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A straight piece of pipe also works, no restriction. There is almost no back-flow restriction in any muffler, try one and see. Neil

Good Morning, You will find that the soft bricks will break up on you, expansion and contraction. Build a container, Neil

1/8 npt is almost 10x1.0. Pipe thread is tapered, 10x1.0 is straight. Don't make it a hurdle, it is an oiler!!!! Old machinery in North America was not metric. Neil

Good Morning, I make chisels from VW Van Torsion Bar leaves, very similar to what you have. They work wonderful for opening up the split/cut crosses. They are also perfect for dainty work, repousse' work, etc. Neil

Good Morning George, Why would you ever want to grow up??? I'm not done yet, either, I refuse to grow up!!!! Yeah, we may not be as spry as we once was, but.......... Neil

Good Morning, I have a multitude of different size Bench Vices, all for different purposes. I also have 2 giant Bench Vices that I got from a Machinist friend who's father used them when he was a full-time Blacksmith. I overloaded one, trying to separate a shaft and a 4 foot diameter Chipper Blade, a piece of the Vice casting broke. Yes, I wasn't using it for what it was made for, my Bad. I also have quite a few Post Vices. The Post or the Leg is the support to ground zero (mother Earth), this transmits and absorbs/dissipates the shock loads of Hammering on something being supported in their Jaws. The Post or Leg Vices are the strongest Vices for Blacksmith work. A Bench Vice will work for some jobs, until they fracture the Cast Iron. Until then, you won't be disappointed. If you want to find a Post Vice, ask people that you know and/or don't know. I have found that when I stop looking and start seeing, I will be inundated with them. Enjoy the search, there is no end to it!! Neil

A friend makes Files with a Hammer with that kind of handle. Great for working close to your work and at an angle. Neil

Good Morning, Where are you making a shadow? Put your general location in your avatar, then anyone knows where you are standing or sitting. Welcome from the Left Coast. Neil

Good Morning Isaac, Use your bathroom scale to weigh the Anvil, compare the weight to the number 1_2, it will probably be close to just over 100 lbs. Welcome from our part of the Rock on the Left Coast. The value of your Anvil is, Priceless!! If you own it, it doesn't matter what someone else thinks. That is a 'Keeper', don't let it go, use it and enjoy it. Neil

Good Morning, Does the Glock strike 12? As well as every hour? Or just twice a day? Neil

Good Morning Jim, Don't be shy, WELCOME from Western Canada, the Left Coast. We invited Glenn Moon to Canada for CanIRON in 2017. He is trying to thin his collection. Look him up and say hi for me. Be prepared to do a lot of listening!! He is an incredible wealth of knowledge. Canberra is his closest larger town. Yes he is very innovative, he has to generate his own electricity. French Fry Cooking Oil for fuel, for the Forge as well as the Gen Set. Neil

Good Morning, Take a piece of log, stand it on it's end (about 24-30" high). Put your ugly wheel on your angle grinder and form a few dish shapes. Turn the log end for end and put different shapes in the other end. Using wood for the anvil won't stretch the material too fast. Be sure to anneal your work piece, a LOT!! Using the log technique, you should be able to sit the bum on a seat or stool. Saves hurting your McBack!! Another simple sunny day, regardless what the weather is doing. Neil

AD=Another Day ?? LOL Neil

Good Morning, Yes, I have more than one, leather apron. I have one that I made from a moose hide, after I tanned it and cured it. Yes, I also shot the Moose and made special care not to nick the hide when I was skinning it. That took a couple years for all the pieces to come together. I also have a cow-hide Apron that my wife bought me for a present. I bought a light weight leather apron from one of the local welding suppliers. Actually, the one I like the best is a denim Bar-B-Que Apron. It is the lightest and least restrictive to movement. I can throw it in with my laundry, when it needs a cleaning. Neil

