Problem Solving

Hey everyone, I am looking to find some coal. I live in Washington State and I have checked the local farm and feed stores but no one seems to carry it. One store said they could get me 50lb bags of it from northern california for $50 a bag. That seemed kind of high to me. Does anyone know a good source for ferriers/blacksmith coal? Many thanks, Drgn

This seems like a dumb question but supposedly there is no such thing so here it goes. I did manage to find two local scrap yards and I told them I would contact them when I came up with what I wanted, and informed them I was just clarifying they sold to the public. Does anyone have any special lines they use on scrap yard owners to get them to let them "wander" a bit. I know with insurance and such people aren't to keen on letting people walk around their yards, so if anyone has any wisdom to pass on I will love it! I somehow get the feeling that answering "I'm looking steel" isn't going to work. I see opportunities in a lot of metal, but I need to see it first =P P…

Good morning. I have a fairly decent understanding of mild steel's reactions to heating, but I would appreciate some out side input for a certain application. I would like to put a nice symetrical 1" depression/off set/saddle into a 4"x8" piece of 5/8" thick colled rold flat bar. My plan so far is to make a sturdy male and female die set to use in a big press. The 4x8 piece of steel would be heated evenly in a gas forge, sandwiched in the die set, and then pressed to shape in the press. My main question is about the machinability of mild steel as it is heated. I usually go by color of material to appoximate temperature, but I haven't really come accross any charts or …

Is it possible to mig weld stainless to mild steel? Thanks

im new at forgin so i dont know what all the big terms are plus im in 9th grade so i need help what will have good forging metal?:confused:

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I have been trying for a while to make some Fire steels. I just can't get them to work:( I've tried everything from iron to high carbon steel, difrent heat treats and diffrent pieces of flint. How do you make one? I'm going nuts here:o thanks in advance

I'm sorry if this is a repost of old news, I looked in the blueprints and could not find my answer, I need a design for a portable bandsaw stand, to set it vertical and stable, anyone got something like that for me? My harbor frieght unit, broke at the tensioning slider bar.

I know this has been covered, but I can't find where I read it. Can someone help with the instructions on posting pictures. I have my pictures in a folder and clicked on manage attachments, uploaded them, but am not sure how to get them in a post.... Thanks Aman

I've been using anthracite beans for a while now as it seems to be the best that my local coal suppliers can get. However its very ashy and it makes it very hard to achieve a good fire weld. I need blacksmiths coke as I am running some creative metal and blacksmithing workshops for beginners and I need to make it as easy as possible for the students.

Would caulk be a good way to seal a few cracks in a chimney?:confused: The fire is right below it, but it is much higher than the fire (still would probably get quite some heat though:rolleyes:). I am only suggesting caulk because it is a very hard to reach area (as it is confined by bricks). Any suggestions would help, Thanks!!

Well I would like to do this the hard way. I need to make a screw/threaded rod with out a tap and dye. I think the way to do it is to make a top and bottom fuller that has the threads cut into it and to heat the rod forming and twisting and forming as you go. This will take many heats as it is for a cider press I wish to build from scratch. If you have any ideas or ways to do this please let me know. Thank you Firegnome

was i on crigs list and saw is post wondering if anyone could help these gents out thanks Jake Want help to identify an antique

My coal is very smokey at first (it doesn't get too much better), but cokes well and gets to welding heat in around 10-20 minutes (depending on air blast). This leads to my question. What does it say about your coal if it has black smoke coming from it's flames?:confused: Can it burn as clean as charcoal, or is the smoke supposed to be there?

I have all the instructions on using one and understand everything but: the settings are in psi and my question is how do I set setting in Bar? and how much is it for cutting ? 2:1 in oxy? european setting are in the Bar...

I went to the 2 scrapyards in my area that advertised that they buy and sell all scrap metals and was told(rather rudely at both places) that neither place does that anymore; they only buy. The 3 landfills I've called absolutely refused to even consider allowing me to rummage through their stuff. I even tried going through CSX and Norfolk Southern, but they informed me that if I was caught picking anything up off of their tracks, they would prosecute me to the fullest extent of the law. So, that leaves me with the limited options of Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace's, and Tractor Supply's "weldable steel" racks. Is there anyone on here in the Augusta, GA area that might be abl…

I have a empty propane tank that I would like to use as a forge body. The valve was removed a week ago. My plan is to fill it with water and use a cutoff wheel on a grinder to open it up. Any other tips?

I work for an NGO (mines advisory group - MAG | Mines Advisory Group) in Vietnam that is involved in removing and destroying bombs dropped by the US during the Vietnam War. Currently we destroy the bombs in controlled explosions, however, we have access to technology that will turn the bombs into free from explosive scrap metal. I am wanting to turn this scrap metal into items such as hoes etc, to be used by the local populace, which will be made as part of a vocational training course. As my organisation's skills lie in destroying bombs, we do not have the techinical capacity to turn bombs into useful implements. I was hoping someone could advise on a low tech, relat…

Hello my name is Nelson this is my first poste thanks to anyone who respons in advance. I have a two venturi burner gas fired forge i put together at work with a 100 lb LP tank my forge seems to work well. What i am haveing a problum with is a little metallurgy problem. Here is what i did i took a high carbon 3/4 die drill bit and mig welded some stanless steel rod to the spiral of the bit with mild steel wire. but that was not the problum. When i put it into my forge to work it to a squar bar i worked it 3 times the first 2 times i worked it at about 9 psi then i tuirned it up to 15 psi and it got hotter like i knew it would but when i took it out and hit it with a …

Hi I think this is the place to ask questions. If not please let me know. I'm attempting to make a set of deer antlers (10 pointer). Ideally, about 3 -4" tall, maybe 1/4" thick. A little bigger would be ok. By the way I'm tring to make them out of one piece. I tried using 1/4 x 3/4 and chiseling the middle then drawing them out. But the tines were too far apart. I also tried fullering one side, but that was worse. Am I cutting it wrong? It doesnt seem like this should be soo hard, but I'm stumped. ANY suggestions are greatly appreciated!!! Ray

I'm trying to design a stand for a barrel so that it lays horizontal, but so far have only drawn blanks. Help!

As some of you may or may not know,I've been building a new shop. It's just a simple wood structure with metal roofing. 12 x 24 ft. What I plan, is to have a forging station on one end and a workbench/finishing area on the other end( possibly with wood floor in the future.) I'll be able to have a pot-bellied stove on the finishing end and I'm going with a side-draft flue for the forge. The major tools I will have will be forge,anvil,post vise, and bench grinder. (Arc welders, A/o torches and other things are in garage, 40 ft. from the new shop) As you can see from the pic,there is only the one door and no windows, but that will change as soon as I figure out how …

I've recently been looking into Japanese puzzle boxes and I don't see why one couldn't be made from metal. My question is does anyone have or know where i could find plans for one and has anyone even considered such a thing or is it completely obsurd. -Drew

Not much luck sliting/drifting 5/16" holes in 5/16" rod. Smaller dia seems less forgiving, 10" lengths cool fast even when I 'warm' the anvil. Too many heats and rods are bent up. Need 30+ pieces (yesterday) so I need to to be efficient as there will be more orders. Thought about drilling 1/8" pilot hole and trying to drift without sliting.. Any ideas on holding jigs other than anvil dog? Should have mastered this before I agreed to do it. But that wouldn't be any fun....THX

question for someone i was building some tong out of some 1045 after punch my hole and at a black heat i cooled it in the slack tub then i layed it on the anvil and watch the end shatter just past my hole i had just punched is this typical with 1045 :o