blksmth

locky.au You went to a lot of work to make the detail and show us your fire pot. Thank you!

tetnum, I believe Centaur Forge sells a good for rivet forges or similar. At least you can see what one looks like.

Kerry, those look like very good tools. for your own safety though, I'll mention that tools used for punching and chiseling hot steel probably should not be so hard that a file skates on them. Particularly on the shank or hitting end. The working end, probably won't stay that hard when used as the hot iron will temper them for you. It looks like the temper on your entire tool is a bronze, which would normally be a very hard tool (depending on the steel). The shank and hitting end should never be that hard. I would temper the whole tool to a darker blue color and so that you can file it easily. Then if you want the working end harder, just harden 1/2 inch or so. Someplace on this forum, Brian Brazeal has good comments on the process he uses for hardening chisels, punches etc.

Attached is a drawing that I believe was the result of watching Peter Ross make a pintle. I'm not sure where the drawing came from, but I think it was from the Northwest Blacksmith Association. Note the indentation made in the 1/2" square bar over the small end of a round anvil horn. Also, note the cut in the pin stock which allows the pintle to be broken from the pin bar stock after welding.

Following is page on my web site on the Care and Maintenance of anvils. It is not all inclusive, but might be of interest:ANVIL-CARE-and-MAINTENANCE-of-a-NEW-or-OLD

Thanks Avadon, I did not do the brick work, but I did design the forge & chimney. The same wooden form that was used for my forge opening was also used for my friends forge. That form now (with a handle) closes my opening to keep the heat in the room when I'm not using the forge. It was made of 2 pieces of plywood spaced about 4 inches apart with the back piece forming the narrow part of the opening and the front piece forming the front wider part of the opening. The bricklayer just laid the bricks around the form. Also, I will mention that both of those brick forges have a smoke shelf, but I wouldn't put one in should I build another forge. In other words I don't think they are necessary in forge chimneys.

Attached is a file. It shows my friends side draft chimney talked about in my last post. The chimney opening is about 14" wide right next to the fire pot. The approx. 6" long bricks around the opening taper back to a 10.5" wide opening approx. 5.5" back from the fire pot. The opening is approx. 16" high. The bricks around the opening are just hard bricks from the brickyard and seem to last well. I have seen some older softer bricks around forge chimneys deteriorate a little ( at least the bottom 2 or 3 on each side). The reason for the tapered bricks it to leave a spot for a pile of coal next to the chimney side of the fire pot, and to restrict the actual opening to approx. 10.5" by 16" as the smaller the opening the better the chimney will draw. This was typical of some well used older brick and stone forges.

My brick chimney was built around a 12" square clay flue liner. I used the liner as my building is wood and wanted the extra safety. That liner is less than 11" square inside. Normally 11" square inside might be a little small,but my chimney is 34 feet tall (2 story building) and the taller the chimney, the better it will draw. A friend liked my chimney/forge and had the same bricklayer build one for him. He was in a single story metal building, so didn't think he need the flue liner for safety. He built his chimney to go between the 24" on center roof rafters and so it was a little less than 2 and 1/2 bricks deep by 3 and 1/2 bricks wide. Therefore the inside dimensions were approx. 14" by 20". His chimney was 16 feet tall. That forge draws better than any forge I've seen. It draws better than my 34 ft. tall chimney that is only 11" square inside. I have also had a 16' tall 14" diameter metal chimney, side draft, that worked very well. I also had a 34' tall 8" diameter, side draft, metal chimney that required a fan in the wall to take out the extra smoke in the room.

Brian, I notice a little collar around the head of the spike (bottom of the cup). How did that get there?

There are many blacksmith forges with a metal chimney which could be galvanized, painted, or not. Particularly with a side draft forge, the heat can be pretty intense where the fire enters the flue so, for that portion of the flue, some protection or different construction is desirable. Even on brick chimneys the bricks can deteriorate around the bottom of the opening. Usually the galvanizing or paint burns off, if galvanized or painted. When it is just plain steel it usually rusts through. There are many forges where bricks are used for the bottom 3 feet or so of the chimney. Above that any kind of pipe will work. Also, heavier iron around the opening would work and could be made removable if it need replacing. A round chimney flue, of the same size, draws heat and smoke better than a square chimney. Nevertheless, I've seen plenty of square chimneys that work well. As was previously mentioned, it might be easier to fabricate a square chimney, although the round chimney suggestions sound easy also.

