todoned

Too bad they couldn't execute their plans. Talk about stringing us along! It is hard to turn ideas into a business... I wonder if they should just sell plans... Or open it up for benefit of the community. If you look at past innovators in our community, they sold plans, demonstrated at Abana conferences, etc.. Think air hammers, forges, presses, burners, etc.. We can still hope, but looking more like a dream

What a long wait this has been. I hope we are in the home stretch. The one I bought from Grant is starting to act up. I bought a huge cooler for it (25 gallon dynaflux) hoping it would be happy, but maybe not. I definitely am looking forward to Daniel and Josh amazing machine!

Let 'em finish something for us folks in the states first! Then they can worry about other voltages! :-)

I learned today that Sherri Riggs passed yesterday morning. Sherri was a long time member of SWABA and a recognized artist. Her work is featured in "Passion and Power" along with that of several other New Mexico blacksmiths. I did not know Sherri but thought others might want to hear the sad news. -Tod

You might ask courtiron about the siliconized sleeve he uses for his coils. See the thread "Where o where induction forge" where he discusses it and his coils in more detail.

Some commercial coatings (definitely dipped) act as insulators so you can't short the coil. I'm not sure how necessary. -Tod

I want to second the suggestion of learning how to weld with oxy/acetylene torch. Then you can step up from there to TIG very easily. I think a welder is definitely needed if you plan to make any tools.

Thomas and I got some wire yesterday! Amusing to me that a quick search brought me to a link saying that he's been hunting for some, :). What have you used your wire for? -Tod

I also agree with Glenn. I remember quite well the day I saw Fred's collection, and it wasn't feelings of anger or envy that I felt -- rather awe! It was an amazing experience -- I think Frank posting those pictures of his recent trip is evidence of this as well. Sure -- I'd love some of that stuff...I don't have a cone, don't have a swage block larger than half a loaf of bread, etc., etc., but I treasure what I do have, and acquired it bit by bit, purchase by purchase, over the course of going on twenty years now. Every anvil/shop/tool-collection has a story -- I don't much of Fred's, but I'm quite grateful he let me take a look!

Looking great!

PM sent. Have you considered running this as a Kickstarter project? -Tod

Great read. I own a 15K unit, one of the ones that broke and Grant fixed... will be nice if we get a USA heater in production -- also we don't need all the bells and whistles on the imports. Larry -- can you post a few photos of your coils? Would be most interested to see them. I'm in need of some kind of solution for heating very small tips -- I find myself waiting more to heat small pieces, than large ones, :-) -Tod

Yep, get it... a few months after I sprang for a brand new Nimba 260, I was at a demo where the 450 was offered for $500 by the shop owner who had come to believe it was too soft -- I responded without even thinking that I would buy it ... and I must say that I like the bigger one better, :-) no regrets at all. -Tod

Hi Thomas, It has been on the Swaba page for a few weeks now! As far as it being cobbled together -- I have no idea, could be... the dies certainly are out of alignment. I don't have any other pictures, the hammer needs pulled out of where it is -- perhaps some interest will motivate the seller to get better pictures, etc!

Discovered a guy down the road has a Kerrihard 30 pound power hammer for sale, he mentioned $2000 but I don't know how firm that is. I took a picture. I have no interest in this sale, but will forward his phone number to you via private message. Location is Albuquerque, New Mexico. I know the hammer needs a new motor, otherwise I don't know its condition -- as is obvious from the picture, it is stored in a shed, and non-operational. I don't think the owner ever had it working. -Tod

Paul, I took a look at your website -- interesting to me because the unit is unlike the rather 'standard' unit one sees everywhere. Web site is extremely sparse, unless I'm missing something. Still, the coils you have are quite interesting. Care to comment on the 2 coils on the right in your diagram and their uses? Or about the siliconized sleeve? I may actually be interested in buying a coil or two, as my attempt at making a more complex shape didn't work out well -- somehow that pancake coil is tricky. Anyway, I for one think there is a lot of value in friendly competition, and hope you'll tell us more about your units! -Tod

Hi Larry, Thanks for telling us what you can about the modifications. I understand that you can't say much. I've been very happy with my unit, and happy to learn it has the appropriate Grant magic built in. Like Nuge, I'll go back to dreaming about the bigger one. I know I asked Grant before to elaborate on power requirements and chiller requirements for the larger unit, its all here somewhere... -Tod

Great news Larry! Do you have Grant's records? I'm curious if the machine I purchased fron Grant was modified for blacksmithing? Do you know when he started doing the modifications? I'm also curious about the modification? Can you elaborate on what it is (frequency change?) .. if there are machines out there without the mod, can they be modded after the fact?I had not heard that Grant was modifying machines until just recently. One day I'll be looking for the 25KW unit, but that day is still probably a few years away, :-) Thanks! -Tod

Looks intriguing... have you looked into buying just the burners? I have two burners from http://www.hybridburners.com and am quite happy with them -- its not that hard to make a box and add some kaowool... then again, not knowing your location, the ebay burners may be just fine! -Tod

An interesting website ... I wish these folks would figure out something for us blacksmiths, :-) http://fluxeon.com/

Its a scary world now without Grant. I bought my unit from Grant, and it worked great for 4 or 5 months, and then failed to heat metal, making a strange noise. I sent it back to Grant (my expense) and he fixed it and sent it back to me (his expense). I must say it was a horrible feeling before he fixed it -- quite a lot of money for something that doesn't work! But, the feeling when it does work is just the opposite -- these machines really are amazing! I sure hope my unit does not fail again -- I've had it for about a year and a half now... I've opened it up, there isn't much in there... but nothing I would have any idea how to repair. -Tod

Thought it interesting that amid the discussion of advanced technology, the video begins and ends with smithing: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june12/germany_02-08.html -Tod

Many years ago I had metal in my eye, emergency room couldn't find it...eventually a doctor did. Same thing happened about a year ago. After that, I bought the eye wash that comes with a mount and put it up right over my grinder... I've used it once, and probably will again some day... my advice would be to definitely go with the eye wash, and the kind you can mount on your wall. Most cuts and what nots you can take care of a bit less urgently... -Tod

Say he needs to pound it into the ground a bit... the top will make that difficult, unless you can remove the upper ornamentation. I agree with Thomas, you should make it so he can take it apart. You can still use traditional techniques. I would be tempted to pass the top bar through the upright, and use some sort of wedge to attach it to the scroll bracket... of course I can't quite see how to do that, with the scrolls on both ends of the top bar... but it looks like a fun project! -Tod

Like all the rest, I sat in utter disbelief after reading this horrible news. I fell in love with Grant's tongs years ago, and have an induction forge that he provided and most graciously fixed when it started not working. So many questions he answered... and for me, just the thought that if I ever had a really tough question, he was there waiting in the wings... so sad... I shall definitely add my voice to virtual chorus of celebration for his life today.