JerryCarroll

My 12" stack has been up since 98 and doesn't have any rust. It's used a lot. The turbin on top has been replaced because of the wind--not rust. the galvanize is above the fire enough to not get real hot. Pictures are in the gallery.

Meeks book is wonderful! Plenty of ideas for classic work. I made my first gravers from chainsaw files over 20 years ago and still use them. Die sink chisels are used also. Several jeweler's supply houses have affordable engraving tools.

If you can find Lynton McKinzey's (sp) tapes on engraving you will have a treasure of info on just about every aspect of what it takes to be an accomplished engraver. I've had the set for about 20 years so they may be hard to find.

Merry Christmas all.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me--a long list of things to make for our big family
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me--a warning to get on the ball!!

In a load of "stuff" I picked up at a fabricator friends shop was a block of mild steel 8" long and the exact width of my anvil with a 4" piece of 2" wide angle iron welded on each side. It's 2" thick and fits perfect on the anvil. It don't walk around like the lighter--bent over the anvil piece does when I'm cutting. I can even forge small pieces on it when I need a kinda sharp edge my anvil doesn't have.

There's some pictures of clinkers on here somewhere---use the search to look.

Get a chunk of hard wood like oak or osage orange, maybe locust and burn a shape out with a hot piece of metal. It's surprising how it holds up.

Prayers from here Jimmy.

Irn, Cookie and the family as well as you are on our Prayer chain here. May God bless all of you with the healing that only He can provide.

My shop forge (coal) has a blower/injector from an oil furnace with adjustable air flow that can be tuned with a lever on the front of the forge from a slight breeze to enough air to blow the fire outta the pot! The furnace was being replaced with a natural gas heater so I got the blower and a bunch of working stock just for hauling it off.

There is a short video of my tire hammer working in the gallery. With scrounging/trading I built mine for around a hundred dollars. I used the rusty plans to get an idea and worked out my own style. Plenty of adjustments for throw length and other things. Ram and die is 32 pounds and hits around 275 a minute with a 1 1/2 hp motor from an old air compressor. It's not a little Giant but it works great. With some encouragement I may haul off and make a blue print--

Jose, thank you!! I copied your great design for the bending tool close to the size pictured. It took less than an hour! A heaver one is in the making.

I upset the blade end a couple of inches before drawing it out. Start drawing the blade by hammering the upset end edges back toward the body of the hawk. Upset first--split for the handle then draw out the cutting end. Then I finish the eye. A picture is in the gallery.

Don't even mention protecting your property or family with a firearm in this area of Illinois. Even a piece of rebar can get you in trouble trying to stop a thief. Sad situation!!

Alan, you're on our Church Prayer chain here. Praying for the healing only God can provide and strength for you and the family. God Bless you.

6 of the plastic 55 gal. drums--4 steel 55--2 30 gal. by the forge all inside the barn. Several small tubs taken in trade for work setting around under tables and the boat.

I have a Sears farm forge from the early 1900's that I found being used as a flower pot on a patio of a friend. I rebuilt the blower and ratchet assembly and put on a new pump handle. I had heard the pan needed a clay lining so didn't use it right away. I meet a fellow at a show that had been a riveter in NY a loooong time ago and he suggested using a layer of the ash from my shop forge a couple of inches deep and at the end of a session pour the lining into the empty slack tub for saving and easy transfer at the next location. That has worked for many years without any damage to the pan.

I use jewelers gravers and die sink chisels. If you can find a copy of James Meeks "Art of the engraver" the process is well explained with illustrations.

To list everything covering 67 years would be a long/boring post. Some of my favorites are archery, all kinds, including making my own stuff. Muzzle loading/buckskinning, again making my own stuff and having a supply shop. Engraving, carving, Wood working, gun stocks and furniture. Of course blacksmithing, bout 50 years worth. Worked as a metal finisher for Ford stamping 35 years that included different types of welding. Martial arts instructor and competitor about 40 years. Stock car/drag racing, building my own stuff. Husband--47 years, 4 children--11 grand--2 great grand kids. Whew!! Trustee at Church should be heading the list.

I have a 1914 Sears with the pump handle--ratchet type drive. It was being used for a flower planter when I found it. I had to make new teeth for the ratchet and a couple other pieces. I used leather that we bought from Tandy for our leather buckskinner articles for the belt. When I put the belt together I dampened it except for the couple of inches glue area, stretched it a bit--put it over the pulleys and clamped the glued area till it was dry. The belt has been in use for about 10 years now. I use a bit of spray-on belt dressing if it starts to slip a bit. There is a picture of it in the gallery.

Janis and her family are added to our Prayer chain here Milt.

I'm kinda like Irn--a couple of mornings back I was up just before daylight, looking out the back window at 2 nice deer standing up on their back legs picking apples from the trees 30' from the house with their chests toward me. I could almost taste the stew!

I posted pictures of my setup once upon a time. To extend the bolt I used a nut that fits and a length of threaded rod cut to size and screwed them together from each side--works fine! I use mine in the hardy hole with a short length of 3/4" pipe--washer welded on the bottom and the upper end cut on the same angle as the taper of the anvil heel bottom. With the threaded rod extending thru the washer and a large wing nut the tool is held just right. I also made several different hold down heads for round and other shapes. They really make a good hold down.

Martial arts and smithing! Good combo. I'm 67 and still practice a mixed arts exercise routine to stay as fit as an old man might be. Tai Chi keeps me limber. Master John Sharkey just finished a few weeks summer training camp here. Check out his sites at the American Karate Association web page. I dropped out of competition in my 50's--my son Jeff was national champ for 4 years in his teens. Staff kata competition is unreal now. The bo's I checked at the camp probably weigh only a pound.