Borntoolate

Firepot and B2 swage on order
More to come. I got Brian coming in late october for 2 days. Should have it running by then. But may need some advice setting it up right. When it comes in I'll post some pics of the current set-up and plans for installing the new firepot. This will be a big change for me as I just got into this stuff about a year ago by seat of my pants and a gas home made forge. Wasn't til January this year I went to coal. I'll be looking for advice on proper set up. So brian I'll be looking for your thoughts as well as others. I am still pretty clueless and feeling my way here. When you come in Oct I'd like to use my stuff as much as possible to see how you can help me see what I need to change both hardware, knowledge, technigue and experience etc to help me be more effective. I am real slow at this stuff. :wub:

I figured there was no one answer. I think I got the gist on using the Clinker breaker. Thanks

How does one use the clinker breaker on the Lorance Rig?
Is it a full rotation or a wiggle back and forth? How often, semi continuous or only once after several hours?
Never used one O these. Right now I just have a plate with holes and a poker.

I got in touch with Lorance. Sounds like a plan. He'll be sending me some info next week and I plan to take the advice and buy it.

KYBOY and Brian. I called the number but the message made me think it was the wrong number. I see the pots for sale on Piehtools for $248. Doesn't look like it has the Tuyere and so forth. Is there a Website or other phone number? OR is 309-475-9012 for sure it?

I am looking for advice on either a replacement firepot or possibly a modification to my existing one. I am leaning toward a purchase of something along the lines of "the last Firepot you'll ever need."

I currently have a home made brake drum forge. The drum in about 9" inches wide at the top. In the bottom I have a 1/4" plate with about five 1/2" holes. A champ 400 stands to the side. It feels as though I don't get the heat that I might get from a "real" firepot. This may be due to poor operation or my set-up. I am prepared to spend the cash to purchase a "proper" fire pot and am looking for advice on what others suggest to purchase or suggest to avoid.

I was going to rebuild my Dewalt 14.4 batteries. I could not seem to buy batteries in the quantity I needed in order to do this cheaper than I could have them rebuilt for. I did not want to buy 200 batteries. I think I needed like 11 batteries. Then there was the quick soldering issue without overheating concern. In the end I paid to have them done for me. The result has been OK.

My belief is that they use the weaker cheaper batteries in these. The dewalts are also the most expensive. So buying new is a tough pill to swallow.

What brands of batteries do you folks use and how do they perform. I am happy with the dewalts except the price. Then there are the Harbour Freight ones that I am afraid to use. Does anyone have epxerience with these. Others? Online Rebuild companies?

I put 1/4" bearings in mine. It still has a good bit of rattle. I used JB weld on the cones (they were grooved). Not sure if that has held up or not. The cups have wear to but I left them alone.

A friend said I may need to wear in the Gear to the worm. I bought some lapping compounds and used it. This helped some. Probably did not lap long enough. I figure I will just let it wear in itself. I also found that one of the fan blades was just a tad bit loose. Just a very little. This was making about half of the rattle noise. I solderd it tight.

You can buy bearings from Grainger and probably a bunch of other places.

When starting to work the rivets after they are set I always have trouble in bending of the reins near the rivet. It's hard to get the right area hot enough without this. Or am I heating to much. I guess I could quench up to the rivets... Thoughts?

"On a lark, we started banging on railroad spikes, and this is what I came up with: It's half-burned, the twist is uneven, the "blade" isn't straight, the curve in the handle didn't come out at ALL like the vision in my head...."

LOL, that is rather horrible looking. Not intending to be mean.

But, probably not bad for an 18 month lay off.
I am glad you had fun though!

Looks like yuo were just glad to be back at and not too much worried about looks.

I sometimes just hammer just to make something square for later. That way I can get some hammer time without actually having to produce anything. Then later when my heart is in it I got something to work with and some old piece of trash gets recycled.

I am puzzled by your question of what do we think. I am pleased by all the answers. There is really nothing to "think" here.
The anvil is not yours. No thinking is required, just returning.

On the other hand I would think of what deal I might strike with the actual owner. Perhaps dropping off a forged Item to decorate the barbershop would be more pleasing to the anvil owner than the actual anvil. This donation to decorate the barbershop is served AND a craftsman is enabled.

