Michael

Here's a fireplace tool hanger I started a while back and took my time getting back to. I think the Turner book of Practical Blacksmithing Projects is where I saw it. Started with half inch stock, split one end for right angle spikes and drew out the other for the hanger. Tried to get even waves by clamping up my bending fork sideways in the vise and hammering the hanger stock between the forks with the peen to make the waves. Fire "tools" are 3 marshmellow forks, a poker and a brush. Brush came from a free standing set of tools (ugly, shiny fake brass) and I reworked the handle. I've found the only fireplace tools we really seem to use are the brush and the poker.....and the marshmellow forks. Made the forks and poker a few years back, but they've been tucked in a corner behind the fireplace when not in use. Attachment was easier than I expected, drilled a couple of 1/4 inch holes in the mortar, inserted 1/4 inch dowels cut short and drove the spikes into the dowel centers. They split and wedged the spikes in the holes nicely. Thanks for looking.

My gas forge is tiny, 4 inches wide and maybe 9 inches deep so I'm usually working small stock, nothing over half an inch. I find being able to get to the anvil fast on small stock helps conserve the heat.

Foam earplugs keep the high frequency sound out, but I can still hear the radio just fine, except I get too involved in the work to pay much attention to the radio.

Mine is a little over waist height on the far side of the anvil. I find I can take two steps back from the anvil and lean back (against the forge) to peer in and see if the iron is coming up to heat

I kind of wish I had a sharpish corner on any part of my anvil. Cold shuts be xxxxxx a nice square corner comes in handy every now and again. Anvil block is on the tooling list as soon as I can convince the daughter she really needs to strike for daddy.

Youve got a nice little set up there!

Really nice work. I love the collars and the wraps, great composition.

You've got me thinking those tapered ends of the spikes are halfway to some sort of animal or dragon head. RRspike heads do make great coathooks.

I've been working on a tool table configuration for a while now. Given up on tool boxes. Current mock up is a plant stand with barstock and scrap yard racks off of .....something bolted and hose clamped to make a rack for tongs, hammers and anvil tools. It works well for the hammer and set tools, though space under the parallel bars for the handles needs to be taken into consideration. I've also got a couple of metal carts that hold tools, the mini gas forge and scrap. After looking at a lot of pics of racks in other smiths shops, the traditional table with racks around the outside edge has a lot to recommend it, particularly if you don't have a welder.

I've been working on a tool table configuration for a while now. Given up on tool boxes. Current mock up is a plant stand with barstock and scrap yard racks off of .....something bolted and hose clamped to make a rack for tongs, hammers and anvil tools. It works well for the hammer and set tools, though space under the parallel bars for the handles needs to be taken into consideration. I've also got a couple of metal carts that hold tools, the mini gas forge, punches, wire brushes, scrolling jigs, scrap, and other stuff that doesn't lend itself to hanging on the rack.. After looking at a lot of pics of racks in other smiths shops, the traditional table with racks around the outside edge has a lot to recommend it, particularly if you don't have a welder.

Used it for years, better than mesquite charcoal. Occasionally you'll get a piece of Trex style plastic wood in a bag. Otherwise, good for forging. Before switching to coal, I'd go thru about a 5 gallon bucket every two hours or so.

Great find!

Gorgeous set ups, both of them. What a great place to learn. You've jumped a learning curve level or two I think.

I had no idea the latch could be that old!, there's remnants of both blue and green paint on it, so worn off that its clear the latch isn't recent work. The spiral portion of the latch made me think it was 20th century though. Hoping to get a little forge time this weekend while the kid is at camp.

Thank you! good information, I couldn't get my brain wrapped around 2 inch tenons.

Got a little Fathers Day Flea Marketing done and found these two big handled swages in Oakland, California. 1 3/4 and 2 inch along with a nifty gate latch to copy. Having a hard time imagining a use for a hand held tool this BIG. A two inch tenon would be on a minimum 2+ inch stock. I'm not working anything that big in my little patio smithy, though clamped face up in a vise they'd be nice for big curves. Historically, what would swage that big? Railroad, shipyard work?

Wow...no junk, I mean, stock, parts, test pieces and metal that will become useful someday. Enjoy the space and lack of clutter, that'll change.

I agree with Bigundoctor about not selling yourself short. On the other hand, if none of the notoriously cheap Winnepeg ians(?) buy them..... Have you considered a smaller version priced at the $30 to $40 range? Smaller stock might be easier/faster to form and assemble. Those look to be at least a foot tall. Cute sells and something in the 6 inch tall range could be an easier purchase to justify for the buyer. Easier to incorporate into someone's home AND would leave the door open to sell the larger ones at a higher price, $60-$75 IMHO would not be out of line. Some buyers just have to get the largest one if smaller is selling.

Here's a scan of the sketch I did. Hope it makes sense, I think what's happening is the two legs on the "front" are bent from one piece, and the third leg is riveted thru the post and center of the two front legs (front in my sketch anyway). the lower legs attach the same way. Open ended collars are rivetted to the stationary post for the adjustable post. I suppose you could use just about any sized stock on hand to make it. Really elegent little design he came up with. I always learning something when Peter Ross is on the Woodwright's shop and he and Roy seem to be old friends. He's in some of the earliest WWS shows.

That helper was a great project, it took 5 or 6 viewings with the pause button at hand to get a decent sketch of it done. On the project list.

Several nice features, that swivel chief among them. Well done! might have to steal a bit of it for a candle holder.

I like it, been looking at bike parts out in the yard for years thinking there's got to be a way to use this to power a blower, A real blower (2 now) came along before I got to thepoint when I bashed together bike parts and a similar to yours fan housing. Well done! nice first forge, since nobody stops at building one.

Mostly I think of the completely wrong sword forging in the first Conan. Casting the blade, then hammering and a snow quench. This is my favorite though,

You'll also burn thru a LOT more charcoal than coal, about 5 times as much in my experience. and you'll use a lot more water to control the fire. I recently made the switch to coal (found a really nice forge and firepot on Craigslist) after 5+ years forging with Cowboy Brand charcoal from the local Ace. Large tuyere holes in whatever forge you build, so the little bits of charcoal "fleas" can fall through, rather than get blown out, will help. If you catch the smithing bug, you'll likely build several forges as you work your way up the learning curve.

Are the legs half round or full pipe? hard to tell in the photos. If pipe, they have the same curve/stance as a Tiger model blower and stand I have, and that was Cannady Otto if I recal. Nice, nice forge table, love the watertrough on the end.