Dave Leppo

My shop has a dirt/gravel floor. I never have to sweep, but it makes it a challenge finding that tiny rivit i just dropped, which i spent half an hour making!)

But the discussion is regarding a hand-crank BLOWER, rather than other type bellows. the cranking motion is entirely different from pumping bellows. I believe that the hand-crank blower has a history of ~150 years max.

Hi Longhunter I'm in Dover, PA. I've started developing a small network of local smiths. My biggest problem is lack of TIME. I work semi-long hours at my day job, as does my wife, and we are trying to raise a one-year-old, and remodel the basement. I haven't forged anything in two weeks! But I can add you to the network, and we maybe can get together soon.

The ammount of coal consumed, i have found, can vary widely. One must use strict fire management to keep it to a minimum. I use an electric blower, and i think i would like to switch to a manual blower / bellows of some kind. I visited a professional smith a few months ago, and he uses about half the coal i use as a hobbieist! I'm trying to do better. ;)

the local demo shop saves coke from previous sessions, and uses this exclusively, slowly making more from green coal each time they forge. The smith sources the best coal he can possibly find to do this with. This they must do because the smithy shares a park with some ballfields, all located in a residential area. The helper steps outside regularly to check the chimney discharge and wind direction.

Yea, I wear earmuffs. Theres always music playing in my head from years of following Jam Bands and listening to bootlegs

I used a few pieces of 12" galvanized pipe, and an elbow, which followed me home from work. these formed the horizontal portion. Continued the main vertical stack with 12" duct made from 2 pieces of 6" duct snapped together. this was a much lighter guage metal, but it should last a while. at the forge, the galvanized part that's over the fire is a removable hood, not part of the horizontal pipe, which stops behind the big rusty plate. (the grey disk thingie behind the vertical pipe, on the exterior wall, is an exhaust fan discharge, which I always run when working, especially in the summer time)

The black may be fire scale, which resists rust. Wherever the scale breaks off, or cracks, rust will form. Leave the piece outside for a month, then clear coat with whatever. Here's a tripod plant stand I made, you can see that it's pretty black, with some rust where the ring was forge-welded. I left it out for a few days in steamy central PA, and then linseed oiled it.

Can you make the end stop work for the second hit only? Have it pivot on a pin, put it down for the first hit, put it up for the second. I would think that when the first hit is done, the material will grow to where the stop is, so maybe it doesn't even have to pivot, but there's head-room between the stop and the end befor you start

Throw it in a corner, behind the workbench there's really not much there - only if theirs no chance of ever using it again. That little corner of steel cut off a bar could be used for a hammer handle wedge!

I suggest you check out the PABA. It seems like a pretty active group. A little far for me to travel, but right in your neighborhood. PABA Home

Cckemm where exactly in east central pa do you live? You can send me a private message if you like.

My Dad’s neighbor, (an old blacksmith, woodworker, machinist, steam engine builder, etc), has a unique cone mandrel which I believe he built. It has the standard tapered cone on one side, and a STEPPED cone on the opposite side (maybe

I personaly love the color and texture of old rust oiled. It has a certain appeal of honesty. Brush off the loose scale and paint w/ Boiled Linseed Oil IMHO

OK... My shop is a wood structure. Will the lightning go thru the wood to get to my steel forge, which has legs sitting on the ground? Actually, my flu is metal, and is attached to the forge table - but if it wasn't??

Pic three; the red arows point to the errors??? Just kiddin...

KISS design principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid! -Unknown

Keep The Rod Cool, And Only Heat The Tubing? Rather Than Assemble, Then Heat, Right?

WERTZ COAL YARD 829 WEST TRINDLE ROAD MECHANICSBURG, PA 17055 717-766-9592 Welcome to Wertz Coal Yard

Don't Wear Gloves, Except When Punching/chisling, When I Wear One On To Hold The Punch. (i Would Prefer To Have Handled Punches)

Triw They Have The Same Sort Of Thing In Cities, So People Who Live On Upper Floors Can Reach Out Their Windows Or Fire Escapes, And String Laundry Accross The Ally; A Continuous Loop Stretched Between Two Pullies.

We put up an "Amish" style clothes line - with the pullies, etc. I made pullies from a kid's bike wheels, and forged the mounting clevises.

Frosty You make Scotch? smoking malt with tundra peat, no doubt!)

saw one @ Tractor Supply last night for ~$260-something, I think. Cant find it on their web sight right now.

Jeff I always wondered about your name. thought it referred to where the DOGS MARKED!)