GunsmithnMaker

Alrighty then....... I'm updating my own post with a picture. I got the 50# bag of Smithing Coal just a few minutes ago that I had ordered Sunday. If you have seen this type of coal let me know what you think of it. I now have the anvil, hammers, and some coal. I need the forge and tongs. (Did I post about finding an axel that was left in my backyard by the former owner that has one brake drum left on it?) Oh well, something will come along soon.

Well, after a short talk with a blacksmith in the area I found out that I can order Bituminous coal right from my local Aubuchon Hardware store which happens to be about 3/4 of a mile from my door. Here's the description: Blacksmith Coal So, I decided to order some, even though I don't have a forge yet, and see what I can find out about it. The price is kinda friendly, but not the best at $.30/lb so I may still drive the 30+ miles to pick up the loose coal to compare them before I settle on one just because it's in my back yard. If you look around the website a little you will see they sell two other kinds of coal as well. Both cheaper.

Sorry to bring this to the top again, but I have something relevent to add. I'm not sure of the circumstances in the now deleted story, but obviously someone has an item not properly obtained in his possession. 9 years ago I was forced to move and put an entire shop into storage. Then 2 years ago someone decided to look for stuff to steal in my town to get their kicks. They didn't make any excuses that it wasn't being used, but they took what they found and came back to clear out some more things a couple weeks later. One of the things they took was an 800+ lb Mill/drill machine which indicated that a few people had to be involved. When they found this guy he owned his own garbage business. The first item stollen was a top tool chest unit that wasn't recovered which really bothered me because it was full of gunsmithing tools that I had acquired as a learning set from my gunsmithing school, and a few items given to me by friends that I will never see again. There were also a few items I'm sure I didn't find a receipt for that will never be replaced. From the second B&E the mill/drill was recovered but was missing the matching stand and it was damaged enough to make it a very heavy boat anchor. At this point I have paid over $6500.00 in storage fees alone for items that probably originally totaled $4500.00 in value when new and most are still sitting in storage because I don't have a place to use them. That's just life, but it's a burden I am glad to bear to have these items when I can finally set up my new shop. That theft was personal to me and I'm sure whether the anvil in question was trash or not the loss is personal to the true owner. There is no reason from what I gleaned from responses that a deal couldn't have been made one way or another if you persisted and worked with the owner. You don't want to be the kind of man that stole my stuff. He is worthless as a man and less than human in my opinion. I'm in the court of opinion of those who say take it back and make ammends. If you blame the guy you paid for help that may only go against you, so just be plain about what you did and let the chips fall where they may in that part of your explaination. The owner may be so mad he won't trust you for a while, but if you prove yourself you may be surprised at what he will send your way in the future.

I'd like to see a head on picture of that side of the anvil with the depression. The closer the better to see if there are signs of tearing or if it just looks missing.

Ron, I do have a way to get it down or out of a vehicle with my tractor, but you do have a better idea about buying it in several smaller batches that are easier to handle. Not to mention it might be easier to pay for a little at a time right now as well. I guess I should figure out how much I'll need to learn the skills I need and then double it. :lol:

Vise on Craig's List http://burlington.craigslist.org/tls/2141553050.html

Well I finally have something to say about the coal situation. I didn't get the 300#, it was already gone. I found probably the only coal dealer in the State of Vermont today. They're 35-40 miles away, but they have bituminous coal for $.25/lb at any amount you want with a price break for larger amounts. Can anyone tell me how many pounds you could get in a 55 gal steel barrel? I don't have a pickup at the current time, so I can get the barrels into my mini van. I'll certainly keep my eyes open for any more coal being given away though.

Since this will turn into a followed me home post, I will update what I have said already about the railway "dump". I contacted Town and State, and was told by a person from The State Agency of Transportation to "go ahead and pick stuff up". I wrote down the pertinent information in case someone needs verification. Glenn, Thank you for the information about Brentwood. I looked up the travel distance and it is 180+ miles away from me. 3 and a half hours to get there probably. (Now I really need that motor home LOL) I just happened to check my local phone book and there are 2 blacksmiths listed. Unfortunately if you have seen my thread about smiths going out of business I think both of the listings are now out-of-business. So, no one to easily start a group with. I'll keep trying though. :unsure:

I have a reel to reel, an 8 track, a record player that plays 78/45/33 RPM records, a few CB radios, and all kinds of old cameras and even some film to go with them. I think we have gone so far so fast that the things we took for granted in our childhood have to be held onto to show others what they were like. My parents were born before a lot of the camera I have were even made, and today I use digital cameras for their convenience just like everyone else. Of course you're talking to someone who would love to make an entire gun by hand. Taking a piece of raw material and realizing a dream.

I may be buying one that is much more complete than that one, but identical otherwise. It is going to cost me 50% of what they're asking. We'll have to see how this week goes.

