SLAG

Fellow i.f.I. Citizens A great source for reasonably priced beeswax, is the local plumbing supply store. Beeswax rings are placed between the toilet and the base of the toilet ring. (i.e. floor). One botched toilet repair (the second try worked out), and I was left with enough beeswax for the rest of my life. I got creative and turned a kludge into a source of said beeswax for my smithy. (& wood shop). I probably have enough left over to put it in my will. The botched toilet ring set me back about ten or twelve dollars. Buying that amount of wax, at a hobby store, would have required a second mortgage on my house. Cheers, SLAGE. So the moral of that story is that there may be a silver lining when you botch a toilet repair job.

Ausfire, Frosty is not the only soul that enjoys a good picture and a delicious side-track. I love 'em too. Most mortals are content with a model railway. You, though, do it in gargantuan style. Bully! Thanks for the post, SLAG.

Das, Thank you very much you are a capital fellow. Regards, SLAG.

Herr Daswulf, Where do you get your wheels? I am, now, in the market for a set myself. Thank you, SLAG.

Ms. Anna, She is, now, on the prayer list. SLAG & Marg.

Mr. Aries, Forgive me if this post is repetitive or belabors the obvious. But here goes. Knife making, is most of the time, a two step process. Step one is to fashion the knife. Step two is usually to make a handle. The gang has explained that adding ash to steel is not a good idea. So, why not fashion the knife and then make the handle with integrated ashes? The knife part can be made by either stock reduction or the more skill requiring smithing of "raw" steel or even as a kit that can be bought at toll seller. (e.g. Woodcraft). The kit comes with blade knife-makers rivets but without a handle. That's how I started out long ago. That way you can make the blade first and when you are satisfied with the blade. Then commit the ashes in the handle making step. If you live close to New York City, you might want to contact Mr. Theo. He has, recently, started running a hammer-in monthly. You might attend that if you live close by. You could be located anywhere in the world. We have members situated all over said World. You have not divulged your location in your profile. Contact him, to ask for instructions. Or commission him to do it, if knife making is not your thing. You have started a noble enterprise. Pursue it. Regards, SLAG.

The Mastercraft brand/trade name is owned by the Canadian Tire Corporation. They are a chain of 'hardware" stores. They started out as a mechanical parts, tools and hardware operation and now they sell all of manner domestic appliances too and also etc., etc., etc.. They have stores all across Canada. I have spent a lot of money there over the years. SLAG.

Frosty, You are right. SLAG.

Awesome! ::: i.f.i. technology and metallurgy fans, Great news! super hard windows are on the way and coming to, among other uses, a space ship located near you! Very hard boron nitride has been known for a long time and is prominent in industry. Dr. Moriyasa Nishiyama, his associates, and some equally brilliant German scientists have, together, fashioned CUBIC boron nitride crystals. This particular crystal form is much harder than standard run of the mill boron nitride. (which is nothing to sneeze at, itself.) Boron nitride is almost as hard as diamond, but it can withstand temperatures way hotter than diamond. I know enthusiasts, the suspense has been building and is probably almost overbearing. So here goes, https://phys.org/news/2017-03-transparent-ceramics-super-hard-windows.html Tell all your friends that you saw it here in this sub-forum. Regards to all. SLAG. p.s if you turn the house thermostat up to 1,560 degrees F. your wife's diamond ring will turn into very expensive carbon dioxide. Don't do it.

Case harden it? Regards, Gadfly, SLAG.

Glenn, Would you please put this tutorial up as a stickie? Regards, SLAG.

A while ago I bought a ten pound box of modelling clay for about $20. (at a large hobby store). I suggest that you phone around for the best price. Good luck, SLAG.

Hammer Person, "pretty darn on point", On the point of a red herring or on the subject. I am easily confused SLAG..

