swedefiddle

Good Morning, Use whatever you have, as long as it isn't galvanized or cad (cadmium) plated. If it is black, then it's beautiful. Don't worry about cast iron versus steel, generally cast iron handles heat better, but for what you are doing, just get it done. Brake drums normally are mostly cast iron. Cast Iron doesn't warp like steel does with heat. You NEED!! Something to heat, something to heat it with, something to hang onto it with, something to hit with and something to hit it on. VERY SIMPLE!! NO RULES OR EXCEPTIONS. Enjoy the journey, don't build yourself too many walls. :) :) Neil

Kind of looks like a Studebaker :) :) Whatever, it is a keeper!! So is Mr. Common Sense. Enjoy both rides!! Neil

Tis the season for slugs, sticky gooey Black & green slugs :) :)

Good Morning, It is difficult to see where and when there is a problem with your Tong Construction technique. One way; Start on the near side of the anvil, forge the initial jaw shape. Turn 1/4 turn left, hold the jaw at about a 30-45 degree angle, on the far side of the anvil. This starts the hinge area and leaves an angle where the two pieces will come together at the base of the jaw. Turn 1/4 turn left. On the far side of the anvil, 90 degrees to the edge of the anvil, hold the material with the length of the hinge boss beyond and at the edge of the anvil, half faced blows to complete the hinge area formation length. This means make all your turns between sequences ALL LEFT or ALL RIGHT. Normally if you are right handed, turn left and if you are left handed, turn right. Swing your pardner, doe-si-doe, all the men left, etc................ Relax. Don't make it a chore to make tongs. Some tongs are like snap ring pliers, the jaws expand. The skool of hard knocks have a certain memory value. There is more than one way to skin a .......... :) :) :) Neil

Good Morning, Sodium is only used in SOME exhaust valves. Exhaust valves are all non-magnetic heads, some a magnet will stick to part of the valve stem but not the head. Intake valves will be attracted with a magnet. Normally on the european engines that have sodium in them, there is a little dimple in the center of the head, almost looks like a counter bore. Valves make excellent repoussse' tooling. Neil

Good Morning, Nothing better than learning by doing. The piece you bent over and then it disappeared, was burnt off. Yes you can burn steel (and rebar). If you were watching you had it too close to the "Hot Spot" and didn't move it around to get an even heat. By leaving it at the "Hot Spot", you probably saw little tiny sparks, coming up and out of the fire. That is the steel burning. Better to learn with junk steel than "Paid for" steel. Don't be afraid of making a mistake, it is one way of learning. Enjoy the ride, go gentle with the blow. :) :) Neil

What are you asking? a question or a statement?

Good Morning, I assume that there is a slip belt for the drive, or a hydraulic motor? A brake on the main flywheel makes for a lot better control (I made ours with a leather belt and a spring, unloads when the pedal is depressed). Factory built hammers had a counterweight on the opposite side of the working flywheel from the pin. Is the pin location adjustable? Maybe the link to the pin is adjustable? Wrap the spring with old firehose or something similar to provide protection for your face and digets (I've heard it is difficult to pick your nose without fingers) :) :) It is difficult to make old technology with new technology. LOL :) Neil

Good Morning, Looks good. If there were numbers on the base, it could also be a sun dial :) :) Neil

Good Morning, I have 2 "Mighty-Mite" Propane forges, made by Lorne Bakker in Duncan, B.C. Canada. I bought my first one about 15 years ago. When Kwantlen College built their new Trades School in Cloverdale, Lorne built the forges for the Farrier Program. as "Hank McEwan" explained it, "Those are some Forges". We used Lorne's Forges whe we hosted CanIRON VI, near Victoria in 2007. They are not just a Farrier Forge, when I am teaching Hammer making, the single burner will hold 4 - 2" square hammer heads at the same time. It is a workout to stay ahead of the heat when punching the handle holes. One time I left a hammer head in a little long, I had to turn the propane down to cool it off, THE TONGS WENT INTO THE STEEL, IT WAS JELLY. Neil

Good Morning, Nah, there is Canadian, Australian, South African, some even from the Island called UK....... :) :) :) :) Neil

Nothing against building your own sawmill, many have done it (been there done that). It sometimes is cheaper to purchase a saw that someone already has figured out, than rebuild the mistakes or updates a bunch of times. Around here there are a few portable mills, save up your logs, call in the mill. One day, job done, finished, no maintenance or storage problems. Mobile Dimension Sawmills run a 40" main blade, with one or two edger blades. Curf of the blade is more than a Bandsaw Mill, but it is more robust. Neil

Good Morning, Take a piece of cardboard or sheet metal and cut a drill angle gauge (normally 59 degrees = 118 degrees). You can make some marks so you can figure if you are centered or not (if you are not centered the drill will cut a larger hole). Be Patient, GrassHopper. :) :) Neil

