Glenn

Gooseneck auxiliary anvil. Modified anvil saddle for when you need to make a fork, or need a short bend more than 90*. Works for snub end scrolls, and has lots of uses. Thank you Irnsrgn for another good one.

It is used to keep iron tire bolts from spinning when taking off the nuts on wooden wagon wheels. Hook the loop on the inside of the wheel and put the sharp thing on top of the bolt and exercise pressure on the end of the handle. Irnsrgn

it was made by a blacksmith for use in the shop its about 2 1/2 ft long, made of 1/2 by 1 1/2 flat This tool is a copy of someones Grandfathers, the original handle was forged to a long taper, the original has been lost or tossed. Tool by Irnsrgn. The long taper on the original part of it's function Irns? Answer: Made it lighter and easier to handle I guess. Still needs a little modification on the working end and am going to taper the handle with power hammer some day, it really needs to be longer. It's a tire wrench, the wood block represents the fello of a wooden wagon wheel, the metal strip represents the iron tire around the wheel, after heating to expand the tire sometimes it deforms and won't go over the fello so you use the tire wrench to force the iron tire out and over the wooden fello and then drive down with a hammer. By moving the wrench and pulling and hiting you can get the tire over the fello and then drive into place and cool for the shrink fit needed to hold the tire on the fello. Irnsrgn

It might be a few days before I can back on line. I go into the hospital a little before lunch. Don't have a clue how long they will keep me. Chuck Sandpile is having an operation Monday Jan 30 on his neck. Prayers would be appreciated.

Hotforge has had skin graphs on his foot and they have taken hold. He thanks you for your concern and continued prayers.

Jim Joyce's aunt passed recently. Please keep Jim and his family in your prayers.

You ever try to put a 500 w light near and pointed at the subject? Makes a lot of difference in being able to see your work.

Do lathes turn clockwise or anti-clockwise and why? Is one better than the other?

Dave Wilson put together a list of anvil names. This may be a good place to use the information as Joe is "in the marker" for another anvil Acme Ajax American-Ross American Skein and Foundry Armitage Eagle Arm and Hammer Alsop Badger Baker Bay State Black Jack Black Prince Bradley Brooks and Cooper Buffalo Forge Champion Charles Hadfield Cliff Carrol Columbus Anvil and Forging Columbian Harden Co Columbus Forge and Iron Cranberry CW Delta Denver Dural DuraSteel Eagle Fireside Fisher-Norris Fulton Hay Budden Henery Wright Herculies Indian Chief Insonora J.E. Pilcher Kim Bach farriers anvil Keen Kutter KL Kohlswa Lakeside Louisville Forged Anvil Mankel Mouse Hole Oak Leaf Old Forge Onsteel Paragon Pedinghaus Peter Wright Record R. Redding Rock Island Roberts Anvil Sampson Sligo Snyder & Oaks Soderfors Southern Crescent Standard Star Trenton Trenton Indian Chief Valley Vernaium Steel Village Forge Vulcan Arm-Hammer West Wilkinson William Foster Yost "Y" in a circle

This is one that Strine did a while back. More armour than a forged hand but a cool piece of work just the same.

Lincoln Electric has an article on Arc Welding Safety that lists a bunch of stuff including when you should use a shade 12 welding goggle.

If you can not locate one 8" then combine 2 pieces of 6" into one piece of a larger diameter. Your a blacksmith, you can do these things

Ron cross post that under your thread on books also.

You may want to reference Blueprint BP0011 on Rail Road Steels

Reduce the air pipe from 2-1/2" (that is HUGE) to 1-1/4" in diameter (use another pipe). As Ron suggests, place the pipe maybe 1-1/2 to 2" from the bottom of the forge then add fuel to a depth of 6-8" above the top of the pipe. You do not need all the air that the blower can produce. Disconnect the air pipe from the blower and then just aim the blowers air blast toward the air pipe. You can adjust the air stream to miss the pipe and there by reduce the amount of air going to the fire. Just be careful that the excess air does not blow onto the forge as the air currents can cause additional problems. Blueprint BP0238 is of a side blast forge. I now lay the brick flat rather than on edge as the depth was not needed. Also look at Blueprint BP0232. You have what appears to be 4" aluminum dryer vent for a chimney. See if you can find some 6" or even better 8" diameter stove pipe and about 6 feet long. This may mean cutting the opening in the top of the hood larger to accept the larger diameter. If this forge smokes (all the smoke does not want to go up the chimney) cover both left and right sides between the hood and the forge. With a deeper fire you will need less air to get the heat you need from the fire. The first image will give you an idea of how hot things can get in the middle of the fireball, and the amount of flame that is seen on the top of the fire. Remember that this has been burning a while and is at working temperature. Keep us updated on your progress.

That same type thing is caused by grinding sparks so you may want to aim the grinder another direction if that is the reason. If you have an open forge, try a chimney. If you use a chimney already try adding another section to the chimney to make it taller, and a wire screen at the top. An air blast that does not blow the coke out of the fire pot will go a long way in reducing hot sparks up the chimney. This may mean building a deeper or even larger fire than you have now. Photos of your set up will go a long way in explaining the problem. After we see what we are dealing with, we can be more specific with our suggestions.

Karen Lewis, wife of Wayne (Coalforge) Lewis passed away in her sleep Saturday morning, after a long fight with cancer. They had been married 37 years this past July, and have 2 kids and 7 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.

2 barrels are all that are needed. Build a fire from sticks and get it going real well, then add a little coal at a time, keeping the fire exposed and present to burn the smoke. Usually this is nothing more than keeping a hole open much like a volcano. The fire burns the smoke.

For the cost of a couple of 55 gallon drums and a bag of coal, try the Supercharged 55 Forge. They may be able to smell the smoke but most likely can not see smoke if your careful with fire maintenance.

I have used both single bit and double bit axes. The double bit is for me easier to use as it seems better balanced. As to the wedges, I have use the hardware store variety, and a few home made ones, both metal and wood. As Strine suggested, start with a metal wedge and then use the wood wedges to follow the natural split. Straight grain wood splits easy. Short sections of wood split easier than long sections. Cut the wood so the forks and knots are cut out as drops. Split the easy stuff first and the forks and knots when you get time. Don't try to get every piece of wood to split. Some pieces will refuse to split and just laugh at you. This is why you have a chain saw.

Ed has just returned from 5 days in ICU with a severe lung infection. He is back in his room now. Prayers would be appreciated.

A left handed diagonal pein tuned left handed to the point it is difficult to use right handed. Then followed by a 2 pound cross pein that is tuned left handed but not as much, so it can be used right handed.

That is what I know as a single bit axe (top) and a double bit axe (bottom). A pole axe is a weapon much like the single bit axe but on a long pole, often with a spike opposite the cutting blade. But I am sure different names can be used for the same tool in different geographic locations.

Harold's wife called to inform me that Harold Brewer passed away on 13 December. They appreciated our prayers for he did not suffer long like most cancer patients do. Fred Moye

Strip mines remove the top of the mountain to get to the coal and it is left exposed to the elements while being mined. Where coal is mined, and at power plants in this area, the coal is stored outside. Rail Road cars are usually not covered during shipment. When you see trucks hauling coal they are covered but this is to keep material from falling out and to keep the coal dust from being blown along the route. When the coal is sent for analysis the BTU rates are higher when the coal is dry (of course). This is an observation in this local area, and may or may not be the answer to your question. FYI A ton of coal is about the side of a pallet and 4 feet in depth (height, tall or whatever).