Stash

Got a good score today. A Walker Turner drill press, in great condition, with a stand, and a 270# Fisher for $300 for both. The Fisher has a few torch gouges and edge chips, but all minor. Good and flat, with some minor 'texturing' on the face. One odd thing (Josh- you out there?) where the date is (Or should be), it only has the numbers '192'. There doesn't seem to be any evidence of any other number. Any one have any ideas? For bragging rights, I think I'll claim I paid $250 for the drillpress, and $50 for the anvil. That makes it less than $.20 per pound! Steve

I have the Garland make, also. There was a choice of sizes available at my local mason supply store. Before I put on the forging side of the shop I used it for wet-set flagstone work. Sort of a pre- deadblow hammer. Old rubber mallets have a tendency to whack me in the forehead, the rawhide didn't. I have a rubber deadblow for stonework now. If you note, the bottom of the head is a big threaded nut, holding the 2 sides together. That's how you can switch out the rawhide when used up, or you can pop in lead, brass, wood. Replacements are still around.

Karl- PM sent. Steve

PM sent. Steve

I think I should make it there- Hans is my 7th great-grandfather. I need to reclaim my anvil! ;) Seriously, it is my heritage and I should check it out. See ya there! Steve

Yeah, real nice work. I'm guessing you would do a rebound test with a marble! Steve

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. That anvil will do well for you. Have fun! Steve

I tend to use whatever I have on hand at the time. I've used 4x4 cribbing spiked together. Currently I have 2 anvils on walnut stumps, 1 on black locust and my bick anvil is in a nice chunk of holly. The anvils are bolted down (Fisher) or chained in place, and all are set on a layer or 2 of 45mil rubber roofing scraps. They are all leveled off top and bottom and are nice and heavy and wiggle free. Works for me- I'm happy. Your milage may vary. Steve

Ditto on the dryer hose. I think I got 3", squeeze down to fit on my blower and hose clamped in place. Forge end is an appropriate sized coupling clamped to the hose and a jam fit onto me forge. (I disconnect the hose to put the blower inside when I'm done). Steve

Dang! All these years I thought flambeau was where the Packers played. Steve

No need to scrap it- you have a good start. Take the suggestions offered above and do some tweaking until you're happy and it performs well. Get some coal burning in it and you'll start to see what you need to do. Tweak as above. Tweak- do not twerk. And have fun. And be safe. Steve

No pic, but my first helper was for my forge, which was outside. I drove a piece of rebar into the ground and clamped a vise-grip on it at the right height. It was infinitely adjustable, too! Steve

I got one within the last 1 1/2 years, but I can't remember what I paid. I think it was in the $170- 180 ballpark. Included was the pot, clinker breaker and a mounting flange. Apparently they don't really push them on their site, but there is one dude there who knows wazzup. I just called and was put thru to the guy, who was a great help, and set me up. When I got mine, they didn't have the tuyre assembly in stock, so I just fabbed it up, put it together, dropped it in place and fired it up. Very happy with their product. Worth saving your pennies for. Steve

My current favorite smithing cross peen spent many years as my favorite mason's cross peen. The peen rounded over nicely to a ~3/8 diam fuller, so I polished it up and put it in a different toolbox. Ya gotta have priorities. Steve

For an anteek shop price, that's not too bad. Try the rebound test if you can and ping it for dead spots or unususl ringing. If it passes, see what you can get knocked off the price. Looks like a perfectly good user. I can't really tell by the pic if the repair is an issue. Steve

I'm under the impression that the 2 piece plates were used up until 1885 ,then they started to use a single piece. Then again, I've been wrong before. Steve

So where's Slartibartfast when you need him? Steve

Trow and Holden calls theirs a 'double bladed mason's hammer'. Very handy to have in stone work. www.trowandholden.com Steve

Oh, and by the way- good score- a good anvil at a great price. Borrow a scale from a neighboe so you can see how good youe deal is. Steve

I think the mushroomed edge is a good chip waiting to happen. We are advised to grind back chisels, top tools ,etc- anything being struck with a hammer. Even tho the edge of the anvil will not (theoretically) be struck, it is an unsupported piece of hard tool steel. You would be better served by grinding the mushroom back to the body of the anvil, then putting in the appropriate radius on the edge. Steve

I'm guessing you want the smoke to go away, preferably outside? Take a look in the Forges section at the chimney sub-section. Lotsa good stuff to look at there. If you still have questions, give us some details about your set-up and we'll see what we can do for you. Steve

BTDT, got the tee shirt. I have a collection of half-started projects, as well as a lot of stuff on my daily plate. I get past it by lighting up the forge without any particular focus, get some metal hot and just start hitting it. I'll practice pointing, drawing down, twisting, spiraling- running through the basic steps and next thing I know something in that exercise got my attention on one of my projects. I have a tendency at times to overthink things to the point of stagnation and this helps me to get through it and come out the other side. Keep the fire burning and just work your way thru it. Steve

250# 1941

It has yet to follow me home- I'm still on the road with it, but I'm carrying around a NOS Atha flatter #2 1/2. Still has paint on it's face, the handle is still clean, with the label on it. I thought it fair priced at $60. The edges are sharp- should they be dressed a bit? Steve

Check out Pa Artist Blacksmith Assoc- www.pabasite.org. Good group of guys, next meeting is the 1st sat in Oct up is Stroudsburg. Also look up Stuarthtesmith on this site- he's in the area. Lotsa folk not too far from you. Make some contacts, meet some people and start hitting hot metal. Steve