Arceye Blue

People who criticise my grammar and spelling. I started working in the boiler yards at 15 if I had had the ability to understand English grammar etc. I might have become a teacher. But we can’t all be the brightest bulbs on the tree.

i don't agree with" young" children driving fork lifts, tractors. etc . I totally agree .People in the past fought hard to give children the right to a childhood

Years ago when I was a young boiler makers apprentice, you would never use a chain when there was a frost in the shop .it was always rapped around the coal fire bucket to warm the frost out before use With a frost in the chain it could snap with the advent of the kuplex? chains, we didn't warm them . I was told wrought iron don't like the cold. ?

Keep looking the right one for you will not pass you bye,

Can't seem to open thumb jp any thoughts ? "he requested URL /uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-52134-0-89973300-1423591748.jpg was not found on this server". Not really computer savey only just learnt how to use the electric toaster. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you for your replies . I have strip it down and found :- The screw shaft and locking collars are very good condition The slide adjustment and locking bolts will need replacing. There is some slight scoring on the slides and ram due to grease being used as a lubricant and not being cleaned regulary The ram lower thread is well beaten up internally through I suspect being used with loose fitting tools . So I will clean it up replace faulty parts fettle scoring and lastly drill out the ram and drill and tap for top snap locking bolt. Oil the slides and fabricate a new handle . when purchased it came with two balls and no handle, poor boy.

Thank you all for your sound advice after which I will certainly take it slowly and not rush into a hasty decision. I will clean it up and see if there is indeed a grub screw as iron dwarf close observation suggests . I would like to fit it with a tool holder in which case the thread could be cleaned up and used so it would stay as is Thank you for your comments and advice I will let you know what transpires

Cheers arftist

Purchased this fly press yesterday, on getting it home found that the ram as a threaded tool location approx 11/16" and not a 1" hole and locking bolt. What your thoughts on drilling out to 1" and adding a tool locking bolt ? Regards Paul

My first knife made from old file ,broken hammer stale and old coins. I made this Knife for a friend some time ago before becoming part of the I Forge Iron forum, my anvil was an old sledge hammer head and my forge to small His requirements :- Must be robust ,sharp "a blunt knife is dangerous", and not so hard that it can't be sharpened in the field. After joining this forum and gleening tons of info i have up graded my forge some what. I then made my second knife The wood for the handle was foraged whilst walking the dog ,I think it may be hawthorn and shall be enjoying my future projects knowing good advice is at hand. Many Thanks to you all

Thank you for taking the time and posting the above articles very informative just what need .

Google stitch lock castings, you may find it very useful . We used to use it to repair Machine beds very effective

What about stitch locking it,

Looks great, pity Uk houses tend to have gardens the size of postage stamps.

Its no good the patio workshop and BD workmate isn't working, got to get a shed the only problem being I only have space for a 10 ft x 8 ft . Never Mind we will get there in the end i'm sure there are a lot worse off.

Bought this from a boot sale today ,seller said it was a lead ledger mold . Paid £5 . Think it was bargain?

My Home spun grinder, roller skate wheel and lawnmower drive wheel it works ok but needs a bigger motor . cost approx £10 Lets call it work in progress.

I think a lot of them ended up being recycled for scrap. The Jb I purchased was made just a couple of spits from where I live I remember the time when every secondary school had a metal work class with an anvil and hearth, most factories coalmines etc had a resident blacksmith but times have changed no one seems to be interested in skills of the past. 3D printers will make anything you want in the future at the push of a button without getting your hands dirty. But the journey of making something and the shareing of knowledge to me is as big a prize as the finished article. anyway enough of my ranting. Thanks for all your thumbs up looking forward to posting something I have made. tara for now

Don't be worrying no disrespect taken ,I quite often have a flush of -- to the brain

Well I have at long last aquired my first anvil . It is a Jb 2 CWT and cost £142 . It is quite difficult to obtain anything to do with blacksmithing as it seems every man and his dog want's to be a blacksmith or collect blacksmiths tools. The anvil as been used and abused but it will do nicely for what I have in mind. I was a boiler maker by trade but as the work in GB declined and factories closed I moved in to welding. Now I am retired I need to do something or I will go crazy,being a Blackcountry mon working iron and staffies are in me blood . Ta for the crack catch you later

I might be wrong because it was years ago, we used to bury components it warm sand if we wanted them to cool slowly ?

Years ago when I started as an apprentice boiler maker, there was still a few lifting chains about that were made of wrought iron. The golden rule was never use a WI chain with a frost in it as it was liable to snap,so they were always left around the fire can to keep them warm. This may be a reason for some of the old WI anvils shearing off parts?

Old Boiler makers saying that always stuck with me,was never put your finger where you would'nt put your willy.