Problem Solving

Here's some pictures of my steel weight calculator/slide rule. The first one just shows the whole thing. The second is a close-up and I'll explain how it works. As you see, I've lined up 1" over "square". You can immediately see that it is equal to 1-1/8” round. Just above that shows you that it also equals .25 X 4 flat. Moving down to the second row, you can choose a length and find the weight 20” is a little more than 5-1/2 pounds. If I wanted to forge that from 1-1/2 inch round, I'd set 1.5 over round bar, go to the bottom and look at a little over 5.5 pounds and I know I needed to start with 11 inches. http://img64.imageshack.us/i/weightcalc1.jpg/ http://img198.im…

First Hope this is the right area for this topic. I have a champion 400 1/2 blower and was wondering if anyone knew where to get the stand mount with or without legs. thanks It looks like tubing or something like that slides over two long tabs on the sides of the blower. If this is in the wrong area sorry i am new to here.

Hello all, Well I am faced with a slight quandry. I am not sure whether to NOW forge (with oxy torch and hammer or porta power), or CUT then fabricate up with welding, 2 predrilled pieces of mild steel plate I am using to make a mini excavator implement adaptor. I will try and explain my need. Hopefully add a few pics. try not to write to long winded explanation. In summary :- I need to put a 3.5" /90mm accurate stepped offset in 2 pieces of 6"/150mm wide by 18" / 455mm long and 7/16" /12mm thick mild steel plate, while keeping both ends parallel and 6 predrilled/reamed holes inline. facts 1. I own a 3/4 ton mini excavator, that I need to add a hydraulic a…

Hello all I have been put your way by some of the folk from Metal Artist Forum and I was wodering whether or not you might be able to help me, most of my experience with sheet metal comes from armour reproductions, however I am starting to make cooking utensils for reenactors and something has me a little stumped. Tool wise, I have a good number of stakes and can make more, a couple of good size anvils, hammers of all types and a forge. No automatic machines, power hammers or other stuff along those lines. How do you get break in the nice edges on pans and frying pans where the base turns up into the sides? Currently I am raising the edges as I would an eblow cout…

I having a little trouble forging a socket (I was trying to make a hoe out of a lawnmower blade) I can fuller a fan shape but I'm looking for tips or the proper hardy tool to create the socket. What tool is typically used for this? I'm guessing the horn, but I need a much smaller cone than the horn. Help Please...

I have a door that goes from the retail part of the store into my shop and I need a latch or lock that will keep my customers out of the shop. Locking it with a simple lock is to much trouble because we go back and forth so many time a day. Any body got any ideas?

hello everyone. I am interested in making dies for air hammers and mabey hydraullic press or something. looking at spear heads leaves and mabey a bit of stamping on bar for picketts. I think its on the line of forging what you like then inprinting it on 2 bits of heated block and making them form together on a spring. I have seen some really cool tennon jigs and some for balls but what about making cool spear heads for onamental work like gates and security screens and such. what are the advantages of doing things hydraulicly. So question is where do i get information like that on the web on how to make dies and what applications do you use to get them imprinted on dies. …

We are "comfortable" when we are working on a project. But what happens when that project is finished and there is nothing else in the pipe? What happens when you have a couple of days, a week, two weeks, or longer and no projects to work on? Of course you are looking for other projects, but what do you do till that project arrives? Sweeping the shop, putting everything away, take inventory, and then what?

I saw a demo at a cba event spring conference in Exeter, CA Tom Clark and Tsur Sadan and others they slit and drifted a piece of 2'' round with a 2'' drift and place a piece of the same material through this and creates a joint when cooled that is very solid. I know the drift has to be just a little bit smaller than the parent metal this drift is hammered all the way through from one side then another heat is taken and then you insert the other member. Does any one know the formula for the drift size? I tried this with 1/32'' smaller drift and it came out too loose i was using 1/2'' stock and my drift is 15/32. I will try to take another heat and resize the drift but its …

To make lines drawn on plate or sheet steel more visible, use a can of quick dry spray paint, (I usually use white or silver) and spray a light coat on the areas you want to scribe lines or points on, the lines or X's or < >'s will show up dark on the light coating much like layout die does for machinists.

