philip in china

What about using automobile springs? All steel will bend. The secret to spring steel is that it will go back to the original shape.

I thought I would just update this to let you know what is going on here. The homeless were all in tents. They are now being reaccomodated in styrofoam "houses" for the winter. It will be years before all the houses are rebuilt so they could be quite a long time in the foam places. These are one room constructions with a centralised laundry, ablution and recreation facility. It is less of a hardship for most people here than it would be for you or me because many of them had little enough before the quake anyway. The infrastructure is also being fixed but that is a big slow job. People are starting to return to normality although many shops etc. are still closed. As far as production is concerned the lathes have started turning again! Exports were down last quarter (possibly due in part to all the natural disasters) but watch out USA. Items seen in the rear view mirror can be closer than they look!

Not earthquake clean up tools. They have so much plant and equipment here I am amazed. I didn't know there were this many loading shovels in the world! These are for the place in Bulgaria.

Thanks Frosty. A car alternator would be a wonderful source for a wind generator. The power could run a 12 volt pump (an old fuel pump) and keep my vines watered. On blacksmithing from autoparts how about gears for anything where you need high grade stee? Also engine block and most of the gear box as swage blocks?

I want some forks to fit on the front bucket of a small tractor. Is it possible to make them or would I be better advised to buy some? If I can make them does anybody have any tips? On a separate point what grade of steel would make good teeth ror the bucket? I can bolt teeth on but am not sure quite how to make them other than they will have to be harder than a mother in law's heart.

What do you do with the beeswax? I found several pounds in my place in Bulgaria. I kept it because I knew there was something people do with it in blacksmithing.

I used to use whiteout when reconditioning safes. It brings out the numbers and indices on a combination lock.

You did well there.

To go against what everybody else has said..... Here in Sichuan it is very wet and humid. Sometimes I have to leave my anvil unused for several weeks if I am away in Europe. I grease the face which protects it nicely but if I were going to be leaving it for a very long time I would paint the face and then just clean it up again when needed. The best way to keep an anvil in good condition is just to use it. In answer to the question what you should do with that anvil the reply is quite easy. You should stick some postage on it and mail it to me here in Sichuan.

I would say #2 or possibly 2.5. My new Vaughan was delivered with a very smooth but not mirror finish and I have never seen any reason to change it.

I got a small one turned out of some 40mm bar with a piece of square stock on the base that fits my hardy hole. Works fine for what I need.

I try to avoid drinks with any acidic content e.g. fruit juice. Your body latches immediately onto the water and leaves that acid core there inside you. I still think water is best. I dissolve a small amount of sugar and salt in mine. That way you are getting a rehydrate type drink without the price tag of the lttle sachets. (The sachets of rehydrate are excellent though). One point about which I am careful is on having a beer. (At US$ 0.15 per pint here boys). When I have finished a hard day and I go home I always want a couple of beers. What I always do is take a pint of water first. Let my body soak that up like blotting paper and only after that do I have a beer.

Actually clay plus any small, rough vegetable matter. Rice or oats would probably work but rough sawdust is probably easiest for most of us. Put a bit of ground firebrick in there as wel to act as grog and hold the whole thing together.

One statistic that has got a bit overshadowed by the rise in oil prices is the fact that the price of iron ore went up by 97.5% in a day! There could be more rises in the pipeline. This is bound to reflect quite soon in the price of new anvils. So if you are thinking about buying I would advise you to do it! Second hand anvils are sure to follow the trend but probably more slowly.

Some people use a slope towards the firepot which could be clayed- but why? There will be no eat in there. The slope is sometimes just designed into the metal but again I have to ask why? I have never felt the need on a steel tray. On a large brick forge it can be useful to give you a bed at a good slope to get to the correct part of the fire but again it would be unnecessary. On claying the firepot- if it is heavy enough to start with it is probably not necessary. It will slightly insulate the pot which is a plus point but wil reduce the size of your fire which might be a bad point. I do not clay my steel made portable forges when I make them for my project here nor do any of the recipients as far as I know but the pot is fairy small. The answer is see how it works both ways and do what works for your forge on the work you are doing. BTW if you want to insulate try a mix of clay and chainsaw sawdust. The dust burns away and leaves a porous clay which insulates well.

I am back in UK now after a brief holiday at my place in Bulgaria. Will be back in China on 18th so will report then on the current state. The fundraising was disappointing but folks are worried about recession here just like everywhere else. On the shop in Bulgaria I have already been promised a couple of small Bulgarian anvils (about 100 pounders) and a piece of railway line so I shall have something to start with. I think after my 2:2:0 Vaughans a 100 pounder will seem like a toy but who knows maybe I will find something bigger when once I start to build the shop. Also there are always Euros available just down the road in Czech republic.

How much you use is a function of the quality of the coal. In China I can get a couple of grades of coal. One is much cheaper than the other per Kg. but the expensive stuff is much cheaper in the long run as I use so much less. Forging can be done over almost any fuel but is easiest over good quality coal or coke if you are using solid fuel.

There was a thread somewhere when I asked about how to make lightning rods.

There are different grades of Chinese files. If you get a good one they are pretty good. I have used only Chinese files for the past couple of years and haven't had a problem yet. Will they still be working in 30 years? I don't know but I certainly shan't.

Matt, it weighs about 25Kg (55 pounds). It is what we call the pocket size at Rustmart.

The frying pan I made is actually 20mm plate- it was a drop I picked up for scrap price. I then welded 25mm strip around the outside to form a lip and incorporated some more 25mm strip as 2 handles. The two handles are so that 2 people can pick it up. It works very well.

I suppose I must be alive if I am posting this. A big aftershock today. Will they ever stop?? A lot of relief arrived this week which was good. It was from Chabad China. So if anybody does want to give a few bucks to help the locals that is probably the best appeal to support. I shall be going to UK to try to raise some money. Flying out on Wednesday to London. As ever thanks guys for your kind wishes.

Certainly I would avoid ebay. There are so many horror stories of junk there and many of the prices seem ridiculous. Let us know where you are and somebody will help. I have a 100 pound anvil which you can have if you don't mind collecting it.

It wouldn't be a lot different from what I have got really. Boring I know but true. I would have somebody to clear up after me and probably a medium size power hammer. A steel yard closer than the present one. (Yes I have to go 1 mile to buy steel at present). Oxy acetylene bottles that are always full would be nice. Maybe a huge anvil.

There will be loads of them out there because I know, for a fact, that they supply all the anvils to the British army. They also supply almost all the ones to UK colleges that teach blacksmithing or farriering. When (if) I get my big anvil I am pretty sure it will be one of theirs. A Euro would be cheaper but written off over the life of an anvil how much is the cost? A few pounds a year!