Glenn

If you see something of interest, research to find out all you can about the subject.  Then figure out a way to do it with the materials and tools available to you.  The more you research and learn going in, the better your chances for success.  You will not be perfect the first time.  You will use the first time to learn what to change to make the next one better.  Then go back to do more research and now that you have some base knowledge to work from, you can learn more about the subject.  Try again and make more changes until you can make the item you want.

This applies to anything and everything in life.  The cook in the kitchen did not make every loaf of bread perfectly.  There were a few early loaves of bread that the dogs ate, or maybe would not eat.  The cook kept what worked.  They were not afraid to bake small loaves with a different type flower, or different spices, or other changes,  They kept what worked.  Then came the day they cut the top of the loaf with a knife before baking.  It made the load look different and pretty, so they kept that idea for when they had company.  

Use your last project, or attempt, to learn what to change to make the next one better.

When you hear someone say *learning experience* or *test piece* you will know that they are trying to figure out what works.

It is the forum soft wear and the format your phone camera uses.

Try rotating the images in your phone before posting.  

If you can find a pick it has a mandrel on the end. 

Marlin spikes will work as a mandrel.

Depending on what size mandrel you need, you can make a wooden form to act as a mandrel.  It does not have to be a complete mandrel as a section (say 1/4 of a circle, or other dimension) will work.  Bending forks work well in bending, just a tweak here and there.

Most things can be made on the anvil or improvised anvil. The mandrel just makes it repeatable and in some cases easier.  After you make the first one, use that as a mandrel for the rest.

It is not about what you need, it is about how you use what you got.

What size mandrel?  What do you have to work with?

Why position the end grain horizontally instead of vertically?

Nice block of wood you have as a base for the anvil.

Washing coal will only remove dirt.  Smoke is produced when the fuel burns and the heat releases and drives off the volatiles in the fuel.

When you build a coal or solid fuel fire, think of a volcano.  Keep a hole in the top of the fuel to allow the smoke and flame to escape. The flame will burn the smoke.  Add new fuel to the edge of the fire and allow it to warm up and release the volatiles, which the fire will burn, as it cokes up.  Then move the coke into the fire as more fuel is needed to replace the fuel that was burned for heat.

Shainarue, Make the leaf stem last.

Let your brain figure it out.  

Just knowing is half the battle won already.

You may want to contact http://miblacksmith.org/.

They can give you all sorts of information on his tools and a fair price if you want to sell the items.

Anvil height, how can you tell if it is the right height

Make a circle with your thumb and index finger (the old OK sign) and hold it at arms distance to visually place an object into the circle.  Close one eye and if the object is in the circle, that is the dominate eye.  If not, the other eye is dominate.

If you naturally make the circle with your right hand and the object appears in the right eye take note.  If the object appears in the left eye with the circle made with the right hand, then you are right hand - left eye dominate.  It is something to know, but not worry about, unless it gets in your way.

It is a surprise when you change eye or hand dominates without realizing it.  Changed eye dominates out of necessity.  Once I found that out, I found I could aim a hammer, and do some other tasks again.  

Ok, you got one no answer.  Like blacksmithing, the first one is a learning experience.  By request number 10 you will have much better luck and by request number 25, you will be taking the big truck to haul things home.  Always remember to return with a bottle opener or something as a thank you.

Scroll down and click on the *reply to this topic* box and type. Then scroll down again and cl>ck on *submit reply*. 

Condolenses to family and friends.

Look for a piece of rr rail (12 to 24 inches long that you can lay down on its side so you can get to the inside and outside curves.  Makes a nice swage. 

You can span the gap to make bends and larger curves.  

Topic is locked.

Doubt they would work on today's plastic bumpers.

Jhcc, look up the thread on pins and cow pies. Consider the difference between forging with a hammer vs hydraulics and each moves metal and grain. There is also the subject of regular metal and deep draw metals. Have you tried different lubricants with the fly press.  Bet it will make a noticeable improvement.

Condolences to family and friends.

Do not forget lead spoons and the lead sled.

As you say, light the candle drip some wax an shove the stamp into the puddle of wax.  Trick is to put the seal where the edges of the paper fold together so it is "sealed" and can not be opened without breaking the seal.  

Seals are a personal signature of sorts, much like a touchmark.  If it is sealed, then the owner of the seal applied their mark or it was done with permission.

Another way to insure the envelope has not been opened is to put your signature across the edges of two or more edges of the envelope.  If the envelope is opened, it will show as it is near impossible to get it to march perfectly.

Do not forget the punt gun (shotgun). Used for waterfowl, not whales.   Punt guns were usually custom-designed and varied widely, but could have bore diameters exceeding 2 inches (51 mm) and fire over a pound (≈ 0.45 kg) of shot at a time. 

Demagnetize the truck.

What do you use as soft jaws, that do not leave marks, for your vise?

For metal soft jaws, use non-ferrous pipe such as copper, brass, aluminum, etc.  Cut the pipe a little longer than the vise jaws, then cut the pipe again the long way.  Flatten it out, put it in the vise and fold a bit of the metal over the top of the jaw to hold it in place.  A radiator hose, heater hose, plastic hose works the same way.

Use two pieces of wood.

Depending on the project, you can use leather, the material from a plastic bucket, etc.  

What do you suggest as materials for soft jaws for a vise?