metalmangeler

For $100 I would pick it up use it, and save for when I saw something else I wanted, like a larger fisher or what ever.

If those tongs are for 1 inch thick stock they are a bit much for what most of us do, you might want to consider trying to sell them or consign them at some antique outlet and buy smaller tongs for your use. Large tongs are also a garden art item if you can incorporate them there, I fully expect to be blasted by many here for such comments, but I like light tongs for working with much of the old stuff is more difficult to use than it needs to be.

If you take a strong magnet and rub it the same direction on the spot you want you can magnetize that spot.

I would like to be there, but my daughter Esther is taking a dog training class, she is a priority. At least I will be involved in a fun thing rather than just working or such.

When using junk steel you need enough of the same stuff so that you can use the research and development of your heat treament multiple times. You have already spent more time or (time = money) on this 1.5# scrap than if you were to buy something good. I doubt that a reputable heat treater would work it as an unknown.

   I understand the I don't want to throw out good steel thinking, but it would likely be better to make items that you are not going to harden out of small lots of scrap. Of course you could come out fine with this and it is your time so have fun.

I will most likely not be able to attend this meeting as my Saturdays are tied up for awhile.

The lugs are for turning horseshoe heels cold.

I am guessing that the drill stem has a small diameter hole for blowing out the hole being drilled, if so as Eddie mentioned makeing monkey tools sounds really good, with this pilot hole making some square ones might be a good idea.

They are both nice useable anvils, I see no reason to think they should be saved as collectors items. If you are concerned that using them may damage them you could use an unhardened hammer, or you could use a hammer that has been slightly over tempered so that though hardened it will be noticeably softer than your anvils.

Looks like you both did well.

I bought it from an electric supply place in I think Calf. It came as a concentrate, I needed to add water. Seemed to me like it might have been a we wont ship item but they sent it. I will see if I can find who I got it from, when I ordered it I got a fair amount as I thought it might be hard to get later.

Mostly I use ferric chloride, but I some times use sulphric.

Sounds like you did well there today. Good to hear that you are getting your hammer back on line, as you know I can only forge with a power tool as I am to lazy to really do any work. What are you thinking you will etch your billet with? I have not done any pattern welding since this fall, been too busy with other stuff. I have ideas that need doing maybe I just need to be irresponsible and play.

a flatter is your friend.

I think I am not near the knife maker that some are here so just to throw something in, starting from say round or square rather than say 3/16 x 1 1/2 flat bar is a more natural proportion for forging, it does not want to form the I beam effect. like Steve stated it will likely take longer and be more work, might have the carbon burned out, or it could be better by not forging in stresses, depends on skills, and equipment. This would really only apply to forged items as removing stock would not cause these types of stress.

John I was in a  hurry to get back to work but saw that you had posted, so I had to look. very nice.

Hi Biggusdan, How are the tines attached on your forks?

Hi Jeff,

   Most people who have used the Healy Coal have not been that impressed. Having said that I have a friend who seems to like it fine, perhaps there are different veins in the mine. I use propane, most of the people I know also use propane. I am told that the coal from Chickaloon is much better for forging than that from Healy. Usibelli is trying to open  a mine here that might be good but I don't know anyone who has tried the coal they are looking at.

The next meeting is at Jim's in Anchorage.

A date was picked, I did not have my note book. I think it was the 26, but might be wrong. I hoped someone who was paying better attention would answer your post.

We are hoping to get Darrel Nelson. As you might know his specialty is animal heads. It did not seem like we really did that much at this meeting, we made some fire pokers, and some leaves and stuff with a double fuller die set we put on Pat's hammer.

If the anealling route does not work you might try over tempering, this seems to be the easiest option for me with H-13. Hard to know what you have with found steels.

Frosty the demo was done by Gordon Williams.

like MLMartin said the person is the big deal. If I could only have 1 set of dies I would have the largest flat dies I could get. spring tools, hand held, and clamp on tooling will do for the other stuff. Now I know some will want to take a shot at me, but I will use combo dies, if it get more done quicker. They are likely hard on your machine, but if you are producing you can buy a new tool. I will also grind on my anvil I have seen posts here that are condeming some past blacksmith for doing such things, but if I own a tool then I want it to give me maximum production. A hobby guy is not likely to do that much damage using combo dies a couple hours a week, but using them all day, day after day has got to be hard on things.

I remember that we had some components for a grill, we could work on that if people want to bring more parts. I think it was to be organic in nature.