Everything Else

Finding myself in a business trip with a hotel in Saugus, Massachusetts and a couple of free hours, I went to visit the Saugus Ironworks, site of the first iron production facility (1646-1670) in what was to become the United States. The following photos show the reconstructed works, including the forge where blooms were forged into bars of wrought iron and the rolling and slitting mill where these bars were turned into plates and thin rod for nailmaking. I also took some photos in their museum, showing artifacts discovered during the archaeological excavations in the 1940. A bronze model of the site: The blast furnace itself is under construction: …

Getting ready to head out to my dad's house and just wanted to stop in and wish all the dad's here a happy Father's Day.

A member of an archaeology-themed Facebook group shared this fascinating article about the discovery of papyrus ledgers of one of the teams supplying the building of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Among the information contained therein was this interesting bit about the importance of the copper trade in that project: Journeys of the Pyramid Builders -- Archaeology Magazine, July/August 2020

June 6th, 1944 D Day. I will lift a dram of single malt scotch, to salute and honor all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on that day and all the days that followed God bless them all.

Tuesday we are scheduled for our next Covid Boosters; cases are still out there and we are still in the "endangered" class. Previous ones have knocked me for a loop for a day or two; so I may not be online Wednesday. If for no other reason than to rein in my bad cess!

Or Is it to me that it look like that or its true everywhere in world that having hobby in trade for example blacksmithing woodworking is destined for person to be loner in that hobby. If you take cycling for example and you can see lots of social gathering and people more socialise in that hobby if they are at centrain age . Or if iam talking about going to gym you can make more friends or gaming for example . Iam not saying I will leave stuff that I like like smithing, woodworking etc. But is there need for person to upgrade hobbies if he feel that he is alone in it Sometimes I feel like I felt from Mars with hobby that die…

My son is working on a project and would like info on what the price of steel was in the Southern USA in 1905

Admin, if there is a better place for this thread, please move it as you see fit. BLUF: I am wondering if anyone might know what the two pictured metal items might be? There is about 15 acres of dry ground that can not be used for growing crops. SO many moons ago, I believe before the previous owner, this property had the dry ground being harvested by a rock company. We don't know how deep they went, or even what they were pulling out of the ground. Up around that area I found these two heavy metal items (pictures). We have been speculating that it might be from a grader or dozer but we have no idea at all. the smaller …

So I called a small company about renting a porta potty for the weekend for the hammer in, and the guy showed up this evening to deliver it, he saw all the machinery settin around and asked if I was having an auction, I said no I’m having a blacksmith meeting this Saturday, he looked at me like a had three eyes… and asked what that was, so I walked him to the smithy and showed him the forges, anvils, ect… he looked at me again like I had three eyes an asked what he was lookin at, so I asked him if he ever heard the term blacksmith… he said no… so I gave a multi thousand year history of blacksmithing and what they did an still do in a nutshe…

Dear All, It is time for my annual Memorial Day posting to remind everyone that here in the USA this isn't just the first weekend of summer but a time to remember the men and women who were not as fortunate as I and the other veterans who made it home and grew old. I think most of the folk here, particularly the vets, are aware of this but I feel a duty and responsibility to those who didn't come home to make this reminder. "They will not grow old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will rmember them." -Laurence Binyon- George LTC…

Happy Armed Forces Day. To all who served, past and present. https://www.uso.org/stories/2225-when-is-armed-forces-day

as spring is arriving people are getting babies be them lambs, goat kids, calves, chicks, etc., and most adorable puppies this can be a spot for people to share those pictures without clogging up other threads I'll start with 100 chicks that came on Friday

Ran across some older post's by Naked Anvil (Grant Sarver) today. Grant I hope you are resting in peace. You are truly missed by many, many friends.

Greetings I.F.I. FOLKS i just ran across this ARTICLE on the net. Does anyone have information on this recently discovered axe? The picture is not that great. Regards, SLAG.

