworking and grinding with them and it doesn't burn holes in them as fast. Does take awhile to dry but i buy those multipacks of gloves at costco and usually rub some into the mesh parts of a few pairs. When you make it and let it get real thick to store you can pour out a small amount into a small plastic cup and thin it with water to the desired consistency to "paint on to fabric" that you want to fireproof or fire resist. Its not a perfect solution but its a relatively cheap one if you are resourceful and keep lye around already. Fabric cant be washed without washing away sodium silicate. I also rubbed some onto and old pair of jeans so I drape that over my chest when I am cutting with my metabo angle grinder. That thing catches me on fire very easily and it gets bothersome to keep checking. Hope that helps
  13. Love it. Looks scrappy and brutish at the same time.
  14. Makes sense to me too. Best we can do is share is our experience and Goro has gotten loads of help- now he just has to sort through it all do what's best for him (and hopefully let us know). Appreciate all the skilled people on this forum. Glen's oversight and the awesome wealth of knowledge here is the only reason I have a vise much less anything to contribute. -Ben
  15. If what the seller said was true originally, that the jaws close but to not open- then the screwbox *theoretically* should be fine - in other words working. If your pivot bolt/rivet area is froze up all that would happen when you backout the screw is that the screw and washer would... well backup leaving you with enough sludge rust whatever in the pivot point to counteract the pressure of the spring which normally would force it back. Daswulf and Jeremy K already alluded to this but I just wanted to reiterate if what the seller says is true then your screwbox is not the issue. The vise looks pretty nice and not beat up for sure and the fact that you don't have to drive forever to get it is worth some extra money to me so I would buy it if i needed one. That's my 2 cents.
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