Peter Ross uses fairly flat hammers with very small radius on the edges and his ironwork is very smooth without hammer marks of any kind. His expertise is Colonial Ironwork (year 1776) and he reproduces it. Apparently the goal in those days was to not have hammer marks show. Much of the ironwork was filed and it is not fun to have to file out hammer marks. His style hammer takes some getting use to as the sharp edges do leave hammer marks if one is not use to using a hammer like his. This is just one example of how one blacksmith prefers a particular hammer style and why. Many blacksmiths today are producing ironwork for clients that prefer hammer marks to show that the piece was forged or home made. It is the sign of a good craftsman if he can do either smooth or not.

I've heard blacksmith extraordinaire Brian Brazeal comment that the hammer and the anvil are each dies. I think he makes a good point. The hammer is the top die and a certain part of the anvil or possibly a bottom hardy tool etc. is the bottom die. When smashed together the hot iron conforms to the 2 dies. Brian uses several hammers each as a different top die. Other smiths use various top and bottom tools to get roughly the same results. Possibly Brian could expound on this.

I'm sure this is not universal, but quite a few blacksmiths try to make the peen end of the hammer just a narrow section of the main hammer face. Same radius on the edges and crown on the peen as is on the main face of the hammer. If you have a hammer with a big crown in the face with larger edge radius, then the peen would be the same. Various smiths prefer different shaped (flat to round) faces and peens for their main hammer. Peter Ross uses his relatively flat hammer and minimal edge radius for just about everything. Uri Hofi uses his relatively rounded hammer for just about everything. Peter Ross (at least in about 1998) used a 1 lb. 15 oz. hammer with a 3/8" wide flat peen - with maybe a 1/16" crown and 1/32" radius on the edges. He may be using a slightly heavier hammer of the same style now, but it could be the same hammer. My Uri Hofi/Tom Clark hammers made in 1997 have peens that are more rounded with more radius (about 1/8") on the edges. The smaller hammer (2 lb. 13 oz.) has a 1/2" wide peen and the larger hammer (3 lb. 6 oz.)has a 5/8" wide peen. Both hammers have about a 1/16" crown. With the peen of the Hofi/Clark hammers it is easy to make the Hofi style leaves. That can not be easily done with the Ross hammer.

About anvil stumps: I appreciate Brian B's thoughts on a anvil fastened to the earth. Given his work with a striker, his system is important. In my case, though, I seldom have the opportunity to use a striker. My floor is concrete, I have a small shop, and need to move the anvil (although it isn't easy) closer to or further from a wall - depending on what I'm forging. I like a stump. It is as solid as a rock. The anvils does not move or wiggle. I do not find that it moves unless I want to move it. I do not have trouble with my feet bumping into the stump. I can not put a bending fork in the hardy hole and bend big iron without the anvil moving also, but that is about the only time I wish it were fastened to the concrete/earth. To keep my stumps sitting well on the floor, I route out the bottom of the stump approx. 1/2 inch deep leaving 3 stump feet which are about 4 to 6 inches in radius from the edge of the anvil. This helps if the floor is not perfectly flat. On the top of the stump is also a routed out area for the anvil, which lets the anvil sit on a very flat surface. That also leaves a 1/2 inch ridge around the anvil base to help hold it in place. The anvils are always fastened tightly down with either a bracket and big long lag bolts, or chains with some type of tightening system, tightening the anvil to the stump. The chain system is the system that is used at the Anderson Blacksmith Shop at Colonial Williamsburg. The Anderson Blacksmith Shop anvil stumps are buried in the dirt 5 feet. I use my own shop & anvil 95% of the time. It has a 330 lb. Refflinghaus anvil on an oak stump that weighs a lot, but I don't know how much - maybe 200 lb. Smaller anvils could benefit from a stand that is heavier than a stump, such as concrete. It is probably good that not all blacksmiths like tree stumps for anvil bases. Iron anvil stands result in greater numbers of standing big trees. This forum is great so anvil stand builders can read and learn from the experiences and opinions of many.

Jymm Hoffman, I looked at your web page and am envious. That is very good ironwork!

