Marksnagel

Good job! Welcome to IFI ! 

I would be amiss if I didn't warn you about a potential danger

 I would like to caution you about the use of a galvanized tub and any other parts that are galvanized and may come in contact with high temps.

Galvanized is basically zinc that has been adhered to the steel wash basin/bucket. Zinc is a heavy metal and when heated gives off poison fumes. Bad enough to kill you and anyone that breathes it in. Your parts may never get hot enough to burn off the zinc but there is that chance. This is not something that you can just avoid the smoke. 

Your design looks good and I am glad that you were able to heat and beat on some iron. Please don't let this warning cause you to lose heart in your blacksmithing adventures.

Mark <><

I am others will chime in with more exact info as to the evils of heavy metals.

Good job! You can never have too many punches, chisels, drifts, etc.

Beautiful cross brothers, keep up the good work!

Prayers for A.D. and Mary being sent.

Glad to have you back!

I ask my fellow IFI members for their prayers. My wife Patty has two MRI's this week in conjunction with her cancer and her spirits are low. We have been battling this for 9 years now and she is getting tired of the fight. While being healed would be on the top of the list, I would just like her to have some peace of mind. We know who is in charge and that is why I ask for prayers.
Also, my older brother David's lukemia came back last week and this morning he passed away. My son will make the trip to NJ with me for the funeral on fri so that is a blessing.
So to sum it up: Peace for Patty, peace for my brothers family, and travel mercies for friday.
Thanks for prayers and God Bless all.

Mark <><

ps. my shoulder will probably need rotator cuff work done in the near future. Pray it hangs in there long enough to get everyone else straight.

Very nice Daniel.

Mark <><

Brian, welcome to IFI. Glad to have you here. You are in good hands with njanvilman. The possibilities are endless, pull up a stump and set a while.

Mark <><

I have seen them made out of the drum from an old washing machine, or a truck brake drum or wheel rim.

Great set of drawings and pics. Thanks!

Man o man, I've got 8 bills. Too bad they're all ones :P . But Cleetis is right. Keep on asking. That's how I got mine.

Psycological tricks - if I had said "a long list of questions" would you have kept on reading? I had to get my toe in the door. ;)

Hey Don,

Before you try this make sure that the blower is NOT plugged in. Spin the motor by hand and listen for any grinding scraping sounds. If it has sat up for a long time the brushes may sound kind of rough. spinning it by hand may clean them up. Check all of the power cord. Look for frayed insulation or dry cracked insulation.
If it looks good and spins freely then I would say give it a go.

If you still feel concern prior to plugging it in, find a motor rewind shop and have them look at it for you.

PS. a "Couple" of questions is 2, not 6. :)
Just kidding. Ask all you want.

Mark <><

Welcome to IFI from East NC.

I should have commented when you first posted this. As a visual learner, BP's like this make my life much easier. I learn best from seeing and doing. Math is not foreign to me but your method is more to my liking. Thanks Yves! I will put this into practice.

I will see if Woody can make it and drag him along.

Yeah! I believe I can make this.

Travis, I will let you know about coal as I am running low.

Mark <><

Nothing to waste. As previously stated, wet them and put on the fire. They will coke up.

What are the true priorities in your life? I am a hobby blacksmith yet I spend most of my spare time at the forge. It brings in income that helps out and I can easily justify it. My wife is ill and likes to just hear me outside in the smithy at the anvil. My kids are all grown and have moved on.

But, when the wife calls for me, I leave what I am doing when safe to do so and go to her. If I need to put out the fire, so be it. I can always continue at a later time. The forge has never kissed me goodnight.

My children take priority over the forge. (They will most likely pick out my nursing home).

If a friends donkey gets stuck in a ditch, I leave the forge and help him get his donkey out of the ditch. What things in your life do you plan on doing or having for the rest of your life. Friends and family will (should) last you way past your ability to forge.

Like Mr Frank alluded to in the above reply, You are not married to your forge.

It can be all consuming. Keep your priorities in line with your families priorities and things should run smoothly.

Mark <><

Looks like you had a good productive 3 hrs. Well done.

George, The reference to "Young Frankenstein" was my second thought.

My first thought was, " What knockers!" (me)

Very nice "Visitor is at your door." thingys. :P

That forge is great for demos. Lightweight, small, and you can make all kinds of things with it. I would love to have one like it for traveling. Try it before you condemn it. You just might like it.

Mark <><

An old drum cutter for removing the minus a few parts?

Or an intergalactic ice cream churner. 8)

Ditto what Harold said. Most of what we learn in life is something that has been shared from another. IFI is a gathering place of the iron minded people and sharing is what got a lot of us to where we are now in the art of blacksmithing.

So I will jump onboard and say "THANK YOU" to all my friends and the admin/owners of IFI (who I also consider friends).

Mark <><

Cool!