I have a set of cheap, chinese-made gimlets I picked up at the local flea market. I also have a couple of originals. Even after studying these examples, I just can't figure out how these were made. Have any of you guys made gimlets (no mixed drink jokes, please:p)? How did you do it, materials, etc. Thanks for allowing me to pick your collective brains...bart

I am working on a metal handle that needs to have a 3/8"-16 threaded hole that goes 3/4" into the bottom of the shaft. The steel shaft is approximately 5/8" in diameter. I dont have access to a drill press or a lathe. I'm using a cordless drill and it is way too time consuming. Is there an easier way to make this hole in the shaft while the metal is hot? I was thinking about putting the hot piece into a vice and driving a punch into the shaft. then following up with a 5/16" piece of steel to make the hole the proper size for tapping. The steel will contract after cooling making the hole too small but i should be able to run the 5/16" drill bit with my cordless dr…

I made a door for my schrader wood stove, out of 3/8" red iron from an I beam. The second time, I did a fairly good job welding the angle iron around the edges without warping it, and it worked great for a couple years, but I just noticed tonight that it's warped enough now that it dosen't seal very well any more, and I don't know that I have the time or money to do it again, nor the wood supply to keep the house warm when the sub zero temperatures hit, if I don't get a door on it that seals. Why is 3/8" red iron warping when the 1/4" sheets the stove is made out of don't? By heating the door on the convexed side, over the warpage areas, can I straighten the door? How…

I have a fairly new drill press. I've noticed when drilling a hole that is an inch or more deep it doesn't drill straight. I'm sure it's off on short holes too, just don't notice it as much. I've checked the manual. Just wondering if anyone here has a good way they check before they drill a long hole (or any hole). Thanks Billy

k ive been runnin my forge on charcoal for a wile but i got my hands on a small amount of coal, and tried it out and i was having problems with clinker getting cloged in my tuyere, i got it out but not without greatly desturbing the fire, how do you guys get it out without breaking up the fire?

hi guys i was wondering does anyone know where i can access the Clifton Ralp videos. I am from Ausrtalia. I am willing to buy them off anyone or any place. better still i would prefer them in dvd format because i don't even have a video player who has one of them

Does anyone have an idea what the steel might be for an excavator rock breaker chisel?At work we got ours back from the machine shop and they had put a chisel point on it where as we wanted a dull point.It is 3in round and approx. 2ft. long.I brought it home and hammered it out on my Anyang 88lber,then finished it off with the grinder.Not knowing the type of steel I just let it cool without hardening and tempering.After a month of daily use it is hardly showing any wear,so this got me thinking it might be air hardening.Any thoughts would be appreciated,thanks Steve.

Hi, Just acquired a used and working Milwaukee 7" buffer ... heavy duty. I would like to know if it can be "converted" into an angle grinder? How much trouble to adapt it to hold grinding stones/wheels? It's a model 5540, 2800 RPM max and is 11 amp ... has a dial speed control. Any help would be appreciated. Tim

Well lets start by saying I enjoy making chain but it does not like me either the welded joint is to thin. I tried to scarf it several different ways and always the same results. The weld is always good a nice ring to it. Any tips you would think after doing this for so many years I would have gotten it by now:) Thanks Firegnome

I have a buffing wheel but when I put anything to it, it just spins threads all over the shop. What part am I missing? need wax, no good for steel? I mean it did come with the grinding wheel set up. thanks. P. Briel :confused:

Hey all, I'm not bashing the Blacksmith's Depot -- I have a lot of great tools from them so far. I did, however, get a 1" cut-off hardy that seems to be a touch too large. I've got a Nimba Titan anvil, and its hardy hole measures exactly 1". The shaft of the cut-off hardy is just over that. I've tried heating up the hardy shaft to hammer is out a bit, but I can't get it hot enough, plus it's kind of hard to hold onto. Does anyone have any recommendations on fixing this issue, other than sending it back? Thanks!

Hey out there, Has anyone cut an oxygen cylinder for reuse as a bell or gong type project? Is it safe? does it have a nasty or volital filler? I came into a few for free and am thinking of X-mas gifts. Any advice or warnings would be great, Thanks Humphry:)

ok yall, I'm in the process of making a western style drop loop gunbelt for myself, and i was wondering if any of yall have ever made a damascus belt buckle.... i thought the damascus would look kool with a black leather holster and belt

I have been asked to make a cauldron for a herbalist in time for samhien (all hallows eve), and am keen to make something water/soup tight without resorting to modern welding techniques.have seen a nice one built out of dished plates riveted together (a bit like an armadillo). reckon i can work out a pattern, but wanting to know if any one has, or knows of anyone who has made one, any tips? the other option isa to dish out of sheet, but ones i've seen using this method look a little bit like woks to me. any ideas????? Lillith

I'm having a hrd time figureing out how to delete pic's that I queued but don't want to pst help . Thanks Rikasso