Arean Ellis

I ride Harley's, rock crawl ATVs in Moab, hunt ducks in ice water, but that is crazy. great functional piece of forging. I like it

nice pictures!!! You make you own pins?

Trip went very well!
Hammer worked great.

Here's a few pictures from over the four days...

http://a5.sphotos.ak...736007606_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak...241957055_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak...839433031_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak...749071067_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak...650301240_n.jpg

http://a4.sphotos.ak...950911513_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak...113886270_n.jpg

http://a2.sphotos.ak...392601723_n.jpg

Ya- The handle looks a little soft and fibrous to me. Do you know what kind of wood it is? Otherwise it looks great!

Good luck with the climb!

I'm pretty happy with the strength. If anything, I'm more worried about the handle breaking, rather than pulling out.

The tool will never really see full body weight. Mostly the point of it is for setting and removing pitons. It may be used as a climbing aid, but will always be a secondary tool.

It's all good. I suppose my comment was a little off topic. I should have started my statement with "It's refreshing to see people interested in safety...ect."

It's a shame that most construction workers have a "better than you" attitude toward anyone trying to stay safe. I don't know how many times I've seen some sort of mockery for someone wanting to wear a mask, or ear plugs, or anything else. I'd say respiratory protection is at the top of that list.

Forged a North Wall Hammer yesterday. Took 5 hours, including carving the handle. The steel is from a hydraulic rod.

A north wall hammer is used for climbing ice. It does not have the adze of a normal ice axe, but rather has a hammer head for setting pitons.

I'll be using it this weekend on Mt. Whitney.

http://a4.sphotos.ak...019822054_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak...817747340_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak...120565607_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak...562413843_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak...694674946_n.jpg

I really like your design! Great job!

.... Just go over to the neighbors house and tell them you give up... they win, There has been a biker gang who has been hounding you for some time to take over your lease for a a club house anyway after they lost there last place when the DEA did a meth lab raid.....

I finally got the chance yesterday to refurbish my chaps. My dog chewed them up around 7 years ago. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out.

It got me to thinking. What features do you prefer in a shop apron? and... For what tasks in the shop do you wear an apron?

Anyone have a recommendation for an Android Decibel meter with a 'max' setting?

If all else fails..take up drumming as a hobby..invite a local high garage band to come play..tell them you like things loud.
Invite the neighbor and speak calmly about how this new hobby of yours is SO MUCH more fulfilling then dirty metalwork.
Wear a "big brother's big sister's" T-Shirt.

Some folk, when faced with options, take the one you wish them to take.

Ric

How did you do the silicone? ...how thick? Did you smooth it first and let dry?

I'm stoked to try it.

My main method is to hang an S hook from the pritchel with 15' of chain hanging from it.

Just went out to get my wheel barrel, this morning, to spread some gravel that I had delivered to my driveway. The tire was flat and wouldn't take air. I took it apart and found a knife cut thru to the tube. This is the same wheel barrel that I used when installing my fortress fence. Fifteen years I've lived in this town and not one problem 'til the idiot next door moved in. I'm still considering the cannon ports!!!

Kind of figured that would be the answer. The notion is gone from my mind. :)

Sounds like "Trouble in Paradise" (sorry had to do it) Code enforcement can be a pain, they came through my neighbor hood a few years back and got every one that had broken down cars in their driveway. They got me for a car in the driveway that I had a non-op on, it ran but was not registered. They also tagged me for a carport type tent that I had behind the fence in the driveway. I had 3 days to fix the "Violations" or the would levy a fine, like $300 per item. I had to insure the car and register it and I took down the tent and covered the stuff with a tarp. I saw the code enforcement guy come around about a week later to see that everyone complied, he drove by looking and taking notes.

I'm curious about cleaning up my anvil as well. My anvil is a loaner; so I want to be very careful with what I do to it (Also, I'll ask the owner before I do anything).

Like any anvil; the face has a ton of blemishes and dings. Some are around an 1/8" deep. It looks like the tool steel plate on top is around 3/4" thick. Is it acceptable to 'resurface' the anvil with careful grinding? And is that what people are talking about when they use the term 'resurface'?

It's a pain in the XXXX to be doing detailed work and have the rust pattern or dings from the anvil on the back side of my work.

Exactly! Perfect wording.

I grew up living in the country (more so than I am now.) and if you didn't get along with your neighbors; you didn't belong there. We were close and trusted each other and self-governed ourselves very well.

That's kind of what I'm afraid of. I don't want to deal with fines, harassment, or court. ...in general; long term pains in the XXXX.

I've moved my shop into the garage and now have to drag the coal forge in and out...and I'm facing out toward the street now. I was in the backyard. I've lost my privacy. But on the flip side my shop isn't going to constantly fill with leaves and require a leaf blower every morning. Also, my tools wont rust every time it rains.

I see the situation as half loss/ half win. My wife thinks I've rolled over and am 'taking it'...which sucks.

I agree... And to HWooldridge; great analogy!

This particular neighbor called the police on us the first time my son had his band over to play. (at 12 in the afternoon.) After that we talked to her and came to an agreement on times of day (11-4). Next time he had the band over we gave written notice to all the neighbors, including her. We also talked to her personally. She again called the police that same day.

Since then she has called all our neighbors, our land lord, the police, and code enforcement.

NONE of our other neighbors are bothered. Including our other next door neighbor who is a pregnant stay at home mom. (It's mostly for her that I stick to a 10 - 5 forging time frame.)

Today I'm having all my neighbors and landlord write a letter for me on the subject and I'm going to talk to the police about her harassing us.

I am very tempted to go to gas. I have a few things holding me back though.

How does the cost of propane compare to coal? As in: does 30 dollars of propane last as long as 30 dollars of coal?

Hey all, I am new to the forum so thought I would let yall know what I have been up to. I have been working my forge now for about 3 months now and have been having a blast with it. I have made 2 sets of tongs and several rrspike knives (actually sold 2 already). I am now working on a couple of tomahawks, not sure what will be next. I have been using coke, figure it is time to get some coal and try working it into coke. I do hope to learn a lot from all the more experienced Smiths here.
Leo

Thank you everyone for the positive responses! I appreciate it.

My course of action right now; is to move my shop into the garage (no more rusty hammers, tongs and chisels! yay!) and keep the forge just outside the garage door. This will put my 'art studio' on the other side of the house from the pesky neighbor and hopefully lower the noise by having the anvil inside the garage.

In the morning I'll be going to the city office to have a few more questions answered... Then will be talking to my neighbor.

I'm fairly set on not letting this get me down... or stop my hobby.


This neighbor has called our landlord, neighbors, police, and now code enforcement. I won't be surprised if she still pursues this to legal action (which is her last available option).

Basically that I'm running a business out of my home and that a residence is not zoned for industrial work.