Macsen

You could do a collar weld if you want to build up a large rivet head, it's one of the easiest forge welds.

Then just forge it to shape with...hammer and vise, hammer and bolt heading plate, swage block and monkey tool....

Go to a bigger forge and get a couple of strikers, THAT"S a good time!

Happy with my Peddinghaus 75 Kg anvil (160#) that I bought for portability.

Very hard face, nice shape, really like the double horn design.  Rings like a bell l l l l l l l l l.

I have a 230 pound Wilkinson. says Queens Cross on the side.  It's in a little better shape.  

Bought it from an old  fellow for $35 but he said to buy it I had to take it right then.  From his basement, and no, I couldn't go and get help or a hand truck, right now or never,

I did it, one step at a time, and slid it down his front hall on an upside down car floor mat.  

Sixth Annual Fort Klock Blacksmiths’ Gathering

 and  Hammer-in

June 7th and 8th, 2014

10 AM to 4 PM each day

7214 St. Hwy. 5 St. Johnsville, New York 13452

Come one and all to the sixth annual Fort Klock Blacksmiths’ Gathering and Hammer-in! This weekend event will be held in the 1811 Blacksmith Shop on the grounds of Historic Fort Klock on Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8^th of June.  Attend for an hour, or make it a weekend.  Admission is FREE

The Fort Klock Blacksmith Shop is part of historic Fort Klock, a revolutionary war historic site.  The Blacksmith Shop is an early 1800’s stone building still standing on its original location.

Hammer – In activities planned include smithing demonstrations, hands on instruction for beginners, a pot luck lunch each day, camping, oh and lets not forget, smithing!   Demonstrator scheduling will be finalized soon

If you've never tried your hand at blacksmithing but always wanted to do so now is your chance!

Smiths wishing to demonstrate or teach please let Steve know ASAP.  If you have a portable forge set up there is PLENTY of space for set -up and you’re encouraged and welcome to do so!  We will have a demo on Saturday by CarlWest of Prospect Hill Forge on making welded rein box jaw tongs.

For those wishing to make a weekend of it, there is plenty of space for camping.  Camping is primitive, in the open fields near the smithy.  Folks wishing to set up on the evening of Friday the 6th are more than welcome to do so, please inform the event coordinator Steve Gurzler if you intend to do so

The Fort's buildings will be open to the public this weekend for those interested in touring the fortified homestead, dutch tithe barn and outbuildings.
 

There is no fee however any and all donations to the Fort would be GREATLY appreciated; there is much to be done here at the Fort to maintain the historic smithy and buildings.

Event Coordinator
Steve Gurzler

518 877-7148
stevegurzler@nycap.rr.com

www.FortKlockRestoration.org

40# or larger with a 20# backup

I added an "enonomizer"  from the tank I have a regulator, a 1/4 turn ball valve (#1) , then a tee.  one leg of  the tee has a needle valve set for lighting and "idle" the other leg has a 1/4 turn ball valve (#2).  both legs tie back together and feed into the burner manifold.

This lets me open the first ball valve (#1)and light the burner without too much FUN. The the other ball valve (#2) is then opened to heat the stock.  Just before I pull it out, I close the #2 ball valve, and the forge goes to "idle" using less fuel and making it easier to manipulate the stock in and out of the forge.  The idle does a pretty good job of keeping the forge hot, saves fuel and reduces freeze up of the tank.

I work at a historic site, where we use a rope barrier to keep people back. At Colonial Williamsburg they have a counter across the smithy to keep people back.

Last weekend I was having a good conversation with a couple while demonstrating. The woman asked if I minded a "really stupid question" I said "not at all, I'll always answer politely, and anyway, when the smiths get together later on, we like to tell reallystupid question jokes."

I was talkin' to a guy at my kid's scout meeting about smithing. Another fellow overheard and said he had a propane forge he needed to get rid of for free. I asked him how big it was and he showed me with his hands about 8 inches wide, 8 inches deep and 3 feet long. I thought it was a tabletop unit that would be handy for small work.

We went to pick it up the next day. Turns out those were the interior dimensions of the firebox on a 400,000 BTU natural gas Johnson Furnace.

3 of us loaded the 580 pound beast into my kids old Toyota Pickup, and I drove it home. Someday I'll make a big power hood and hook it to a gas line. These babies go for about &7500 - 8,000 new. You never know.

Macsen

Greetings. I'm a new user on this list, I've been "lurking" off & on for a while.
Has anyone got experience with the anvils sold by "Old World Anvils" ?