I've been offline since last Wed. My computer enjoyed the black screen of death. AVG offered a "free gift" I couldn't say no to or turn off. It downloaded and installed itself and then crashed my comp. My comp's been in the hands of a IT and is now fixed and fast once again. Turns out AVG got in a squabble with the other 5 anti malware programs running in the background. Only one of which I knew about. Mark our new computer guru said my computer was creatively screwed up. I take full credit. . . sort of. Anyway, I'm back. If we exchanged emials or edresses PM me for my new email addy and please pass the word to some of the folks I shared .lists. etc. with. Email…

Stock your pantry and freezers. I don't want to be chicken little but there's talk of cyberattacks. I remember less than a year ago when they shut down the pipeline and you could not buy gas for a couple weeks at least here in NC. World powers are at odds.

Went out for a smoke at work this evening and while kicking around the gravel in the parking lot something caught my eye. This rock seems to have something embedded in it. At first glance i thought it to be iron and that i had found an artifact from an ancient civilization that existed a few million years ago. Then i thought more logically and said no it is provably a piece of a tool broke off in the quarry the rock came from. Well i took it in thinking i would pry out what ever it is while i was doing nothing at work. So i tried a magnet that did not stick to it. That peaked my curiosity a little more so cleaned it off, which would have also told me it was not iron but …

My daughter is coming to town today,,,, I haven't seen her in over 10 years. I'm definitely as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof! Lol, our relationship is far more similar to clinker than coke!

Happy Easter y’all, it’s a little cool an wet here today but I think the Easter bunny’s still gonna swing by an hide some eggs for max! what about y’all? Anyone got anything interesting goin today?

Over the years I have owned, abused and inadvertently destroyed “dozens” of flashlights lol, I’ve tried maglights, nebos, surefires, I’ve tried cheapo Amazon specials and I’ve had expensive ones that used weird batteries and I’ve tried rechargeables, im extremely ruff and demanding on my everyday carry flashlights and probably put 200-300 hrs a year on them in and around my shop, currently I’ve been using a pelican 3415 model, to date it has lasted 2-1/2 years and is still going strong, it’s been dropped, ran over, burned, exposed to extreme heat an cold, soaked in everything from carburetor cleaner to motor oil to water an coffee lol, Also my …

The Village Blacksmith Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807-1882 Under a spreading chestnut-tree ⁠The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands, And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands. His hair is crisp, and black, and long; His face is like the tan; His brow is wet with honest sweat, He earns whate'er he can, And looks the whole world in the face, For he owes not any man. Week in, week out, from morn till night, You can hear his bellows blow; You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow, Like a se…

Went on a four day rockhounding trip with my brother. One of the last minute things I needed was a fresh blade for my 12" bowhack, the used blade on the top is used as a template guide: So I made two 1/8" Ø carbide tools: a shallow angle center punch, and a spade drill ground off-hand (twice). 1/8" has ALWAYS been too small for me to grind off-hand, and requires a perfect square edged diamond wheel. Did not have one of those either - this was the morning of a 10:00 a.m. pick up, so I did what I could... So, we get thoroughly out to the middle of nowhere, and I find that I have too much blade behind the hole for the saw camlock to close.. I have my two…

Yesterday Deb and I were at her therapy. While we were out a fellow on her Dachshund Facebook group was in the process of writing one of his stories. He's well known for being articulate and his stories are humorous, touching, heart warming, etc, he has quite a following. Group members are following along as he's writing a story and it begins to wander, ramble, stops following the story line, then stops making sense, spelling, syntax starts failing and when it turns into random words then keystrokes. A number of group members gets on the phone to his wife, telling her to call 911, he's having a stroke RIGHT NOW! EMT gets to him and to a hospital in minutes. He had …

I've been looking into higher end boots that can be re-built and re-soled. Nicks makes a version of their builder boot in something called a "Tanker" which uses belts/straps instead of laces. I love the look of them, but I've never worn anything like that before. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone. My birthday was this past Saturday, the 29th of January. The HR rep brought me a history and trivia list for that date. Wouldn't you know it, that day is not only my birthday, but also National Curmudgeon's day. So here's to a belated happy National Curmudgeon's day to all of you curmudgeons!