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Frank, was that in Frostbite Falls ?

Sorry misread your post. Thought you meant it HAD to be tapered. Yes a slight taper would help in removal.

Coat your mandrel with a good layer of soot using you acetylene torch. This will act as a release agent to keep the babbitt from adhering to the mandrel. Remember that the babbitt will still shrink some and become mechanically tight to your mandrel. As far as the taper? I'd give the required clearance on the smaller diameter and worry about the taper by machining it in when I turned the final dimension in the lathe.

If you'd like to know more about and see the results of contemporary work into research on ancient smelting ? Here is a site you should visit http://www.leesauder...ng_research.php

I don't think they had sales men trucking around sample vises in the mid 18th century but I might be wrong. :wacko: Nice find Tim. The shape of the jaws indicate it was made as a bench or finisher/filers vise. Seems to be just what you need for that white work you've been playing with lately.

If all your doing is making punches and chisels, then cut with a torch or cut off wheel, heat in forge and press straight in vise. Kind of a no brainier :huh:

IT'S a leg vise! The majority of this type of vise were never marked by their makers until the middle to end of the 19th century. It looks like it's in good shape, don't worry about it's heritage. Set it up and put it to work.

Brass and copper hammers are used often for bending forgings when wanting to leave as few hammer marks as possible. But trying to straighten springs even hot requires a harder faced hammer. As said above pulling a spring on a piece of pipe slid over a rod in the vise will work for smaller dia springs. Larger springs can be partially opened with forks and final straightening done by clamping in the vise.

Once you open the first page,go to it's bottom and click on "structure" the open drop down of "plates" and choose the one you'd like to see. They are then sequential form where you started. Love the hand crank saw mills!!

Isn't there some type of warranty/guaranty? That's a lot of money put out for a second class tool.

Sorry we can't help you. Where are we shipping your steel? Do you live in South Africa or Alaska?

There are two different manufacturers of Ped anvils now. One is Rigid of Europe and the others are made for Peddinghaus in Turkey. You can find them both on Pieh Tools web site. I've had a Ped for more than 40 years with no problems other than expected wear,but it's not the same anvil as is made today. That said I can't really speak for what is made now.

No Tim, that was his wife MRS.O'Leary and then again, they blamed it on the cow.

The two big inhibitors to forge welding in a gasser are one....... not enough heat and two......too oxidizing an atmosphere. The lack of heat is often caused by the oxidizing atmosphere.

Looks like a Mouse Hole or an Armitage. Maybe about 1850's or so ?

Nice and simple blades, good way to make a little more from what might be considered waste. I like the way you made the sheaths by twisting at the belt loop!

Ken, The original owner either had the hammer adjusted wrong or the cylinders cushion wasn't working.Or perhaps the cushion didn't work any longer due to it's being operated out of adjustment for too long a period of time and so both problems were contributing to the hammers self-destruction. :wacko:

Frank, Here is an example of stop checks on a hinge 16th century to early 17th century dovetail hinge. http://peterrossblacksmith.com/images/home-slideshow/placeholder-site-dovetail-hinge.jpg

The other thing that is interesting about the chamfer besides it's being only on the front edge is that its not continuous. It has what is called a stop check above the chamfer. This is an affectation from 16th century house framing that was used as a decoration on much of that periods iron hardware ( think dovetail hinges) to aesthetically connect the iron with the rest of the house. I find this interesting as it seems sort of a decorative through back since the vise is certainly from a later period.

I agree with Larry, But I think with most things except the very basics ( nails,hooks, simple scrolls etc;) it will take more than ten or twelve attempts. At this point you may understand the principles, but you probably won't be very proficient at it. You'll truly have to make 50 or 100 of an item before you can do it effectively.You may also find that if you don't make an item for a while that when you attempt it again you might have to make two or three just to "warm up" to the standard you've set for yourself. If you have no one to work with or learn from remember to be self-critical and also analyze your work as you go along.Try to discover why what you attempted didn't work. Or if it did seem to work, don't be so pleased with yourself that you'll be satisfied with a low quality item or one that has taken an inordinate amount of time for the result. When you use the procedures of another smith to make an item remember that this may only be a starting point for you.Once you'er able to produce this item well using an-others steps, don't be afraid to try it your own way. You may find that by changing the sequence of steps it becomes easier or quicker for you or perhaps you'll even discover an entirely new and better way. This method might or might not work for you but it is the method I've used to teach myself for the past 40 yrs as a professional smith and still use everyday. This is a skill that no one can live long enough to learn everything about. In fact I believe a life time allows us only to scratch the surface.One other thing. by being aware you'll find that you probably will learn as much about yourself from blacksmithing as you will about smithing.

Well now that you've taken care of June.What about Wally and the Beav? :huh:

Dancho, Very nice ! I would like to know what your opinion is of the notch, just ahead of the eye? What purpose do you think it serves? It is a common feature on axes from many cultures yet not on all axes even within cultures have used it.

If your "bushings" look like lead they are probably not either. It is most likely a Babbitt bearing. You may find it difficult to install a bronze bushing into an opening that was made for a poured bearing. Then again it might not be hard at all depending on how the bearing support is made. Pictures would help!

The honest answer is no it won't. Even if they were forged identically there is a good chance they wouldn't act the same. You've just got to quench it ,take your chances and learn from your mistakes if any.

It's 5160 (automotive spring steel) Temper it like a spring. It should hold up well if it isn't to thin.