Problem Solving

Hello all, I am having trouble making a flywheel for a spit engine (clock jack in the US). The design is a simple cross with squared hole in the centre; but, I only want to use methods and tools available to a smith pre-1780; so no modern cutting or welding techniques. I have made many pieces of work where an accurate and crisp right-angle was needed inside and out, no problem. But now I have to accurately form four opposing right-angles. Having split my flat stock (1/4"x3/4") at both ends and opened it to a cross shape, when I try to forge the centre and get accurate right-angles, each time one is done correctly the forging of the others 'offsets' the recently …

Hello there, I was wondering if any of the fine crowd here could help me in establishing what the rig of a smith would look like who was following a Norman army around in 12th century Britain. I imagine the most probable answer is that the anvil is going to be an iron or stone block set into the ground. While the forge is a hole in the ground with air supplied via a small set of bellows. The problem is that you can't always dig holes in the ground and with it being Britain you're not guaranteed the ground will be dry anyway. So could anyone help me come up with a reasonable period extrapolation of a rig where possible with some period reffernce to its use? Thank…

If i dont want a beeswax finish, i like the color of the steel after busting all the forging scale, what are my options.

I'm making some ivy wrap around some iron work. I have some copper ivy leaves that I want to join to mild steel vines. Is there any way to do this other than provide a barrier between the two metals? Is there a way to weld them together?

Hello Guys, I have a #25 little giant which I bought a few months ago; however, I can't get the top die out. It was really wedged. One wedge was driven in alongside brass shims. I can't drive it out like you are suppose to do. Any ideas? The only idea I have come up with, but haven't tried is to weld on extension onto the edge of the wedge where it was driven in. Place a jack between the extension and the die making sure that the jack only connects with the die and not the die set area and begin to jack slowly hoping to pull the wedge or push the die the other direction, perhaps both. Is this a sound idea? Any other thought? Thanx

I have a decent length of approximately 1 inch square axle off of an agricultural disc. I've searched a bit of the web and junkyard steel guides suggest that agricultural steel is often 1080 steel. would that be a safe bet to assume? I tried spark testing, but I'm not too good at that =/. Also, any suggestions about how to put that to best use would be appreciated. Mark

I am having issues with round stock not staying put in the vise. I make a lot of the old fashioned three footed trivets with the spade feet. However, when I put the legs through the holes in the trivet and begin to rivet them into place they slowly inch down and it take me three times longer than it should. I am looking for a simple solution. I am thinking about putting a "riser" of 1" square with a hole in it on the collar of the vise to keep the leg from being able to drop. After the rivet is formed, then I would make the spade feet. Does anyone have a better idea?

Hey guys, Is it possible to make a corkscrew end for my wall hooks? I have a guy wanting a couple to hold laterns but he wants to screw them into a tree but take them back out when he's done. Do I have to do a corkscrew or can I make something else that's removable? Any advice or design tips would be great.

Where could I get some bone/antler to use for making handles and what not? I'm sure a lot of people hunt and get it that way, but I don't have a hunting license... or will to carve a dead animal (no offense to anyone, just not my thing)Any good and reliable sites that anyone knows would be perfect. Thanks all.

Ok, forgive the bad pun! Now I need a headboard for my granddaughter, Veronica. Finding a "theme" for her sister Rose's headboard was a cakewalk (see PROJECTS: The ubiquitous rose). I'm thinking that, since Veronica, a.k.a. "Nicki" loves jewelry, I would do a "charm bracelet" headboard. ANY IDEAS? If any of you have experience in forging hearts, half-moons, four-leaf-clovers, etc., please chime in. BTW, how do I lay out a 5-point star?

Someone (my old dad) borrowed my riding mower and returned it with the blade tips severely bent. Instead of the blades being horizontal, the the tips now curl downwards at a 30~45 degree angle. I have an oxy/acet torch. Can I heat up the tips and straighten out the blade without weakening the tip? I also happen to have a 5 gallon bucket of used oil sitting next to the table vice that I'd use to hold the blade while it's being straightened. Should I quench the hot straight blade in the oil after working on it? Thanks, I know very very little about blacksmithing.

Hi I have a commision to make a balcony with a galvanised acid etch black finish. The galvanising is no problem but the acid etch black finish is. How do achive this?

