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Posts posted by Glenn
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Both styles would be good material for a blueprint. :)
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Good anvil ??
I would look at the beast and see if it had any markings. They could tell you the manufacture (Peter Wright, Hey-Budden etc). But usable anvils do not have to have names, or names you recognize.
The weight that may be in "code" , the english hunderd weights, and stamped into the anvil. First number is x 112, second number x 28, and third an acutal number. 123 would be 112 + (28 + 28) + 3 = 171
The anvil may be many years old, and may have been used hard or not at all. The condition of the face and edges will reflect the past usage. The face may also be worn making a gap under straight edge laid horn to heel. A gap is not always bad, but reflects usage.
Rather than using a ball pein hammer, use a heavy ball bearing and a clear plastic tube. You will have better control and can see the actual rebound without outside influences. Rebound alone does not declare an anvil good or bad.
DO lightly tap the entire anvil with a hammer. It should NOT have any one place or local area where it goes THUD.
Look at the anvil and it's value to YOU. If you have NO anvil, and this beast has all the faults possible, consider the price. A guide line price for a anvil has been reported to be somewhere near $2.00 per pound as a starting point, better anvils can go for more, poorer anvils go for less. That said Thomas Powers can find anvils at super low prices where ever he is located. There was a 100+ pound anvil purchased in Florida for $20 just recently.
We can provide you much better advice if you can provide photographs. But if the fellow wants to sell the anvil, you may loose out while going this route. Cash talks real fast.
The deal is what is acceptable to you and your need and a reasonable reimbursement for the item to the seller.
If others have guide lines on this subject please post them and we can assemble them into a FAQ. -
Ed has taken a turn for the worse. No details, just that he sounded poorly on the phone, said he was very sick and had to leave for some type treatment.
He ask to be put on the prayer list so you could keep him in your prayers.
For those interested, contact me for Ed's phone number. A short (10 minute) call of a positive nature would do a lot to lift his spirits.
570-836-2526 -
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Refighting the Civil War, or WWII, etc will not change the outcome.
Please take it off line and use your email if you wish to continue the discussion. This is after all a blacksmithing site.
Thank you
Glenn -
Welcome to the Central Minnesota Blacksmiths. Thank you for the photos of your last hammer in posted in the gallery.
Please post your events here so all your members can stay informed. Please post your photos in the gallery so we can keep up with your work.
Welcome to the forum,
Glenn -
Why not go to IForgeIron.com > tools > Swage Blocks and Stands. At the bottom of the page there is a drawing of a swage block stand by Jim Wilson there.
Swage blocks and stands pinch fingers. Be very careful when placing the block in the stand. -
Give us specifics on what you are doing. The more specific, the more assistance you can get from the welders here.
Blueprint BP0052 AWS Welding Rod Classification is a place to start. -
Strine I like the idea of constructing such a device on the Golden Rectangle proportion. Clever of you to think of such a thing. Short leg vs perpendicular leg then perpendicular leg vs long leg. Clever indeed. Would make a dandy Blueprint (hint-hint). Any takers?
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Welcome to the site. Swage blocks are useful tools when needed. For the one time use, inside or outside curves from many items can be used. See Blueprint BP0184.
Seek out a blacksmithing group near you and ask if they know of any anvils that are available. Usually they can point you toward a reasonably priced anvil.
Ask everyone you see if they know where you can find an anvil. The item may not be there when you return, so have cash in your pocket. Real anvils are out there and can be purchased, but you have to sometimes look for them. -
Orientation is "as needed" for the job.
Angles between members is 90 degrees
Are the obvious ratios the same? Please explain or ask the question using different words.
Holes are intentionally placed at those locations
Scrap steel can be used for construction of this item
Size is dependent on the job -
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John, when starting a fire, poke a hole in the top of the coal for the flame to escape and burn the smoke. Good fire maintenance will produce little smoke (after start-up). A chimney will get the smoke up and over the house as well as dilute it with some air. Use all three.
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Thanks Az, I have been wondering about him. Glad you were able to get an update.
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I had some of that banding follow me home. You can click to find the link and several suggestions.
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Welcome to the site. Between now and spring you have time to catch up on your reading. May I suggest IForgeIron.com from the 400+ Blueprints, to the Forum and Forum archives, to the 2000+ images in the Gallery. There is a thread about Blacksmithing books on the internet and enough links to other places that when combined, the reading should get you into spring or a little after.
This way when you build your first fire, you will have some idea as to what you want to do with the hot metal.
The IForgeIron Forum Chat is a great place to ask question as it is "live" and the answer can come from anyone or anywhere in the world.
Seek out local blacksmith organizations and groups. These folks will jump start your education as nothing else can. They can show you how to use the tools you have to get you smithy up and running. Provide photos and the folks here can explain things to you as well.
And there is no reason you have to wait till spring to start. Many blacksmiths forge during cold weather, such as Karl in Sweden, and several blacksmiths in Canada. -
What to do about the slack tub freezing?
