Iron Clad

I hope they install it, that was a nice thing you did. You should take pictures after it's installed.

Lol, I'm always "fixing-it" to get out of "fixes" with the wife!!

When making a nail header, use mild steel for the base and forge weld high carbon on the top. The top portion should be rounded or dome shaped. The mild steel base should have a large diameter hole for clearence while the hole thru the high carbon top should be just a little larger than the final width of the top of the nail shank. I usually make the hole thru the high carbon top square since I usually make square shanked nails. The reason for the rounded top is for producing slightly dome shaped "rose head" nails. These are the common type nails made 200 years ago. The nail head itself is square and pyramidal in shape, with a somewhat flat peak and flats on all four sides. The idea is to make a nail in one heat!! Two nails a minute, 120 nails an hour, 960 nails in an 8 hour day!!! While your pounding out one nail, your other nail rod is heating in the fire.

Jack hammer bits are fantasic! I have made cut off hardies from them, and as previously mentioned, I let them air cool. Also, last summer I made a geologist hammer from a jack hammer bit. I quenched that one in warm oil. I used it last summer hunting for fossils. There isn't a rock that can stand up to this hammer!! I don't have a power hammer yet and jack hammer bits are a little tough to forge. My son helped me with a sledge.

Home repairs. It seems I do more and more home repairs using my forge. Today, we found the base for the Christmas tree broken. Instead of buying a new one, I fired up the forge and made one. Better than store bought!! Ever needed a couple of nails just to find you ran out, happened to me the other day. Instead of driving to town I fired up the forge. I had the nails done before I would have even made it to the hardware store. Next, the handle on our clothes washer broke. The washer is on it's last legs anyway, I'll fire up the forge and make one until we buy the new set. So what home repairs have you all done lately using the forge??

Hello Minotaur. Ft. Vancouver is always open on the weekends and weekdays. They usually close at 5 pm. The weekends are a better time to go, more blacksmiths and woodworkers there. I worked at Ft. Vancouver for a few years. The blacksmith shop has four forge stations with four large bellows suspended from the beams overhead. Also, I live about 15 minutes from Timberline Lodge and my son works there. If you give me an idea about when you will be in town perhaps I can arrange for my son to give you a private tour of the lodge!! The iron work by Darrel Nelson is fantastic! Send me a private message. One of my favorite places in the world is the Columbia River Gorge. I drive my classic truck down the gorge a least once a month in the summer. Most of the leaves have fallen from the trees and it's usually a little windy this time of year but it's still a beautiful drive. I recommend the old highway on the Oregon side. Again, send me a private message and I will communicate directions for you.

I use two magnets on my large anvil to keep the ring down. I would keep it, never know when you need one.

Well, the 1.5" diameter wrought iron hook that I welded worked great. I used 5" lag bolts and attached it to the post. It held the 500lb. post drill without a problem. Now, even though the post drill looks to be in great condition and it's all there, it has problems. I cannot get the feed to work. This post drill has the normal auto feed and has a manual feed by using the handle in the front of the machine. Both don't seem to work. I believe there is something wrong in the head assembly. Unless I'm doing something wrong. It took me awhile to get the drill to free up and turn. It turns freely now but still binds up after turning for awhile. I'll probably just take the whole thing apart and rebuild it. At least the hook worked!

Who among you all knows about restoring a post drill. I have a Champion model 203 post drill that I want to restore. It looks as though I will have to totally take it apart and restore. I got it to turn somewhat freely although it still binds up after cranking awhile. I cannot get the feed to work. This drill has an auto feed and a manual feed by pulling on a large handle in the front. Both don't work. I think there is something wrong in the head assembly. Unless I'm doing something wrong. Any help and suggestions would be appreciated.

Stout!! And I thought the hook I just made out of 1.5" round were stout.

Look in your phone book for a steel yard. There should be a steel yard in a town somewhere near you.

As a smith just getting started, you may want to consider a gas forge. Easy to set up and use. As you gain experience you may want a coal forge. I like using a coal forge for welding. It's nice for me to have both types for different applications.

