swedefiddle

Good Morning Duncan,

Welcome and you got a good deal on the Sawyers Anvil. A circular Saw blade needs to have a dish shape when it is sitting still. When the saw blade comes up to speed, it straightens out. This is done so the blade is always in tension and the blade will stay straight and cut straight, instead of following soft parts of the wood. The Sawyer knows how much dish he wants and he needs a flat face to create the dish.

I have a couple like that one and I have one - 4 times the size.

Neil

Good Morning Don,

Welcome to our world. We have all done that to start with.

Look up the Blacksmith Group in your area (I think there is a list at the bottom of the page. If not, there is a list at https://abana.org/

If you are not sure how to make something, get some 'PlayDoh' and make it in your hands. Hot metal works exactly like Modeling Clay or PlayDoh. Find someone near you and spend a little time with them to figure out the 'Basics'. Find a copy of 'the Blacksmithing Primer', Randy explains things in plain language.

Enjoy the Journey,

Neil

Good Morning Mike,

Welcome to our world, regardless where you park your house. LOL

I wouldn't start ordering a bunch of things for Blacksmithing, until you talk to the Blacksmith Group near your home. Quite often you can get serviceable good Tools and Equipment from someone who is moving on or moving up. Start by reading 'the Blacksmithing Primer', It is written in plain English, very understandable. A lot of your Tools, you can make out of junk you pick up off the ground (as long as you keep your eyes open). Sometimes just letting the word out and be patient with your ears open, magic things appear from the unexpected. There are some very strong Blacksmith players in both Florida and NH.

Neil

Good Morning Malleus,

I have had 12' long Lathe Beds, i have a Colchester that is foot powered, I have 5 others somewhere in between. I have seen a 12' Lathe from a Shipyard with a 6" 3-jaw Chuck, in it's big Chuck. It seems most work I do is within 12" from the Chuck. Yes, there are times you have to spin an axle or a driveshaft, but, most of the time you don't. The Lathe with Deep Reduction is the Lathe that will twist your fence pickets or something heavy (sometimes it works better with a little heat or a Rosebud). Putting square stock inside a piece of pipe and twisting with a Cresent Wrench will create the same, COLD!! The Lathe is also a GREAT Milling Machine, put the cutter in the Chuck and fasten your work-piece to the Cross-Slide. Cut keyways in a shaft, notches........whatever the mind can imagine. Is it possible?.....Yes it can be done, just put a little thought into it. K.I.S.S.

Neil

Hoakey Doaky, Pardner.

Hang onto this while I light it, the BANG won't be too much!!!!  I forgot, the bang is the little flag that comes out of the barrel of the gun, right?

Enjoy the Daayy, Neil

Good Morning Liienn,

Welcome from the Left Coast of Canada or North Hamerica.

I have used that spelling before, but what does it sound like, "ROAR" LOL. You have a whole pile of 'Like Minded' soul's on your Island. Pay attention to what is happening locally, find someone to bounce idea's off. The distance between places on your Island, is just like around the corner, compared to the size of our Island. To travel 1000km here, is a day's drive with time to spare.

Enjoy the Journey,

Neil

Good Morning Mr Quish,

Welcome from the Left Coast of North America, just across the water from a place called Vancouver (you may have heard about it) LOL.

Sometimes a Bird in the hand is worth 2 or 3 in the Bush!! The advantage of a heavier Anvil is the return from the bottom when you strike something Hot (Yes, it works 2 ways). A Flat face can be any piece of scrap Plate, A not flat face works better for making something flat (yes the metal springs down and back). It is no problem the touch the edges and make them different Radius. A sharp edge is the hardest to work with, it leaves notches you can't get out and they start cracks. The best Anvil is the one you have, not the one you wish for!!

If you run into Glenn Moon, he lives near Braidwood, NSW. He stayed with us for a bit, 2017. Say hello from Canada.

Good Luck on your choice. Don't be shy.

Neil

Good Morning Font,

If you are talking about Forge-welding wire rope, weld the ends first. You have to rotate the wire rope the direction of the lay, so the hammer blows are tightening up the wrap. Or if you want to cheat, you can mig weld the ends so the strands don't unwind. You still have to Forge-weld the ends first, after tacking the ends together. Play with a piece of Manila/Sisal rope to understand how the wire rope will react. If you turn the incorrect way, it will unravel.

If you are making a Knife, Forge-weld both ends, then Forge-weld the blade area. After the welding is done, heat up the handle area and unwind it to create the size of the handle that you would like. Don't get the handle too hot, just hot enough to move and stay where you want it.

Enjoy the Journey

Neil

Good Morning,

I let some of the stick, poke through the Tool Head. I drill a couple holes and take a cut piece of Coat Hanger wire and bend it in a "U" shape. Poke the legs of the "U" through the two holes and bend them so it can't fall out. The stick now won't let the head fall off, but you can still control it. K.I.S.S.

Neil

I'm with George,

Heat goes up, right into your hands. Very poor choice!! How are you going to pour it, toward yourself!!!!! If you don't think SAFETY, you won't be alive very long!! The Tongs look to be very nicely executed. Make the handles come out the side and use 2 people!!

