yves

Made with 1/2" square for the upright and 1/2" round for the tripod. Top? nothing fancy, a simple flame.

For years I managed to avoid forging one of these. This was inspired by the tripod appearing in Plate VII of L'Art du Serrurier by Henri Duhamel Du Monceau (1767). The book is available free here (the link leads to the Plate). The tripod is forge welded. Instead of having hooks for the trammel, simple lines are sufficiently strong to hold material. These lines are eyeballed and readily cut with a hot chisel. Numerous lines make for precise adjustments. It holds long bars and can be used, with a weight, as a holdown. It is light, easy to make and quite use

JLP services, My clips were made in the spirit of the clips described by Viollet L Duc in "L" of the following drawing. They were needed where they were used (Abbaye de Poissy) to hold the door together which I did not need with my doors making them superfluous.

Clips, I added, for the fun of it. As if they would hold back clinched nails that might have broken … Just a design, exercise. Superfluous.

The only pic I could find. I have made some that are longer. I used to make at least one link before starting work. The ones I make now have this elongated end that Mark Aspery always keeps. I think they look good.

Just add compulsion to your obsession and you'll forge a few more …

Pics were taken before the job was finished. Eyes and pintles forge welded.

Automobile block heater installed in a steel barrel.

It was a nice moment to see this this morning. Thanks.

I started forging and did not know what I was doing. I came here and to every question, I found an answer, went back to the forge tried it out, got it to work and came back with a new problem. And got an answer. Just read what is in here and try it out. It will work.

A sharp punch will cut the slug out easily. Dull edges on a punch do not work as well. I just noticed that the edges of the holes of my bolster plate have become dull. I have to make a new one.

Nicely done. Keep going.

I thought you had ment wooden barrels from Molson. Still jealous !

Salut, In fact wooden barrels are easy to find in my area. The probem is with the through heaters for animals. They have wires. I just can see myself dunking a piece of hot steel on a wire and cutting it. Sometimes I think of the next step in the work. That is not, how shall I say … conducive to me using a contraption with a wire immersed in the tub. You got me thinking. I could install some plumbing in the side of the wooden barrel and use the block heater in that plumbing. As for Molson, they have been, for a long time, brewing beer in vats large enough to go canoeing in. A

Thank you for the quick answer. My water drum beside the forge is steel. I had installed (too mechanicaly chalendged to do it myself …) a block heater. Took me years to think about it and the village mechanic. No more winter long emptying a (too) small water bucket and carrying a new supply every morning. It was the emptying that got to me the most ! This block heater idea might be possible for you as a solution for the colder periods. I have mine on a timer. It heats the water drum (November to April more or less) for 1/2 hour every hour and 1/2. Since I do not like my steel drum