David E.

I once moved a 400kg section roller in the back of my Citroen 300 miles home, the same car has carried TIG welders, anvils,gas and coal forges, now my daughter carries my grandson around in it. The funniest cargo I heard of was my son's cycling coach won a pig at a track meeting, he put it squealing onto the rear seat of his car, (the boot/trunk) was full of his bikes. When he got home he opened the rear door, yes you guessed, the pig jumped out and ran away, leaving a stinking mess on the back seat.

Thanks Ian, I'll have a look

Yes Thats the mix I use, cheers.

It has given me some ideas :D I like that word "scarecase"

Over here it is sometimes called split phase.I run my big welder on it, 2x240volt= 480volt. Gets confusing, I also have single( 240 volt) and 3 phase 415 volt.

Or maybe a thin slitting disc in an angle grinder, at least to get it started.

The very process of sandblasting gives you an etched finish on steel, but different media has differing profiles, ranging from very abrasive silicon carbide to the softest like bicarbonate of soda, but no media will give you a polished finish by sandblasting, although glass beads will give a peened finish and not etched. If you intend to polish it then use the softest / lowest profile media that would prepare / clean the surface for polishing by mechanical means or electro polishing is brilliant for stainless. I have designed and manufactured small blast pressure pots for the smaller workshop compressors and restorers for nearly 30 years and this is a common question.

Thanks to all for the replies.I know it is a mundane subject, unfortunately we don't have a vegetable oil in spray form here, so I got a selection of products from my local welding supplier. Favourite so far is a "Tip-Dip" waxy consistency which melts onto hot shroud and tip. One dip/hour does the job for me, sorted.

Is Pam a spray on vegetable oil? We don't have it over here but I can look for something similar, or try Vapour- rub. ta.

Back in the day when most anti-spatter spray was solvent based, it would keep my mig shroud and tip pretty much slag free, or at least easy to clean. Nowadays this water based stuff keeps my workpiece spatter free but is useless for the gun, tip and shroud. I know of tins that you can stick "it" in, and there are still sprays. What is your favourite?? I might not be able to get it over here, but being self employed I don't get out much, all advice appreciated. :)

here is vaughn's price list for new anvils (brooks) http://anvils.co.uk/products/view/56?cat=12

We have a saying in Scotland, especially as a toast for the New Year, Here's tae us, Wha's like us, Gae few And they're a' deid. Goodbye Grant, make some noise for us in ValHalla.

Tae yin and all "Lang may your lum reek"

I have wasted over 2 hours trying to post photos, I have given up. Apologies.

That video going up the hill at the festival just made my day. I used to fancy the idea until I discovered I was a better race engineer than a driver. I hope it was JJ driving. The hammer video was very atmospheric as well, lovely.

Bambi beautiful !!

I have taken a couple of photos but I will have to learn how to post them as I have never posted any.It has a pritchel at the front near the cutting table which has been drilled to a depth of around 2 inches. It is a London pattern but not as elegant as a PW, more squat, but surprisingly heavier than it looks, Thanks for the replies, I shall try to post the photos.

Picked up an anvil yesterday that I bought on Ebay. Only paid £56.00 (approx $90.00) so I didn't ask too many questions about it. Weight marks are 3 0 15 indicating 351 lbs in fairly decent condition apart from a couple of small chips on the far edge, rings true with an excellent rebound, better than my working anvil so a change is on the cards. It looks a bit smaller but weighs about 50lbs more. On the side is marked I HILL birmingham I did a bit of googling and found Isaac Hill made anvils and such about 200 years ago in Digbeth Birmingham. If anybody knows anything about these anvils I would love to know.

The clue to this story is the waterfall. There is a one in Knaresborough England where people hang up ordinary objects to calcify,a soft toy can turn to stone in several months, non porous objects can take up to 18 months, so it is entirely possible this hammer is relatively recent, link below http://www.mothershiptonscave.com/the_petrifying_well.htm

I am still laughing, typical Mancs :)

I know I jumped to the conclusion that the term "heat treated" in the context of "hot cut" would mean a degree of hardness, when, as you have pointed out it could also mean "full soft" or any point in between. Interesting to hear of the anvil being cast in H13, my education continues apace, Thank you Thingmaker, thanks for that also.

On the subject of H13, I just bought this hot cut. While filing it to fit it struck me that it was cast rather than forged and seemed soft under the file for something claiming to be Heat treated. Has anybody here bought one or have any opinions? I have absolutely NO experience of H13. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200656963131?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I didn't even make some scrap ! Thomas, under that gruff exterior there beats a heart of gold (well, sterling silver). You will get your reward in heaven. My good deed was running the wife to the airport. My reward was the house to myself. :)

Thanks Tim, Having the same hammer as you shows me what is possible in terms of tooling,etc.Do you use mostly combo dies or pure flat? I WILL be making one of these.

Very apt, complete with the thorns Lovely texture on leaves and petals. They will love it.