Mainely,Bob

Let me think here as it`s been awhile since I`ve hardfaced anything resembling tool steel.Been mostly excavator buckets and the like here lately. IIRC,we didn`t worry too much about how hot we got it other than to worry about drawing the temper.Tempil sticks will help here and we used them in three temps "side by each" lowest being the target preheat temp,then one step below max to warn you that you`re getting close to messing up the temper and one that is at the "line of no return". What seemed to help was to have a water mist wand handy(compressed air thru tube with control valve and T to suction water from a 5 gallon bucket)we played the water mist on the area slightly away from the weld to cool once the mid Tempil kicked off.The mist was supposed to be "kinder" than a water hose or rag soaked in cold water.easier to control too.Joe Kover showed me that trick from his days as a flame straightener. Another trick he showed me was to use a high frequency box(if you have a separate add on unit)tied into the stick welder to both make it easier to strike the arc and get the arc to scrub out impurities(aggressive arc with almost no spatter depending on the rod) from a less than perfect surface.Worked well in hard to access areas and if you have deep damage that you are hesitant to grind completely out(grinding back to good clean metal is always best though). On your anvil you may want to keep that trick in mind.Allows you to run a smooth arc at less than normal amps(and temp),something to think about for heat sensitive jobs. That`s about all I can remember from those days that might be useful to you here.I`ll either post more or PM you if anything else important comes to mind. As far as max heat Robb G. would be the guy to ask as far as anvils go.I had all my experience with manufacturing equipment,hardened ways,dies,etc. I repaired my own anvils using what I knew from that and it follows Robb`s procedures so... BTW-My present anvil is still alive and well 10+ years after it`s repairs and that`s in a house with me and 2 teen age boys and their (supervised) friends using it with no problems so far.

Well Frosty,I DID try treating my son like I treat Otis.My son bit me! Otis knocked me out once but he has never bit me. Do you think there`s a conspiracy going on here? I`ve thought about calling The Dog Whisperer but I don`t think even he`d know where to start. BTW-Did you hear about the dyslexic,agnostic,insomniac?He laid awake at night wondering if the there really was a Dog. :blink:

Thought that might get your attention. You might want to think about using some of the tricks we used to use when welding an edge to avoid drop off of the "golden rod".We used graphite(from the presses) or carbon bars(from the electric shop clamped to the edge to hold the weld puddle in place.One guy even used firebrick when he couldn`t find any extra of what we usually used floating around. We used to do a lot with the graphite rod especially when using nickel welding rod to build back destroyed ears on large cast iron gearboxes.Round graphite rod where the bolt goes,weld around rod,drive rod out when done and cool,insert bolt and tighten,switch on,back to work. Yet another non-standard seat of the pants weld repair brought to you by Hack Manufacturing(some assembly required,batteries not included).

Don`t know about how they do it in the UK but I was talking about how they do it here in Maine and NH.I was talking about stone tools being used for granite as that`s what we have most of and what this area is known for. I`m familiar with slater`s tools and that`s not what I was referring to.

Now that I think of it most of the stone "hammers" I`ve seen of that size and shape have been called a stone axe and the shape has more similarity to an axe than a sledge.The head tended to be thinner than a sledge and they were used more like a hot cut chisel.Place the edge of the axe on the line and hit it with a sledge.The edge concentrated the force into the stone and made the stone fracture on the intended line.A rounded pein would just bruise the stone or pulverise it,any fracturing would be more random from the point of impact than when using a chisel or stone axe. I have also seen this type and size of sledge used as a "persuader" in boatyards so I`m going to vote for using it as a metalworking tool that can cross over to heavy woodwork. BTW-we had a sledge at Sample`s that ran close to 20 lbs weight for the head alone.The sledge had been named "Monday" as whenever you had to spend a day swinging that hammer it always felt like Monday.

Sweet looking knife!I REALLY like the finish on the blade.If it cuts anywhere as nice as it looks then you better be prepared to make a lot of them.They`re going to go fast! Being as how it`s a kitchen knife,how thrilled was SWMBO with it?That`s the real test. Us blacksmiths are easily impressed,a clear pic usually does it for us. ;)

"Get a couple pounds of rod to practice with"? Be prepared for sticker shock!Stoody rods do NOT come cheap.BTW-last time I checked you could get some of them in TIG filler too,same astronomical pricing.I think Cronatron learned it from Stoody.

Just looking at ways to help make my son smarter. Great looking dog BTW.My chief of security,Otis,is getting up in years and has got to where he doesn`t let ANYBODY get away with anything! Some days I`d wager that the dog`s smarter than my son.Heck,some days I`m sure the dog`s smarter than me. :blink:

That would be Mr Brown from Iron and Lace.He has a smaller PH inside the shop where that Fairbanks is rusting away.Can`t remember the whole story but that hammer was rode hard and put up wet.He bought it,had it delivered and then found out it was broken in so many places that he felt it was beyond repair.Sad really,Can`t do much with it and he has too much in it to let it go for scrap,so it sits and rusts. Heck of a nice guy though. I sort of worked with him on that large sun dial that sits up on the Boothbay commons.Chetley Rittal sold the town on the idea and then got local metal heads to do the work.If I remember correctly Mike Tommaselli rolled the rings,I sectioned that anchor and fit the rings and base to it.Doug Harley cast the bronze Roman numerals and Brown(I want to say his name is Peter but not sure)made the harpoon shaped center piece.We sure miss Chet,he was one of a kind. Thanks Judson, for all the info.If it`s OK with you I`ll PM you with further questions. Had you heard about the LGs in that quarry on Deer Isle?supposedly there are a few of them just waiting for someone with cash and a boat.

