Problem Solving

I am referring to the little diamond shaped element underneath the scroll? Maybe a set of dies under the airhammer? Hopefully there is another way Any help appreciated. Thanks

My dad gave me an old nicholson file that has some very light rust on it. It still works good but i think it would work a lot better if i could sharpen it somehow, i'm using it for when i hand shape my blades. It looks like a single cut file but each blade (or whatever you call them) has little knurls on it. The file says "Bodifile" on one side and Nicholson on the other. Is there any way i can sharpen this? FYI... i usually try to do research on questions like this before posting but googling for "how to sharpen a file" or "file sharpening" seems to only want to tell me how to sharpen the quality of an image file like in photoshop... :- thx for any help. …

trying to find info on what the big square plates that hold RR tracks on the ties. A nephew (bless his heart) picked a few up for me a while back and I was curious as to what they are made of. I searched and searched the IFI forums with no luck

I picked up a vise but he jaws were missing. what is the best way to make new ones, I think I can salvage the threads in the raised slot on the faces. Can I take a piece of steel and heat it and clamp it in to make the slot, or is it too much movement for the steel? Or do I machine the slot and drill it. By machine I mean cut with an abrasive disc or hack saw. Thanks for any suggestions.

I was wondering where i could have a touchmark made.I was also wonderingif there was an archive I have to check before I have it made so I don't copy anyone? TIA Jason

I have spent the last 3 years building a new shop. Why so long? beacause I built almost all of it by myself. So it is now weather tight and I have been moving my equipment out there from the basment of my house. So here is the problem I live in maine and the weather here has big changes. last night 20 deg. today 48 deg. every thing in the shop is covered with dew = rust later. I know easy fix install heater =$$$$$$$. So I am looking for any tricks that wont break the bank. This shop is 16'by 28' with 10' ceilings with full 2nd floor. the construction is 2"by 6" rough cut hemlock with white pine shiplap siding. there is no insulation installed yet. any suggestion would be…

Not to get another controversial conversation started or anything, but, in the "ironwork used as toy's?" post, HWoolridge stated that he made a 10" dagger looking deal with wrist guards:"I am not a knife/sword maker but many years ago, I worked with a guy who was into medieval "Renaissance Fair" role-playing. He asked for a pair of custom push knives for his play acting and I made them to his design. They had double-barred handles with finger/wrist guards and 10" dagger blades." I saw wondering if he had any pictures of these. I am in to making knives and weapons of sorts and the mental picture that came to me peaked my interest. But like I said; I don't mean to start…

Hi---- I have some old Locks that I have a need to rebuild key's for and need info on the type of Machine that would be needed to make them --- The key's are a long type 2.1/2 by 1/2 wide inches with 1mm by 1mm grooves running the lenght of them--- or is there some way they can be made in a lathe-- like if a rotating cutting tool was fitted in the chuck and the part fixed to the bed----I thank you for any info at all==== ---These will be made out of annealed Spring steel and them heat treated---

What type metal is used to make axles in vehicles? The 1-1/4 inch or larger solid bars that go from the wheel to the gears that drive the wheel. Usually has a spline on one end. It would seem there is some good resource material there.

Everyone needs a few superstrong magnets lying around the shop to pick up all the lathe shavings or milling dust or even to silence the anvils ring....and if you have or dumpster dive for old burnt out microwaves you have a source for 2 very strong magnets. Remove the cover and remove the magnetron (that fancy aluminum spaceship looking thing with cooling fins on it) usually its held in with 2 or 3 phillips head screws. A pair of hefty pliers and a vice will help you open the edges up and you can see the magnets inside the cooling fins..cut the two copper wires (more stuff to toss in the recycle bin) and remove the other magnet. Be careful not to get your fingers betwe…

I wanted to make bricks strong enough for doors so I tried a different mix the suggested,they crumbled but I used the same mix to insulate a new forge and it been working top knotch. heres the mix. 1 bag fireclay,1/2bag morter,1/2bag sand,1/3box of borax.Iwould add alittle more sand but its been great.