December and the temps are falling, I thought I would bring this topic back to the surface. -
Alan, show us your Smokey Joe forge. Most full sized pick up trucks, 3/4 and 1 ton have 13+ inch diameter break drums so they should not be hard to find in your area.
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The rivet forge from Buffalo Forge Catalog
The 55 Forge on Grandma's potty chair stand
The pan forge Old Moose had for sale
The pan forge size vs the shop forge.
This is to show the side differences between the rivet forge, pan forge and 55 Forge vs a shop forge. As you can see, the shop forge is almost twice the size.Anybody out there ever used a riveters forge or similar setup?
The rivet forge was designed to be portable and easy to set up and move and to be used for a specific task. The shop forge was more versatile but less portable.
As to weight, the 55 Forge can be easily broken down into 3 sections, the stand (grandma's aluminum potty chair), the forge (9#), and the fire pot/air tube(16#) for a total of maybe 35-40#.Now the question of weight is becomming more interesting to me. What about some of these lighter weight rivet type forges. How durable are they?
The rivet forges are still being used today. I can not say they are the original ones from 1896, but many are older than the blacksmiths using them.
The 55 Forge has been used and stored outside (in the rain) all its life (no shelter and exposed to the elements). It has had 3 years of hard use and forge welding temperatures. This summer saw many days of 8 hour fires the most of which were at close to welding heat. The 55 Forge is still in good condition, with surface rust.
Rather than spending a lot of time looking for the perfect forge, the perfect blower and the perfect system, look at Blueprint BP0238 Simple Side Blast Forge. This should get you started as quickly as possible. Cost should be close to nothing for parts, and it can easily be converted to a 55 Forge. In fact, you can operate it as both a side blast and a bottom blast if you wish to compare the two styles.
Please continue to ask questions. We will continue to try to supply answers.
HWooldridge is right on target with the blower information. Hand cranked has the greatest control to get the fire to do exactly what you need. -
Alan's link to his similar rivet forge
With all due repect, I don't think you have a rivet forge, or a similar looking forge.
1896 Illustrated General Catalogue of the Buffalo Horizontal and Upright Steam Engines,... By Buffalo Forge Company
Rivet forge on pae 301
Ron Reil: I have four coal forges, two rivet forges, a full sized Buffalo #660 shop forge, shown here the day I brought it home.
Ron Reil: rivet forge
I would suggest that you have a shop forge or something similar to a shop forge.
Ron Reil: Buffalo #660 shop forge -
Why not a "random act of kindness" for this month. Just recognize a need and help someone, with no intention to get anything in return. We will not keep score, but you will know, and the person on the receiving end will know, and that is all that matters.
The adjustable anvil contest will come to an end in 30 days, the last day of December. It is time to get your entries built and ready to post. -
Why not build a 55 Forge Blueprint BP0133 and see if you like it. Cost depends on your ability to scrounge.
As to portability see First Fire Blueprint BP0390. Keykeeper has a portable forge stand that works. The forge and stand could fit in the trunk of a car. -
Safety information - American Welding Society
1 Fumes and Gases Oct 05
2 Radiation Oct 03
3 Noise Oct 03
4 Chromium and Nickel in Welding Fume Oct 03
5 Electrical Hazards Aug 06
6 Fire and Explosion Prevention Aug 06
7 Burn Protection Sep 95
8 Mechanical Hazards Sep 95
9 Tripping and Falling Sep 95
10 Falling Objects Sep 95
11 Confined Spaces Sep 95
12 Contact Lens Wear Sep 95
13 Ergonomics in the Welding Environment Sep 95
14 Graphic Symbols for Precautionary Labels Sep 95
15 Style Guidelines for Safety and Health Documents Sep 95
16 Pacemakers and Welding Mar 97
17 Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) Jan 96
18 Lockout/Tagout Mar 97
19 Laser Welding and Cutting Safety Mar 98
20 Thermal Spraying Safety Feb 97
21 Resistance Spot Welding Feb 99
22 Cadmium Exposure from Welding & Allied Processes Jan 02
23 California Proposition 65 Jul 01
24 Fluxes for Arc Welding and Brazing: Safe Handling and Use Jan 02
25 Metal Fume Fever Jan 02
26 Arc Viewing Distance Jul 04
27 Thoriated Tungsten Electrodes Oct 03
28 Oxyfuel Safety: Check Valves and Flashback Arrestors Apr 05
29 Grounding of Portable and Vehicle Mounted Welding Generators July 04
30 Cylinders: Safe Storage, Handling, and Use
Safety information - American Welding Society
Is this anvil salvagable?
in Anvils, Swage Blocks, and Mandrels
Posted
Have you used that anvil in it's present condition? Have you done enough blacksmithing on it to determine it can not be useful as an anvil in it's present condition?
After you pay for the skill, expertise, AND experience needed to do a proper job on the repair, you may have close to the cost of a good anvil or even a new anvil involved.
Offer the cost of repairs to Thomas Powers and challenge him to find a good anvil in good shape. You may be surprised with the results.