Farmall

Glenn, thanks for all you work. I am relatively new to the site, but I depend on IforgeIron to answer my questions. I use the search function extensively, and spend much time reading the responses. I often go back and reread them when I run into a similar problem. I have a number of blacksmithing and forging books and refer to them often as well. IforgeIron is another tool in the toolbox for me to learn this sport of Blacksmithing. I appreciate everyone's sharing of knowledge and help. I have asked questions when I could not find a suitable response after searching and they have been answered quickly and effectively. As to Mr. Turley's quote above, I am reminded of Kwai Chan Kang (david carradine's character on Kung Fu) who said "I seek not to know all the answers, simply to understand the questions."

If you read the ad, the black ones are 9 mils thick and the 100 powder blue ones for 6.99 are 5 mils thick. Reckon you could wear two on each hand and have 10 mils thick.....

That's a great looking wok....made one once for a fellow to use on his charcoal grill out of a disc plow blade that was worn out. Welded a piece over the hole in the middle, ground it smooth, cleaned and polished the piece and Voila! instant wok. He loved it and still uses it to this day.

Prayers outbound for Mom....for a fast and complete recovery to great health.

Prayers sent for fast and healthy recovery of your grandson and for the surgeons to have steady, guided hands to do their work.

one of the ways to get an approximate date is to look at the markings. Can you post a picture? In Postman's Anvils in America, he lists the dates of manufacture for various markings on the Peter Wrights. For example if all it has on the side are the words "Peter Wright" and "Patented" and the hundred weight markings, it was manufactured from 1852-1860.

My machine shop teacher worked on the Mercury project for NASA....I remember him saying that if they gave him 1/2 a thousandth (or .0005), he felt like that was a mile........ He told me once I should be a blacksmith (didn't like the way I was milling something)....so I told him I was trying to be one.....made us both laugh.

does look like one of the old carbon tetrachloride extinguisher, or maybe the bottom part of a torch..

If you search on Google "how to make a sandblasting cabinet", a bunch of different ones show up. Here's one made out of wood. http://www.smecca.com/2011/02/how-to-build-a-homemade-sandblasting-cabinet/

A while back I posted in the "It followed me home" topic (my post was #2915) some old blacksmith tools I had gotten and it included the taps and dies shown in the photo.....well, I have been trying to find out more about them and I found photos of all 3 in the book "Blacksmith and Farriers Tools at Shelburne Museum" (a great reference) by H. R. Bradley Smith on pages 218 (the die) and 220 (the taps). According to the book, the die is simply called a "screw plate" and says that "...is usually used on small work." Kinda had that one figured out already but what I didn't realize about the taps (mainly because I hadn't looked that hard at them) is that they are right hand and left hand thread taps "for rough work and for the axles of wagon wheels. These taps are given a taper of 1/2 inch per foot of length,....so that the direction of rotation on both sides of the wagon wheel shall be in a direction to screw up the nuts and not to unscrew the nut , as would be the case if both ends of the axle were provided with right hand threads.:" Reckon I'm on my way to becoming a wheelwright.....

Thanks for the link. I figured it had some age on it. Once I get some of the dirt cleaned off the bottom and pretty it up a little bit, I'll post another pic that may help in aging it.

Owen, can we have some clues on how you made that great horse? As with others, I have mine own ideas, but they may be way off the mark!

Ok, Ok, , I promise I won't touch it (still trying to get rid of that image Mr. Powers brought to mind of my great grandmother getting a facelift!). I'll just clean it off and maybe smooth any sharp edges in the cuts with light touches of an 80 or 120 grit flapwheel. 19th century seems reasonable, based on the anvil being 1852 to 1860. Could this stake be earlier than 1852?

Thanks for the information. Is there any way to tell how old it is? I know the guy that gave it to me told me it was with the Peter Wright anvil he inherited from his grandfather. The Peter Wright dates between 1852 and 1860 according to Postman, so could this be that old or older?

I was just given this fella (can't complain about the price!) and had a question. I put a quarter on it to give you some scale. Obviously, somebody has spent some time with a chisel on it. What do you all think would be the best method to make it a little smoother? Welding in the cuts? I've read about anvil repair, and welding in the cuts seem to be the way, but I didn't see anything relative to fixing a stump anvil (figured it's the same as a regular anvil, but I am pretty new at this). Thanks for any and all responses.

There are some beautiful anvils in there.....wow...........

Prayers inbound!

Known as a Saw set. They came in various sizes for setting the teeth on a saw, from a 20-30 tooth per inch (TPI) dovetail saw, to the coarsest of crosscut saws (misery whips to those of us that used 'em)

If it's a hay-budden, here's the dimensions and weights from an old hay-budden catalog....but like others have said, those markings may indicate otherwise.

I agree....but if it is the anvil at hand, then one does what one can. I'll leave it alone then. Thanks.

just want to clear up something....I was not planning on grinding on the top, only on the edges that overhang so they would be less likely to break off.

Just got this old fella. Weighs 140 pounds and has a nice wide 5-inch face. Wee bit of sway (ok, a lot of sway) as you can tell, but has a good rebound. Here's my question - as you can see, the edge is rolled over and stands proud of the surface. I really am new to blacksmithing and believe that I should grind it off, but I wanted to ask those with MUCH more experience than I. So, should I leave it (I don't think so) or grind a smooth radius that eliminates it? Thanks for any and all help.

Well, I worked for a number of years in both natural gas and propane distribution. Copper is acceptable for supply lines, just remember the sizing will depend on how much supply you want in the shop. So be sure to put one in big enough to deal with your largest use. In addition, some gas companies have propane distribution systems, and use polyethylene pipe. However, when propane is used in a plastic piping situation for gas operators, the pressure is NOT allowed to get above 30 psig to ensure the propane does not reliquefy (liquid propane tends to plasticize the pipe). Also, if you are going to switch the copper to black iron, it wouldn't hurt to put an insulator between the two to prevent bimetallic corrosion. Lastly, remember that propane is heavier than air....so watch if your tank is uphill from the shop. One accident I investigated involved a 500 gallon tank about 50 feet uphill from a house....it leaked, filled the house up, and then the house was no more...........

Good looking knife. Are you trying to fit the fire steel inside the handle and then wrap it?

please do!