Rick Barter

Thanks, T-Gold. That does help a bit. I think I just broke one of Paw-Paw's 10 commandmants, though. Don't work tired! I was exhausted and frustrated and should have quit. The great thing about iron is that I can go back to it when I'm ready and bang the scroll out and start over. rvb

Thanks for the pic, Daryl. That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. What's the diameter of that wheel? rvb

Hahaha. I'm glad I finally know the story. Hmmmm good idea for identification. Are you sick of pink yet, though? Maybe I should paint all my stuff blue. It seems everything I own is blue; my Jeep, my Harley, my jeans...you get the idea. :D

Thanks y'all. Glenn, where do you get linseed oil and why does it make a difference to boil it? Does it have to be a mix of 50/50 with mineral spirits? What do the spirits do? I'm very interested because my hands are killing me after today. They're used to hammering on keyboards, not metal yet. :? rvb

Well, I've gotten strong enough to use my 3lb. cross-pein hammer that I got from Home Depot. I've been using it the last couple of days and the head is already starting to wiggle. I can't believe it. So, should I just get some wedges and hammer them in there? I seem to remember reading (on this list I think) about making wooden wedges or something. My 800g Peddinghaus cross-pein and my 1.5lb ball-pein from Home Depot both have what look like wooden wedges and then a round metal wedge in them. Is this the way to go? rvb

Well, I had a tough day today. I haven't forged in awhile. I just moved into this house a couple of months ago and it took time to get settled and fired up. My hands are like hamburger and I can't bend a nice, big scroll freehand. I tried it over and over and over and I flat out just stunk today. So, I'm a little disgusted with myself. Anyone else ever have that problem? Well, I guess I'll go drink a few beers, soak my hands in some ice, and get back to it in a few days. rvb

you know? i didn't even think about the riveting of multiple sections. hmmmm...thanks! maybe i'll cut the crap one up and experiment with it. Thanks! rvb

I have a post vise that I need to mount. I don't have a work bench or anything yet. I have a concrete floor in the barn, but I need to move the tractor and various vehicles in and out so my "shop" is all portable for the time being. Anyone have any ideas or drawings? rvb

Well, I am making some of those garden things to hold bird feeders and stuff. They look like shepherd's hooks and stick in the ground. I guess they're just a big scroll. I made one and it came out like crap. I'll keep that one because I don't mind the way it looks. Function over fashion is my motto. Anyway, it was not easy working with a 10ft. piece of 1/2" round stock. I couldn't make the bends around the horn very well. I was using a hand truck as a blacksmith's helper, but it was still an ornery piece of metal to be trying to move. So, should I build a scroll jig out of a piece of flat bar and use that to make the curves or is there some other way I can make the curves. I'm trying to practice hammer control. I've got pretty good control and do a good job on shorter stuff that I can work around my anvil horn, but this 10ft stock gave me fits. rvb

Did Leah make that? Also, what's the deal with "pink" stuff? I've seen multiple references to pink and Leah. What's the story? rvb

Hey, whatever works! :)

Thanks to both of you. I didn't think of the "Y" idea, Elkdoc. Pretty slick. After I posted I did go out and do what Strine suggested (although I did it before I received your post ). The radius holds the can in with spring tension. Well, I got so fired up (no pun intended) about spring tension, that I made a hold-fast for myself. The 1/4" stock I was using fit right into the pritchell hole in my anvil. Pretty sweet. Also, I forged one of those things to hang your bird feeders and such off of. It came out kind of crap, but I'm giving it to my mother-in-law anyway. All-in-all I had a VERY productive day. Now, if I don't pass out from heat frustration (sic), I'll be doing alright. rvb

If I rivet a tin can to a piece of steel for my watering can, how do I get the rivets out so that I can replace the can when it rusts out? Would I be better off putting nuts and bolts instead of rivets? rvb

That's a cool tool. How did you shape the handle (wooden piece)? It looks like you riveted it as a block. Did you use a sander or something to shape it? rvb

Wow! Great advice. My barn is about 4 years old. It's a pole barn with 6x6 posts and 2x6s, and trusses to hold up the roof. It's metal siding and metal roof. Now, how do you anchor the pipe? I know I can use bracing inside, but what about the part going up and over the roof line? Guy wires anchored to a roof truss? Thanks a ton for all your help. I can now go looking for stove pipe wholesalers. If anyone knows of any in the Kentucky area, let me know. If not, I guess I'll start with the local building supplier.