Well,I guess you learn something new every day. Looks like today was my day. Thanks to the boiler makers for explaining that for us.

In the end what really counts is that you`re happy.You ARE happy(for now) aren`t you,Larry? I`ve known and seen a lot of folks spend mountains of cash on trends or very destructive behavior and in the end have absolutely nothing to show for it. IME,tools are always a safe bet.They can be used to make money,sold for cash and/or profit,used as trading fodder to ease an upgrade,loaned to friends needing a leg up,given to needy people,written off your taxes,left in the will,and any number of other things. Far better to be a tool junkie than the other type ,anyday. When I was single I sometimes slept in my shop and cooked on a hotplate for a few months so I could spend the former house rent on tools.Seemed like good sense back then. Having a wife and kids changes everything.

LGs and their clones seem to be the favored hammers up here.That`s most of what was used by past industry(quarrys,shipyards,etc)and as a result that`s what most folks seem to look toward. Smith`s up here are just about like anyone else in New England,they keep to themselves unless you approach them and then,once accepted,they can`t do enough to help you.The folks I`ve met within driving distance I met only because I stumbled across their caves and they invited me in once they saw me poking around outside. Funny dynamic up here,almost like some kind of territorial dance.You recognize another metalworker,then circle each other waiting for the first word/move to be made.Once the opening move`s made then there`s a flurry or activity while you both take each other`s measure and decide how/if you want to proceed.Once you`ve puffed up and scratched the ground enough to impress each other then acceptance is either offered or denied. Once a bond is formed then a clan mentality seems to take over and new faces are usually discussed in depth and consensus reached before any messages or invitations are sent. I don`t really get it and it seems to have it`s origins in the "holding the cards close to the vest" approach to trade secrets that were common in the trades during the early 1900`s. I tend to be a rebel and favor the open book approach to everything I know so some up here consider me a loose cannon who will readily share all their secrets if they are crazy enough to spill them to me.They`re correct of course. Be forewarned ladies and gentlemen!If you share things with me I will do my best to pass it on to everyone I can(and some who could care less but pretend to listen anyway). Thus ends my rather wordy way of saying it`s tough to get in touch with other metal folk up here.The odd metalworker may show up among the WWing crowd and most belong to ABANA or a similar organization but no formal groups that I know of here is Maine. Maybe if I drove the 4 hours to Boston,but then I`d have to put up with all those "Main-ah" jokes.Like THEY talk normal. :rolleyes:

From a spiritual point of view there is little that rivals going through life with the hands of a craftsman,the eyes of an artist,and the soul of a dreamer. Survival in the mundane world unfortunately requires that we add the brain of a businessman and as we all know that unfortunately wants to overtake and control everything!

Anywhere near the water? Old bronze prop shafts are a favorite around here and when you find them they can be had for whatever scrap prices are at the time.

Thanks for the info YD.Actually it was your posts that got me thinking about an air hammer.I`ve got a lot of your info bookmarked.

When I worked for Ingersol Rand they did what they called time studies.They watched competent workers do jobs and charted how much time it took them to accomplish different tasks.After they had enough data they were able to project the time it should take to do a job safely and to spec.We used to make some pretty good money beating their projected times. Most mechanics working on both cars and motorcycles follow a flat rate manual(dealers especially do)and beating the flat rate is an excellent way to inflate your paycheck. Many different trades use some form of this system and it allows workers to control how much they earn which is ALWAYS a powerful motivator.

I`m looking at building a backyard power hammer and have pretty much narrowed it myself to either a tire hammer or a pneumatic.I was leaning toward a tire hammer because of the straight forward mechanical appeal and ease of fabrication,also so I wouldn`t have to move my compressor outside so I don`t have to hear it run constantly.Up till now the only power hammer I have experience with is a LG and that may have swayed my thinking toward the tire hammer. The more I look at air hammers the more adaptable they seem.I have some experience with pneumatics(air logic systems on draw benches and extrusion presses over 15 years ago)and after cruising thru posts here it appears things are becoming much less involved in the controls and hardware for these hammers. I`d like to hear opinions from long time owners as to pros and cons of both types and why you chose to go the route you did.Guidance from folks who have owned/run both types would be a BIG plus. Thanks.

