mtforge

I use a cast iron drain grate from McMaster-Carr 2413K2  http://www.mcmaster.com/#drain-grating/=yhezd9

I keep it loose enough to swap out when it burns out.  But I also use castable refractory to make a cone shape down to it. It seems to be more economical on the coal.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/42166-lining-a-brake-drum-forge/?page=2

Here's how we set one up in Congo.

I'm in northeast Indiana and that's where I go. Good price great coal.

My shop is about 20 miles south of Fort Wayne. You could come over to visit if you want. Not Sat though as we'll be at the IBA conference. Of course I could pick you up and take you to the conference if you want.

What I use for my brake drum traveling forge is high temp refractory from a local supplier. I mix it thick, put the cast iron drain grate that I'm going to use in the bottom and trowel it in from the top edge of the brake drum to the edge of the drain grate. I can then replace the drain grate when it burns out. This gives me a more efficient fire. I've been using this way for 18 years and it works as good as my large store bought shop forge. The picture shows a store bought center but I've since went to a cast iron drain grate. Works just as good and is cheaper.

I was going to build a press using solenoids and limit switches as I was an industrial maintenance man and was used to them. But when I went full time  I bought a ready to run press from http://www.oldworldanvils.com/hydraulic_presses/index.html   He uses what looks to me to be a log splitter style manual valve on a treadle. I'm glad I didn't build one my way. With this setup I can bring the press down at full speed, stop it any where I want, gently touch the stock or apply full tonnage just by pressing the treadle down. I like the  speed so I can get to the hot metal faster. I also have an adjustment to only lift as high as needed before it stops the upward travel. No need to full stroke the cylinder. My press is in the back of Randy's book with some of my tooling. And my daughter running it.

My bulk tank has a 30# regulator at the tank. I then have a regulator at each forge or torch as needed.

If you are really into rushlights then try to find a copy of 'The rushlight and related holders; a regional view' by Robert Ashley ISBN 0954009002 This is a big A4 size book studying all the different types of rushlight and cresset light in Britain. It looks at the types found in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales and also the individual styles found from county to county. The only down side is that only 1000 copies were printed so you may have to search for a copy or go through the library system. There is a copy on ABEbooks in a shop in Georgia but you are looking about £120 for it.

I hadn't heard of this book before. It came today and has got to be the best book on rushlights I've seen. And I have a few of them.

My shut off valve is at the top of the 1/8" nipple going into the tee burner. It has a plastic handle and doesn't get hot. My regulator with plastic gauge is above this. No problems. I do run the propane hose up before running over to the manifold mounted to the wall.

http://mtforge.com/Catalog/page4/pages/lighting.htm

http://jas-townsend.com/iron-betty-lamp-p-1009.html

The counter weight on the rushlight I make might be used to hold a candle but its a snuffer for the rush.

Be slow to hire, and fast to fire if need be.

I would put it out to friends first that you are looking for someone.

What type of work will they be doing? Do you have any trade schools locally?

Starting out cutting stock (saw, hand shear), punching, marking. Stuff to free up my daughter and me to forge. Closest trade school is in the next county

We have a need for help. How do others go about hiring employees. I've been a maintenace manager in a previous life so I know the nuts and bolts. I currently have employees but its mostly been in the family. Do you advertise in a newspaper? Online? State unemployment office?

When I'm told about grandpa or other distant relative being a blacksmith I sometimes tell that that my daughter's kids also have a grandpa who is a blacksmith. But I usually ask them if they have any left over blacksmith tools and such they would like to donate to a worthy blacksmith. Me :D

I am so glad I have walls  for my shop ;)

Steve, I missed you Sat at the Maumee Valley blacksmith meeting. It was only -4. Actually I was the only one who showed up. Says a lot about me I guess.

thank you both with your replys. I have my bottom dies dresses just need to finish the top dies. the hammer came with a set of changable flat dies and drawing dies. I might order a set of drawing dies from LG so i don't have to mess with the die keys i just have to undo 2 bolts. what are the flat dies mainly for? my mind says they are for general purpose. so you can draw out or smooth out. but are more for shoulder work?

I use my flat dies for general work and for tooling, spring dies and such. I have not relieved the edges much on the front as it great for drawing out material for the hooks on utensils and such.

Little Giant has a kit also.  http://www.littlegianthammer.com/parts

Here's a place to check what a worn die is. Or you could go to the rebuild conference and ask them:

 

March 20-22, 2015

Please join us for the 23nd annual Little Giant Rebuilding Seminar!  Although we did pass ownership of Little Giant to our machinist Roger Rice in 2013, Sid Suedmeier will continue teaching the rebuilding class at his shop at 420 4^th Corso in Nebraska City.

