lazyassforge

Grouser, If you search YouTube for ”Canedy Otto Forge restoration “ I believe it will get you a video of a similar mechanism that shows pretty clear. On mine I use a leather strap for the back and forth straps but I wound up using a strip off a round baler belt. By the way, where in USA? If you happen to be in Oklahoma I possibly could show you one of these forges in working condition! Hope this helps, Bill D.

Grouser, I have a pump handle Forge similar to the one you have. When you say the pulleys are locked up, what do you mean? I believe they should be solid to and turn with the shaft. Is there a tapped hole in the center of each pulley? On mine there are two leather straps which attach in that area to the mentioned screw holes. I don’t see the bracket that attaches to the other end of the strap.

The trade item is strictly voluntary! You can look at all the work on display. You can bring anything (within reason) you wish to show to others. The host of the meeting chooses what the trade item is supposed to be. Everyone who wants to brings their version of the item and all the participants draw names to swap items. bd

Nathan, there are, as far as I know, no age requirement. The meetings are rather informal meetings, usually some people forging on their projects or demonstrating techniques. Speak up and ask questions. Be respectful and you will get all the help you can handle! The newsletter is well worth the membership cost. That said, newsletters (except for newest one) are available free on the website. There are a lot of members in the Tulsa area. Yes you can attend meetings without formally being a member Hope this helps, Bill D

Nathan, Saltforkcraftsmen do not have a dedicated meeting location. There are four meetings scheduled each month one for each of four quarters of the state. If you really want to you can pretty much go to at least one meeting a month, some months four! There’s a bunch of good people there in the club. A person can learn a lot with these guys! There are club stores of coal at different locations around the state just ask a member. hope this helps! Bill D. (Near Lawton Oklahoma)

David, really cool hawks! Bill D.

James, You've come a long way from the time I met you and your dad down in grapevine, Texas, however many years ago! You’re doing good, boy! Bill D.

Chris, my wife has an old white rotary treadle sewing machine we bought from a neighbor. Diana sewed hers and the kids clothes on it even though she had an electric machine. She said it had attachments that let her do things her electric machine didn’t. Nowadays she has expensive computer driven machines but she likes using her old black singers.

Mom’s old lamp was always in the basement of the “new house” when I was a kid. It is a miracle it was never broken! My wife fixed it up and put a new chimney and a glass shade on it for mom one year and it brought a lot of memories out that mom told us. When mom passed we got the lamp and we really value it. As far as I could understand they had one kerosene lantern and this Aladdin lamp on the farm without electricity. I know they had a battery powered radio and a treadle sewing machine. Quite a shift from living in town to the farm! Think “Green Acres”!

My wife collects Aladdin lamps(including the one my parents bought when they moved out to the farm). One thing I found interesting about them is that Aladdin brand lamps were first sold in 1909! So the people in the 1800’s didn’t have the benefit of the bright light!

On my anvils that are mounted on stumps, after I flattened the ends of the stump I screwed in three short lag bolts in until the head was against the bottom of the stump. That way the wood is up off the slab and the stump has three points of contact. Always figured maybe the stump wouldn’t rot if it was off the floor. BD

Please don’t be too hard on mr D. He’s kept it going a lot longer than most people would have. I don’t doubt he will start it up again but he needs to get his self gathered back together first. Bill D.

Quite a few years ago I bought a three foot length of H-13 and another three feet of Atlantic 33 flutagon. I marked them and set them back to “save” them for special projects. Over the years I have came across them and I feel guilty for not using them! My advice to anyone who buys it is use it up and don’t save it!! bd

Ok, I understand and appreciate the answer! I guess I had never heard the term! Must be a slight oversight in my upbringing! Thanks again! Bill D

First of all, I love the knife! Now I must show my ignorance and ask, what is a “slip joint” knife? How does it differ from a standard folding knife? Does it lock the blade somehow? Obviously I’m not a maker of folding knives! Thanks in advance Bill D

Very nice hawks! You do great work! Bill D

Chris, I have three of these stands around in my shop. With the weight of the salt fork swage block they seem to be a fair compromise of stability and portability. I also have a vise mounted on a bench welded to the building for when I really have to get serious! But the portable vise gets the most use! hope this helps! Bill D

Hey, Chris! I resemble that remark! I don’t care how you tie your shoes, as long as you tie them right!(my way) InBill D

I’ve had a couple of the power hacksaws. Like has been said, they are mesmerizing to watch saw! I always used bimetal bandsaw blades that I got free from the machine shop. They always had some which had bad areas or broken. I cut them to the length I needed and drilled holes in them. They were tough but drillable. My biggest problem was finding one fine enough to saw thin wall tubing but, hey they were free! hope this helps! Bill D.

Steve, pretty cool! I like it. B D

Several years ago before I had heard of post-tensioning cable a gentleman brought several pieces to a blacksmith club meeting and was showing it to me. First of all, it was very clean and stiff for such a small cable. Maybe 1/2” or 5/8” diameter. He asked if it would weld so I took a piece and forged out a little knife. It was not finished well but I had kept it in my drawer in my desk at work. I used it to cut a lot of stuff and the edge held up well. I keep it by the chair now and use it occasionally now. Hope this helps B Davis

Frosty, An wise old man told me “it’s not the good deals you miss that hurt you, it’s the bad deals you get that hurt you” Bill D

I have a lever forge and my leather belt kept stretching and slipping first I tried running it off the big wheel when I was not using the forge to release the tension on the belt. That helped but was not ideal. Then I cut a strip out of a hay bailer belt and used a splice to hold it together. That has solved the problem. The belt doesn’t slip and I have never had it get burnt in the past ten years or so. Hope this helps! Bill D.

D Harris, which part did you work in the big ox/bumper side or the travel trailer buildings? I never worked there but knew people who did. When they finally sold off all the old junk, I bought a power hammer and an old anvil. Bill D.

Chris, I’ve been reading about your Thursday night adventures and will have to come to town next Thursday to meet you. I usually leave fairly early because I live down by rush springs but I’ll try to stay long enough to meet you! bill D.