The wife has Barred Rocks,Aracanas,Reds and another breed that escapes me now.Sells eggs thru the bank of all places.We about break even on feed during the summer but they slow down alot during the winter so we go in the hole to get the eggs and the customers keep calling to see if we have extra(same ones every year,go figure). We live off in the woods so predators range from raccoons,fishers and weasels on one end to owls and hawks on the airborne side.360 fencing is a MUST for us. I was able to score a tube frame like they use for a greenhouse or a tent type garage down at the dump so the framing was a snap for the coop and run.I screwed some 2X2 to the pipe and then wrap the run in clear plastic tarp for the winter,more light=more eggs. Ian`s idea of a concrete floor sounds like a winner,beats shoveling or forking litter.It`d keep the run drier during the winter too.Think I`ll put that on the LONG list.

John, A guy doing the work you do must have a decent compressor plumbed in.Can`t help but wonder why you`re not using more pneumatic tools.They are smaller,lighter,more power to weight,far more durable and last a lot longer as they don`t fry when you stall them.Cheaper to rebuild,harder to wear out,I could go on but... The only real drawback for some seems to be the price.When you factor in that you`ll go thru 6 or more electric grinders before you wear out your air grinder(as long as you keep it oiled) then in the long run they are still a BIG bargain.

Guess you had to latch the freezer door after you stuffed the sheep in there,otherwise he`d just kick(or bunt) his way out. Did freezing them for awhile make them any smarter? If it did then let me know as I have an empty freezer(that locks),a wool blanket and my son`s number on speed dial. :)

Would that be one of those metal bodied "Wildcat" grinders? Those things were some tough to kill,really made you work for it. B&D used to be a real contender in the industrial world now they`re pretty much a joke. I have one of their industrial drills that I must have put 10 sets of brushes in over the years as I wore them out.If they still made tools like that drill and those Wildcat grinders I`d still be gladly buying their products.

Larry,The one thing I think you`re missing is that if you run the business as efficently as possible then it would allow you to do things like get out from underneath some of that overhead. I know you`re probably looking forward to moving into a new shop that you OWN instead of rent.The only way to make that a reality is to get a handle on the business end of your life. I can understand your custom latch point of view.You want the latch to be every bit as innovative and have the same level of quality as the gate.SO PUT IT IN THE ESTIMATE!!! The reality is that if the customer doesn`t appreciate that part of the job enough to pay for it then why are you knocking yourself out to give it to him for free?He pays for the latch or he gets a store bought latch,maybe covered by a hammered plate. Most customers only care that it opens easily and closes securely.As long as it blends with the gate the rest is lost on them. If you were paying an employee by the hour and he took 2 days to design and make something that was not part of billable work would you stand for that?If you see your time as being different from that worker`s time then you are looking at things way wrong IMO. The two things I see that are holding you back are keeping your creativity/quality in check or billable(time/quality management) and your communication problems(both with help and with customers).

Maybe the reason she got so much work done was because she wasn`t exposed to the influence of the others,including you.As we all know,the times you LEAST want to be around the boss is when someone else has got under his skin in a big way. Depending on the job,I sometimes found it better to work at night.No waiting for machines or sharing tools,fewer distractions,no management stopping you to tell you what you already know. Things are cooler and calmer at nite. When getting paid by the piece or the job I found working at nite alone or with one good partner always paid better.You get to do things your way at your pace and if the two of you are in sync and have your eye on the brass ring you can FLY thru some work. Hey Jude and I used to tell the day boss to plan 4 days ahead and give us those jobs in advance.He still had trouble keeping up toward the end of a big job.We could do what he thought was 16 hours work in 7 hours usually.We`d talk it over,Collect and stage the tools,work together to get it started and then see how fast we could push each other(while keeping safety in mind).No breaks, you ate either B4 you started or after you finished.If you finished your step first you either helped your partner catch up or started his next step so he`d finish sooner next time and be helping you at the end.Nothin` he could help on?He started staging and prepping the next job without being told. After coming in early once and watching us work(we immediately warned him not to interrupt us)the foreman dubbed it "hive mind" as he thought we worked like bees,seemingly without communication.Totally focused and never stationary. The only problem with working like that is you can only sustain it for so long.4-5 days and you NEED a break or you burn out and things start going wrong.When things started going south we took a 3 day weekend if we could rather than press on. Hey Jude and I were both healthy,fit and neither of us drank or smoked. Apparently our primary vices were money and family. Now that I think about it thru these posts,it seems to me the more empowered we were as workers the higher our level of motivation. There has to be a correlation between feeling like you have the freedom of choice as to how and with whom you work,setting your own pace and deciding how much money you want to make in a week and your drive to see just how dang good you really are. Those times I worked jobs like that I went home on top of the world and was still buzzin` an hour later.Come payday I and my family were rewarded again for my efforts. I think maybe I felt so good because it was a challenge I CHOSE for myself rather than something that was dictated or expected by the boss.After negotiating the rate,the boss just stepped aside and let us run.The only contact we had was thru notes or a quick talk to the foreman telling him what materials and consumables we needed.

Throw a couple tattoos on them and you got "movin` pik-chas all yee-ah `round,chummy". :)

WOW!!! That`s an Alaskan WOMAN??!! And here I thought our BMWs(Big Maine Woman)were tough customers! They do have something in common with their Alaskan sisters though,their taste in clothes. Is she wearing a flannel shirt and Carhart jeans under that firesuit I wonder?I see she`s got Redwing boots on her feet :D