Ric Furrer

it is my understanding that this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Siemens-WS2-3-2301P-1-Phase-2-3-HP-Mag-Starter-NEMA-1-/300515227998?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f81a795e#ht_1946wt_907 is functionally no different than this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Square-D-Disconnect-30A-120-240VAC-2-3HP-97311-WOW-/320601019285?pt=BI_Circuit_Breakers_Transformers&hash=item4aa54f5395#ht_500wt_922 Not that you should or should not do anything, but a fused disconnect for an on/off on a hammer or other tool with little start up does allow for a surge on start-up, but the load is so low that it may not matter. It is a bit like just plugging it in with no nothing, but allows for a fused overload situation which just a cord would not. I assume you have something like the latter with a frankenstein switch and some internal replaceable fuses. I believe this to be just fine for how you are using the motor. I have that on my 50# Molag and it has a 2HP motor. I also have that on a 7.5hp motor for another tool with little start-up load. No issues in some ten years. My electrician (PhD electrical engineer and licensed master electrician) looked at it an did not bat an eye and this guy just rewired a set of plugs I have which he put in last year cause he had to touch the box and the new electrical code states that only one circuit can feed any one box now..so he "had" to change it event hough it was still perfectly good under the last code, but since he had to move the box a foot to the left it "had" to be to the new code. BUT, you should do what you think is best. I suggest having a look or call these guys for surplus stuff: http://www.surpluscenter.com/home.asp Ric

Sounds like an adventure Larry...watch how the height changes during the cure...not that you can do anything about it, but.... and do keep it wet or at least covered. Ric

My concrete guy said he would help and I got some advice from Patrick Nowack about the mix being an 8" slump and then adding a substace to bring it to a 4" slump (or was that a six brought to a three?)...concrete folk will correct my terms and they will know what you are asking for..its a heavy mix with an additive to make it flow well. I had a six bag mix which has held up well. From memory: I had all things prepared and the concrete guy said "yep call the truck in the morning...I'll be by to help after work".....concrete went in a 3PM......no worker...5:30..no worker.....7PM and many phone calls..he shows up....trawled the surface for ten minutes and said it will be another few days before the monolithinc pour cures well enough to do anything to it.....I went out at 10PM to water the top a bit as he suggested and could still poke my name in the top of the mix. Not sure if that is common, but had he come sooner he would have been able to do not much more than he did a 9PM. That was my first real experience with a large pour...seemed that the hardest thing was keeping the hole for the anvil (made a box of plywood with many weights in it to keep it from lifting). All in all not a big deal really. I'd do it again without thinking much if needs be. Ric

I am now...his work is not big enough..... Seems like no work for a bit....is there a lessen there? Ric

You may need to jump from one to the next..had four hammers set at all angles off to each other when I worked in Florida and I would walk from one to the next as needed...usually the need was between only two. Take an eight foot bar and set it centered on the dies of where you think they will go...will the end of the bar hit the other hammer?..if not then you are find...four foot out the far side of the dies is about all you would do anyway really. Be sure to check both orientations of the die as you may need the full length for some things. My 3B is on 8x4x4 foot deep concrete with the anvil below ground and on two layers of timber...so three foot of concrete below it....it still rattles the shop even though it is isolated with an inch of foam insulation lining the pit before pouring. I have run it full tilt in the past and it feels good..like a foot massage. Several years now and no indication of issue with the foundation or me. All things being equal I would use plate and make it simpler to move...but I would cut the floor to isolate the concrete that is there and place a rubber pad under the steel plate...and another under the hammer between it and the plate. I think my hammer die is door knob height..36" if I recall. I bend a bit to use it as I need to lean in (I'm five foot six), but I brace my leg to the frame and use my hip as the support for my rear hand..seems to work well with little back fatigue. This was a subject of great concern when I was planning and I have found that will drop in swages and different sized stock I have not had issues. It could have been six inches taller or shorter and I would have adapted. I do not like the idea of gravel..not at all. If you want comfort then lay down a rubber pad...they do not smell good when burning, but they can be rolled up and moved aside for carts and such...then again you can drop a plate in place if you wish over the gravel.... Self or pay: Do you NEED the 4B now? Can you plan an open window in the schedule for next month or July or August or whenever and do it then? With that press and the 3B I can not see how the 4B is curial to the shop's production at this time. Maybe putting this off and thinking about it for a bit will allow a solution to present itself? You said the 3B is just sitting there..can you move it to the side and still use it? In this way the "pit" or whatever can be made on your time while still using the 3B....just a thought. Ric

