infinityblacksmithing

Heres my new swage block from John Newman, just the 20 pounder. I've only had it since last week and am really glad I got it. I've used it a few times and it has really been worth having it. I also got the stump from my neighbour. I had let him know I was looking for one at least 9" diameter for my anvil and about a week later came home at 1 am and saw this very strange shape on my front porch. I couldn't see what it was until I got about 1 foot from it since there were no lights on. I couldn't use it for my anvil since its more of a triangle (hard to tell from the pics) and one of the feet would hang off, but I knew I was getting the swage block a few days later. So I spent a few hours with a grinder with a flap pad, a large wood saw, a sawsall and a hammer and chisel and got it level and got the 2 different insets? into it. Barely moves when its laying or standing. Boy did it make me wish I had a chainsaw, or at least knew someone near me who did.

Here's a couple pics of my first guillotine. It's a 1/4"er, I still plan to make a 3/8", and a 1/2". I made this one for making candle cups, but I'm sure I'll use it for a lot more then that. Let me know what you guys think. I know the welds are looking pretty ugly, gets a little shakey when you start welding and realise you need new gloves. I based it just off some pics I saw of another guillotine that I happened to have the material for.

That would definately keep you from grinding away to much material. Very cool.

Your anvil is alot like mine, except yours is in better condition. It has been treated very well in its life. It was made between 1885-1910, based on it not having England stamped in it and having solid wrought in a circle. I still haven't found any info why the center weight number is not in the solid wrought circle, maybe someone out there knows about this. Also its actually 115lbs. 1=112, 0=0, 3=3. Welcome to the site.

I moved recently and the guy who used to live in my house stopped by to let us know a couple of things about the house. He told us that there was a white duct in the mudroom in the basement that leaked water (he told us to put a bucket under it like he had). I traced the duct back and it was run through the floor from the recently put in main floor laundry from the dryer and just left. Theres a window about a foot from the duct so its run out there now. I sure do hate those nights when my daughter gets something on her stuffy( like her blanky) right before bed. You know its not going to be a good night.

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to check out what I can find at the flea market tomorrow ( now that I have a better idea of what to look for).

I'm wondering what some of you use for an oil quenching container. How thick of a wall should it be. I know it needs a quickly closable lid for flash fires. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks BTW, I'm wanting it to be used for large items like hammer heads.

My shop is named Infinity Blacksmithing. It came from a tattoo me and my wife have which is 2 hearts upside down to each other the rounds of the hearts crossing over each other to make an infinity symbol in the middle. Also the ends of the heart are open. It symbolizes infinite love open to endless posibilities, plus if you don't know what it is you would never figure it out(much better then having your ex-wifes name tattoed on you).(I'll post pics soon, I just made the pieces to a metal version but still need to rivet it together) So the business name means open to endless posibilities, essentialy willing to make anything.

The Canadian Forge and Blower was posted on kijiji I think back in Feb. for $600. Maybe he bought it and is trying to make a couple hundred on it. BTW, where in Ontario are you?

I have a couple of old crowbars and large prybars( the ones that are 5 or 6 ft long). I'm wondering what some ideas this steel may be good for for some tools? Would the thick square part on the prybar be suitable for a hammer? Does anyone whos used these materials know if a water quench would work? Any other ideas of different tools I could make would be a great help. I get a mental block anytime I think about making something out of it. Also,I've used some of the crowbar material to make some punches. They seem to hold up pretty well. The working end is the same shape as when I made them , but the hitting end is slowly mushrooming. Anyone know what I should do to stop that? Also They seem to bend a bit in the middle, would quenching them a bit after tempering the end help that? I know it seems like I'm just rambling on a bit, but any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

If you have princess auto where you are, I think you do. I got a 110V powerfist flux/mig welder last year. Its done just fine for me no problems. I know a couple of people that have them aswell and have no complaints. Plus there real cheap and have I think a 5 year warranty. I think mine was $150. Haven't bothered converting to gas yet, flux has been doing just fine. Hope this helps.

