ThomasPowers

I have some stickers for my tool box thazt have a skull and cross bones and "No Tools Loaned" on them---perhaps your "art" should have the sdame motto? Thomas

Are you hot forging or cold forging the brass? The annealing suggestion is only for cold forging. Hot forging is trickier as you have a narrow temp range. Avoid all leaded brasses for hot forging. I don't know the alloys I generally end up testing stuff till I find some scrap that works. IIRC navel bronze and silicon bronze are supposed to hot forge ok. (temp is when it's *barely* glowing in a completely dark room) Thomas

I'm flying up from NM for Quad-State and can be found hanging with da MOB or wandering the tool sales in the justly famed disreputable red hat...I'll also be involved in the memoriat for Paw Paw Wilson. Thomas

Most of the wedges I have owned are pretty soft and you would probably more need to harden them than to worry about drawing the temper on them! Thomas

Jerry; what did you draw the temper too? As it's already hardened I figure all you need is to draw it so it wouldn't be so brittle/ Thomas

Rick; can you get to Quad-State Blacksmiths Round-Up sept 23, 24, 25 in Troy Ohio? Usually there is more smithing stuff for sale there than anywhere else I have ever heard of! there is a link to the event site from www.sofasounds.com IIRC. The entry fee may look a bit steep but it's a lot cheaper than many and you can camp on-site to hold down costs. I'm flying up from NM to go to it (cheaper than driving these days) Thomas

A smith up north of me found a wilton square wheel belt grinder in a dumpster---in good working condition. (sometimes I wonder if folks are "trashing" stuff they expect to come back after work for...) Thomas

One other thing about fire extinguishers; *always* have one front and center at your demo set up---I've learned that you can do absolutely crazy things with fire at demos and if the "authorities" see a proper fire extinguisher properly displayed then they think "He knows what he's doing and is *safe*" Of course I haven't used one at a demo in 20+ years never had anything that the slack tub or a booted foot couldn't deal with; but not having hassels from the powers that be is worth all the hauling and set up trouble! Thomas---and someday it may come in handy...

May I just add that a welding set up is a "traditional blacksmith's tool" as they seem to have been quite common in blacksmith's shops 100 years ago... "Traditional" is a very slippery term and you have to nail it down or else you get into things like A36 is not a traditional blacksmith material---1018 isn't either---nor is puddled wrought iron---if it isn't direct process bloomery iron it's *modern*! (and your anvil shouldn't have a horn either! Thomas

Shure, always ready to look at shop pics! Thomas

Sounds like a back pressure problem and having a larger exhaust vent would help. Is that elbow above the burner to allow the use of a blower? Because it will hurt the draw of the burner as well. Thomas

I've picked up several old out of spec CO2 extinguishers to be cut into bells and dishing forms. I found it a lot of fun to "practice" using them as I run the charge out to make them safe to cut---why I like plain CO2, no nasty, sometimes toxic, powders to mess with... Had the kids try them out too so if they had to rescue *me* they wouldn't be surprised when they tried to use one for real. Thomas

You did say there was a breeze right? Aspirated burners are very breeze sensitive, I can even get an effect from one when it's in the shop. Thomas

I've alwayls like the CO2 ABC extinguishers, just remember if pointing them at a flaming oil quench tank *don't* splash the flaming oil! Thomas

Could one buy a ingot of tin and use it like lead without the "don't lick your finger's hassle"? (I'd worry about the lead scuffing on the hammer when then applied to 1500 degF metal...) I'm past the point where reproductive toxins are a concern and the brain is already mush according to my children; but some of you out there.... Thomas

My Great Grandfather on my mother's side was the smith in Cedarville AR; also owned about 960 acres there. Unfortunately *all* of his tools and equipment are gone and only his fire shovel and a foot scraper are left that he built, both plain "get it done" items... We still have a bit of the land left; my share will be about 13 acres of scrub oak with a junkyard next to it---poetic justice... Thomas

Leah, wait till after the storm, the rain will wash it out... We have a saying here in NM---"Want pink curtins? Put up dark red ones and wait a week"... Thomas

Well I'm still planning to bring a toasting cup to Quad-State for the event. Thomas

It will also wash out if washed or rained on. Thomas

"Fionnbharr - Medieval Studies Survey Course? Somewhere to learn how to measure the land with theodolites and the like?" Basically its a Hide and seek course then... Thomas who doesn't own a hide of land; just a bit over an acre...

I've been making a lot of Rasptlesnakes lately from old farriers rasps; two varieties the first uses the tang as the tongue, bent under and then back out and the tip forked with the other end of the rasp tapered and then chised to look like rattles; the body is folded into a tube with the rasp section as the scales. The other type had the tang end forged out and tapered and then bottle caps are threaded onto it to make the rattles (and keep the campsite clean---had folks trek over from long distances just to make sure *their* bottle cap made it on the rasptlesnake!) The head it tapered down with the eyes, nose punched in and the body is forged into a tube. I have a nice bottom swage that the rasps fit into to start the curling for the body; but when I started I used to use the step of the anvil to start the bend. Thomas

Before I teach someone under age to smith I get their parents permission; before I will teach them knifemaking I demand a talk with their parents about what's involved and what we will be doing. Then for a young person we do it all by hand, (tools hurt; powertools *MAIM*), generally by the time they have filed and sanded a blade down and I have demonstrated what abuse can do to it they are *NOT* interested in letting it get abused! (actually 9 out of 10 will never finish that first blade; those that do tend to get an open invite to the shop!) Thomas

Another kid pleaser is to have some scrap pine around and brand it with the piece, they like to see the smoke and flame For a cub scout camporee we started making simple number "branding irons" and branding their unit number on a piece and giving it to them---we did the irons out of some 1/8" steel wire we had (election sign frames) and went through all the scrap we had brought to light the coal forges with... NB you can brand leather too. Thomas

Straight shot up gives the most draw, through the side wall means you don't have a hole in the roof to leak..., Your call. Thomas

The problem is not so much in forging D2 as in the heat treat of it. To get the best out of it you need the "formal" heat treat and not a seat of the pants, temps by eye sort of thing smiths are wont to do. It can laugh ay you when you hit it with a hammer too... Thomas