swedefiddle

Good Morning Pablo,

Welcome from the Left/West Coast of Canada. Vancouver Island is connected to North America only by Marine Ferry or Airplane.

I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish. My fault for never needing/wanting to learn. No excuse!!

A 96kg Anvil is a very nice size, It doesn't matter who it's Mother is. It will outlive you and your children. You can make any Tool and any Tool to fit the Anvil, with that Anvil. You can use any Hammer and any kind of Tool to be like Tongs to hold your hot material. You can use any kind of Fire, as a Forge, don't think with a limit.

Enjoy the Journey, we all have the same Destination.

Neil

Good Morning,

Good Luck on your workpiece. Forget about looking for a Manual. Make your Own. Make a Chart/Drawing with all the lube points. If someone starts it up without giving it a squirt or two, Tie their arms to their side with Duct Tape. "You can't use my Machine. Can is a question of Ability" They failed the Permission Test!

I figure if it isn't dripping, It needs more Oil. Think of it as an early Harley, "If it ain't dripping, it is out of Oil!!"   Chain Oil is nice and sticky, better than Engine Oil. Don't make it Tight, check the clearances after running for an hour or so. Slight Loose is good, Slightly tight is bad news!

Never use a Hammer wearing white clothes, unless you don't mind the Clothes going Black.  Blue might be the language, when Learning.

Neil

Good Morning,

Coal/Coke is nice, but it is not the 'everything'.  I use Coal when I am at the Vancouver Island Blacksmiths Association Blacksmith Shop. I teach in Coal, I use Propane a lot (I can't remember how many Gas Forges I have, more than 10 for sure.).  I have a 15kw Induction Forge/Heater that is the cat's meow. No Fire Risk!! No scale, Almost no smoke (only the junk on the outside burning off).

I don't recall if I met Mike Spencer. If he was at either CanIRON, I will have seen him.  We had John and Nancy Little out for a 2 weekend Workshop, about 15-20 years ago. I let them loose in my Jetta, to go to Long Beach. I asked them to take the time and stop at Cathedral Grove, on their way through. They were both numb struck with the size of the Trees.

When I was in the Maritimes, I asked about their Trees, over 400 years of Boat Building, took care of where the Trees went.

I have a Marine engine, Hawboldt, that was made in Chester. I drove that section of the road, to see where Chester is, the business is still going, but they no longer make engines for Dories.

Thanks, Neil

1-3-16 is 212lbs.

Good Morning Pablo,

Where are you, in the world?  You can put your general area in your avatar, nobody wants to/or needs to know your address. What are the other markings on the side of the Anvil? Sometimes rubbing white chalk on the side and brushing it with your open hand, will make it ledgible.

Neil

Good Morning Paul,

Welcome from the Left Coast.

There is 'Maritime Blacksmith Association' in your part of the Rock. I have been your way for CanIRON at Annapolis Royal and also Baddeck. One of our daughters met and became friends with one of the Rankin daughters. John and Nancy Little have their Shop at home, West Dover (south of Halifax). They are well worth meeting!!

I am still in touch with some of the folks out your way. Let me know if I can help connect you.

Neil

Good Morning Duel

I have used naturally aspirated Ribbon Burners. To make them work excellent, you have to limit the number of Holes. If you want more Holes, you Have To Use a Fan/Blower. It is just a function of how much Air you can control through your intake and how many holes are actually going to receive the Fuel/Air mix to create the Mini-Burners.

Neil

A friend of mine went to Sweden to work for an Axe Manufacture. I know he travels around Europe for Blacksmith Events. Instructing and friendly Competition. I'm sure there are people who get together in Denmark. Patience and asking questions will find you answers. With all the Ironwork in Scandanavia, there will be a group!!

We have had people from Great Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland come to Canada for CanIRON, One was a School Principle/Teacher. There must be at least a small group in Denmark somewhere. Somebody will do the 'Special Jobs' in a Shipyard or a Fabrication Shop. Talk to them. Talk to your local 'Art Council', ask, Who works in Metal?