Thanks for the great reply. Dang! I gotta read this a few more times. Can't I just use double-wall all the way up to help insulate me from all the heat too? Also, if I go through the wall instead of through the roof, won't I get a decrease in the draft? rvb

Where does one go to figure out how to correctly cut a hole in their roof, put a chimney flue in for a side-draft forge, and make it weather tight and sound so that it doesn't burn one's barn down? rvb

Thanks for the tips! Actually, one of my brothers-in-law said there's a pretty well-known bladesmith in my area here in Kentucky. But, I can't remember his name. Heck, I can barely remember my own sometimes. rvb

thank you, rich. i will check it out. this is the most beautiful knife i've ever seen. i would love to make my uncle a knife. it would be a very personal and symbolic gift from me to him. someday, perhaps my skills will match my desire. rvb

rich, hollow-ground blade meaning the i gouged it? because that's what i did with the grinder...i just took a big scallop out of it. i guess 'big' is a relative term. but, it looks like crap. after i get it fixed, is there any way to get it nice and black like it was before all this mess?

My great grandfather and grandfather were blacksmith's and weldors. The came from Maine to Rhode Island and I think had their own shop. Well, my granfather died when I was young and I never really got a chance to learn what he did for a living. I didn't know what a weldor was back then. So, I always had this curiousity about welding. Well, some time ago I saw a smith demonstrating at a craft fair. He was making fire tools. I was fascinated and my wife had to drag me away. I never forgot that. Well, I've been interested in welding and blacksmithing ever since and I guess I'm on a journey of discovery. My father doesn't seem to want to share any information with me about what my grandfather and great grandfather did for a living and what their shop was like, etc. So, I'm just trying as best I can to discover things for myself. I am an out of work IT guy and wish I could get into welding and metalworking full-time. I've had a tough time finding any welding classes, though. Anyway, the journey continues. rvb

Ironsmith, I highly recommend _The Blacksmith's Craft_ by the Countryside Agency. It's a great beginning book and it's FREE. I downloaded mine, printed it out, and brought it to Kinko's to be spiral-bound. It is great. http://www.countryside.gov.uk/NewEnterprise/Economies/craftpublications.asp Another book I recommend is _The Art of Blacksmithing_ by Alex Bealer. It has tons and tons of information and sketches. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0785803955/102-8906464-9352931?v=glance I would also recommend _The Artist Blacksmith: Design and Techniques_ by Peter Parkinson. It is very well-written and inspiring with fantastic color photos. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1861264283/infoline0f-21/026-6385121-4590838 I hope this helps. I'm a beginner too, but I bought a lot of books. These are the ones that are good and worth the money. There are more, of course, but if I could only buy a couple, these three would be my choices. rvb

you mean just any stone? i don't know much about knife sharpening...as you can see by the damage done to my knife :roll: rvb

Here is a picture of the damage. Any advice is appreciated.

Well, I have a Kershaw knife. I bought it about 4 years ago and it's like a part of me (except in the airport...they're so touchy). However, one day I dropped it on a hard tile floor and the point was broke off. I put it on a grinder to try and re-point it. I did okay, but slipped on the grinder and took a hunk out of the blade. How can I repair this properly? I guess you need to use a slow-speed grinder for knife work? Any help is appreciated. I'm trying to get a picture, but I can't find the batteries for the digital camera :? rvb