Personally I like a stump. You can look at some ideas on using a stump. Uri Hofi and Tom Clark have good anvil stands made of metal. If you want one that you can adjust for height, use one that has sand in it such as a wooden or metal bucket, or one that has 4 vertical angle irons at the 4 corners of a square or rectangle wooden base where the base can slide up and down.

I've had requests for human brands, but have not elected to make any.

The Superior Flux & Mfg. Co. that makes "Anti-Borax" E - Z Weld has this statements on their E-Z Welding Flux can: "Contains silica powder - avoid breathing dust". It contains iron filings/powder. The same company makes Crescent Welding Flux. A can of that says: "Crescent contains no metal filings. Thus is easier cleaning....". These are probably the most popular commercial fluxes used by blacksmths (opinion).

You could try Old World Anvils - Anvils. I think he has some left, although I believe they are of the BRANCO style and old EURO Anvil style rather then the newer EURO Anvil style. Old World Anvils are good to do business with as is Blacksmith Supply (Euro Anvils).

A long time ago, if I remember corectly, I read in an ABANA affilliate newsletter that when the old E - Z Weld Anti Borax Compound Company with a 1902 pattent and located in Fort Wayne, Indianna sold out to The Superior Flux & Mfg. Co. located in Cleveland, Ohio that the new company acquired, in the purchase, several train cars full of wrought iron filings which were apparently used in the old E - Z Weld mixture and probably in the new mixture. Lots of blacksmiths say the old E - Z Weld was better than the new E - Z Weld so maybe they ran out of wrought iron filings? The current Anti-Borax E - Z Weld has iron filings in it which are hard to remove from the forge weld area. The same company the Superior flux & Mfg. Co. also makes Crescent Forge Welding Compound, which does not have the iron filings in it. The current E - Z weld can says it "Contains silica powder - avoid breathing dust". That same statement is not on Crescent Forge Welding Compound. Borax (20 Mule Team or Anhydrous) which is not highly acidic at room temperature becomes highly acidic at a high temperature such as 2000 degress F. In addition to coating the metal to keep the air out, the acid cleans the metal, while floating the crud out. I watched a video where an old German forge welds logging tools with an acetylene torch. He uses hydrated lime as a flux available at agriculture and garden supply stores - it is cheap. When welding without flux, it is helpful to have a powerful blower that will very quickly heat the metal to the welding heat, which must be at a higher temperature than when using flux. The problem, for even those that forge weld often without flux, is that there is not much difference between the forge welding temperature and the temperature where the metal is too hot, burns, and is crumbly (A36). Also all A36 doesn't seem to be the same and some works better than others. Nevertheless, some good blacksmiths such as Tom Ryan of New York City makes all his welds, and there are a lot of them, without flux. He makes very high end gates, railings, etc. I make a flux out of anhydrous borax and add 10% boric acid and 10% iron oxide (either black or red). I'm not picky about the exact formula. I like it, but I also think 20 Mule Team Borax is about as good if you get use to using it. Peter Ross uses borax and E -Z Weld. He says that at the time of the American Revolution (his specialty), in 1776, borax was available and in use. Thanks for listening and now you know everything I know or at least think I know,

Can't think of any reason that it would not work. Even if it isn't 4140 it is probably something similar. You could always cut off a piece and heat treat it quenching in oil to see if you like the hardness it develops. If not hard enough you could then try quenching it in water. If it gets too hard you can temper it back a little to the hardness you want. Try with the unforged piece first. Tempering might depend on the kind of hammer you make and if it has any thin sections such as a thin peen. Some folks always temper the eye area, but I don't on steels like 1045 and 4140 and I've never had them break but I guess they could. 1045 might not get hard enough for you even if quenched in water. 4140 is designed to harden deeper and still remain tough. My main hammer was made from a big truck axel. It has developed a little chip in the corner of the face that takes the most beating, but has been my favorite hammer for 10+ years. The handle has a crack in it, the face has the chip, and I keep using it as it is even though I probably have better hammers on my hammer rack. I could also fix this one.

