Glenn

 A collection of improvised anvils

 Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique (TPAAAT) 

BP001 Easy to make tongs

It is not what something is called, but what it can be used for.  Once you "stop looking" and "start seeing", the door to another world opens up.  It is not a piece of pipe, but a stack of washers that has not been cut apart yet.  

When you can make an item in less time than it takes to go to town and back, consider yourself hooked.  If you need nails, make them. If you need a gate hinge, make it.  If you need a pry bar, make it.  All this is a direct result of having a resource center (scrap pile) to draw from.  Just be careful when a compass starts to point to your resource center (scrap pile) rather than North.

Burning charcoal puts off fumes that may not be as noticeable as other fumes.  Just because you may not see then, you should avoid breathing them.

What type of fuel do you use?  Is your shop well ventilated?

Thank you for the update.

Vets generally get the job done using the direct approach.  Personally saw one vet operate with the patient on one table and 3-4 books open on the another table beside it.  He spent several hours studying already, but if he had any questions, he wanted to be able to access the information without hesitation.  

Another vet we know had a patient with a dry eye socket.  He operated and saved the eye by moving a part of the salivary gland so it would lubricate the eye socket. 

Having a vet in Thomas's corner is a great addition to his health care.

Thank you for the update on Thomas and Jo Ann.

Thank you for the update.  

Thank you for the update.  

3 hours ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

im not sure why but any pictures I ever take outside the door at night has a green tent to it,

That may be due to the type of lighting and the color bias of the camera.  Fluorescence lights have a green cast, incandescent lights have a yellow cast, mercury vapor have a weird cast, sodium lights are have a very yellow cast, and etc.  You can avoid or correct some of this by using the white balance feature on the camera.  They make a color meter for cameras that will give you a read out of just what color you are dealing with.  Another meter can be used to measure Kelvin temperature of the light.  

Stores such aa jewelry stores and grocery stores use use this this information to make their product look better to the public.  

Many times the human eye will adjust and auto correct for color.  Some people do not notice, other people MUST change the color temperature of the light to avoid problems such as headaches etc.

DHarris, fill the crack in the mallett with glue, then clamp it to close the gap.  Band both ends of the mallet with copper to reinforce the wood.

There are many mentions on the site about the dangers of wire wheels.  Here there are wire wheels on the bench grinder, the drill, and the 4-1/2 inch hand held angle grinder.

Today the scoop shovel was getting a brushing so it could be oiled and ready for winter.  It was cool enough outside for the old shop coat.  One side of the shovel was completed and 1/2 way through wire brushing the other side, when there was a thump and the grinder stopped.  It ATE about a foot of the end of the coat sleeve and wound it up and around the wire wheel.  Wound it tight enough that you had to take the coat off, then remove the handle on the grinder to even start to rescue the jacket.  Even then it was a chore to unwind and recover the jacket sleeve.  The sleeve is none the better for wear and still serviceable.  More importantly the sleeve jammed and stopped the wire wheel and grinder with no personal damage.

We keep hearing about the dangers of wire wheels, and they do exist.  The wire wheel will grab on to anything available.  

Keep reminding yourself that a wire wheel especially, as well as any moving part, is always looking for an opportunity to do damage.  It is up to you recognize the danger and figure out how to avoid it.

Christmas is 30 days away and counting.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Do not forget to thank the cook.

The important part was the hammer handle with no hammer head being light weight.  He did not need a heavy blow to set the weld.  He just bumped the billet with the end of the handle.

Everyone is looking for a good anvil, whether they need it or not.  Carry cash and take the truck as soon as you find one. 

A phone call to hold an anvil is only as honest as the seller.  

Email webmaster@blacksmith.org and ask them your questions on how the organization operates.  They will know.

You may want to consider cutting some copper pipe the long way, flattening it out, and using it as soft jaws for your post vise.  

While you are making a wooden mallet, cover the working end with some of the flattened copper pipe.  Just make a U shape and loosely nail it horizontally to the side of the mallet.  The same mallet with copper on one side, wood on the other.

You could wrap the flattened copper pipe around the end of the wooden mallet and nail it to the wood.  No one said it had to be pretty, it just has to work.

Shaina, take a 2x4 and reduce one end to form a handle.  If you do not have a draw knife, use a saw to form a handle of about the right size with a 45 degree transition from the handle to the parent stock.  A rasp or file or even sand paper will round off the corners of the handle and reduce it a bit more to fit your hand.  Look at a wooden wheel borrow handle as a pattern.  

It is not about what you do or so nor have.  It is take what you have and improvise, adapt, and overcome.  There is a way, you just have to work it out.

You can attach a small LED light on the magnet of a stick to help find things in the dark.  

If you use the magnet on the drill press to hold the chuck key, tie a string to the magnet and the drill press so the key can not be dropped or misplaced.

Glad to hear he is pushing for early release. Thank you for the update. 

There is a well known and respected knife maker that used a wooden hammer handle to set a weld.  He had it floating in the slack tub (no hammer head) and hit the stack of metal vertically with the end of the wood.  Perfect weld.

Put a magnet in a plastic bag and collect the drill bit cuttings at the drill press or the slag around the forge or anvil.  Reverse the bag and throw away the debris, leaving the magnet clean.

Look up and read Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique (TPAAAT).  Basically it says to ask everyone about what you need to find.  Have business cards printed up telling folks what you want and brief contact information. 

Read A collection of improvised anvils.  It does not have to look like a London pattern anvil,  Any heavy piece of metal can be serviceable. if it works, it is an anvil.

Once you get your first anvil, they seem to fall out of the trees and find you.  Nothing wrong with having two anvils, as you can then find which anvil you like best and trade up or sell off the extras.

An anvil weight is between 100 and  150 pounds is a very usable weight. 

Go to the Holland Anvil website and look at their NEW anvils and prices. Tell them you heard about it in IForgeIron.

The next item he will be interested in is a hammer.  Any 2 pound hammer will work.  Look at the flea markets for a used hammer, machinist hammer, ballpein hammer, or what ever you can find.  It does not have to be expensive and they should be found for 2-10 dollars.  While your looking for hammers use TPAAAT and ask about anvils while your there.

Tongs to hold the metal can be easily made.  Read BP001 Easy to make tongs and are good started tongs.

The more you read the more you learn about that you need.  Remember, blacksmithing is fun, so do not get frustrated.  Ask questions and we will try to guide you. 

We want you and your husband to succeed, we just need to work together to make that happen.

Thank you for the update.

1 hour ago, Shainarue said:

Today was mostly chisel work. Can't really get away from laying flat for that. 

Nothing wrong with laying a piece of hot metal with a hardie post to keep it steady) on the top of the anvil and working on the hot metal.

A 2x4 or piece of firewood can be used as a wooden mallet and can impact the metal both horizontally or vertically.

Look for a coil type garage door spring.