SLAG Here, I posted a note concerning file holders in the fall 2016 . I suggested two other items that could be used for such a holder. Let me quote, All the above suggestions are excellent ideas. I have a suggestion for handles for very small files. Such as needle files etc.. (They are very useful for finishing details in items like decorations on, e.g., touch marks or engravings, etc.) Treat yourself to a luxurious higher-end plastic toothbrush. A brush that fits well in the hand. Brush your teeth until the brush wears out. Then replace it for tooth brushing purposes. But save the old one. That old brush will become the fine-file holder. Take the brush and cut the handle off, at right angles to the long axis. Saw the brush end off the toothbrush and discard it. The handle portion will become the new file holder. The cut should be made at a spot behind the brush bristles where the handle end broadens out. A right angled cut is ideal. That cut end will be situated where the file tang will be inserted. Center the cut end . Clamp the cut off handle and drill a hole into the end. The drill hole is now ready for the file tang. The diameter of the drill hole should be one eighth (or one sixteenth,) of an inch smaller than the tang's diameter. The tang should then be heated and driven into the hole in the handle. Let it cool and it is ready for use. Perfectionists can make a further refinement to prevent the file working out of the handle. Smith several small divots into both sides of the tang's long axis. The divots are orientated down toward the brush handle's base. The heated tang will fuse around the plastic divots when it cools This will help prevent the tang from working out of the handle. Different colored toothbrush handles may be used for specific files. The color makes identification of the specific file shape or its coarseness. Cheers. SLAG. Wooden file holders can be made from dowels. Discarded broom handles and finer wooden dowels are regularly discarded in the trash. Wooden clothes drier racks are sometimes also thrown away. Cut the rack apart and store the pieces. Such a rack will supply you with smaller diameter dowels for years to come. Two of them might last a lifetime!

Frosty, I missed that episode of Mythbusters. I am not surprised that the wax stank. Regards to all. SLAG.

I have not stopped yet. SLAG.

Muriatic acid is solution of about 30% hydrochloric acid in water. It can be neutralized by any base. Baking soda will work and lye would work faster. But be careful neutralizing using either chemical. The reaction is very vigorous producing a lot of carbon dioxide gas which could send the acid into the air. Use skin, eye, and vapor protection. And do it outside away from people and animals. Better yet stick with vinegar instead. (which is a 5% acetic acid solution) in water. Highly diluted zinc acetate salt (the product of vinegar and galvanized steel). can be put on a garden that is alkaline. But spread it around so the garden does not become too acidic. Also heavy deposition of zinc could also affect plants. Humans do require zinc. but in very small amounts. They can be purchased at the drugstore. (but the chemical in them is not zinc acetate but is zinc gluconate,) Which is the glucose sugar salt of zinc. But I digress big time. SLAG.

Has anyone heated up ear wax? I suspect that it will give off a foul smell. Why? Because the wax is not solely wax. It is a complex mixture of wax, water and protein. It even has immune system anti-bodies in it. (to fight off infectious micro-organisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, etc.) The sulfur containing proteins will smell. (methionine, cysteine, & cystine). The smell would probably resemble that of burning hair. And where can we collect enough ear wax to use? SLAG.

Great idea Bigfoot., The awl can also be used for caning, and for small wood projects. It beats making a series of small holes by using a drill. Thank you. Regards

Marg and I have added them to our list of intentions & prayers. Hang in there. SLAG.

Hobby stores carry modelling clay. That is where I bought mine. If you can do that you save on shipping. The shipping is, most likely quite, expensive. Check out a list of such stores and it may cost a lot less. Mr. Bezos can survive without your order. Regards, SLAG.

Mr. Forge-Nub, Using plasticine is probably less work to use, as it does not dry out over time. But if you can get clay for free or much cheaper try this tip for keeping it from hardening. Make a mental note of the consistency of the clay when you first bought it. Keep your clay at that consistency as you use it. Add a little water to it as it starts to dry to return the clay to the same feel as when you first got it. That exercise requires a little care to avoid having the clay not become too soft. The water should be thoroughly mixed into the clay. Now store the clay in a double plastic bag to retain its moisture. Better yet store that plastic wrapped clay in the original container. Store it all, in a cool place in the inside, and out of the sun. The hammer man's tip about mushing the clay down in order to determine the volume + (scale-loss) allowance is very clever. I never thought of that idea. Thank you Hammer/Grammar Fellow. As always, SLAG.

Greetings Citizens, Here is a little information regarding chrome use. Chrome has a very high melting point. Namely, 3465 F. (= 1907C). Hope that helps with your calculations concerning using chrome plated steel chain, or not. SLAG.

Aquarium heater? SLAG.

T. P. , Thank you for the heads up. Marg., my long suffering spouse, wants to revisit that part of the country. I have never seen it. Sooo, why not? Regards, SLAG.