Typically when one forges on the outside of a cylinder with a hole in it and with any type of a bar in the hole in the cylinder, the hole in they cylinder gets bigger with the forging. At least that is the way larger cylinders were made out of smaller cylinders on the big old steam power hammers. That principal works when hand forging also. With enough trial and error it might be done. It might be possible to make a proper sized flat piece maybe 3/8" thick, put grooves in it, and then bend it into a circle/tube. Of course the grooves would need to be size to be square after the bend. If accurate enough it could be slipped into a hole in your block and welded in. Just a thought and a lot of work. It would be a lot easier to have a machine shop do it and save tons of time.

Paul B, as you can see every blacksmith has a system that works for them and that they are usually pleased as punch with it. In my case I replaced the squirrel cage with a radial electric blower. The blower has a 10 inch diameter blade and the motor is only 1/5 HP. The blower is the PB150 from Centaur Forge. I have several crank blowers, but early in my blacksmithing I began using an electric blower and that is what I like. I can keep more than one iron in the fire w/out having to have the crank cranked. I don't have to crank like crazy to heat big iron. I have both a speed control which came with the new electric blower and a sliding gate. I usually set the speed control to the lowest speed I think I'll use for awhile, and in order to have the lower noise level. I then control the blower with the sliding gate valve. I made my own sliding gate on my main brick forge, but purchased one for my portable forge. The purchased 3" sliding gate cost me around $10 and if time is worth anything, it is worth purchasing. The blower I purchased uses a 3450 RPM motor so is noisier than I like, but still reasonable. I talked to Centaur about building a blower with a less noisy 1750 RPM motor and they said they had so many shops that need the high speed blower that they were not going to change. I now have 2 forges and have the PB150 on both of them. I will be building a 3rd forge and already have another PB150 for it. There are several ways to get a radial blower without spending the bucks for a PB150. One is a hand crank blower which to me would be better than a squirrel cage electric blower. Another way is to use a vacuum cleaner blower (as has been mentioned on IForgeIron), although I have not tried this. Make a wood or steel radial blower, either hand crank or electric (shouldn't be too hard and there are plans available). Use an old clothes dryer blower (IForgeIron Blueprint). Convert an old hand crank blower to electric although I'm not sure if the paddles can withstand a 3450 RPM motor, but you could try a 1750 rpm motor and see if that would work for you. Sometimes old organ blowers can be found which work with a little modification. Or, if time and energy permits one can make a large and quality bellows, but they are usually not inexpensive to make either. Those are my ideas for today. Hope it helps, Dick

It is pretty well known that any forge that can burn iron or create iron sparks is hot enough to forge weld, if all other requirements for a forge weld are in place. Even if that forge has a very small and weak blower such as a small squirrel cage blower. It may not be fast or efficient, but you can say it works. Nevertheless, here is an experience that the Prairie Blacksmith Assn. of Nebraska had a few years ago: We had Tom Ryan of New York as a demonstrator. Tom was trained in England and also had experience working in France. His project was a multi-scrolled sign hanger that was mostly made of 1/2" by 3/4" A36 bar stock. It consisted of several forge welds and Tom did not use flux. The PBA had a Blacksmith Journal designed side draft forge built as a Blacksmith Association of Missouri workshop project, and it was set up for Tom to use. The forge had a squirrel cage blower that BAM had purchased for the project from Granger. It was 175 -200cfm. It did not take Tom long to ask for another forge as the BAM forge was not able to heat the iron to forge welding temperatures fast enough for him. We switched him to a medium sized Champion 400 hand crank railroad forge which worked fine as long as someone was turning the crank at a relatively brisk pace. After the demo I began forge welding without flux also. Since the Blacksmith Journal designed forge was my personal forge, it didn't take me long to purchase a much more powerful radial fan blower which I did from Centaur Forge. Even though I was making good forge welds with the old squirrel cage blower forge, the new blower made a world of difference in the speed and efficiency of my forgings and forge welds. It also allowed the forging and welding of much larger iron. There is my story for whatever it is worth.

bbehnke, distilled water would be excellent as would be rainwater. Tap water could have minerals in it which could be detrimental. That said, I use tap water because it is easy, cheap, and plentiful. My slack tub/quench tank holds about 24 gallons. Tap water has not been a problem that I know of. My tap water is generally considered hard by most folks around here, and most have water softeners. Would the results be better if I used distilled water? Probably, but I like quick, easy, simple and it works for me.