matt87

There is blueprint on this topic, I think provided by RThibeau, but the blueprints are down for upgrade right now. One for inspiration is here though: Hacksaw

Try contacting John B. He build most of the English water cooled forges at Westpoint Forge; they use a metal sliding air gate at the back, controlled by a horizontally pivoting level at each side.

Contacting these guys may help you. I suspect that as an industrially developed ex British colony which took the land of an ametallic group of cultures about 2-3 centuries ago, much of the tradition will be familiar. Not that you can't get inspiration from them of course.

Hi Stonetrooper, and welcome to IFI.

I think it was Frosty that cut a piece of rail using a bucksaw loaded with bandsaw blade. Doable, and good exercise for your hammerin arm ;-)

Of course, I wouldn't be so quick to cut your rail to make an anvil. I don't know how long it is, but the longer the better. As the link Tetnum provided, set it on end, rather than the 'right' way up; it puts most of the mass under the hammer, and reduces the flex that you get from the thin web. If the length is greater than your ideal anvil height and you're working on a dirt floor or outdoors, dig a hole. There is a blueprint on here about that vrey thing, but it's dosn for maintenance/upgrade right now.

Yo can make a sliding air gate very simply: IronFlower Forge - Construction

Although this on is implemented on the output (blow) side of the blower, there is nothing to stop you doing it on the intake (suck) side.

Something I've been interested in but not yet needed is a blower muffler. I read this in The Artist Blacksmith by Peter Parker-Pearson; build a box from boards (lower density is probably best) and line it with something like rockwool (quite loose fibreglass insulation). Put the blower inside and have the intake hole reflexed; rather than just a hole, build an extra insulated enclosure at 90 degrees to the axis of the hole. With this setup you can reduce noise, easily add an intake filter and, crucially for this thread, add an intake control gate, irresepective of how your blower is built.

Larry, just to expand nett's explanation, the actual clutch mechanism is a pair of opposed direction, high single pitch screws that mate together when rotated in one direction, and part in the opposite direction. The screw attached to the lever is sprung to push onto the other, which is at a fixed depth but free to rotate (and thus transmit power furthre down the drive train). When the operator moves the lever down, the screws engage and the power is transmitted to the flywheel and the blower. Whenthe downwards movement of the lever falls below that of the second screw, the first screw is forced away, and the flywheel is allowed to continue turning as it will. The lever can of course be raised up again, also not affecting the speed of the flywheel. A very simple and effective solution.

I wonder if it's cast iron...

Ya know, that didn't occur to me. Hope he's alright too. No doubt if he is he's busy helping people.

That is some amazing work there Adrian. Not sure if it's to my taste but certainly well designed and executed.

Purdy! Any chance of creating a blueprint?

How much is that in feet?

About 375 or thereabouts.

Nothing is, nor meant to be condescending, uncivil, or off-track in the least about my posts. Your views are indeed touching. Mine are the expressions of more than 60 years of experience with switchblades and their inner workings, and the law, lawyers, courts, judges, and juries. As to what state I am in, electronic flux, alas-- I exist only as a transient configuration of pixels on your screen every now and then, mostly then from now on.

Very well, I will give you the benefit of the doubt, and say no more about it; it's just that your words were difficult to interpret correctly in such a limited medium. Don't, though, think that you're the only one with a realistic view of the judicial system; that IS condescending.

Sir, I find your attitude and language condescending in the extreme and I ask you to keep civil or keep quiet.

I'm well aware of 'creative' judgements; in this country we are now not permitted by Those Who Know Better to carry locking knives without a 'good reason', due to a 'creative' judgement that a locked folding blade is a fixed blade.

I agree that many people suffer from hoplophobia, and I hate it, and try to help them lose it whenever I can.

May I ask what state you are from?

My comments as to the supposed/proper/constitutionally legal role of the Federal government are moot, really. As you two so well pointed out, it's not what happens today. That is an aside though.