I have been asked to do a set of fireplace doors with glass inserts. Can anyone advise the best glass to use and any other tricks or tips? I've done a lot of fireplace screens but they all had wire and this will be my first time with glass. Thanks, Hollis

I am wanting to make a nut cracker using a lead screw. Does anyone know how to forge a lead screw nut? Lead would be something like 0.5 inches, major diameter something like 3/8 inch..Buying one is not an option for me .... yet, more fun to try and make one . thanks folks any help appreciated

I am looking at forging a t-stake/stake anvil/bichorn. (I'm not sure what the difference between these is. If someone would like to explain that, it would be appreciated.) The purpose would be both as a horn for general forging (until I can get a better anvil than the 55 lb HF ASO I have now), and also for raising/curling for armor. Having looked around a bit, I found this thread: from which I get the impression that they tend to be in the area of 1.5"-2" around. Now I have some larger steel stock from the local scrap yard - 1.5" and 2.5" round - but my question is mostly on design. Forging a taper to a point by hand on a piece of 2.5" stock does not sound fun, a…

Well I went to look at a new shop this morning. It's big and closer to home and cheap. They have two units available one with a bathroom and large office and one without the office and bathroom. The price for the office bath is 50% more. I could have a bathroom put in the other unit at my expense or they would do it if I sign a long term lease. It's not plumbed for water so I'm not sure what's worth it in the long run. I can sweat copper lines for water no problem but connecting to the sewer line Ive never done. What do you guys think go the easy route with the bath. Try to put one in myself. Or sign a five year lease and have them do it. Thanks Marc

A young friend of mine wants to tie some things together that go into a kiln. He wasn't sure what to use that won't burn up or melt. He was thinking there might be tungsten wire, but I 've never heard of tungsten wire that might be 5 feet in length. Any suggestions on what material he may use. That's all I know about his dilemma.

I turned out a flint striker for some one today and it worked great! However after a few great spark showers, it stopped working about 50% of the time, even with new sharp flints. What's up?

Make your own steel weight calculator! Download this, print it out, cut out the windows, glue them onto something, what ever: Use the link to go to Photobucket to download. http://s979.photobucket.com/albums/ae274/nakedanvil/?action=view&current=steelweightcalc.jpg Or just right click on this image and save it: Go here if you haven't seen how it works:

I am going to look a a railing job next week and it contains the dreaded curved staircase. I have some ideas as far as how to approach this but whats your technique? Any tips from measuring to fabrication would be great to hear.

Folks: I just broke a standard Dewalt pilot point drill bit (1/8 " dia) while drilling through a 416 stainless knife bolster. The bolster is only 3/8" thick, but is already epoxied to the knife side (hole was pre-drilled into the knife, so it binded inside the bolster.) Have done my best to drill it out, using other bits (smaller and of same diameter) and even a cobalt bit, at low and high speeds, but am getting nowhere. Would anyone have a trick up their sleeves to remove it? Thanks much!!

I am working on getting a comonsence power hammer running it had no motor when I bought it, it was set up on a line shaft. Ok here is what I have the motor 1725 rpm 3'' pulley - the pulley on the hammer is 12'' this gives me 431.25 rpm I am going to step it down with a jack shaft using an 8'' step down to 5''= 269.53 rpm 3/1725 12/?=431.25 5/431.25 8/?=269.53 The info that I found on this hammer says hat it should run at 275rpm Is there anyone out there that can tell me if I am figuring this out right before I go out and buy the pulleys? Grant are you out there? I have been recalculating this and this is what I have now The motor=4.6''/1725 jackshaft=10''/…

Heya folk's. Got a project in mind for some friends of mine. They are restoring thier kitchen to a rustic colonial style and besides the hanging pot rack ,hinges, etc. they asked if I could do a ceiling mounted chandalier to look like the old candle type. any info and/or advice would be appreciated as i have never done one .

I've not normally had too many problems finding a tap to match the threads on a rifle barrel. I came to you for some assistance. The rub is that these are Square form threads. They appear to be square form, not modified square form. OD/MajDia : .775 MinDia : .715 (aprox) Threaded length ~.500" (measuring 6 threads in that span; ~12 threads per 1.000") drill_hole = OD-pitch = .775"-(1/12) = .775 -.0833 = = 0.6917" diameter drill bit (aprox 22/32 or 23/32) This is kinda what we did last time, and it stuck with me but I'm confused about the square-form threads. It looks like if I use a standard tap, I won't get squat for engagement. I really co…

Does anyone have any experience with inflation forging? .....IE heating an enclosed fabricated mild steel form to red hot and then injecting compressed air into it to make it expand. This method has been used in industry and I was thinking of incorporating it into my artistic language