I have four forges. Two gas and two coal. I built all of them but one. You can build your coal forge using a Centaur Forge fire pot, some angle iron for the frame and legs, and a steel plate for the bottom. You can weld the frame and legs together in little time. Use a cutting torch, cut a hole in the steel plate for the firepot. Some plumbing and your in business. I use a hand crank blower. I built my last coal forge in less than a day. I built a gas forge (to heat long bar's for twisting) using a large diameter scrap piece of pipe about 27" long. I used K-wool for the liner inside and I found a used blower motor from a clothes dryer for the blower. Reasearch online for ideas on the plumbing. This gas forge workes very well and heats up a long bar in no time. The only thing I don't like is after building a 40' railing for a customer I have already worn out the K-wool. I have more however and it's easy to replace.

Thanks Mr. Turley. That makes me worry less about the weld I took. I brought the iron up to a bright yellow to white heat, just about to where it sparks. After I welded the bar together, forming a loop on the end, I proceeded to open up the loop and forge it round using my cone mandrel. As you know, this will force open the weld if not done properly. I didn't see any signs of the weld opening up, so I must conclude that the weld took. The real test will be when the hook suspends 500 lbs!! This has been a real education for me. I hope to forge more wrought iron in the future.

I use both kinds. My shop is well ventilated however. I never have worried about coal smoke. Perhaps I should!

Mr. Powers, does this mean you will have a harem of wenches?? LOL....

I just purchased Mark's second book. It's a must have!! The best blacksmithing book I have ever read.

For some reason he was using what looked to be a chopping maul. The face of which was large and flat. Not conducive to moving material fast. This negates a fullering effect. Also, he wasn't using a full swing. Keep in mind that large and heavy doesn't always mean better. When hammering, the inertia of a fast moving hammer provides the required energy and force to move the material. Speed is the key! (Study Newton.). Mark Aspery could explain this much better than I. Now, when I draw down a bar of material I move the material not the hammer. In other words, I hammer down in the same spot every time and move the bar. The same concept as a power hammer. I start at the end of the bar and work towards the tongs.

Sorry, no pictures yet. I have a 267 lb. Nimba, a 167 lb. Peter Wright, and a 75 LB. anvil that I cannot remember the name right now. (I do remember that it says Texas on the side) Next, I hope to buy a 400 Lb. Nimba. The Nimba anvils are the best I have ever used!!

When using a sledge, I never tilt or angle the hammer. Drawing out the bar over the bick may be possible if the bick of your anvil is thick. (Using a sledge). I have seen people do this in the past. When I draw out smaller stock with a regular cross pein I usually use the bick. To be honest, I never thought about drawing out a large piece of stock with a sledge over the bick. The bick of my anvil is very thick, this may be something to think about.

I just read your last post again and realized your talking about a sledge hammer. I have never used a sledge hammer on the bick of the anvil. When using a sledge I would probably use the flat anvil face to draw out the bar. The extra mass under the anvil face would be more of an advantage in this case.

Actually the edge is not convex, the hammer face would be convex with the center of the face being the high point. Remember that this is a SLIGHT convex to the face. This is probably the "slight fuller" grant was talking about. When drawing out your already welded piece, try positioning your bar over the bick of the anvil and hammer straight down. The rounded bick coupled with the slight convex faced hammer will draw out the bar much faster than hammering on the flat anvil face.

It still may be a good idea to add a slight convex curve to the hammer face. It helps to move the metal better and with a flat face if you don't hammer perfectly flat you will leave more hammer marks to remove later. I learned this from Peter Ross years ago.

Most store-bought hammers are crowned on the hammer face with sharp edges. When I buy a hammer I round off the crown with my large belt sander, keep water close to quench....Don't let the hammer face get hot. Also, I belt sand the hammer face to a SLIGHT convex curve.

Grant, your more right than you know, when lifting it out of the truck, we lifted it once and set it back down. My reaction was "holy crap" as my back cramped. Then we lifted it a second time and only moved it once! You must be a psychic.