Good Luck, Neil

Hefty,

Get in touch with Glenn Moon. His health is doing a dance, but his noodle is always working. He is in Braidwood. Pm and I will give you his email. We had a few Aussies stay with us in 2006, after the ABANA Conference in Seattle. There are more connections. I know Australia is a big piece of dirt, but so is Canada. You may not live close to someone else, but you can stay in touch. Every now and again, you get together. Mooney used to have annual get-togethers at his Shop at home. The Fires went through his area and went around his property. No Fire Damage for them. Better than a Lottery Ticket that doesn't work. LOL

Neil

Good Morning,

The 'Hammers Blow' is an ABANA publication. You can pay your membership and look through the Archives, they are still available on-Line.

A Blown Burner is very simple to make by using an old Hair Blower as the Fan Motor. I use a reostat to control the fan speed. Make sure the Propane Regulator is adjustable and you can make anything happen.

Neil

Good Morning,

Welcome from Canada!!

My friend, John Little who lives south of Halifax, on the other side of Canada, did a Demonstration for CBC(?). He used giant Mirrors focused on one spot, He Forged by using Sun Rays as his heat source!! He had to Forge with a welding mask on.

What David is saying, is correct. I started by using a Wood Furnace, in the basement of our home. You can Forge by using a campfire!! I actually have a Forge made for wood, that I made from an old Bar-B-Que.

Don't think Hard, think Simple!!

Neil

Good Morning,

Welcome Home!!

Would that be 'Bossy's Calf'?  LOL  You have to love 'Mother Nature'!! As long as they are getting along and are happy camping together, No Tears!!

Neil

Good Morning,

I was at Ness Creek when Ethan and Mark made that Hammer. They tried to use it but their size difference made it awkward. It was a pleasure to watch 2 similar size people actually make it work, except the slightly taller person lifted the slightly shorter person right off the ground on the upswing. Yes, that was at CanIRON 12 at Ness Creek, Saskatchewan, in 2019. Before COVID!!

Neil

Good Morning,

To combat the frozen Propane tank, sit it in a Pail/Garbage Can/Big Bucket of water. This acts  as a 'Heat Sink'. The other choice is to join 2 Propane tanks in Parallel with a T-Fitting and one regulator. This cuts the draw off each bottle, in half of what your draw is, using one bottle.

Neil

Good Morning,

A good start. Make everything adjustable. If you put a full brick across the back, on the bench, you can use 2 partial bricks for the door. With the 2 partial bricks, you can adjust the rear opening as desired.

Take the two pieces of brick from the back, use them for spacers on top of the full brick on the bench at the front. Sit your split brick across the front, on top of the two pieces. Heat goes up, don't leave a side open, leave a bottom window open. Adjust the rear opening as required.

Just a piece of Cake or Brick (LOL)

Neil

Good Morning,

It doesn't matter what kind of brick you use for the ends, regardless what others may think (soft brick breaks up easier and sooner). If you leave a little opening in the back, that cuts down a bit of the Dragon breath out the working end. On the working end, front, I leave an opening closer to the bottom. I use two pieces of broken brick and lay a full brick sideways across the top of the pieces to block off the top part.

Heat in the Burner Tube, means flame is moving up into the Tube. You don't have enough air flow to keep the flame at the tip of the Burner. Try using an old Hair Dryer/Blower to add air to your air intake (use a reostat to vary the blower speed). The tip of your Gas Jet creates the low pressure behind it, that draws the Air in the Air ports. The Gas Jet MUST BE IN CENTER of the Burner. Adjust the Gas Jet, in further, to draw in more Air. Frosty is always talking about 'Fine Tuning' his Burners. This is adjusting where the tip of the Jet is, in relation to where the Air in-ports are.

Whatever Air/Gas mixture goes into the Forge, there must be sufficient chimney openings, for the waste to get out.

Good Luck, Neil

Paint by Numbers? Any Colour that sticks, the louder the colour, the more likely to come back home with you. Too much paint on the Handles makes them too large to hang on to (LOL). Thick isn't necessarily a correct term. Kullerfull is a bonus!!

Neil

Good Morning,

To run, First you must walk. Connect with the Blacksmith group in your area and listen to their answers, You don't NEED a Power Hammer, you NEED to learn to use what you have. A Power Hammer makes a bigger mess, quicker. Slow down and pay attention to the suggestions. You Learn more, with your mouth closed and your ears and eyes OPEN.