Dan, Some of the most amazing forge work I have seen is not due to large tools, but great design...the other was due to skilled execution...when they happen at the same time...wonderful. BUT Having a tool to provide an adequate level of whatever (power,speed,precision etc) is a good thing when you need it as part of the design....and...at some point...scale is impressive....a forged 40 foot tall thumbtack may not be "art", but I'd go look at it. Snow is melting now and its a balmy 34F, of course last week in the shop it was 120F at the roof peak...somewhere in the middle you may feel comfortable. Ric

Dan, I am a big fan of big hammers, but your work may benefit more from a few hydraulic presses. The upsets can be done with a 50 ton press and a finger..though the design of the press would have to account for the length of the stock or a pass through with a pinch plate or wedges or some such. The drawing of stock and "setting" of the half laps would go real easy with a medium ton press though the drawing will be faster under the hammer you have. I have a 24 ton for some bending work and 45 ton for general smithing...I have the parts for a 140 ton that I will have together this Summer..I hope.. If you wish to take a trip you are welcome here to use the tools (presses, 3B nazel and the twister that can do 2" square x4' long) to get a feel for where to go...looks like a flight from you to me (tucson to green bay) is $350 or so. Have a look at the videos I have on youtube to get a sense of the tooling in my shop and at other's places. No doubt there is someone closer with the same or similar tool kit and I encourage you to go there and get an idea of what you need. Obviously lack of tooling can be worked around and at some point the tools begin to dictate the work rather than the other way around, but all in all I like machines. Ric

My advice: Get a job with a retirement program and a good medical and keep smithing as a hobby. A sure way to hate something is to be forced to do it...if you open a full-time shop you have taken on a yoke and must then pull. If you have other income then the shop is the refuge. Ric

That blade is Persian (not of Indian manufacture) and most likely from crucible steel...I saw many of that shape (with the grooves and all) while in India. Also note the darker edge which may denote hardening. The Indian smiths did make wonderful pattern-welded and crucible steel weapons though...saw several thousand of those as well in 2007. Ric

I have had 35 pound billets melt my face-mask and start my glove cuffs on fire. Again..without knowing the design it is hard to say the best method of manufacture. Ric

John, Wonderful display there....I may have a clone of your shop here in Wisconsin if you keep posting videos and photos like this. Thank You for the educational and yet useful information! Ric

Nick, Get in touch with me please. Ric

Larry, A burner assembly to heat 4foot wide is easy enough to build...I'll be making a forge to heat 30 inches x 6 foot to heat plate for my rolling mill (reducing roll not roll bender). I would think a forge for what you have in mind would not be too much of an issue to build...depending on how tall you needed to keep it and if you can block off the opening to keep the heat in. Some fire brick a few fabricated burners and several rolls of fiber-wool attached to a steel plate top on a hinge...could set the plate in and out through the side or the top. For localizes heat a 500,000 BTU oxy propane torch may be better...hang a bell-shaped bit of inswool on her and you have a "portable forge" with some serious heating potential. I have found that acetylene on large BTU torches is poor and propane works far better...got a 200,000 BTU oxy/propane for bending here in the shop...works well. I was offered a large forge last year..total weight of about 15,000 pounds with guillotine door and burners an all...he was in South Carolina. Not sure it was 6 foot deep though..more like three foot square. I'd be happy to work with you on something big..got an overhead 2 ton gantry and chain fall, 3B Nazel, some small presses (can not eat four foot wide though) and can build the forge, but I am in Sturgeon Bay, WI. My steel supplier six miles away has a three roll plate bender that can do 10 foot x 1/2" plate. If the job is large enough I would build a hydraulic press to eat the four or six foot width and put a hurt or the plate hot of cold. I have a 50KW induction heater which can do wonderful things, but it will not be running till the end of the year...with it you could heat on an area quite large depending on the coil made..not as much wasted heat either. What do you mean by twisted? Twisting a plate is not a simple thing, but bending it to look like a twist is a different matter. Without knowing what you have in mind it is hard to say who or what would be of help. Tom Ryan at Koenig Iron in Long Island City may be someone to speak to. Ric

