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simmonds

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Everything posted by simmonds

  1. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. It has a steel pan, but it has a substantially risen air grate which in essence will make the entire 18” pan a giant fire pot. Would probably make a huge fire. I’m assuming when these were new and sold to industry as a rivet forge, they probably used them as is without a clay lining. The blower puts out great volume and rotates a couple turns after releasing the handle, but it’s a little noisy compared to my other No. 400 blower. Thanks! I was really shocked when I saw the ad. They told me they wouldn’t hold the item, would be first come first served. I jumped in my car immediately and drove the 2 1/2 hours down to Grants Pass and luckily she still had it when I arrived. I won’t even say how fast I was driving…
  2. Picked this guy up yesterday for $25! Was browsing marketplace when it just popped up as newly listed. Drove 2 hours and she still had it when I arrived. Anyway, never really wanted a small rivet forge but the price was right and I couldn’t pass it up. Question is, is the pan supposed to be lined with something and should I before I use it?
  3. Thanks guys. Neil, I emailed your friend that used to live in Washington and makes tongs for a living...Glen maybe? Anyway, I am waiting to hear back from him. He may have good info on the coal like you have mentioned in the past (way past). :D
  4. Really nice gates friend! Thanks for sharing the method as well. Chris.
  5. I am wanting to find someone who has actually used or uses the "blacksmith" coal from the Utah mines that is sold by Central Fuel in Chehalis, Washington. Did it coke up at all? Did it produce sufficient heat? Clinkers? The good the bad and the ugly please. For years I have contiplated heading up and picking some up but it is quite a ways and would like to know more before making the drive. Thanks. Chris.
  6. Mike, that would be great to get together down there in KFalls. Maybe a Fall or early winter mini Hammer-in/open forge at your place... There are lots of things I need to learn and improve upon and seeing some other smiths and their techniques would be great! Yeah, I get my coal from John Turkington in Monroe as well. Great coal for sure but I have to do better on the price. My wife wants me to buy a truck load from the same Cumberlan Elkhorn supply John gets his from so I have a massive supply not only for use but for sale as well. Maybe forming a club with as many Smith members in southern Oregon as possible and going in on a truck load for club members to use would be an idea? I thought of driving up to Chehalis for a ton of Utah coal, stopping on the way back down in Monroe for several bags of the Elkhorn coal. That way when forging for long periods, you could burn 90% Utah and a little Elkhorn at the heart of the fire to coke up and keep the fire going. Would the Utah coal you used go out within seconds of cutting the blast or was it just if you stopped for long enough to prepare for the next project or something (say 10 minutes or so)?
  7. Thanks for the replies everyone. I am feeling a little better now about the show and will be doing it again, only this time I will be more prepared. This show was in a little town called Brownsville (where Stand By Me was filmed) just northeast of Eugene about 25 miles or so. Nice little town for sure. The art show only had about 10 other vendors all set up around an old 1800's historic home just off the main drag through town. The city was also having the yearly city wide garage sales so there were LOTS of people walking through town. Too bad I got there and set up so late just as the masses were slowing down. The other vendors mostly seemed to be selling handmade jewelry and furniture and the like. Nothing to great or fancy. The guy next to me, a tree trimmer by trade, was selling what looked like large nest baskets woven out of tree branch trimming he gets free from work. His price was fairly cheap but I guess he sold dozens of these "things" throughout the day...did pretty darn good. Not the best venue but I may have done alright if I had been more prepared and more rested and on time. I will be doing shows with this group on the McKenzie river once a month at an old Grange hall in Walterville where I was told they get lots of people and I can demo at this site as well. She also said I can have as much space as I want and will be able to pull up my truck right to the site. She says they have a great time at the location and cook up some good food as well in the Grange and all the vendors eat for free! Sounds nicer than this last location and I will surely give it a try. Neil, I am located in Fall Creek just southeast of Springfield, Oregon. I was invited by a man, Bob Sorkin, to come on up to Fort Vancouver and do some work in the Blacksmith shop...volunteer work of course. I think it would be fun and maybe I could learn some stuff as well. I have never had the opportunity to work with other Smiths. BTW, have you ever tried the coal out of Central fuel in Chehalis/Centralia? The stuff from Utah? I am about out of coal and my supplier, although really good coal is up to about 30 bucks for a 50 pound bag. Up in Chehalis I can get a ton for 240 dollars...quite the difference. Thanks again everyone. I will keep you all posted on the next show I do. Chris.