Neil

Good Morning,

A lot of water has gone under the Bridge in the last 3 years and one of the people who posted, above, is in the Spirit World.

Welcome from the Left Coast. The air is cleaner now, until when the Forest Fires start. It is tough to hold the Hot Dog, when the house is on fire!!

Neil

Good Morning,

What are you using for doors on the ends? If you lay a flat brick outside the front, you can support your work and provide support for doors. I don't think your work piece has been hot enough, either from the lack of heat inside or from taking the work out too early.

My experience of the burners getting too hot, back up the tubes, is lack of air movement through the burner. I don't know why there is a restrictor at the end of your burner tube. Take the washer out and try it.

Neil

I,m sorry, that is your nozzle support. My BAD!!!!

Neil

Good Morning,

Welcome to our world. again.

North West Blacksmith Association will be having their Spring Conference in Longview, May 17-19. The Conference will be at Longview Fairgrounds, just over the first bridge and to the left. NWBA is using one of the buildings for their home base. www.blacksmith.org

There are a bunch of Blade Smiths that you would want to talk to. In actual fact, some of them live probably 20-30 minutes from you now. If you can make the journey, I hope to see you there. I will be there. If you can't, send me a PM and I will get you their information.

Another fine day, above the dirt!!

Thanks, Neil

Good Morning,

I would contact them, there probably is someone else who lives fairly close. The HinterWeb makes someone a ways away, like next door. I am only making a friendly suggestion (lol). Some States have more than one group or association. The benefit of joining Learning Forces, is HUGE. Learn from someone who has already made a mistake or two, it is nothing to be ashamed of. I call it learning.

Check out the ABANA web-site. There are a lot of Lessons, available on-line. There also is a Bi-Annual Blacksmith Conference (every 2 years on the even years) in Johnstown. I don't expect you to saddle up and go, but there will be a lot of Tools, Equipment and Suggestions as well as hands-on Demonstrators. Some people we meet, only every 2 years.

In Canada we have our Bi-Annual Conference 'CanIRON' on the odd years. See www/caniron.ca  You can look at the history of all the previous Conferences at the bottom of the home page 'History'

Don't be afraid of making an Anvil out of any shape, large or small, it all works. There are no Blacksmith Police. Go for it and enjoy the Ride, we all are on the same ride. Whatever you have to do a job, it is the right Tool for that occasion.

Neil

Good Morning Will,

Welcome from the Left Coast. It seems to me, you live in the middle of a VERY ACTIVE Blacksmith Association P.A.B.A., https://paba-site.org/   Check out your local Blacksmith's first. 

Neil

Most machinery shafting is 1045. Talk to your local Machine Shop, they will have it. I don't weld a bit in, with 1045, I punch for the handle. EZE-PEEZEY.

I have also used Dywidag (dewydag), it is a steel for rock anchor during Bridge Construction. It is stretched with hydraulics (thousands of pounds of tensile stretch) and a nut (often left hand thread) tightened by hand, then the hydraulics is released. Spring tension holds the Bridge footings for a lifetime. Great for Axes, got some spring. I have a friend who operates a concrete pumper truck and he snags some drops. I punch the eye and make the Axe any shape I want. Small beard, big beard, no beard, whatever is wanted.

If you can't find 1040, change your focus. Most Jack Hammer bits are 1040 to 1060.

Neil

Good Morning Camelia,

North West Blacksmith Association will be having their Spring Conference at the Fairgrounds of Longview, Wash. May 17-19, 2024 Their website is www.blacksmith.org

Hope to see you there.

Neil

Good Morning,

I converted to 'Tooth Belt' like a timing belt, 1/2" pitch. All sizes of pulleys are available from your local 'Industrial Supplier'. The friction/contact surface is better than 2 V-belts. Yes, we have to lift the shaft to change belts. We lay a spare belt loose, when we replace them. It is not difficult.

Neil

So no canister damascus:tm:? 

Boy are you ever missing the intended meaning of the saying. Left field, out of the park!!

This is my saying, the key words are "If you don't create the box to contain your thinking, you can't be accused of Thinking outside of the Box". This has absolutely nothing to do with Canister Damascus.

Neil