Ric Furrer

TIG weld with 309 filler rod. Ric

What about splitting the load between several pipes? Have you looked into demolition or restaurant supply places? Have you spoken to code enforcement and asked if a different set-up is allowed? or ebay ebay link removed Aaron, I'll ask a friend in HVAC and see what he may have. Ric

Bronze sheet is usually brass these days...no tin. If you know a tin bronze seller let me know as I have other uses for it.

Pullmax nibbler with a dome die or large radius fullering dies. The Pullmax, unlike some planishers, has a set stroke speed and throw which is adjustable to a fine degree. I suggest the P9 for size. If you set up the circle cutter tool inboard to the machine you can rotate the sheet through the dies and do full circles just hand planishing on a stake. Maybe a Trump brand would work as well. Ric

Yes it has been done, but that does not mean you did not come up with the technique on your own. I encourage you to explore what you invent and learn from the act. Most folk do not do past the concept stage and I encourage you to do so. Ric

I have several cylinders on hand from 5" up to 14" diameter. You never know what one will be of use. Ric

Wayne, I know it is painful and offensive on many levels, but you are responding well. As I was told in the Army years ago..."you can not avoid an ambush, but you can present a less appetizing target"...and you are doing just that. If they are available I suggest an infrared motion activated wild game camera. They are set to record movement (in video or still photos) for a few seconds when triggered. Be sure to have it hidden and get one with no visible light..some have a flash. If it does have to be visible make them work at removing it...maybe one visible and one hidden so you get good film of them destroying the visible one. I have them in my place. Ric

What are you looking for Thomas? Is it the BAR series one by Brian Gilmour? If so he told me it is up for re-publication...I contacted the BAR and they say yes...was slotted for 2013. Ric

Oh...yes the ball dropping data. I'm looking for rockwell or brinell hardnesses. I assume 50 rockwell C would be OK. Ric

Must be tired...I do not get the reference Thomas. Ric

Hello All. I searched, but did not find. Anyone have a chart or listing for anvil hardnesses on the face? A corner was knocked off my Peter wright last year due to a sledge hammer "swing and a miss" by a student. I'll send it out for testing just to see, but the grain was HUGE and not bonded to the body of the anvil. Its a small chip off one corner, but it got me thinking about these old tools. Ric

:-) YEP...good point Steve. Ric

I like studies, but this dog has hunted a few times before. John Verhoeven & Howard Clark, (Carbon Diffusion between the Layers in Modern Pattern-Welded Blades, "Materials Characterization". Volume 41, Issue 5, November 1998, pg 183-191) And Byron Skillings article for the ASM http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=15749 I think this issue has been studied enough...it is a matter of knifemakers diffusing the info. Ric

I do not know what it could have been used for if purpose built, but if I owned an anvil factory that would NOT be the strangest creation made with a reject. Ric

Lead is added to improve machining in some steels. The L in the stainless designation is for low carbon not lead. Ric

13mm? 13 Inches? The general way in production is to use a swaging machine with dies shaped to the OD you wish to achieve. It can be done cold, warm or hot. In general one must support the tube while the reduction occurs or it will buckle/fold so just hitting it with a hammer is not a good way to go. I suggest a search for tube swaging on youtube. Ric

Frank, Just watched this film (bought the dvd and a few others from an online store)...well made. Thank you for mentioning it! Ric

Hello Setve, I like old damaged gun barrels. I have plans for forge some modern such barrels for modern loads and use these older ones as study pieces. I'll happily trade you some modern steel flat bars of pattern-weld which will harden for that barrel. Saves you the time, you will get a better knife material and the barrel survives for another purpose. Ric

Epoxy paint. I am about to paint my tools bright pink...cuts down on the losses as one can see a bright pink tool walking away. Ric

Randy will you be discussing the merits of rephasing cylinders vs non-rephasing types and the likelihood of over pressure due to hydraulic surge and maybe something on accumulators? I am curious about all of these. Ric

The "L" stands for low carbon. Ric

Thomas.........I have room here at my place for you. Ric

I would make a ball swage using an existing stake as a master and then hot forge them with the stem integral to the ball..no welding and it opens up a selection of steel choices. BUT one needs large machines to make that happen. Ric

I may have a copy around somewhere. There is a Russian book on solid phase welding as well which has some interesting information. Ric

I'm only worried when I'm 2 foot to 50 foot off the ground...beyond that there is no need to worry about the pain of surviving a fall. We all had questions when we start new things. Some of the questions can be answered by ourselves as well practice and explore..this is what I see as missing most of the time. The inability or unwillingness to try and fail and try again. As one who makes swords I get the "How do you" question a few times a week. Some show pictures of attempts and they get help..those who have done no research and intend to do no research do not get that much help. For the past three years I have been researching Chinese swords....its an uphill battle there I tell you. I've traveled a bit to have sit downs with experts in the field (all three of them) and documented a few dozen good swords and have every book on the subject that is out in China, US and Europe....which amounts to seven. Along with that comes the time in the shop working through the parts that need testing. I think it comes with the job...you are either in with both feet and a keen mind or you should look for other work. I see less and less of this as I look around....very little new core research. Ric