jimbob

you can also turn a handle in a lathe if you have one... at the tail stock put another center mark 1/4" on each side of center then turn one side then the other after the center is turned

get a good spoke shave and a large vixen file to shape your handle your find both of them will give a lot smother cut than a draw knife and hoof rasp ... here is a link for the vixen file http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SIMONDS-1-14-FLAT-VIXEN-FILE-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4cf6d4e061QQitemZ330558660705QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

the town of Newborn Georgia had what they are calling an F1 tornado early thursday morning (1:30 AM)the storm knocked down about 25 very large trees that were over 100 years old, they inturn took the power out all the rodes in and out of town were blacked by the trees it took most of thursday to get them cleared so they could start restoring power it came up at 5:30 pm friday...I live just out side of town we just had high winds and no power ...

here is a link to the Southeast Georgia Blacksmith http://southgablacksmiths.ning.com/

I bet all the tools he's made weight more that he does ...hope they don't make them pay for and extra seat on the way home. he has a really good collection there

Clamp a guide on each side of the blade and use a push stick

I don't think he sets around playing video games at home!

You are correct ...May 19-21 2011 George Dixon and Chuck Patrick are the Demonstrators also Robert Timberlake doing a socket handled chisel , Elmer Roush on Saturday also Jeff mohr will be doing a class on broom Tying here is a link http://www.sbaconference.com/ stop at the gate and join Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild or just say hi

thank for clearing that up are there any books out there on vises?

from what both of you are saying is the small clamp on vises we call tongue vises are really early machinist or bench vises

the pot your looking at does not have a clinker breaker from the write up; so you have to buy the fire grate...before you invest that much look for a rotor off a roll back wrecker you can weld a floor flange in the center and use 2"pipe fitting..you could try that to see if you want to spend the extra money...

I made one several years ago out of a cut off section I beam about 2" wide and 12" long for the center section ... just had to forge a point and dress it up with a grinder then forge the middle section to fit my hardy

The Gunsmith of Grenville County building the American Longrifle by Peter Alexander is by far the best book out there ...his suggestion on making your own locks is to use a kit and or make your own lock plate and use kit parts. the book has a very good chapter on locks and lock tuning. the books of JHAM are the only that I know of that show how to make locks and the tools to make them. cutting and drilling the files would be the only hard part but with modern tools that's not a problem ...sounds like a lot of fun keep us posted

PS there is a similar hole on the top near the handle eye. ???? does this hole intersect the other hole?

lot like a monkey tool except for the pointed end...

That Grin of Aarons is infectious!

It is for me!

Welcome ...sounds like your fit right in with the rest of us!

really good pictures

looks good to me

put the marble in the diamond and into the fire ...watch it it will start to melt some what molten ...if you let it cool some then dunk in water it will crack for a different effect

try melting a glass marble in the center...

when I went we 4140 and 1045 heated both faces pointed down till the whole hammer head was red then tossed in a bucket of water and cooled then did the grind then used a couple on eye mandrels heated read to run the color to straw on the faces (takes a couple of heats) rubbed peanut oil on the hammer to cool it down

as a side note I'd replace the square headed bolts or screws with Allen or socket headed ( I have one on the fan blade that is is a real bugger to keep tight because you just can't get anything in to tighten it with out taking it apart)you could get and Allen wrench to tighten it up.

a lot of folks have noticed the whiskers from sanding ...have you ever tried using a bone to burnish the handle?