Problem Solving

OK. so I made a replica gas forge from the plans on the site here. It is completed except for the kaowool (which im waiting for payday to buy). ANYWAYs. i firgured I would fire it up. It burns ok, but there is a very un burned propane smell. I'm running at 10 psi with a reg from a turkey fryer. I'm thinking I should close up the belled end a tad to allow it to burn more efficiently. ?? ray

As part of a door hardware project, I need to make an accurate 5/16 square hole through the length of a 1'' diameter bar, 1 1/2'' long. The material is 1018 CR mild steel. I actually only need the square hole to size in the middle 3/4'' of the piece. I plan to bore out the bar to the recommended 21/64'' pilot size and relieve each end to whatever the diagonal measure of the 5/16'' square is. I ordered a Dumont 5/16'' square broach with the intent of using a 3 ton arbor press or a 15 ton H frame hydraulic press to push it through. Am I on the right track with this? Should the broach be lubricated ? When I've needed to do this in the past, I subbed it out to a mac…

Hello All, I am new here, name is Curt and I'm located on the southern edge of Michigan. I am new to the blacksmithing arena (aside from the short unit in High school shop) , the screen name more comes from my interests in old metal working machines and my 1919 Port Huron steam engine... I have started to collect tools to start a smithy including this Peter Wright anvil. I can get it off the floor and up to the work bench, so I guess around 70 lbs or so. I have attached photos of the edges of the face and one of the horn, from end to end of the face its reasonable flat, slight crown side to side as per the photo with the 6 inch machinist's rule.. My question i…

I' m planning to build a gas forge(1st time) and I want to use 10" oil well pipe as a housing 3/8 thick. how long should I make it & What can I use to insulate it?

I saw a commercial about logs you can purchase to remove creosote from flues from fireplaces. I remember reading notes here in I FORGE IRON where blacksmiths have discussed a creosote problem. I wondered if these creosote logs actually work and would solve the problem? I am asking out of curiosity as I am not forging right now.

Lots of people are getting plasma cutters for thier shops and it seems they are a mystery to some. So I thought I would explain them as they were explained to me. This may clarify things or not. If I make any mistakes please feel free to correct them. 1. There are 3 states of Matter, SOLID, LIQUID AND GAS, Some say that a plasma is the 4th state of matter. 2. A PLASMA in this sense of the word is a Super Heated Gas. 3. A plasma works by super heating common air under pressure and pushing a portion of it thru a small nozzle to literally vaporize any metalic substance in its path whether it be Ferrous or Non Ferrous in nature. 4. If it says the machine uses 5 cu…

Most of us bemoan shelling out monies for our tools. A few of us try to use the HF and other import discount stuff, but in the long run, it isn't the right tool for the job. Try an auction: Public Surplus AuctionZip GovDeals Surplus Record (machinery classifieds) oh, and Tool King is cool Did I miss some?

I am making a gas forge. I have seen several people use small propane tanks. My question is, do you have to use an adjustable regulator or can you control the flame with a needle valve or something like that? Also is it necessary to have a pressure gage? Thanks

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement for a champion fan motor controller. The controller has a ceramic plate inside that has points where the handle slides across for speed control. This ceramic plate is what I need to replace. After talking with several suppliers the cost of a new speed controller is 200.00 for 230 volt motor. Eddie

Hy, my expansion vessel needed to be replaced for my heating system. It is similar to this picture (without the plumbing parts) Do you have any creative ideas what i could use the old/broken one to. A gas forge is he first thing that comes into mind. Copyrighted image removed and a link placed into the text.

Well I found a spare tire on the side of the road because I figured I could use it to make a decent firepot. The family's metal fire pit is now being replaced so I was thinking of using the rim in the firepit. My question is are tire rims ever anything to fear heating up? I am afraid I don't know how to tell what sort of metal it is, I'd imagine steel but ~shrug~. Any tips ? I know I have read of people successfully using these but I don't know if mine is like theirs :(

My Dad has a Royal blower. All the gears are metal and look fine, except for one pressed fiber gear that has all the teech woren off. Is there a source who makes replacement gears, either metal or fiber? He is ready to start blacksmithing like his Dad but just needs the blower up and running. Thanks for your advice.