What type metal is used to make drive shafts? The hollow pipe between the tranny and the differential. Usually with a universal joint on each end. It would seem there is some good resource material there.

Brrrr!-- anybody know about anything user-proven wonderful in insulated leathern boots (not Sorels, they are indeed wonderful but are rubber bottomed and will melt) that will keep my tootsies warm whilst (love them Brit words, love 'em!) welding, smiting, outdoors in c. zero F. weather but won't cause the dread foot-sweat chill? I've tried two layers of woollen socks and Ensolite insoles inside my Red Wings. Lasted a few miserable hours but had to stop for fear of frostbite and gangrene. Steel toes and built-in metatarsal guards would be nice, too. Any such around? Many thanks!

i've been working on a pattern welded steel project but my Whisper Mama forge just barely gets hot enought to forge weld. I'm working from my basement shop in a residential area so coal is not an option and am at about 5600' elevation so that might affect the heat output too. Any suggestion for boosting the temperature?

heh fellas, I was just looking through the new blueprints and noticed the clay one..and remembered something my mother does for fun. Using polymer clay she would make "mosaic" patterns, following me? There are dozens of tutorials and sites with step by step instructions on how to get these delicate patterns, and the clay because it is wax or poloymer based never dries up. last night I was experimenting with two different shades of grey (alloy's of steel) and got a nice latter pattern, and experimented with some various other basic patterns. what I'm getting at is this is a great way to model damascus steels without filling up a scrap bin.. to the point of if you end u…

I'm about to make a tuyere from some 70mm (2 3/4") and 20mm (3/4") thick wall stainless tube. For the nose of the tuyere I have available a range of stainless plate from 8mm (3/8") to 25mm (1"). Should I use the thickest plate available or would the thinner plate be better able to benefit from the effect of the water cooling?

i have heard alot of buzz word about the celtic cross , i even made a few , put a handforged rose in the middle of one , check out my gallery and since i am a one of those guys that like to find out the origins of words and phrases i did a little search on the subject facinating historical subject here is the link from wikipidea , but there is a wealth on the internet about subject. Celtic cross - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia what do you know about the cross?

Could someone please help me .I'm collecting and making stuff pay check to pay check as I'm sure most of you did when you first started,but I have yet to get,make or been able to buy a good set of tongs.The 2 pair I have now are job specific and mild steel so I'm frustrated.On the good side I just got my hands on a nice 1/4'' garage door spring,and what I really need is a tong design with alot of different uses .Could someone help me? Please!! TIA Jason

Is there some place to get a name marker or do i have to make it . I want a 4 leaf clover with my initials in it. Thx Jason Crawford

Howdy' my first post. I was given a 30 gal bucket of coal, rather large chunks 5-10 #'s each. I have not used coal before, I have a propane forge (from M. Porters book). The question is... Might this coal be the wrong coal for a forge? And how can I tell? Do I just smash it up and burn it? I'm in So. Or. and there are no mines near here, it was most likely used to heat a home. It was removed from an old abandoned house.

what kind of steel is railroad rail made of ? I have been told that most of it is 1050 , is this right? thanks forgeman

ok this sounds obvious as far as mixing wind and forging fire+wind= Charred Blacksmith or bush fire depending on your local ( no offense for the many in southern Ca. My prayers to them) but is there a max wind mph that would be deemed unsafe? or all? I'd like to hear about it before I try and add a newer reply for the Burn Post. Thanks :P

A few days ago someone posted a tutorial that I thought I downloaded but was a bad file. I didn't get a chance to look at it at the time so I'm not even certain what it was about. It downloaded with the name 7-5.pdf but I can't find it with a search Anyone recognize the name or the post?

Hey, I found aplace to pick upsome grog close by but yhey asked me what size I need.Can anyone help me?

How do I keep my slack tub from freezing in the winter?