gerald

Sparky, welcome to IFI. We look forward to your input.

Sometimes, our beloved AVOCATION takes on the look (and smell) of a VOCATION. This can be recognized by the recurrance of the dreaded DEADLINE (for delivery, for a demo, for a donation, etc). As we age, we generally tolerate deadline less and less. Sometimes I have to play mind games with myself so that the deadline doesn't get more attention than it deserves (from an old dude).

...or some LOOT.

I wonder if a feller could melt the glass into the proper spot and then put the piece into a pre-heated heat treating oven (I use a toaster oven from the flea market -$3). The heat would then be lowered gradually to hopefully prevent cracking. I've never tried this, just wondering if it would work.

Lost, Lost, Lost

There are literally hundreds of forges around the country giving good service with brakedrum fire pots. You will be happier with a "T" style tuyuere with some sort of sliding air gate.

Pall, Pall, Pall

Glenn, Not unless you want it in IG-PAY ATIN-LAY I won't even attempt French.

If the carpet in the house sparkles from tracked in chips.

Wim- I neglected to say what materials I use for forging/tools. I use "store bought" mild steel (A-36) for many projects but I also use scrap from the local junkyards for general forging. For tools I use H-13 or S-7, picked up as "drops" from machine shops for edged tools when I can get it (my stash is getting low). I also use truck spring (coil and leaf) for edged tools. The truck spring is usually 5160 and drops can be found at spring shops that build custom springs. I have made many punches/chisels, etc from coil springs picked up at the scrap yard. There is about 10 feet of good steel in one large coil spring. Enough to last for a while.

Calk, Calk, Calk

Curb, Curb, Curb

Nick, we'll miss your work. Looking forward to your return.

Curt, Curt, Curt

Some folks use FLINT SILICA which can be bought "dirt cheap" at pottery supply places. I'm not sure whether this could be called "sand" from a technical standpoint. If you try it, be sure to buy the coarsest grit you can find as the finer grits can become airborne and inhaled. The last I bought was 200 screen. I haven't been able to make it work as well as plain old Borax, though. The feller who turned me on to it, Bob Patrick, says to sling it into the fire as opposed to putting it on the weld area as you do with Borax.

A marble inserted into the poper sized punched and drifted hole will work. I've seen it heated with a torch to keep things cleaner than in a forge. I've also seen folks break up different colored glass bottles (always remember safety glasses) and use that for an inset. Again, heating with a small welding tip on a torch is in order so the pieces aren't blown out of the hole before they melt. It's also helpful to back the hole with a plate to keep the glass in place until it cools enough to set.

Bob Patrick told me that Flint Silica made a passable flux and was a little easier to clean up behind than borax. I bought a sack at a pottery supply place (@ $9 (US) for 50 #). The idea (I think) is to pitch it in the fire since it won't melt and run into the weld like borax does. I haven't been able to make it work, though, admittedly, I only tried it a few times. As Thomas Powers said earlier, borax is the thing unless you just want to try some of the other stuff. BTW, if you decide to try some, get the coarsest grind you can find as large amounts of it floating around the shop can be unsafe to brethe.

or TORN, TORN, TORN

I use a coal forge that I built from other stuff around the place. It has an electric blower with a rheostat (not the light dimmer variety but a true fan speed controller) to manage airflow. I burn bituminous coal from a mine here in Oklahoma (USA). I also use a small, shop built gas (propane) forge for those quick heats that I need to do. I don't use the gas forge very often, but it comes in handy at times. Anvils: 250 lb (~110 kg) Czech style double horn and a 105 lb (~ 50 kg) Colonial Period reproduction from Jymm Hoffman in PA. Hammers/tongs/etc: Most hammers are Flea Market finds that have been re-worked. Tongs are a mixture of shop built and commercial varieties. Vises: About 4-5 mounted around the shop at strategic places. They are of the "post vise" type for the most part but there is one larger machinest type, too. Punches, chisels, etc are mainly hand forged from various tool steels.

Pert, Pert, Pert

Feat, Feat, Feat

Hard, Hard, Hard

Safe, Safe, Safe

It would cool you off if you wore a KILT