imagedude

I'd make a mandrel to fit inside the tube then i'd punch the hole through on a flypress.

I use a Murex 140 amp DC inverter. I've used it on metals from 22 gauge mild steel to 3/8 stainless.

I learnt arc from my father who was a welder for Otis Elevators. He used a 600 amp oil cooled AC unit. I taught myself MIG as I owned many rusty cars. I currently use a 140 amp DC inverter.

Warrior, welcome to IFI .

Just bought another 4 leg vices for

Smaller presses are much nicer to use, presses larger than size 6 are really designed for 2 man operation.

Finally moved the press into position today, it's only taken 3 years!!

I've worked in the imageing industry for most of my life including work as a darkroom assistant, photographer, television cameraman, lighting director, vision engineer etc

I fancy spending a few months stateside riding around on a bike. What are the best areas to ride in and which areas are best avoided?

Here's one of my 5' x 3' welding benches, in a former life it was a surface plate.

5 Cwt Peter Wright

When you consider the price of an anvil you must factor in depreciation over your lifetime. If it isn't abused it should last many lifetimes. Given the rising prices of iron and fuel the anvil will probably increase in value!

The addition of carbon lowers the temperature required for forge welding. It is a lot easier to make pattern welded steel from medium/high carbon steels than it is to weld MS to carbon steel. Here's some I made from CS70 (1070) and 15N20.

I also like that double horn with the green cast to it.

some more anvils

Some of my anvils, past and present:

I need to add a number of emergency stop switches plus a cut off system for the forge incase the fan fails.

Your theory is in the right ballpark but how often do you grip the tongs near the end of the reins?

Interesting point about quenching the files:- Following the cutting of the teeth on all the sides of the file, the file is then hardened by heating it and quenching it in salt water. The correct salinity was tested by floating an egg in the water!

I'd drill a 15/16 hole with a Rotabroach drill then add the corners using an electric powerfile.

For all the powerhamers you could wish for, see:

PRESSTRADE - Presssenhandel GmbH

They also sell presses too!

Coke will extinguish quickly one the air is turned off, coal may burn for a while if the the fire isn't broken up and damped down. I've made a lid that covers my forge to reduce the chances of stray sparks escaping after I've left the building. This is important if you burn charcoal which, as you probably know, makes lots of sparks.

The link below is to an auctioneer's catalogue showing the contents of a British forge that closed in 2000. It includes 2 ton power hammers and a large press.

http://archive.dovebid.com/brochure/folk010209.pdf

The dies are from a Samuel Platt Goliath hammer, they will work ok on my Blacker.

I made my dies for forging the male tenons slightly oversize to allow for scale, shrinkage and metal loss due to finishing with a grinder when the tenon when it cools down. I make my punches to the exact size as the amount of loss due to scale is countered by contraction upon cooling.