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I have a Moose Hide bib style long apron, is very supple, but heavy. I shot the moose, tanned it's hide, a friend made the apron. I also helped eat the moose. I prefer a denim apron, easy to wash, not heavy. I use the backs of the legs of worn out knees, Jeans. Simple!! Neil

Good Morning, Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association is in your area. Check their web-site, they have meetings monthly. Neil

Good Morning, Enjoy the journey, it's a keeper. Neil

Sometimes the fire is not breathing properly when you are not using the blower. Poke a hole in the top of your fire with your poker (good name for it) and allow the smoke to come through to go up the chimney. Sometimes allow the fire to become a little bigger. Control the size of fire with the watering can. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Neil

Copper is a great conductor. I use a large copper plate for tig welding on, never a problem with a ground arc, always a good connection. K.I.S.S. Never deforms!! Neil

You have half of it. No Tuyere? No ash dump? No Blower mechanism? No fun!! Look at the notes for a brake drum forge and you will see the parts that are missing. Be creative, Don't think OLD, like it used to be. Think THINK how you can make it work!! Neil

Hi Shon, Propane is a liquid when in a container. Propane becomes solid at -40. Propane GAS that we use for the forge is the determined by the amount of surface area that can give off the gas. If we draw too much gas off the surface of the liquid the temperature drops in the container (Bottle). If you are using a 20-30 lbs bottle, put the bottle into a container of water (like a small garbage can or metal pail/tub. The water acts like a heat sink and the bottle takes a lot longer before it is a problem and freezes up). Propane tanks for a residence or a vehicle are mounted on their sides, to create most surface area. This also means they have a different valve, so they only draw the Gas and not the LIQUID. If you accidentally draw the liquid, the flame will go through the roof. Soon no shop!! I use 2- 100lbs tanks hooked together in parallel, this makes the surface area double and the draw from the surface half of what it was with one tank. Drywall people will sometimes hook 4 to 6 100lbs tanks together to try to heat up a place they are working, without the tanks freezing. You can get the proper PROPANE fittings from your local hose/fitting supplier. Keep on freezing, that means you are working. Sometimes when the bottle freezes it is a sign to take a break anyway!!! :) :) Neil Neil

The only complication you will have is if there is a wind. No different than with the Propane Forge. Maybe have some moveable or removable side curtains. Neil

Carbon-Monoxide will put you into a deep forever sleep. MUST HAVE a way to measure it!!!!!!!! Too soon, Too late. :( :( :( :(

Talk to your Electrician Chum

Check out the Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association.

Phosphoric Acid is in Coca-Cola. I use Phosphoric Acid to stop/neutralize rust on car/truck bodies. Phosphoric Acid turns the rust Black.

California Blacksmith Association has a web-site. They also have a Spring and Fall Conferences. Welcome to our world

Is it an advantage to have the hot cut in the hardy hole, like in the video?? I hate having to go to ER to get fingers stitched back on!! I know, I'm not supposed to be looking there!! :) :) Neil

I am not in your country. I go to my local insurer and they add a rider on my business policy. about $40.00/year Neil

Good Morning, You don't know about it's previous life. You bought a used breaker bit. Sometimes this happens. If your process worked on one piece and not the other, it may not be a problem with your process. I reforge thousands of bits, sometimes they break like that. SDS bits are probably 1045 or something close. There should not be a problem quenching the tip in water. Neil

Talk to your local Insurance agent. The one that has your house insurance policy.

There used to be a sword in a rock!!!

As I said earlier, drill two pilot holes, one at each end of your chisel. The chisel will follow the pilot hole and stay in the middle. The hole will allow the ends of the slit to have a radius and not cause a stress rizer. Neil

Setlab I have used a section of h-beam with sqare tubing verticle and legs (shaped in a U), legs flat on the ground (you don't want to trip over them. You can stand on a leg while working at the vise. This style of base I move with a hand cart. You can take a truck wheel, weld a verticle with whatever you have available (not on center, post comes down near the base of the outside rim). Fill the center with concrete. This style you can roll the base (like an oxygen bottle) to move around the shop. Look around for what material is available (I look in my collection of shorts or drops). There is no rule committee for what it has to be. I like the adjustability of that vise. Sometimes you will find it a pain in the back-side, but patience will win. :) :) Neil

If you use a die grinder bit in a drill (slower speed than the die grinder), that will remove the bulk of your chore. Finish with a file. It's one of those jobs that if you get in a hurry, it will show. Neil

Good Morning, I was talking to Francis Whittaker at CanIRON in Calgary and someone else asked this same question. Francis said "Drill a 1/8 pilot hole at each end and at the the angle you want your tennon" K.I.S.S. Neil

Good Morning, Where is that, that you are? Where is that, that you got dug? (above your shoes?) (in the ground?) I remember a thing called G.I.G.O. Is this that thing?? Neil

Pretty hard to beat a "NIMBA ANVIL". Port Townsend, Washington Neil

Good Morning, If you are going to clean it the Electrolysis way, here is a link Bad link removed When you are resurrecting a piece of Bish, slow going and patience, works. If you get in a hurry, something will break. A trick that I do is to replace the thrust washer on the threaded section (I actually add to it) with a Throw Out Bearing (a replaceable roller thrust bearing, from Clutch Assembly). Talk to your local mechanic and ask him to save some of the old Clutch Parts for you. Be patient, they don't replace a Clutch Assembly every day. Neil