The least expensive welder will double the cost of a welder. The least expensive (cheap) welder will either fail or not do the job required, which will cause you to purchase another welder that will do the job. The least expensive (cost) welder is the one you won't have to replace within 20 years, maybe more $$ up-front, but amortized over 20 years it will be the most cost effective tool. Neil edited see ( )

Good Morning, Could/Can means do you have the ability, physically or mentally. The answer is yes, someone does. Is it cost effective, no. The energy (physical and material) needed to produce a bicycle would make the bicycle very expensive. If you are looking at it from a research and development point of view, you would have to absorb the R&D costs as life. Anytime you are changing thoughts from readily available tooling means that you would have to first make or develop the equipment/machinery to manufacture in this fashion. Some of the earliest motor-cycles were wood frame. I saw a steam motor-cycle at the Trevour Deeley Museum in Vancouver, that was built originally in the late 1800's in Germany. It had an oak frame, I can't remember if the wheels were wood or not, the rider sat above the steam engine in the hot seat. If you are looking at it strictly from the point of view "Can I make a means of transport, in this fashion", the mind is the wall. If you don't build a box, you can't think outside the box. :) :) If you are entertaining this thought just to create conversation, use your energy in a positive manner. Neil

Good Morning, 3lbhammer, I hope you are paying attention to what the previous replys have said. Blood doesn't care where it runs. :( Neil

Good Morning, Greeting from Canada, Welcome to this world. There are a few others from South Africa on this Forum. I met Ian at the Western States Blacksmith Conference two weekends ago at Mt. Hood, Oregon (USA). Neil

Good Morning, Vancouver Island Blacksmith Association has a 50 lb. Jardine. Jardine Hammers were made under license (from Meyer Bros.) in Hespeler, Ontario Canada. The Jardine Hammers and the Little Giant Hammers are virtually the same. There was a problem that I couldn't identify, it wouldn't hit very hard. We had an awful lot of people look at it, to try to make it work happily. Out of frustration, I modified an ignition distributor from a Mercedes. I ground 3 lobes off, so it only had one lobe to open the ignition points. I mounted an ignition coil and one spark plug wire, I fastened a timing light to the spark plug wire. I could run the hammer and turn the distributor until I got a picture of what was moving and how all the parts were moving with the strobe light. I was able to pinpoint what was and what was not working properly. We now have a happy Kicking Ass Hammer (I also have one of Grant's Kick-Ass hammers). If we don't allow a box to be built, we never think outside the box!!!! :) :) Neil

I always thought that I was Hard done By, as a kid with no shoes. Then I met a man that had no feet................. Welcome to our world, JR. All the people who I have met in this business, DON'T put themselves on a Public Pedestle. What a stack of HUMBLE People. Information is free to steal!!! Assistance is close at hand!! Surely there is a Blacksmith Group in Utah, Northern Rockies Blacksmith Association might be close. Look at the Afilliates listing on ABANA's web-site. Greetings from Vancouver Island, the small Continent. :) :) Neil

After finishing cleaning, the residue is soap and water with a little Ferrous Oxide in it. Not toxic at all. If you have more pieces to do, do them I have used this process many times, Simply Magic, it is so simple. Neil

Good Morning, Forge welding is patience and not hitting very hard. With some people they try too hard and get impatient. You also will learn that if you sometimes forget the flux, it will still weld with a clean fire. Congratulations on taking the step. Neil

Truck coil springs = S7 ??????????? since when???????????

Good Morning, 1/2" square is ok, best to upset for the hinge area to maintain enough material. I use a lot of 1/4x1" to make smaller tongs. forge the jaw, define the back side of the hinge area and draw out the reins, leave the hinge area 1/4" thick. Chinobi, you should use the radius on the edge of the top face when drawing out the reins. Between your hammer and the edge of the anvil it is working like a top and bottom fuller. Only use the face of the anvil to make something kind-of flat. If it isn't red heat, it is at a planishing temperature (only good for finishing). Work smart not harder, always think at least a couple steps ahead. Enjoy the tongs, you might want to change the angle of the jaws so the tips touch first. Neil

Was that Divine intervention??

Good Morning, I agree with KNOTS about putting the pump, reservoir and high pressure hoses on the top. In my mind it is obvious. The only problem is that the press is now top heavy. Paul Thorne brought his Press to CanIRON VI in Victoria, all the plumbing was on the top. He put two horizontal sections of rectangular tubing in the frame (+/- 6") so the forks of the forklift could pick it up at the balance point he designed into it. The forks would not twist in the rectangular tube sections so there was no fear of the frame rolling on the forks. K.I.S.S. I have used sections of round pipe (6"+) for reservoirs. Round because I had it in stock, who cares what shape it is. Vent the top and pick-up from the bottom. If you are concerned about heat build-up in the tank, run the return through a copper automotive radiator with a fan. It works wonderful and simple. Neil