Welcome from the West Coast of North America, Vancouver Island.

Better put your 'Thinking Cap' on.

Neil

Good Morning Chief,

A Struck Tool should not be wedged, You don't want the force to travel up the handle and hurt your elbow. Some people like to wedge anything, some people like Purple with Orange Polka-Dots too. Think about your body, not trying to please someone else!

Neil

Good Morning PP,

Welcome to our world and welcome from the Left Coast.

If you put your location in your avatar, we will see it and know which part of the world you are making a shadow. Nobody or almost nobody will  see location in the above note. You don't want to put your address, just the part that says 'Tuckson'. LOL

Those tools look interesting, are they for working a stitch line? They look like they would be easy to Forge. You could use a Drop Hammer, but that is quite a hog for space. I can see 3 jigs on your workbench, to make them.

Enjoy the journey, Neil

Head Shot. Mounted on the wall?

Neil

Dr. X,

Malcolm, I Presume?

Neil

Good Morning, Flux

Send me a PM to let me know where you are. I can come by and see what is going on, to rectify your problem.

Thanks, Neil

Good Morning,

If it is leaking a little oil, all is good. If it isn't leaking a bit of oil, it needs a 'Little Dab'l Do-Ya'. Adding oil is cheaper than trying to refabricate/machine an old style machine that was meant to be loose. I have seen some with grease, but, the grease doesn't become liquid enough to lubricate the small bits. It is splash lubricated from the motion of the paddle wheels called gears. Chainsaw Bar Oil works a treat. You can create your own soup, but keep it simple, they don't have ball or roller bearings, they use bushings. Yes, it probably IS 'Older than Dirt'. Treat it gently and give the old girl a drink, now and again.

Neil

Good Morning JW

North West Blacksmith Association is Washington and area. They have their monthly get together's at the Fairgrounds of Longview, Wash.

Their web-site is www.//blacksmith.org.  They are having their Spring Conference June 3-5, 2022. There will be lots of people with the Swap and Shop, "Tailgate Sales". Questions are answered quite often by putting a hammer in your hand and showing you how. Camping is on site. Midnight Madness starts after supper, full use of their Tools and Equipment. Bring an open mind, open ears, open notebook to remember what you see, maybe a phone or camera too. It is worth the journey!!

Neil

Good Morning IronChef,

It is very difficult to see round center punch marks in hot Steel. Make a square center punch and use it, you can see the square mark.

Neil

Tanks a Lott!!

Good Morning,

Feathers and Wedges have been splitting Rock for a long time. The taper seems too much, to be able to put a lot of pressure in a seam. How do the experts become experts, unless they 'B'lack 'S'mith a little here and there.

Neil

Without the Clinker!!

Neil

Good Morning,

When trying to learn 'Fire Welding', you have to ask yourself "How hard should I hit these 2 bowls of Jello?". Put your Forging Hammer down and pick up a hammer half it's size or less. Don't splatter the Jello!! You are trying to persuade these molecules to bond with those molecules, Politely!! Please and Thank You!!

It is easier to start with thicker material. 3/16" thick material looses it's heat quite quickly.

Neil

Good Morning,

Seeing and Doing are 2 completely different functions. When you start Doing, you may get exasperated because it is not going as you had envisioned. Walk slow, ask yourself 'Why did the Instructor/Mentor suggest I do something a certain way?' ' What does he/she mean, Drawing Out, Upsetting, Punching, Drifting, getting Hammered, etc?' This is not a conflict resolution, it is a new language. Yes, there are seven different types of procedures, but a miriade of different ways to do each procedure. There is no WRONG WAY. Which ever way works, that is the Right Way. Many people have many perceptions, that this has to be done this way. There are no Blacksmith Police. There are very few Perfect situations, compared to what??

Take little steps and get Hammered!!

Neil

Happy New Year Tommy,

Welcome from the Left Coast. 5 feet above sea level, not below the water line!!   By the bird in a straight line, about 100 miles from Seattle (one Ferry ride, one Border crossing, 3 hours driving = at least 7 hours by vehicle).

Start simple, use Play-Doh. Play-Doh you can manipulate in your hands, Hot Metal you need Tools. They work the same, learn in your hands!! Start with the basics of Forging, Forge it square, Forge it Octagonal, Forge it round. Your/our wrists will turn 1/4 turn, that makes 2 flats (one from your Hammer, One from your Anvil on the bottom). Turn your work 1/4 turn, that makes 2 flats, 90 degrees from where you started. Turning 1/4 turns equals a square. Play with your Play-Doh and you will understand.

Enjoy the Journey, Don't take too much seriously, give your heart a rest, Enjoy the ride. Today? Tomorrow? same same.

Neil

Good Morning,

Talk to your local Pottery/Ceramics friend and have some buttons made that look like 1 1/2-2" diameter drawer pull handles, with a single sideways hole through the end of the stem (stem length, accidentally, is the same as the thickness of your FORGE Lining). We hold them in place with nickle wire and a small hole in the outside body to tie it through. Nickle wire is 'Clothes Dryer Element'. How many old 'Clothes Dryers' have you passed on the side of the road. HELLOOO!!!!!!

Neil