  8. Did my fist show Saturday after telling myself I would never do one. It was NOT GOOD! My wife signed me up for it with only a week notice and I had ZERO stock. I spent the week prior at the forge for at least 10 hours a day pounding out door knockers, dinner bells, bottle openers, steak turners, candle holders, S hooks, trammels, cowboy cook sets, campfire triangles (fire irons) and other small items right till about midnight the night before the show...my hand is still going numb as I type this 3 days later! I even finished one garden gate I had started a few months back. It started raining Friday night just after I painted some of the items and I had to rush to get the items inside where hopefully they would be dry in the morning...they were not. Lots of delays that morning and ended up getting to the show several hours late. The rain was not expected this time in July and we had to stop and buy a 10' canopy on the way. Quickly paid the $50 dollar space fee and got set up. Didnt sell a single thing! We were told it really slowed down by the time we arrived and sales were good earlier. Oh well. Believe it or not I still had an OK time and made some good contacts. Even got an invitation to work (volunteer) in the Blacksmith shop at Fort Vancouver. Lots of people seemed genuinely interested in items, took cards, asked prices especially on the campfire cooksets and items but gave that blank look, said thanks and walked away. Is $45 dollars too much for a camp tripod that comes with a hand crafted draw-string canvas carry bag? I got to pay for my time, coal, gas, steel etc. and cant see lowering the prices any more. Maybe it was just the wrong place at the wrong time and the wrong customers. Thanks for letting me vent. If you have any suggestions or words of encouragement I would be grateful. Chris.
  9. I am very sad to hear this news of Sean. My deepest condolences to Glenn and Family. I would love to contribute if it is not too late.
  10. I have found that all I really need to do is make sure the fire is CLEAN right before and that I have at least 3 inches of coke between the tuyere and the metal and a cavern of coke around the piece. As soon as the metal starts to scale I remove it from the fire, quick wire brush, apply flux then back in fire until it reaches welding temp ( metal looks kind of like melted glass and is the same color as the fire). Works (almost) every time. For the best quality welds make sure the pieces to be joined are properly prepared. A complete weld will take at least 3 heats. A good forge weld can be hacksawed in two and no seam will be visible unlike the far less superior arc weld. Just practice and it will seem natural after time. Chris.
  11. Anvil holdfast. Either round to fit pritchel hole or square for hardy.
  12. Wow! It is nice the things that can be made when you have the right tools for the job. Much better than the rail anvil that I started with years ago. Chris.
  13. Thanks for the replies. I think I understand now how it is done. Seems I saw one made at a demonstration once that was done without the hacksaw preparation. Hot cut chisel maybe????? Great Hymn triw! Chris
  14. Anyone have instructions or a blueprint on making a split cross. Any help would be very appreciated. Thanks, Chris.
  15. "Ill get up in the morning, make a clean fire and try again." - KYBOY
  16. civilwarblacksmith - Thanks so much for sharing the info and great photos. Chris
  17. That looks like a great job. Now just build a coal forge to go with it. :)
  18. Good little setup. I noticed carpenter claw hammers near the anvil. I would retire those for their intended purpose and try obtaining some 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pound ball peen hammers instead. You can pick them up at pawn shops usually for around a dollar or two. BTW, nice little Vulcan. looks to be in great shape. I have the same Vulcan that I use for a portable demo anvil. Nice and quiet yet a suitably hard working surface. It is hard to find the 100 pounder in good shape. Careful working around the edges of your anvil as tool steel faces welded to cast bodies tend to chip a little easier. At least from what I have seen. Chris
  19. Nice anvil...I could think of lots of handy uses for it. BTW, thanks for the clarification on "for collection only" Skunkriv. :)
  20. I really like that idea of using a short chain and eyebolts to tighten. Gonna have to give that one a try on my smaller demo anvil. Thanks!
  21. I am looking forward to it then. Sounds like a good time.
  22. Is this an open invitation Larry? I would love to come. Always wanted to visit Old Cedar Forge.
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