I don't mind him thinking it of other smiths...just me. Ric

The right to photo the work installed is part of the contract for the job...I assume they looked at other of your work in photo form as well. Ric

Good to know..thank you both! Ric

But YOU imported it..... Basically wondering the weight differences between the type you have and the older US models vs the Indian/Chinese made now.....seems yours is about 3,000# the Z&H is around 5000# for #10 and the Indian ones are about 5500#. I did find a 2,500 ton unit in Michigan....want that one Grant? Ric

As per conversation with Bruce Wallace some ten years ago. light heavy 1B 65 75 2B 165 200 3B 250 300 4B 350 425 5B 600 760 6B 800 1000 (speculation on my part, but at that point who cares..it hits hard) Ric

Hi Grant, What is the gross weight of your friction press? Ric

I have forged about 40 pounds of 655 alloy (from the company that has an advert in ABANA publications)...5/8" round and 1/2 x1" rectangle.... and all used inside (coffee tables) with a lightly sanded then waxed finish. The forging is OK provided you stay in the dull red to light orange color in a dark room (lost only one bend to overheating). I have done scroll ends, twists and even some true knots tied in tapered textured 3/8" bits. Drills and taps OK with lube. I have no idea how it holds up outside as is..may oxidize quickly to green patina or stay ugly brown for a while. I know of no clear coat which works for a long time. I have had a forged sanded bar in the garage for about six years..no green yet. It will turn black when forged and needs cleaning. After forging it will be "soft" (like aluminum, but a bit stronger) so unless you cold work it a bit it can be bent in picket sizes by a "strong man". If you have larger bends to do I suggest hot texturing and then cold bending them to shape. For small scrolls you can do all that hot as with steel...just not as hot as steel. Take a bar and play with it..creep up on the temps for forging and then intentionally overheat and forge to see the results. On overheated areas it will break when bending and show a large fracture. I have not Oxy or TIG welded it...never welded on it at all, but it should TIG well. That of any help? Ric

I do have a rather large supply or 6/4 titanium sitting on the side of the shop....and have been asked to host a tool making weekend for tongs and hammers........hummmm..titanium hammers.... I'll tool up in a few months to run some of your tongs Brian. Got too much on my plate at the moment....including the plate...but some tongs to grab larger stock (30" reigns) would be a good thing to have as well as a smaller version for normal work. I have heard the term "cat's paw" tong..anyone know what that looks like? Apparently used in hand re-rolling mills. Ric edit...OOOO just thought of this... "ulTI-Tong" the TI being for titanium... I know..not a big deal, but it makes me laugh....I'm simple that way.

Brian, I herby dub them the "Ulti-Tong" copyright Door County Forgeworks 2011 pending transfer to Brian at his discretion....feel free to send me one as a thank you. I picture them in two sizes... normal and "why the hell you wanna pick that up?". I need a pair of the second version...in titanium...colored purple. Ric

nope..my heart is still the withered black cinder it always was..... Ric

Never thought of it quite like that Grant. I'm willing to change my use of the term. Can we also go after the guy who started saying to quench at "cherry red"? Always looks orange to me...never seen an orange cherry. Ric

Keris Don't pay any attention to these "play it safe" or "Do it right" guys here. You had fun making the tool the first time..I am sure you will have fun making another one and you may even have smaller pieces for other projects without the need to actually cut the bar yourself...it may just do it on your behalf. Of course those smaller bits may not be the exact size you need and riddled with micro-cracks, but I am sure you can work it out...your creative. There is a well known knife-maker who discovered a very simple and fast way to harden and temper his axe heads. He was on the phone telling another smith how you can just heat the head and quench the tool and let the latent heat bleed back into the edge...and never have to do anything else. During the conversation the 12 axes on the table went ..tink..tink...tink...tink all in a nice little row....timed about like he had quenched them. I think he was able to save the last two or so in time. Ric you may find this of use..or not: http://forums.dfoggknives.com/index.php?showtopic=19428&pid=182054&st=40&#entry182054