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I wintered this year in apache junction and would like to look you up near the end of the year.  Went back to Minnesota beginning of may.

He made cross grave markers.  I live 200 miles away in Minnesota and there is one 17 miles north of me.  He also had 5 sizes of jigs to make what was recently still marketed as a hula hoe.  Most of tools where shop made did fairer work and wooden wheels.  The shop showed progression first large bellows in ceiling which was foot operated then got hit and miss engine that ran line shaft that powered blower then electric that was reostat controlled.  You can come back to the shop many times and see something you did not see or understand.

Leaf spring should be 5160 which is .6 carbon many hammers are made from  1045 which is .45 carbon so as long as it is not tempered too hard should be fine. 

Welcome

Try spring steel 56108

 I believe that is what Tom Clark used

Never saw wrought iron tire in Minnesota. 

How about a forge and cutoff hardie

Very nice forged trap.  Early forged traps the jaws were riveted to two posts that were threaded and a nut held them to base plate or held with tapered wedge.

Check out umba they are your local abana group or Illinois valley blacksmith

Give to me I will dispose of it. Actually if I was to use coal I would wet it first place it around charcoal or coke from a previous fire burn it to convert it from green coal to coke. Green coal doesn't have the heat coke does.

Wi blacksmiths are badger and umba

UMBA should be having there winter conference in Feb

MN has guild of metalsmiths, central blacksmiths, northern blacksmiths and supirior (SP) blacksmiths (Duluth)

welcome to this group and blacksmithing.  I am new to the area now in Apache Junction, AZ looking for a place to pound iron

welcome to the group

Inswoll is for gas forges bit I use loose fire brick to control the size (diameter) of my fire. This allows the fire to be deeper also

3400 would be too fast and under powered

Price is related to where you live and how bad you want one. Rebuilt have seen or heard of them selling for around 4k or supposedly running up to $2500 although I would not pay that much but am not looking to buy one either. Clay spencer who has retired from building hammers used to get around $2000 for a tire hammer I think but could be wrong.

Some use a horse stall rubber pad. My 250# Murray and 60 kilo sumac is on thick oak

I also have not shaved since retirement 18 months ago

I am on the road headed there for the winter myself. Other northern smiths told me there are many shops in the area. AZ group has a hammer in jan 17 I hope to see.

I can beat Hollis I once paid $5 for a 25# hammer but that was 30 years ago. I live 80 miles from the foundry and there used to be one every 10 miles or so. In the last 10 years have bid 650 sometimes site unseen and haven't bought a hammer. Have seen dies welded in which is not a good deal. Check for shims under the top journal caps these are to adjust the Babbitt bearings. Check the ram slop at bottom and top of stroke comparing the difference. Might be 3 phase motor.

Missouri group goes to pat McCarty Washington mo for hammer in and to eat Mary Jo's cooking or so I am told headed there from mn

Ivan Bailey used to say he did not mark his work as his money was made when he sold the piece not years later when it gets resold as an Ivan Bailey work. Let the seller do the home work to prove Ivan made it. Unfortunately there is no more of Ivan's work being made.

They are a great bunch.

Postville blacksmith shop might now located in WI.

I plan to spend a few months in Apache junction after first of year. Will try to get to Jan 17 meeting.