Mark Emig

So it's a "whotheheckknows" brand :)

Thanks-when I first started, scrolls were quite difficult for me. I stuck with it, made a lot of ugly ones, got better with time, now I'm pretty good at them. I do a bunch of scroll work for other shops-customers send me either a full size drawing, or just an idea with dimensions and Presto! they're done. Well, not quite Presto, but you get the idea.

Hi All, This belongs to Bobby Hanson-for sale also. Any ideas on which brand it is? No markings other than a 2 where the weight would be stamped. Seems to be over 300 pounds. Thanks!

I leanrned the hard way to strap stuff down-had something heavy in the back of a truck-tromped on the gas-it flew back, blew open the tailgate and landed in the middle of the highway. Oops! then you gotta figure how to get a 400 pound item back in the truck. Oh, to be young and dumb again!

I talked to a guy once (very skilled smith), who said they used to weld plates together with a spacer between them around the edge, fill it with acetylene and oxygen and blow it under water with a spark plug threaded in for ignition. He told me he did it after he found out that bathyspheres were originally made like that. Sounds pretty nuts.

If you don't have a hoist or something like it, you can lift one side with a (large) pry bar a bit, put a block under it, then do the other side. Repeat until high enough. You'll need help. I've done a machine that way. Slow-but it works.

I have learned recently (again), to ALWAYS have some sort of a contract. I took on a railing job for a good bit of money on a handshake. 1/2 down, remainder when it was done, before installation. Well, the lady DIED. Now her estate is in probate, the lawyer is demanding a contract before payment. To make a long story short I have 2 rails completed outside my shop, and no dough in sight. Get some sort of contract with a signature, or it can cost you. My Dad always said, if it costs you pain, blood, or money you learn from it. Sometimes you get all three.

I agree with Doc. I use several different hammers depending on the job. I usually tell my students to hold the hammer just tight enough that it won't fly out of your hand, and never grip it tightly when it impacts the material. Luckily for me, I have had no issues with injuries-but I can't say for sure it's just the hammer technique.

Thanks for the info. It is a pretty cool tool.

You can mount a wire wheel on one side of the grinder. Be careful-the wire wheel is one of the most dangerous tools in the shop. Between the wires flying out and sticking in your face and other parts of your body, or the wheel grabbing the piece and sending it flying, it a mean tool. Be VERY careful-apply very light pressure and avoid the inside of curves if possible. You're very sensible about the safety glasses-NEVER work without them-it is way too easy to put out and eye in a shop.

Pretty much that's how it's done-now that you found a vice you're all set to go from what I see. You've got a shop that many people would love to work in-with the tooling you've got you're well on the way to being able to make almost anything.

Pretty much that's how it's done-now that you found a vice you're all set to go from what I see. You've got a shop that many people would love to work in-with the tooling you've got you're well on the way to being able to make almost anything.

Does your block have a step on the underside of it??

I figured out how the block is attached to the stand. The underside of the block has a step in it-and it seems like the stand is shrunk fit into the block. There is no brazing/welding visible on it. And I will survive the crushing guilt somehow-but it may take a while. I may have to go tool shopping again to assuage my guilt :)

Nice shop-and the anvil's a good one also from what the pics show. I just used a wire wheel on the chisel. Enjoy it. That style isn't hard to make-and they fit your hand well. I learned it from Mark Aspery-how to is in his first book. I have a lot of how to books on forging, and his is one of the best in my opinion (and you know the saying about opinions). He's got some great how to on tool making and heat treating your tools. The title is Skills of a Blacksmith-Mastering the Fundamentals. You're a lucky guy to work in a shop like that one-it's a sweet set up.

Let me know when you get the chisel I made for you-and enjoy it.

I do use my blocks-they are not decoration. My Yaters get used regularly. For decorative stuff, I like the Yaters more than the old industrial kind. Gotta admit, I do like the "cool " factor. I also have one of the New England Blacksmiths blocks. Not too big, but they are a useful too-reasonably priced also. If you're looking for a decent, not too costly block-get in touch with them.

My aplogies for your distress , Frosty :) Yeah, it's a pretty sweet tool. Now I can make a swage block pyramid in the shop. I'm getting a bit of a pile of them. Got a couple Yaters and some others.

I just scored this block. It has B&B Noyes & Co greenfield Mass cast in the face. The really cool thing is the block is integral to the stand ( they are permanently fixed together-can't see any welds etc). When it gets used on edge, the feet on the stand are parallel to the edge of the block so it sits properly. The other cool thing is the swages for heading bolts.

Not a clue, but it looks like a great set.

I just surfed your website-words fail me. Truly masterful coachbuilding.

Looks good.

That's just wrong.

Good luck, and enjoy your time at the forge :)

Nice work.