I notice that Macbruce quoted me above, He actually contacted me earlier today to ask permission to quote me. Thanks Bruce. The conversation actually took place in Sept of 2000 when I called Francis to ask if I could come and study with him after I won a local folk artist compitition. Francis is well know for his strong traditional techniques and great skill as a blacksmith as you all know. . Francis knew what tools I had in my shop, power hammers, shop made forging press and rolling mill. When I ask about advice to a younger smith, Francis told me to learn to use the power tools to the fullest to save my body from the damage he suffered while working down larger stock by hand. I first met Francis when he dropped in at Skunk Hollow Forge while I was a student there in 1977. Perhaps some will say that I am fibbing, but that is what he told me.
I noticed that one of the opening comments from a Damascus smith noted that he is restricted to non-power tools due to noise and vibration. I would like to suggest that he consider the option of a small forging press and perhaps building one of the small rolling mills simular to Hugh McDonald's design. Simple to build and effective for drawing out stock without the noise and vibration as well as allowing much larger billets of damascus to be made.
I was not always so fortunate as to have power hammers and appreciate the frustration of having to work smaller billets than you desire ( perhaps not what you were implying). Several of my students have built smaller presses (20 ton) and we have built many variations of the McDonald design RM and have not had any complaints about the sound of the hydrolic pump from their neighbors. If $ is a prime factor, perhaps you could find a smith, perhaps through your local ABANA chapter that would share his PH and such if you agree not to sue if you get injured.
Thanks for your time, please forgive my poor spelling and grammer.
Steve Rollert
P.S. All of the Damascus I make is dry welded, haven't used flux in 12 years.