My answer to agsolder's question is still correct and valid though; the Federal Swichblade Act prohibits (or limits) interstate commerce of switchblades and posession thereof in certain US territories and regions (e.g. D.C, Indian reservations etc.). It does not affect intrastate affairs. Therefore state law does not trump federal law, nor have I ever implied that it does. (Whether it should on the other hand is a completely different matter. ;-))

Whoever knowingly introduces, or manufactures for introduction,
into interstate commerce, or transports or distributes in
interstate commerce, any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more
than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Whoever, within any Territory or possession of the United States,
within Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18), or
within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the
United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18), manufactures,
sells, or possesses any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more
than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Of course, many states have their own laws regarding switchblades too.

I didn't say it was what happens today... as in many other aspects of US law, the Constitution is often ignored.

Anyway, that's the answer to agsolder's question; the Switchblade Act applies to interstate commerce and federal property, but not intrastate affairs.

Switchblade - Wikipedia
Federal laws are legally only able to affect interstate commerce/transfer and federally owned land. This law was enacted when an appreciable number of people still knew that...

Hammer scale is also excellent food for your smelting furnace. You do have an iron smelting furnace, right? ;)

That's pretty neat. I've read Sims (Iron for the Eagles[i/], where he experiments with unfaced wrought iron hammers. He concludes that for forging hot iron, hammers can be very soft. After all, the anvil and hammer, even if both are wrought iron, are many times harder than the hot iron. He does note that after some time they can mushroom, especially if striking chisels etc.

I've been thinking about making some forging hammers from mild steel; cheaper and easier than a tool steel.

Basic gunsmithing used to be taught as a course at some high schools. Time changes so many things in short order.

I find it regretable that people get most of their knowlege of Blacksmithing from the same place they get most of their understanding of the world: Hollywood.

Fixed it for ya!

A little exercise people might find interesting:
Pick a topic which you know something about but most people do not. Smithing, light aircraft, submarines, hunting, the Battle of Gettysburg, growing parsnips, it doesn't really matter.
Look at how that subject is portrayed in the mainstream media: Hollywood, TV, newspapers etc.

Considering that most people don't actually research into obscure or semi-obscure subjects like those above, is it any wonder that peoples' perceptions of it are off? Only rarely are people who actualy know stuff about a depicted activity consulted, and even when they are they probablby have a very limited role in saying what goes on. Because TV and film are very visual media directors often put things in their productions that they shouldn't, like a smith taking a piece of iron from the fire, quenching it and then forge it.

As far as having an impact to a maker in England goes I see little here to concern me. Illegal to 'BUY', seems to be the big Hoohaa here, I see no mention of the word 'Sell'

Beside which, if I do make a japanese style Katana then purely by dint of being a hand made replica I think it falls outside of the 'wall hanger' bracket this legislation is aimed at. I'd also guess my prices would keep non serious collectors/enthusiasts away.

I don't think so. AKCT - New Sword Legislation

I've spent a fair amount of time looking at various pieces of legislation from various countries dealing with various areas. A lesson I've learned is to never assume that the official reason for the legislation and the indended outcome, or even the actual outcome are in any way related.

Also, don't forget mission creep/thin end of the wedge/boiling a frog. According to statue law in the UK we are able to carry a knife with a folding blade with a length of 3" or less, without having to jstify ourselves to whatever authority has been appointed to 'look after' us. Since a certian piece of case law however, that covers locking folders. It's quite clear what the intention of the statute was, but a 'clever' lawyer decided to further his career by arguing that a locked folder is a fixed blade. This legislation was perhaps intended to stop 'Genuine traditional stainless steel Samurai Katana Kill Bill Movie Weapon

I understand on several ancient farms in Scandanavia there are large c.200lb blocks of stone exhibiting swayback...

Dave Budd using a stone avil

Couldn't you bead-blast or pressure-wash cyanide off?

If the students will be getting their hands in (as opposed to just watching) I'm sure that safety glasses for all are a very good idea, firewelding or no.

Make firesteels perhaps? Lots of possible designs so you can use different skills, and there is heat treatment involved.

Depending how ambitious you want to be, how about making a flint or cap lock? There's a guide near the end of Bealer :D

No Frosty I have not. A quick Google doesn't seem to bring anything of relevance up. Do you have a link perchance?

No problem, I love to share knowledge, and I've gained enough from this fine website I'd better start giving some back

BTW I haven't forgotten about those articles I was going to send you, just I've been inundated with work of various sorts recently.