Sorry, the link didn't show up and I can't edit it. Should be: Here's a place to check what a worn die is.  http://www.littlegianthammer.com/dies

Here's a place to check what a worn die is. Or you could go to the rebuild conference and ask them:

March 20-22, 2015

Please join us for the 23nd annual Little Giant Rebuilding Seminar!  Although we did pass ownership of Little Giant to our machinist Roger Rice in 2013, Sid Suedmeier will continue teaching the rebuilding class at his shop at 420 4^th Corso in Nebraska City.

These are great selling points that can be applied to any sales, whether wholesale or retail.  It is always a problem to get people to part with their money.  One point that I always do is to price every item very clearly.  When someone looks at an item and the price, they are selling themselves if they want it.  If the item is not priced, and they have to ask, very often they will not and walk away.  Think about shopping in a grocery store...everything is priced on the shelf very clearly.  When you take an item, you know the cost and have committed yourself to buying it.  You do not have to ask anyone.  Same goes for iron products, or any craft items.

Very good point. I also link into my business program with MS Access and make up price tags with descriptions on them. These are cut, punched and hung on the items or attached to the box the items are in. This will educate the public on what the item is. I get a lot of questions on rush lights, betty lamps and how does this toaster work?

Here's a list my wife sent me a while ago - she is a master seamstress so gets to hear these kinds of comments at shows...

Nice list

Here's a few from me:

Q: Have you ever been burnt?   A: Today or ever.  Q: Today  A: Not yet it's been a good day

The husband say he can make that. I then turn to the wife and say "Buy this one and when he does make one you can sell this one." The wife usually chuckles because we both know he won't.

When you are demonstating and you become the sounding board for the guy who no one will listen to. You can't leave and he won't so you become his new best friend. He occupies the time to talk to the visitors.

It's always interesting whan a family comes up and the kids ask Dad what I'm making and he comes up with either horseshoes or nails or some such. Never asks me what I'm making and doesn't realize I'm only a few feet away and can hear everything they're saying. It usually doesn't go well to correct them but I sometimes feel bad for the kids. But if they would ask and show a little interest I'd probably make something and tell them every step I'm doing and give it to them when I'm done.

That sir is a wonderful idea!
Much more comrodery over a forge fire! And small details such as wether one dose or dosnt take an occasinal estranius tap on the anvil become just that.
What part of the World do you hail from, Mt?

North east Indiana. We just visited OK first of November. A surgical vacation to OK City. Best prices around.

Let's get together and hammer. I've often wanted to have a hammer-in where everybody makes an s-hook, leaf or something short and simple. Just to see others and what the've found works for them. Sometimes a motion, stance or where they hammer comes up I've never thought about. Or they ask why I do something and I can explain why or can't explain why and I can improve my process because it's wasted motion.

I agree with NJ ANVIL what ever works for you Great go for it, if you don't like someone else tapping Tough! unless it's your anvil.

Those of us who "Tap" better keep an eye out for the "Anti Tappers" seem to want to organize and protest in front of our shops, file noise complaints with local authorities, file cruelty to anvil complaints take away our hammers. We will have to move to the mountains far from town work at night, Huh sounds like me already.

I agree with NJ ANVIL also. Do what you want. But when I say how and why I hammer I get this. "I lack the venom of the Anti-tappers for the most part;-)" What venom? Or that I'm proven wrong scientifically "I wonder what the bio-mechanical and ergonomic engineers wold have to say. Inertia, muscle/skeletal strain, efficiency..." Or as above we're going to organize against tappers. Outside of my shop I don't care what you do. But don't insinuate that I'm just a frustrated tapper wanting to get out. And if I only tapped I would reach my full potential and live in harmony with the world.

It may be that since I didn't have a mentor or teacher but learned most of it on my own I picked up my own way of blacksmithing. Right or wrong. Early on I found I needed to be able to multiple items in the forge at the same stage. Whether it was 2, 4 6 or 8 at a time. I learned what was needed and how to do it. 

That is a nice looking forge. And your already looking to modify/adjust to improve it. That's what's nice about building it yourself. I would be interested in the changes you make, why you did them and if it helped or hurt the forge.

My recommendation would be to make sure you need one. When I looked at buying one I wanted to make sure it wouldn't sit idle much and it would be worth the floor space. Since I didn't want to go into the cutting business I found someone who had one that need some extra business. He sets up new jobs for free and all I have to do is drop him an email with an order and pick it up a week or so later. For me this has worked very well.