Dogsoldat

Googling barber chair footrests gives lots of interesting hits. They are all fairly large and thin cast iron. Some chromed or nickel plated others just plain cast depending on vintage. Was almost contemplating a cast aluminum one, but would have had to dig out the casting sand, make a new box attempt a pattern or three... Thanks for the compliments guys!

Do you have any pics handy of your mirror edging Ausfire, love to see what it looks like so far. I'll be sure to get some pics when it is mounted on the chair. Eager to see it in place myself. Wondering if he'll trade an 1812 NCO's sword for it...

A barber friend has been restoring a 1958 barber chair. Had fixed a few broken cast iron pieces on it already, but he was short the footrest. Finally had some time to get ambitious. Had to drag the coal forge out of the snow and mount the blower back up couldn't fit things through the door of the propane forge. I'll have to play with a lot more coal, sure puts out the heat. Melted one really nice leaf and had a few sparklers. Was starting to get the hang of it by the time I was done. Did manage to take a few pics as I was working. I did use my little Mig to glue it all together and a die grinder with a zip disk to clean up the welds. Stayed fairly close to my chalkboard sketch. It's 16 1/2" wide x 8".

Great Grandfather use to use fir bark. have seen Dad use it a time or two.

I finally had a little time to play. Managed to finish up a stand for a large forged rose. Think I have the order of operations sorted out now. Just a matter of having a good run on making hearts. The tenon for the viny twist worked loose as I didn't get it riveted together as nicely as I had wanted so I cheated a little and flashed up the mig and glued it together. That and half way through drawing out the vines I had a bright idea that it was a little late for... put a small leaf on the end of a vine.

Seen a few of the shows on salvaging wood. Rather interesting. The coolest was pulling the huge chunks out of the St Lawrence and nearby waterways from old shipwrecks of the 1700-1800's, Seem to remember a cube of maple being lifted out that was 6' x 8' was to be shipped, then sawn once it reached England for fancy veneer. It's to bad Discovery and History channels have all gone to the reality show junk.

I wonder if steaming the wood had a similar effect on the wood cells that kiln drying does. From what I understand is when the wood is heated and kiln dried the cells rupture and that stabilizes the wood. I've never heard of the pitch being washed out of the wood preventing checking but then there are volumes of stuff I don't know :)

what about upsetting for the scarf to weld reigns on tongs? and everyone needs tongs

All the rivets you see are either articulation points or mounting points for leather straps. take a look through this pdf and much will become clear. there also is an excellent book by ? Price on armour that's well worth getting . Drat... links not going through. but if you google Basic Armouring by Paul Blackwell

Brian Brazeal has a fantastic video on youtube on making tongs. There are quite a few others that have excellent youtube videos on tongs of various sorts. Google a few and watch them a few times thru and things will start to make a lot of sense in a hurry. Time well spent even giving them a good perusal. heck even have it in a small window in the corner of your screen while cruising thru IFI. some times the important bits catch your eye when you least expect it... :)

I have a cold chisel made in metal shop. It's either in my stuff somewhere or in with dads tools someplace. Just remember that it came out to soft as 2 of the queen bee girls were bs'ing between me and the quench tank. They moved quick when being yelled at to move or get burnt... can't remember making anything before that. Did watch Dad make a knife out of a planer blade and Teflon for a handle on his rivet forge, was for a cousin if I remember right.

Some wonderful ideas there. This has been a bit of a question I've been rolling around in my head as my wife would like to see some sort of stand to go with the single roses. What I have been thinking of though is a Brazeal horseshoe heart with some to hold the rose up in. Whether that's one end twisted up into a spiral or something socketed riveted on. I think the heart as a base would make the roses quite desirable for Valentines Day. Just have to find some time to get out and play in the shop...

Thanks for that bit of history Thomas. Always fascinating how things were done.

That's rather interesting. Must be more for tin work with wheels on the bottom.

Yeah the sword is interesting have a few more pics of it too. He has it for sale $250 I think. Would have to check. There are 2 marks on the blade but couldn't say what they are supposed to be in terms of makers marks. Been really tempted to buy it but the wife has been giving me the evil eye every time I mention it. Holidays treated you well I hope. 4-5" of fluffy stuff. Just enough to make life interesting.

Was visiting a friend that has a barbershop and has all sorts of odds and ends pass thru on consignment and such. Showed me a 1903 The Gibson guitar he recently picked up in a 1898 leather case. A stratavarius violin from Czechslovakia, he was saying it was appraised on the Antique Roadshow. And he also acquired a fair collection on knives. Some Kinfolks, a Kabar Rifle knife, a Jim Frost made in Pakistan that though cheap steel looks well made otherwise. And an 1812 NCO's sword

Any reason not to put sauna tube or a 5 gal pail filled with concrete with a bit of rebar sticking out the top with a hole drilled in the bottom of the post? At least that's the way Dad had done his outbuildings. Keeps the posts from rotting off. Either way looks like a heck of a good start.

ah goodness. just to sharp for your own good Frosty! :) thanks for the chuckle!

What about making crosses anyways. just twist the arms til the diamond in the center is the right size.

Thanks Frank.

I have a fair bit of it that I have collected from when I was running feller buncher. For awhile there it seemed every time I turned around I found another clump that was going to be levelled anyways so I brought a bunch home. Have several nice billets I have to try and turn into bows one day. But that's another hobby :)

I guess you wouldn't have any idea whether the are soft iron, copper or a copper alloy. They certainly look interesting.

It took three weekends of puttering away but I finally finished it. Sheath and all. Steel is a bit of 5160 from an old Ford leaf spring. The handle is a piece of yew I had collected some time ago and the brass bits are from the thrust washers off a 527 skid cat trunion. reasonably happy with how it turned out. The grind and polish went really well. the handle went on nice but the pommel cap has tried working loose once or twice. The tang hardened up making it rather difficult to peen over nicely. should have taken a pic or two when it was fresh forged. My new flatter made for a nice quick job of dressing the blade.

Whats in the left corner of the picture? Looks like the bottom of a big bick. Very nice score congrats!

You did a very nice job on the stained glass. I really like the symmetry and assymetricalness of it . Kinda makes me want to just keep staring at it. :) so... I guess it's a bit big to have Santa stick it in my stocking.