I totally agree that it should be legal. Maybe I should explain further about this particular situation, but that would take too long. I'll look for anyone who will claim responsibility for that mess and write up something legal at the least. I know about the "now it's all yours" routine that communities like to pull, so I'll stay away from that choice. I wish there was a local group, but I've never found one. I'm sure if I want to travel at least 40-50 miles one way I can find a small group that likes the name of the club and doesn't do much. Since this is a followed me home thread I will ask if there is any use in forging for a furnace balast tank I have. Maybe for the oil burner or parts of it? I doubt the cast sections that weight 200-250 a piece are good for anything except scrap. Back to what followed you home.

Just an update. The person selling the outfit for $500.00 has sold it. I too hope that someone who is going to put it to good use bought it. There are plenty of collectors around here who would leave the anvil in their entryway as a unique dust collector. I haven't heard from the other seller who had more to sell but didn't list a price. Fe-wood, as I've said my father was a carpenter and I ended up trying to sell his entire shop for a quarter of what you'd have to pay for anything close to the quality of his tools if they were new. I ended up giving most of them to a charity that helps repair people's houses. The rest of the tools I sold for pennies on the dollar and the buyers were not looking to pay anything. I tried several times to sell the entire shop at a fair price, but people would rather buy cheap portable tools that will be toast in a couple years. That's mainly due to the tax structure around here that makes "contracting" from a trailer more profitable than working from a shop business. I'm glad that there are people out there who would do what I did. If people won't or can't take advantage of a deal then find someone who will use the tools and give them away.

I was going to say 2 of them would make good, if ugly, book ends for your smithing books. Having had an ASO to work with before I can tell you they are not worth the "cheap" prices you pay for them. The one I had was so soft it took the imprint of everything I tried to shape on it. I found a piece of railroad rail worked better, and our rail around here is small. Stay away from these things.

WOW That looks too good to use now, but I'm sure someone would use it. Maybe those are the best ones to use as they are no longer strictly original. Again, Nice work. :)

I have a question about salvage. If you found a large amount of iron and steel, from a former railroad, along the side of what is now a public right-of-way (a walking path that used to be the railroad tracks) would you pick up what you could or try to find a more "legal" way to gather the left overs? Yes, I know of exactly this situation not far from me, so this is not hypothetical.

It looks as though the spirit of St. Nicholas is still around making people happy after all. Congratulations on the best gift of all. The one not asked for or sought.

From some of the comments left I take it that there may be a lot of experience going to waste. How many of you older smiths are training new smiths? Has anyone looked at doing things the "old fashioned way" and actually taken on apprentices, or is that still a practical way to work with all of the regulations? I'm trying to understand why there seems to be such a lack of training opportunities, at least in my area, for certain fields where the trainees would benefit from apprenticeships. I've taken a welding course at the local "technology" center, but without a full time opportunity to use my skills they are usable, but weak. If there were more opportunities to work with someone and develop those skills on a part time or as needed basis I think all craftsman fields would benefit. My father was a carpenter, but it seems as though I could never pick up the right skill set to build things the way he did. I can do rough carpentry pretty well, but it always seems as though I lack something necessary to get things to fit perfectly. It's not so much the assembly as much as it is missing the subtle movement that wood tends to make while assembling the pieces. I don't know if anyone else has noticed this quality of wood that thankfully steel doesn't share. I didn't want to open up these posts to everyone right off, but I'll take a chance that not everyone here needs a shop full of equipment. So here they are to check out yourself. http://burlington.craigslist.org/tls/2137418989.html ($500.00 shop) http://burlington.craigslist.org/tls/2135322128.html (Unknown prices) I will say that I have seen one blacksmith shop in a very high end area close this last year. Otherwise, I really don't know of any others in the area. I'll admit that this is more a case of my ignorance of every business that is in my area more than any fact about the number of craftsman's shops that may have closed.

I was looking through Craig's List to see if anything interesting was to be found and two days ago I saw a posting for a Blacksmith's shop. Everything is included, but no price posted. Tonight, I found another posting from a town closer to me with another smith's shop for $500.00. Both of the people who posted stated they had many years, 15 plus, of experience. Has the economy slipped so much that blacksmiths are deciding to leave the trade in your area? I have to say that the first post sounded like the seller bought out an old shop, and both say in their posts that they want the tools be be used by a smith. Does this sound to you like people are just giving up due to the lack of business? I can't imagine that you would have to limit yourself so much that you couldn't find something to produce that people are looking for.

120# Hay Budden number 139288 made in 1907.

Gee, all I got for Christmas was a Foredom Professional Flex Shaft Power Tool Kit. I was good and didn't buy myself anything because money is tight this year thanks to a vindictive neighbor. You can see it here: http://www.foredom.net/k2272.aspx Once I get my bench together it will see some work.

Glenn, one of the ideas I'm mulling around is notching the rim on opposing sides to bring the work down into the fire. What if I do a drum inside a drum with some material between them? Another idea is to raise the fire with a false bottom (grate) to the right height. I guess one question I have is won't more fuel/fire area make it easier to heat your work?