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I Forge Iron

dief

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Everything posted by dief

  1. In my shop I have a couple of anvils, a flypress, 110lb air hammer, mig welder, plasma cutter, drill press, vices, and a mess of hand tools. Most of my projects involve a good deal of "heatin & beatin" so I consider myself to be a blacksmith. I use whatever techniques/tools that will achieve the look I and my clients want. Sometimes than means a rivet and other times it means mig weld and hammer/grind to make the weld disappear. Mostly, my clients want a "one of a kind" piece of art. Whether it is a $20 hook or a $10,000 gate I strive to give them that. I love what I do and I make darn good money. Life just doesn't get any better.
  2. Four pieces of #3 or #4 rebar twisted together make a great looking "rope".
  3. I got my Rat Hole 250lb in 2005. It is a great anvil that is also very pleasing to the eye.
  4. Japan Brown from Sculpt Nouveau give a beautiful brown. Spray it on, let dry, coat with Permalac. or Brush with muriatic (pool) acid and then spray with hyrogen peroxide (from the first aid section of any store). Rinse when you get the desired color, let dry and then coat with Permalac. I like leaving some scale on the work. It will not stain as much resulting in brown with some light black areas. A very organic look.
  5. I held a mini-demo on etching designs into metal awhile back. Want to see if there is interest in another one.
  6. Sounds like you need to raise your prices and/or be more selective in the jobs you take. If done properly part time smithing can be quite lucrative.
  7. Made this bell for my mom. She uses it to get my dad's attention - he has hearing issues. The bell is 3.5 inches across the base and make from 1/8 plate. I used a 1in ball bearing for the jingle ball.
  8. I use Permalac Laquer for both indoor and outdoor projects. The stuff is super tuff. You can also add solvent dyes to add color.
  9. Spend about 10-15 seconds every few minutes and focus on your breathing. This techniques works when things sometimes get desperate when I rock climb and it should work for forging too.
  10. I've done several with wizard heads and folks really like them.
  11. I see the same "chicken wing" thing in rock climbers - especially when they get tired. Keep your elbows in and keep breathing. Works for climbing and balcksmithing and who knows what else.
  12. I do mostly high end gates, railings and other misc stuff. Business is better then ever. I'm booked for the next three months and still have a list of folks who want to get on the schedule. I've found that the folks with real money - and not the credit card borrowed stuff - are spending about the same as before. Fornuately I live near a ton of folks with tons of money. Dief - Desert Rat Forge
  13. Find out if you can subsitute a "T" handle instead of a loop. If so, this would simplify/speed up the construction. Look to see if you can find some thick wall tubing that matches the size of the key. If you started with longer wings then needed it would be easier to mount the tube and two wings in a jig. Weld the wings on and then cut off the excess.
  14. When I do demos for kids I tell them the three best things about backsmithing are: 1) You get to play with fire 2) You get to hit things with a hammer 3) It makes big black boogers!
  15. Kate - no issues with warping. The plate is "sandwiched" between two 3/4 solid vines making the structure very rigid. Permalac is a great lacquer that I get at Industrial Metal Supply. It is a Ron Young/Scuplt Nouveau product (800-728-5787). They also sell solvent dyes that can be added to the lacquer to give it a tint. Unlike paint it allows the variances of the metal surfcae to show thru. Attached is a pic of an ocotillo branch on another gate I did. After a rain ocotillos get small green leaves with a red/orange flower on top.
  16. Each half of the gate is mounted with two hinges. These hinges are attached to 2x2x1/4wall square tube. The Square tube is attached to the wall with 3/8 threaded bolts that are welded to 3/8 lag bolts - these lag bolts go thru the faux stone into the house framing. By adjusting the nuts on these bolts I can tilt the gates from side to side. There is no adjustment from front to back. Unless the house moves the gates should stay lined up.
  17. Hey Grant - I don't have that picture. Each gate has two barrel hinges that are welded to a full length of 2x2 1/4 wall square tubing. What exactly are you wanting to see/know and I'll try to get it? I put about 60 hours into the gate.
  18. This is the drawing I presented to the client - along with vine and etched steel samples. I explain to clients that monkeys draw better than me. Once I got started I decided to add the etched vines to the steel panels - which gives the gate lots of depth. One other big change was the vines above the gates. Originally they were to be attached to both halves of the gate. One I had the gate mostly built and laid on the shop floor I decided it would look better if the upper vines were attached only to the small half of the gate. When the big (primary gate) is opened the vines stay in place. When both halves are opened the archway is clear. You'll also notice the layout of the primary vines changes quite a bit. Each section of the gate between the major vines needed to fit into my 250gal etch tank (see photo).
  19. The panels are 1/8 steel plate that were etched via electrolosis. The vines on the plated were painted on with oil based paint which resists the etch. After the 48 hour etch the paint is scraped off and teh whole panel is cleaned with a wire cup brush on an angle grinder. The main vines are 3/4in solid bar textured with simple flat dies with weld beads on my power hammer. The leaves and stems are from 38/ round. The design is similar on both sides. The portal hinges (as are the gate hinges) are barrel hinges on the inner side of the gate. The gate is sealed with Permalac. The vine in the arch above the gate is attached to the smaller panel so it stays in place when the main gate is opened.
  20. Just installed this gate that I was commissioned to do. The client is waaaaay happy!
  21. I use a modified ViseGrip. I started with the type with a single jaw (used on a drill press). I cut off the bolt and welded on a square bar the size of my hardie hole. The square bar has a 1/4in hole drilled thru it at the point it sticks out the bottom of the horn. I insert a pin thru the hole for maximum holding power. The visegrip is easy to adjust for various size stock and can really hold things tight when needed.
  22. Take away that guy's license and give him (and his kids, if any) a free vasectomy!
  23. Wire up a dedicated circuit for my welder and plasma cutter. Extend the air line over to my workbench. Start doing some damascus and moku game. Organize the "pile-o-stuff" in the middle of the garage!
  24. You have been assimiliated by the Forge! Resistance is futile!! Way to go!!
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