Bentiron1946

I went to an estate sale this weekend. Just a spur of the moment thing. Turned to be a good thing. The woman's mother had died and she was getting rid of all of the generational stuff. I was to late for rolling mill, watch maker lathe and all of the stuff that went with it. Didn't matter anyway cause I didn't have that kind of money with me but I sure did pick three of the nicest silversmithing hammers, three pair of round nose pliers, a small jewelers anvil(2#) and a 3# straight peen hammer for a buck a piece. Nobody was looking at them. I got a century of rust off and got them all polished up and am hammer away at my copper wire. They were her grandfather's tools and had been packed since 1902. I have been trying to make some reverse twist bracelets. Such fun!:D

First get a piece of steel rod that just fits the inside, then cut you about 2" of the pipe, slide it on to the steel. Then get a piece of steel pipe that is the about has about the same inside diameter of the steel rod. Make sure that the copper is annealed. Then hammer the pipe down on the copper. It will scrunch up and wrinkle. Slide it off of the steel rod and cut it down the side. Anneal it again and lay it out flat. Presto! You now have a copper belt buckle.:cool:

I have seen this film but if you want your own copy to see a primitve way of smelting iron it shows you how to do it from start to finish.INAGINA, the last house of iron

They do appear to be working rather hard. Not the best use of mechanical leverage.:rolleyes:

Nice work. That cross turned out real nice.:cool: Hey Keykeeper, My mom passed away this year and I finally got to throw away all of that embarrassing art work, sculpture, etc. that I made in my early years. It was sure fun to finally see it get out of sight.:D

Last year I found an estate sale where a sculptor's widow had died and his daughters were finally selling off and clearing out their folks collection of antiques and their father's studio. I bought some things and helped a budding smith select enough tools to get a good start plus a 65# anvil. I can usually find about one blacksmith tool every two months of garage/estate shopping. Here in Arizona our population was not that large during the hay day of blacksmithing. When I was a young lad I met an older fellow who was a working smith at one time but he was in his 80's and living with his granddaughter. Where his shop had been was a high rise and he had sold all of his tools during WWII for scrap because there wasn't much need anymore for his trade among the farmers. There is still one old time smith shop still active in Scottsdale, AZ from the old days but they do more welding then forging. A friend of mine bought the blacksmith shop from one of the copper mines when they closed it but all of that is absolutely huge in size. Most of the stuff you find out here is in antique shops.

There are some things that are really cool about it. The twin pipe guides are are a cool idea. Using the engine block as the anvil and the crank shaft are also cool. There is a lot of mass there. The sections of rail are OK but would be better with some reinforcing sections welded to the inside of the webs. I think that maybe springs might be better then cylinder heads for a ram return. Some really good ideas and uses of materials.

Nice looking but where is the other small building with the crescent moon? Also does this have fire sprinklers just in case it catches fire being as to how it is wood? Did you run the electrical under ground to the electrical panel? I hope you know that this is just a fit of envy that I'm having.:cool:

I sure like that fancy file work. Now exactly what are these knives for? Killing and skinning muskrats?:D

If you are talking jewelry rolling mill I'm almost certain that the answer is going to be no. They are not meant to roll hot metal only nonferrous metals. The steel at temperatures hot enough to roll would ruin the mill. The thing that might work to produce sheet is a hydraulic press like the knife make use to make Damascus billets in the first place. You can work it cold but like and sheet metal it will need to be annealed to prevent work harden stress fractures. This is not an easy chore you have taken on. Are you a jeweler? If so how about mokume-gane?

That is a very elegant looking railing. Nice work. If she is happy that is some of the best advertisement you can get.:cool:

I like that. At say $200, not bad. I paid $75 for a 125# anvil that has the hard face half gone but has a great horn. I felt like I got the deal of the century when I bought it. If you are happy as a pig in slop then stay that way and don't worry about what you paid for it just get you metal hot and start forging. Also don't worry about the "defects" that may be or may not be present, just beat iron. Make something, make that anvil smile and you will too. There seems to be a lot of semi-nay saying but I think it is envy that you got an anvil and they don't or yours is better then theirs but man you are one lucky fellow to be able to beat hot iron on that anvil. It's spirit will bless you. Light the fires of the forge and let the smiting begin!:D

Try making the break drum forge. I hear it works pretty good and there is a blueprint for it too.:cool:

I tried to make tongs a few times but was never that happy with the out come and back in the 60's and 70's they were very cheap for the old ones so I bought lots of them for $2-3 each. Now most have been "borrowed" away from me from when I shared studio space with various fellows over the years. You see fresh grind marks where your stamp was and a new one there and "Oh, yeah it's mine, had it for years" and they didn't start forging until they started sharing space with you. If I need a special tong now I weld it up.

Got your whale boat ready just in case? Remember women and children first.

I think there is a sticky note on picture posting. What fun to beat hot iron:D

I don't remember who said it but a fellow at work had it up at his desk, "Earth provides enough for every man's need but not every man's greed". I think that about sums it up on the price of some things:mad:

You fellows haven't a post on the Prayer List but I think I will start praying for you all just in case. Hold on tight to your dreams to quote a song form my youth because it just might blow away. Hoping and praying all goes well for you.:cool:

This morning I was over on the east side of town for a Dr. appointment and stopped by a company that sells only new steel and ask what a new section of cold rolled 6"X6"X12" steel would cost? I almost passed out! It was a mere $397.28 including tax and cutting fee. I think for that price I could buy a mighty fine brand new anvil.;)

I was told by my insurance that I could not weld, forge, solder, braze or any other craft that involved an open flame within ten feet of my open garage door or in my garage, nor could I weld with any apparatus that generated a spark or arc. They would drop a load to see what I do in the kitchen to anneal my silver and copper for jewelry. I guess they have a right to their point of view since they are on the hook for my house if it burns down but if I'm out in the back yard away from the house how is that their business? I suppose I should be looking for some cheap commercial property to rent, fat chance of that.:rolleyes:

Several of my friends have kin in the war zone so what's one more name to the list. Tough on the family to have the old man gone though. God be with you all.

I like that tiger maple. Not bad Damascus either;)

If I remember my grade school geography coreectly most iron ore in the United States is centered in the Great Lakes region and around Montgomery, Alabama. You may want to check out the U.S. Geological Survey for better information then my ancient memory. I sure it is around more places then that.;)

Perhaps one of the first skills needed in smithing is the art of scrounging. If you have the money to buy that hunk of new steel you got money to buy an anvil. If you ain't got the money you need to scrounge like a homeless dog looking for it's next meal.:D

I have this site in my 'Favorites' so I guess it will give you an idea of what is needed to smelt iron The Rockbridge Bloomery