Nolano

If you cant buy a black oxide bolt, just paint the one you bought.

By the way, what condition was it in when you got it?
I am about to buy a rusty old post vise and return a screw. I'm considering powdercoating it, but I like the look of the linseed oil finish....

Great! Locally, scrap steel is 35-60 cents per pound.

Yeah, but conrad has actually been my teacher since before I started frequenting this forum. kind of funny.

Well, it hasnt followed me home yet, but It will.
My Blacksmithing teacher, Conrad Hodson, Has a #60 leg vise with a worn out screw. I can turn a new screw and nut. Hes willing to sell it for $40. Maybe $60(including the steel for the nut and screw) for a #60 vise is a good deal in my book. And I can also powder coat it.

Have fun! I know I would.

Nice work. I like it. Remember to try to find stuff like sway bars, leaf springs, and coil springs from cars. you can usually get them from mechanics and amatuer mechanics. I got a lot of it from a friend. probably upwards of 50#'s of high carbon steel. for free.

Hot Xxxx!




Edit: I agree with the WOW factor but still must edit the specific wording.

Dont waste a perfectly good knife on an RR spike. They are sooooo easy to get. go for a walk on the RR tracks, and youll find at least one.

Thanks for the invitation. I'll remember that if I ever go to PA.

I am going down to santa cruz, CA, tomorrow, and I was wondering if any smiths down in that area would mind if I visit them and their shop? Please answer back with a phone# or location if you would have me for a while. Im leaving at about 5 am tomorrow, so I probably wont have time tomorrow to check.

The blacksmiths who get to do things like this are sooo lucky. I would have no end of fun doing demos.

I use a fisher anvil as well as a coal forge, and nobody has complained yet. however, I have only been doing it for a few weeks. However, the neighbors on both sides make a considerable amount of noise, and im not forging at night, so they may not even mind.

I know Conrad Hodson, he is my teacher. I have a lesson with him in a few weeks, and I'll ask him about it then. Im just now starting up, so I think knowing that I can faggot weld is pretty good.

Just a side note, some blacksmith organizations have a library, and they might have Anvils in America if you hunger for more.

I dont know how much you should charge, but it sounds like irnsrgn has the right idea. And, definately bring a lot of premade stuff.

Ah yes, I need some flux, that will probably help. And I'll try heating the anvil a bit, with a piece of hot stock, or maybe with a mapp gas torch(I'll be careful).

My forge welds(connecting two pieces) have been unsucessful. I am unable to hold both pieces steady while hammering.

Well, I just did the first thing that could be called forge welding.
It was mainly a test to see how hot my foge got. I bent a piece of square stock over on itself, and heated it to welding temperature. in two heats, I had a slightly shorter bar stock, that was thicker on one end. That wasnt very hard, but I doubt it counts as forge welding.