Problem Solving

have a Silver Co post dill - No2 - Improved 1891. Can anyone tell me about it?

I am in the begining stages of building my oven. I have this insulation fiber board i bought from a ferrier supply house a while ago and would like your opinions on whether it will work in my oven. It has a quilted look on one side and the other side is smooth i originaly bought it to line a propane forge What are your opinions? Has anyone ever used this type of insulation before? Thanks for any info you ca give me. Bob

I have a oxygen unit or cutting torch when someone else use torch unit they don't shut off the knobs by the regulators but they shut off by the torch units I know you are suppose to shut off the valves by the regulators but it drains both tanks is there possible a problem with the torch.

Hi there, I'm new to the forum and have no experience whatsoever with blacksmithing at all (as will become evident). But I have a unique scenario I'm hoping someone can help me with. I'm doing Props on a film in which the characters are supposed to be cutting, welding and grinding road sign posts into makeshift spears, using both oxy-acetaline and an angle grinder. From what I gather, doing so with galvanized road signs is highly toxic. This being a movie, we want to be able to see the characters' faces so they won't be wearing masks. So I'm wondering if there is a fast and effective way to strip these galvanized posts of their coating so that the actors can saf…

i have a small forge that constantily pluggs up with some form of clinker but not in the fire pot bit in the chimney and it has compleatly plugged the pic of buid up below along with video of forge please any suggestions on how to fix this problem are invited YouTube - forge tour thankyou

Where can I get a plan for a bear trap?

I can forge with smithing coal. It works best. I can forge with low quality coal but that isn't too good. I have forged with charcoal and even animal dung but not very often. The one fuel I cannot get to burn is coke. This is particularly annoying as I have an abundant supply of free coke here. So what is the secret please? I have even considered keeping a few buckets of coke to use as fire extinguishers since evry time I put any on a fire the fire is out within minutes.

ive just started getting into Damascus in fact Im on my 4th knife. All has gone well except when I etched the most recent knife it turned black! :confused: After Etching it it was covered by a black substance. By the time I got it all off the pattern had been erased. Im Using radio shack PCB to etch with. I left it in for 30 minutes and it came out completey Black. Any suguestions on how I can prevent this?

I recently purchased a 15"x 15" x 4" industrial swage block and the large faces are dinged and chipped with hammer and chisel marks. A simple milling on the bridgeport of about .125 inch from each side would remove most of these marks and is what I will do the next time I can get to my brothers shop. My question is this: how would a shop , circa 1800, mill and dress a block of this size. I am aware of files and scrapers in the hands of apprentices, but this is a little over 2 sq ft of surface area and we are talking a total of a .250 inch of removal. Maybe a mill stone like those used for grinding flower? Other ideas? I love to pose questions like this to people …

Any of you get a pinched nerve in your neck / shoulder after forging? I've got that going on right now. Happened first after my weekend course at the "Old Cedar Forge" and again this past weekend when I forged my cross and scroll tool. Originially I went to the doctor and he wasn't able to help much. My wife's uncle told me about a book on treating your own neck pain. Those exercises helped the first time but haven't been helping yet with this one. Anyone else have any suggestions?

A local furniture maker has requested three sheet iron flares similar to the bell of a trombone in dimension. they will be used for a set of lamps. My first thought was to develop a pattern like for a cone, but I ca'nt find a formula. Plan B was to form a cone and try to forge out the flare at the end. That is alot of metal to flow, though. any ideas? thanks

I am debating if I should completly cast a forge out of Mizzou castable refractory. what do you think? thank you, Matt

I was wonder what I can do to protect my kaowool for the flux when trying to forge weld damascus. I will be putting Plistix 900F on it but will that be enough to protect it? I was also wonder if it would work to put a piece of metal in the bottom on top of the kaowool to protect from the flux? Any info would help! Thanks Nitro

Have been reading this forum for some time now, I am impressed. Don,t know if anyone can help . Here it is, What is the best method of welding flighting on an auger to minimize distortion ? I normally do random stich welds. Also am welding a 1/4" rod around outer edge.

I want to produce 10mm box spanners. How are they made? Do they pour hot metal into moulds or are they machine made? Is it something I could have a go at? Any suggestions. Regards Jim

Anyone have a good method of removing built up grease from equipment that won't harm ancient paint? I have acoupla forge blowers that have 1/8" of really tough grease and crud and corruption built up.

Where do all of you get your forge blowers? I'm at a loss over here on where to get one.

If anyone could explain the difference to the three paypal accounts, I would be grateful. Mostly I just want to know if you can sell from all three, and if any of them has a start up cost, or monthly fee. Thanks -Hollon

I have got some wire rope here and want to cut lengths then put a loop at each end. The idea is to make the loops secure so I can padlock stuff together to stop it from being stolen. Is there an easy way to do this please? I have a stick welder and basic blacksmith tools.

I am making a ski as a monument for a friend of mine that passed away. I am using a 4" stock 70" long and 1/2 " thick. I will thin out the stock at the tip and the back to have the sideway shape than an actual ski. I will then use rollers to give the ski it's camber and then make the curl tip. I want to do some repousser on the back side to write down RIP with the dates as well as write his name on the actual ski. Can I do some repousse with the stock that thick? The tip where the RIP and date will be is 1/4 thick and the name will have to be on 1/4 to 1/2 thick A36 steel. I figure that if I go hot enough my metal should allow me to have this done but I have never do…

I have made a portable forge so I can do some work on site away from my brick and distinctly non portable forge. The firepot is about 8" diameter and about 6" deep with a healthy bottom draft. I would like to put a thermal liner in it to reduce degradation of the steel. The work I shall be heating in it will only be small stuff so the reduction in size of an already small pot doesn't matter too much. Would a 1/2" layer of clay be OK? Would it stick being so thin? I had thought also of mixing in some chainsaw sawdust or other small finely divided vegetable matter to add porosity and, thereby, increase thermal insulation. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

What do you guys use to cut shapes outta 1/8 and smaller? Does Stainless steel pose a problem. Plasma, Laser and O/a are not the methods of choice in this situation.

Hi, I know little about blacksmithing but I need some help. I want to alter the shape of a pair of 8

Does anyone know if theris a safe way to use a forktruck style propane tank for a gas forge.I bought one thinking it would work but the boys at the welding supply say no.Please let me know. Jason

Hello there. So far, I am unable to buy coal of any kind around this town where I live. I was using charcoal brickets and someone on this form said I could use wood. This was good news because I have a large collection of scrap wood I have collected over the years because my shop is heated with a wood stove. So I have been having a go with wood in my forge. This all seems new to me and I was wondering if I could ask about air supply, or rather, the ideal air supply. I have an old Electrolux vacuum for my air power and so there is no shortage of force in my air flow. I have an old tap mounted in the air line so I can control the air flow from a slight whisper to a full…