I'm certainly no expert on this but I think that anvil would have been made between 1885-1910. It has similar markings as mine does and that is the age I found mine to be. Solid wrought in a circle puts it after 1885, and not having ENGLAND stamped into it puts it before 1910. Hope that helps. Nice find by the way.

Yeah, the burner is David's design. No problem with heats. I like that design alot, I've seen a few similar designed bodies and they usually have 2 burners instead of one, I like saving the $ on propane by only having one. As for the coal forge that won't be for a couple years once I can get a mortgage on a house to have a permanent shop.

Heres my propane forge. I built it on a course with Dave Robertson from The Hammer and Tongs. I've really enjoyed it. Am definately going to add a coal forge aswell, once I get into a more permanent shop.

Heres my Peter Wright anvil. Got it and a 30 or so pound anvil from a vise( has come in very handy) for $300. Its marked 1-0-1 so 113lbs. So just under $3/lbs. I'm glad I got it since thats the best deal on an anvil I've seen in my area since I bought it. From what I've found it was made between 1885-1910. Anyone know anything different?

Anyone know who made this vice. My best guess is Peter Wright from what I have found, but it didn't have any of its parts except the screw box just the main body. Including a couple pics from reworking it. Thanks for any help.

Thanks for resizing them. Now I just need to find out how to do that myself.

Sorry about the pic size. Anyone know how to resize them that could let me know, I'd appreciate it.

Here's some pics of a Hill anvil I picked up a couple weeks ago. Weighs 191 lbs and got it for 310 so $1.62 a pound. I thought it was a pretty good deal. Bit of sway in the top but still good to be used. From what I've found it was made some time between 1830-1850.

I happened to discover that most of the local flea markets around me sell antlers. Nothing overly large but lots that would be a good size for knife handles. Real cheap too.

Hi everyone, I'm just trying to figure out how to post pics as thumbnails and have them not be huge when you open them. They are on my computer and on photobucket. Thanks for any help.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I have a really good picture in my head of what I should be looking for in a bandsaw. I ended up getting a drill press today. Just a cheap bench model for now. Once I have a more of a permanent shop, when I finally get a mortgage, I'll look into a bigger model. Same for the bandsaw. I think I'll look for a portaband for now, or maybe just get a cheap used bandsaw to get me by for now.

For the band saw I plan to get a vertical one. For freehand cuts I probably would not do anything thicker than 3/8. Mostly just for leafs and things like that, no large shapes. Aside from that just to cut stock. For the drill, just basic drilling. Probably nothing more then a few inches deep. If I need to drill big awkward pieces I have access to a metal shop I used to work at that I could use there radial arm drill. I'm really wondering what kind of power or options I should look for on both. I usually am in the shop 5 days a week. So they would probably need to last. I just want to make sure they will be powerful enough to do the job. The other option would be to just get some cheap used ones for now and upgrade down the road. I found one of each for sale online. Each $45. Both barely used. There mastercraft brand so I doubt they would last for that long, but very cheap. The drill press is 8", I don't know yet if it has adjustable speed on anything like that. The bandsaw in 7 1/2 ", again still waiting on a response of its other specs. I just want to make sure i don't get something thats only strong enough for wood, that just wouldn't do the job on metal. No bladesmithing yet, aside from ornamental pieces just made from mild steel. But down the road I do plan on getting into some bladesmithing. Just ornamental for now. Thanks

Hi everyone, I'm wondering what minimums I should be looking for in a bandsaw and a drill press. I probably won't cut anything thicker then 1" on the saw, if that, but want to be able to do free hand cuts with it. Drill would just be used for average use. Thanks for any help.

I got The New Edge of the Anvil when I first started(only about 8 months ago). It has been a huge help. Lots of info, easy to understand drawings, lots of plans for basic tools. I refer to it probably once a week. Also any of Dona Meilach iron work books are great for inspiration.