I have a Canedy Otto Royal Blower that leaks oil. Could I take it apart and use some gasket sealer on it. I would hate to mess it up - been told that the gears are made of paper. Anyone ever work on one? I would like to clean the old thing up and paint. Thanks Ron

Everyone who achieves success in a great venture, solved each problem as they came to it. They helped themselves. And they were helped through powers known and unknown to them at the time they set out on their voyage. They kept going regardless of the obstacles they met. -- Clement Stone

I have finished my forge and have fired it up a couple of times to see how it works. For my first forge I think it works pretty good. I have been putting oil in the oil port each time I've used it but had not greased it. Yesterday I put grease in the two grease caps that have bearings ( one on the end opposite the fan and one opposite the crank ). Now it turns much harder (it turned easy before). Did I put to much grease? I filled the caps up. There wasn't any grease in them at all so I thought filling them up would work. I guess I need to clean the grease out. How much should I put if any? When I took the caps off there seemed to oil on them from the oil I had been pu…

Ok why is my LP tank iceing up...am I using too much gas?

Hey guys, I'm currently working on a pair of tongs; my first pair in fact. I have looked around a bit trying to find a good guide on making rivets but none of the guides I have seen make much sense to me. Any advice on how to make rivets or what size they should be for a large pair of tongs would be appreciated. After I get done with these tongs I will be working on a hammer which brings me to my second question. What size hole should I make for the handle of a good sized hammer. It will probably be around 3 - 5 pounds. Thanks for any help in advance guys.

Looking for non galvanized barbed wire for a pattern welding project. I don't want to deal with the zinc oxide/ metal poisoning hazard, and higher success rate with welding from cleaner starting point. Yes I know I can strip it off with hydrochloric acid, but I don't want that much acid around, and I have no safe storage area. I have been working with steel wire rope, but that was unsatisfying because the blades would twist during hardening and tempering. So I figure high carbon wire, forge welded, but not twisted would be cool looking and unique. feel free to email [email protected]

I want to make a maul for splitting small logs. With the hand tools I have got is it a viable proposition to reforge on side of a sledgehammer? I would probably use about a 5 pound hammer head and enlist a couple of strikers to pound on it. Does anybody have any advice to offer please?

This is my first post and already asking for help and advice. I have just got a Champion 400 blower. It looked like it hadn't been taken apart (at least in a long time). It is leaking oil around the fan shaft. I was taking it apart and had one of the screw on bearing covers to disappear ( I really just can't find it, it's a mystery). Does anyone have any idea where I might find one. And also is there a fix for the oil leak. Thanks Billy

Does anyone know where to get great bellows? On Ebay I've seen some, but their usually REALLY expensive. I may make one (I've been looking over blueprints and such), but I would like to consider buying first. Thanks!:D

Well, it happened. I finally got my act together and built a gas forge! The Lowes hardware in town being what it is (certain words not fit for this forum), I was not able to find the appropriate parts for a burner, so I had to improvise. the basic idea is a Reil type. I've got a 10psi reg on the 20lb tank, but am blind tuning it since I have no guage. I'll fix this as soon as I can. In the meantime, I've got a #60 orifice on the nipple, but am not seeing very good function in the forge itself. the parts are as follows: 1.25" to .5" reduction coupling .5" x 8" Nipple 1/8" nipple with #60 orifice I've not got a flare on it right now, but need to make one. I assum…

I have a 2 burner gasser forge. It was made by a guy here in NC. It has a large front and rear opening and the side swings up to open the forge into a C shape for large items. I have found that my work tends to red oxide when it is cooling. I thought that the forge may be lean so I made the interior smaller with fire brick. That helped with the oxidation, I can only get metal high orange running at 10 psi. This was also the case before adding the extra brick. Do I need more pressure or a forge built with a better design? The burners point straight down at the floor in the center of the roof. I know you want to see pics but I don't have any right now. Give me your thought…

Hi all, I'm having a bit of a problem that's come out of left field it seems- after nearly 10 months of working with the same steel and forge, suddenly I'm finding pieces here and there are cracking on me and I have no idea why. I forged the majority of this piece and it was fine but then I went and just to show someone worked on the end on the right, not even touching the area that's cracked, and I didn't quench it super hot or anything- yet there are all kinds of cracks in it now and it's ruined. I don't think I did anything different than I always have- any ideas? Thanks in advance. Matt

Hi, I`m a plater/fabricator and have been asked to make a lobster back bend from 6mm stainless steel . I have made many of these but it was about 15 years ago. I need some pointers to help me or a book on pattern development .Thanks in advance