I also like the Brass wire brush look too. I haven't quite nailed the right temp to brush at though. It is well below cherry red it seems and in the black heat color. OThers can probably give a better description. Not a very good pic but the hook on the right is brass rubbed. Left is shiny spray paint (yuck). These two are like the first things I ever made.

for my fireplace tool holder and tools I am using a high temp flat black stove paint.

Not sure what you mean by "holding heat"? I guess the rough rebard would cool quicker until you get it squared up. Is that it? I for one have about had it with using rebar. It was great to practice with being free and a lot of hammer work to get it square while not risking messing anything up. at this point though I find it a nuisance to square up and seemingly VERY unpredictable in Carbon. The last piece I worked on seemed to be a bugger to hammer square. I am also seeing what looks like a lamination running a good 10+ inches which probably won't be good long term for forging depending on what it is used for.

Don't go to the local hardware store and buy the little pieces they sell. Find a steel yard that sells all manor of mild steel. You'll be a little surprised I think at the prices. Not too bad and all probably 20' lengths that they can cut in half for you to haul away. I do still like to use scraps. But I am wanting more to make things as opposed to make square rod from something not even close to what I need so that I can then make things. It feels like cheating maybe but life is too long to spend it hammering on re-bar by hand.

I made this one for my daughter. Made from scrap metal floor grating and smaller scrap bars etc for the hooks. I cheated and Mig welded a few spots.

Haven't sketched much of anything. Mostly just dream it up while: turning the crank, driving, working, sleeping... Haven't done much that was very complicated though. I could see the scroll assemblies would need something.

WE got a few pics of the latest project (Fire poker). We thought this pics was kinda cool. I now am the proud owner of an invisible hammer. Or see through might be better. Translucent? I prefer invisible.

Also some other in progress pics plus finiished. I found makeing 8 sides from 4 to be a challenge. IT went slow. Curious if others have done 8 sided and what sequence or technigue worked best. The 8 side taper was even more challengeing. BUt I think I figured that out. Taper square. Then taper square again just on the other four sides. That's also how I kinda did the general whole length but it can get outa whack on you easy if you get in a hurry.

Seemed like a LOT of planishing and tweaking the sides was needed. But I am slow. Good hammer control practice.

Louisiana here. But I spent a year and a half in Saudi Arabia. So he can add that to his list of "across the pond" contacts... so to speak. :ph34r:

How do I delete this?

oops

Rack is done. Tools to follow


I have put all of the metal in the fire and hammered the corners for a slight radius. Mostly to remove the as purchased mill scale but also to take the edge off. A lot of what I have made is from rebar or whatever. I have frankly gotten tired of hammering for too long to make round stuff square or whatever.

The twist at the bend wasn't exactly planned. I started the feet on the wrong side. a touch of blacksmith dyslexia I guess. So I put the 180 degree twist in to fix that. Yes this did not make the bend easy. I actually did all three bends at the same time by heating them equally at the same time and putting then all in my hardy bending fork, held tightly together at the same length. This worked quite well. The twist did cause a little bit of "untwist" perhaps while making the bend. Two of the feet were slightly off from flat to the floor once the whole thing was assembled. This was easily fixed at the vice with a little cold bend adjusting.

Just some pics of what I'm working on. I welcome comments especially ideas to improve. I mostly learn on my own other than a few visits to a club around here and what I can read or watch from the internet.

Currently making a three legged fireplace tool holder. THis will hold some pieces I already made or I inherited over time from others.

I used a 3lb hammer on occasion at first. It used to where me out! NOw it is what I always reach for. My smaller hammers are too much work.

Give us a pic of what the outside looks like. I like the idea of being inside. Maybe two pics showing the stack from two different directions 90 degrees of each other?

I sure hope you can get the smithy built that you so obviously want, WISH UPON A STAR!! One thing that has not been addressed is are you in CITY LIMITS? Remember that word " LIMITS", that is what the department of public works does best. They enthusiastically stop "backyard welder shops" and woe to the fool that ignores the laws, and just "go head n build it" . you will be ordered to bust up the concrete SLAB! and remove that. If you are not bound by zoning laws, and can stand the UGLY, you could get a steel sea container, cut n weld on it, and build a lean to roof with the cut off side, For the price of scrap steel,containers can be had here and delivered. Very usefull steel boxes. Not likely to be blown away.