sanddraggin

I went to the class in Tonopah at the end of June Meancoyote. It was a great time and I learned alot. See you there in August.

Welcome to IFI Mouldyjoe. I'm from Utah, recently moved to Nevada. First thing you'll probably be told is to add your location on your profile. Makes it easier for people to point you you towards help if they know a general area. Goodluck

My kids like to come out and see what Dad is doing out in the forge and usually will hang out and chat for a while. Every time they do the inevitable question is " Dad, what ya making?". Most of the time before I can answer they ask" Are you making another tool?". which of course I am. It cracks me up every time. They really cannot fathom why I need more tools. Admittedly I have a large array of tools because I'm a mechanic by trade and have been most of my adult life. I did take up Locksmithing for a few years and acquired yet even more tools for that. I started making Guitars out of Cigarboxes a couple years ago and had to start collecting wood working tools as well.

Now I am constantly making my own tools (which is deeply gratifying) before I can make things that are not tools. This week I put up a small canopy attached to the storage shed at the place I just moved to so I could start smithing again. Leveled the ground and put pea gravel down. Arranged my Forge and anvil but the wind kept blowing the canopy down. So I found some short peices of rebar and made some stakes to run anchor lines for the canopy. Then as I was starting on a new set of tongs I realized I couldn't find my fire poker. A little while later with a new smithy working and a new fire poker I finally could start on a new set of tongs (yet another tool....hahaha) so I can finally make a project that's not a tool. They may not ever understand that making tools is just as fun as making the projects that they see as the reward. Oh well...their loss...lol

Thanks for the Heads up Thomas. It's pretty thin. I don't plan on doing any heavy work on it so hopefully it'll work out ok.

I like it. I hadn't thought of mounting it that way. It looks like it would work well. Probably just use some bolts with wingnuts to lock it once it's adjusted. Thanks Red.

Guess it's time to find another Post vise, and this time the company can pay for it cause it's going on the truck.

if you have a removable tow hitch on your truck you can use that as a spot to mount the a vice nice and solid and quick to remove

I've got a cast iron vice that mounts in a receiver similar to a hitch mounted in the bed. The tow hitch is so low it makes it awkward to use. I'll build a mount for the anvil to go in the same location so I can swap them out.

Now a post vise on the service truck is a whole nuther animal. First the cast iron vice works fine I just like a post Vise. Second if the vise had a leg it'd have to be adjustable because the terrain I work at is ever changing. Which would either make it a serious pain to set up but sturdy or it would be a bit flimsy and add little support.

I thought bikes going to sturgis were trailer queens anyway that is how everyone I know gets there and we are close only from southern Minnesota
How are you going to get all the tailgate stuff home FedEx
Stop by the umba Dvs booth and borrow one or two peter wrong anvils to photo on the bike

Well I hate to admit it but I have trailered mine a few times but generally because my family of five won't all fit when going on Vacation. That way I can ride when we get there. Most of the time I ride to my destination though.

As far as the tailgate stuff I'll have to be picky about what I buy and FedEx is a good option, although I have brought odd items home on it from time to time. Last time I rode 1000 miles with a VW rear bumper tied on the back. That was a bit ackward...LOL

that is way cool ! ill buy it and pay shipping ! lol, or trade ya a vice !

Thanks but like I said it's going in my service truck....Now if I could figure out a good way to mount a post vise to my service truck and have it be functional I'd be set.......LOL

I just picked up this little Vulcan from a fellow I recently met. It feels like 20-30 lbs. Nothing to special but the price was right. Free is my favorite. I think it's small enough I'll put it in my service truck.

Interestingly, I wonder how many other members of this site are also motorcyclists. GoldWing and Stratoliner me me. Unfortunately I'm on the wrong continent to join you, but if you do ride to the conference, have a safe one.

Thanks Kevan, Keep the shiny side up

that would be cool, what you ride ? i got a street glide, im a harley tec. at gail's harley here in mo.

I ride a Victory. I was a Victory Tech and before that I was a Harley Tech. Hope to see you there.

I'm trying to arrange things so I can ride my motorcycle to the Abana Conference this July. Anybody riding through Nevada?

I'd love to meet some folks and possibly ride out together?

My great grandfather purchased this Hay Budden new. Serial Number A5259 it is has been dated from 1918 from members here. Thanks

Very cool. I like it. I'd hate to have it fall off the wall on me though...lol

It's not a Heart but this is my Wife's Valentines present.

Ferrite choke. Thats the word I was looking for

I've seen that on a lot of electrical equipment lately and have installed them on some new camera cords (or something similar, don't remember exactly) as per instructions. It's some kind of magnet that filters bad mojo through the cord.

Thanks Fiery Furnace. I knew as soon as I started flattening it out that I put the neck too far back giving it a long taper so I shaped it like that, but next time it will be shorter. Thanks for the info. I'll try it

I just used the horn to give the leaf shape. The video I posted above is where I got the idea from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8SojuwHmOA

This guy seems to do it.
Thanks for the kind words

Thanks. It's 1/2" round

Here's my first go at a leaf. I like it. It wasn't a one heat deal but I learned some so next one I think will be.

This piece followed me home today. I saw an ad in a local online classified (in Utah where I just moved from) about a guy looking for a big chunk of steel to use as an Anvil. I contacted him because I had seen this and thought at the time that it would make a good post Anvil. Too bad I didn't need one. Well now I think it will go to good use. Next time I go back to visit family I'll drag this back with me to it's new owner.

Well I finished my Vise Stand by welding in a crossbrace system that I could use to anchor the bottom of my vise to. I made a U-bolt and it tightened her right up. I cut the corner off my vises upper bracket and then forged it into a more rounded shape.

I got my first Coal fire going with the forge out in the drive way because the weather was pretty good today. I found a guy that travels to my area occasionally that sells firewood and coal. I bought about 150 lbs. It was in big chunks the size of big grapefruit so I spent one evening last week breaking the pieces up. The kids thought that was great. So wanting to try out the coal I got a bead on a project I've been putting off for a while.

I made a Case for my Daughter to hold her scriptures for Church in. A sort of leather basket with a twisted steel handle. The trouble has always been that the books would fall out of the bottom when the leather would sag. So I finally fixed it. I took two 1/4" round and twisted and bent them to create a cradle to support the Scriptures. Welded a couple of washers to the ends where they bolt on and what do you know..It's fixed and I think It looks pretty good.

I still had some time outside so i decided to make a backpack rack for the house. Pointed my first rods and made my first scrolls into the hooks. Gave them a twist and Voila...A rack

I was very pleased with todays work. The vise worked great with it's new gear, The projects worked out better than I could have hoped for, and the coal fire was easier to manage and consumed far less than I was used to with charcoal. All in all it was a pretty good day in the shop.

Good set up and good attempt at your first tongs. I would make 2 comments. 1. check your ash dump it looks open so you will loose air pressure. 2 I would attach the
bottom of the post vice to the back or side legs. Keep doing it you are on the right path.

I'm pleasantly surprised at the attention to detail you folks have. I noticed the ash dump open a little while after this and once I tightened it I got a much better results.