Glenn

Brian, The information you have just received was posted on the BAWA (Blacksmith Association of Western Australia) Groups Forum hosted by IForgeIron. That means your local group got world wide exposure, your question got world wide exposure, and you got the answer from places other than Austrailia you could not have reached otherwise. Did you see that 142 prople have looked at your question to date? Many more will view the thread as reference when they look for dog spike / rail road spike projects in the future. The system works. Thank you for using IForgeIron. The IForgeIron Groups forum is open to any Blacksmithing group that needs a forum for their group. It will allow for the exchange of information within your group, as well as world wide exposure for your group. Contact me for information of how to set it up.

JPH The hammer stand BP0166 has a car rim for a base. Just tilt and roll on the rim. I found that is an easy way to move the stand. No bumping into it and having it roll across the room on wheels.

Show us what you do, and how you do it, so we can learn. It is the rest of us that will have the cultural cringe when we find new ways of doing things. :)

6013, I believe the question was a serious inquiry, but I like the way you think. Andy, check gaulding as an alternative spelling.

Put a twist on the "handle" as if making a knife. Then draw the rest of the spike out to 20" (500 mm) or so and put a hook on the end, great for turning stakes on the barbie. Hook needs to be 90 degrees to the side to work best. Two spikes can be used to make a pair of tongs for the forge, or ice tongs for ice bucket at the barbie.

Ed, On this forum, there is plenty of room for questions, answers and also corrections. We are now some 35 posts into welcoming River-Gazer to the site and forum, and the thread is now way off the original topic. You can follow the conversation from beginning to end, as long as you can keep up with the twists and turns of the thread. If someone repeats comments from an "expert", repeats something they have heard at a hammer in, or repeats something they have read and can not remember the exact source for reference, it is hearsay. But it is not necessarly posted to intentionally mislead the viewer. There may be information on the site that is misleading if you take one comment out of context, but follow the thread from post #1 to the last post in any given thread, and you should get good information. It is not complete by any means, and is not the last word on the subject. You must continue to research from as many sources as are available. You must chase down the leads mentioned in your research. Only you know when enough is enough, and only then can you make a decision based on your research. To limit yourself to only the facts, and only first hand experience, also limits the creative process. One idea sparks another, which sparks another and so on. The end result of the conversation may have no relation to the original question. A request to everyone: IForgeIron does not wish to present bad or misleading information. If you find bad or misleading information on the site, please let me know. And please send me the good information so I can to correct the problem. Or post the good information in a reply so we can discuss the differences. This way everyone can understand why one is considered bad and one is considered good.

This comment of IForgeIron "being rife with disinformation and hearsay" has gotten my attention. I was not aware of the problem. Ed, If you know of a post on IForgeIron that contains false information, disinformation, and or hearsay, please contact me with the location of the post and the proper information to correct the post. I will then make notations in the post setting things straight. If that means opening all 8,700+ current posts, then that is what needs to be done, and it will be done. It will take some time and I will need and ask for assistance, but notations will be made. You are correct in advising that any suggestions made be taken to the forge and used. Not all will work, even if the information is absolutely correct. It will provide a basis for additional discussions and more forge time, which means more discussion and more forge time. I know of no one on IForgeIron that will give up on someone trying and struggling to achieve a goal. I have seen too many times when folks go out of their way to be of assistance. The old expression of ask 10 blacksmiths and get 12 answers is not a fable, but the truth. Try all 12 ways and then ask more questions.

We have been talking about anvils, but what about the smithing hammer? Can you wear out a hammer from normal use? Is the hammer face expected to mushroom out much like a chisel with use? How does the dressing of the hammer effect the working face? Does it need retempered after dressings, or several dressings?

For July lets see what can be done with a square foot of thin sheet metal 14 ga or thinner. New for this month, all entries should be in by the 20th of the month. The thin sheet metal can be worked hot or cold. Just be careful if your working hot, grinding, or sanding anything galvanized. Fume fever and or heavy metal poisioning is not fun. Play safe.

There was a discussion in the IForgeIron Blacksmith Chat Room about hammer size vs anvil size. Let's say the anvil weighs 100 pounds (an easy number to work with) and is securely attached to the stump or stand. The smith works 40 hours a week and 50 weeks a year. This would be a full time job with lots of use for the anvil. 1. What weight hammer can be used with NO damage to the anvil under these conditions. 2. What is the size stock that can be used on this anvil for an extended perion of time with NO damage to the anvil? 3. If it reasonalbe to conclude that if you double the size of the anvil (100 pounds to 200 pounds) you can also double the hammer weight and stock size? It would seem small stock suggests a small hammer and a small anvil, and large stock suggests a large hammer and a large anvil weight. But is there some type guidline that a particular anvil weight would suggest a particular hammer weight and stock size that could be used on a regular basis?

Let's amend the question: How do you safely remove chrome from a piece of metal?

What size anvil do you use most often?

From the email: Can you burn chrome off of metal in a forge? What type gas mask do you need or do you even need to use one?

Irnsrgn is right, the best place to start is in the blueprints. BP0133, BP0138, BP0115, BP0051, BP0131, BP0035 will get you started but there are more BP's on file. You can use the search feature on the forum to look for key words ("coal forge" gives 106 hits), and use the search feature on the opening page (different search engine) for another set of results. There is yet another search engine for the gallery for even more results.

It was a hand crank post drill, bolt to a wall style. From what I gather it had rust on most of the surface including the rotating shaft. I posted it here as I am sure there are other drills out there finding new homes. The new owners want to clean them up but don't know exactly how, or what care and lubrication is needed.

From the email: What is the best way to clean and remove the rust from an old hand cranked drill so I can start using it. How do you lubricate it, oil, grease or what, and how often. Thanks

Dawn, We just got back from out of town and want to thank JimG for posting this in my absence. Ralph touch many lives in the blacksmithing community and beyond. He was an inspiration through his actions and words of encouragment. Our prayers are with you and your family.

Welcome to the Blacksmiths Association of Western Australia to IForgeIron. Enjoy your forum.

Photo came from the IForgeIron Gallery. Hofi posted the photo. FRANCH ANVIL DATED 1723 A FRANCH ROHSET ON THE SIDE AN ''MN'' MONARCHY NAPOLEON ON THE OTHER. FOND IN A JUNK YARD IN THE OLD TOWEN OF JAFFA

When using an anvil in another shop, just drop a carrage bolt into the prichel hole. Doesn't kill the ring entirely but helps.

We need to add this anvil to the thread as it would appear to be abused to some, but with a date of mfg of 1723, the abuse if mostly use, and is in rather good condition for it's age.

The beauty of the blueprints is that there is no competition, a blueprint is showing how YOU do things YOUR way. Put ten different ways to do the same project together and a viewer can try all ten ways and one will work best for them. For instance, how many ways are there to make tongs? A blueprint on each would be a wonderful resource. If you get Mike to assist you with this, I would like you to take careful notes from the time you arrive, to the time you leave, and write down any "other" tricks, ideas, or knowledge you gain from visiting his shop and watching him work with metal. Try to keep it less than a doctorial thesis.

Any chance of a Blueprint of the hawk from the RR Spike?

Anvils have not always received tender loving care. They show the scars, chips, dings, and broken parts of being misused. Show us photos of those anvils so we can better understand the value of an anvil in good condition.

Prairie Blacksmiths Association IForgeIron would like to welcome the Prairie Blacksmiths Association to the Blacksmith Groups Forum. This forum is moderated by Irnsrgn aka Jr. Strasil.