Good Morning Jerry, Welcome to this world. Worth is a funny thing. If you are looking for something that is hard to get, it is only worth more to you. If you are trying to sell something, it is only worth what someone is willing to pay. Something is always worth more, to someone else, after you have completed a deal. A bird in the hand.............something about a bush!!!! Sometimes people ask what something is worth, because they don't know what topic will start a conversation. The real price of something you have and are using, is PRICELESS. Why would you sell it, if you are using it? Take little steps!! Take the top off the blower and inspect the insides, if it ain't broke, don't fix it for good. The lower section of the gearbox, houses the lubricant (engine oil), there is no need to fill it above the lowest shaft that penetrates the housing (it will leak/weep out the lowest shaft). The gears running in the oil are the means of transfering the lubricant to all the components. Yes, it is the oil pump. Remember K.I.S.S.!! Enjoy your journey. There is no fixed destination, except the final one or two!! LOL. Add your general location to your Avatar, nobody will look back to your first message, to find out where you are making a shadow. Neil

Good Morning Bryce, We are just a hop/skip and a jump from you, Victoria and Luxton Fairgrounds. Vancouver Island Blacksmiths Association. I also have close friends who live near the Magic Lake area(?) Let me know, I can bring some trinkets to the Island, from the other Island. Have some fun making smoke and noise, maybe turn out something useable. PM me if you wish to connect. Neil

Good Morning, Welcome from the left coast. The problem with your question is, which chisels? A lot of 1 1/8" breaker bits are 1045 to 1060 steel. Rivet Buster and Demolition Hammer bits are not. Neil

Good Morning Brian, It may have been made January 8, 1835. Or was that a Tuesday when it was windy. If you expect a knowledgeable answer, give us something to make sense with. Clean it with a wire wheel on an angle grinder (make sure you have safety glasses and clothing coverage) the spears from the wire wheel will stick into your clothing and any part of your body that is exposed. Rub chalk over the emblem and gently rub it with a soft cloth, the chalk may then be readable. Put your general location in your Avatar. It is astounding how many members will live close to you. Third Rock from the Sun?? Neil

Good Morning Adam, Put your general location in your Avatar, nobody will look back and see your note. There are quite a few very knowledgeable groups and members in your area. Depending where in upstate NY area, if you cross the border, the Canadian CanIRON Conference is at Fergus, Ontario. August 3-6, 2023. see www/caniron.ca for details. Neil

Good Morning, Were you running the burner, inside a Forge container? or Were you running the burner in the Air. Too much heat in the burner means the flame was burning back up inside the burner tube. This is caused from too little air flow. Popping and backfiring could also be 'Too Lean'. Burners run better pointed into a container called a Forge. The tip of the Burner should not protrude inside the FireBox, it should be set back and the stuff inside should be shaped accordingly. one cent + one cent = too cents. Neil

Good Morning, Welcome to our world. Just because somebody thinks it can't be done, doesn't mean you can't do it. Do not believe 'You are thinking outside of the Box'. Who built the Box??? The world is full of 'Beginners Luck'. Don't be afraid of trying something new, the worst thing you may learn, you may learn of a way to do something that may need some further modifications. Some of my early creations are still some fine creations. Follow your head and heart, work safe!! Neil

Good Morning Scott, Ontario Artist Blacksmiths Association are hosting CanIRON Xiii in Fergus, Ontario. Canada, third rock from the Sun. August 3-6, 2023. Check out caniron.ca for details. It will be another 10 years before it comes back to Ontario. Don't be shy, come and find out answers for questions you didn't know to ask. Hope to see you there!! Neil

Good Morning, I have/am using the Amal Burner. Minimal adjustment, right out of the box. They do an excellent job and they aren't too dear either. A lot easier for someone starting out, to use a burner that works. Concentrate their time learning how to make the wooden stick work!! Neil

Good Morning John, With a tiny drop of Rose Perfume!! Make it smell as good as it looks!! Neil

Good Morning, Rating for a press is ???/lbs. per square inch of effort. When you use a taper or a blade shape push head, you are multiplying your push tonnage. If your contact surface is half of one inch square, your working tonnage effort multiplies by 2. In other words, if the Press is rated for 30 Tons per square inch, x2, equals 60 Tons per square inch of contact surface. You MUST KEEP your pushing stick absolutely straight. If you try to push at an angle, you will be making a loaded gun. The projectile will not give you any notice of when or where is may travel to. If a piece of a human is in the way, it will go right through the human part, without caring. This is the part that hobby creators forget about. The potential for a moment of failure, is enormous!! Beyond patching with a band-aid or a triangle bandage. Oops, Sorry, I made a mistake!!!!!! Dead is still dead!!! Neil