JimsShip

Know anyone with a pool?

The lock key was a simple square? how would you know that? All the old skeleton keys i've scene have some sort of pattern to them. Hmm...Now i need to find an old lock and see what's in there..

Sadly in my area there are no junkyards, and the only scrapyard prohibits removal of goods. Sad too, i've seen some awesome stuff in there. (I asked about an old ambulance cap I wanted to make a playhouse out of, and they said no.) My best resource so far has been a local garage door seller. The new doors always get installed with new springs and the old springs get piled up in the back. I've gotten some small springs from single house doors as well as a few giant industrial ones for warehouse doors (Those need to be cut before wrestling in the forge!) All are simply heated and pulled into a nice round usable stock, and I get it for free, which is also nice! ;) It's true you shouldn't walk the tracks for RR spikes, but if you see some guys working the tracks you can always ask. Most don't care since they're the ones who have to clean up when they're done.

Just thought i'd share.... http://www.farmersmuseum.org/programs/summer/step_back_in_time_weekend_blacksmiths%E2%80%99_weekend

Old-N-Rusty suggested a sand and cement mixture that has worked great for me on my rivet forge- 3 parts sand and one part cement (portland cement not concrete) mixed moist and molded to shape. Hope this helps.

Hey Pug- How's this coming along?

I like wood handles because i'm old fashioned like that, and as stated above it's what i've always used. I voted metal handle as my second choice because the only other hammer i've had that's not wood had a metal handle with a rubber grip.

You don't really need more than a small flat surface area anyway, is there no clean edge anywhere on it?

Great idea using a plow blade, it made me look at all the old rusty plows we have lying around the farmlands out here in a different light. I saw one with "harrow" blades that were ruffled a bit, and I laughed that it would look like a big flower if it were set horizontally , but the indents would be great for holding stock in different directions. (see attatched stock pic) Any lady smiths out there want to build a flower-forge? :D

Very nice. I want one like it! I actually found one hidden in a junk barn but the guy wants 500 bucks for it, and it looks like everything is seized up. :(

most depressing thread ever... :( (Because it didn't happen to me!)

Love it! I would buy it!

That's awesome! I love the mounting technique, I've never thought of that. Very cool.

I'm also fairly new to all of this, and i'm constantly reworking finished projects. It's true you can always rework a project until you like it. (Be careful though, there were times i've reworked a project to the scrap bin!) Since I also sometimes lack stock material, when I see an idea i'd like to try I've been known to take a finished hook or something and using it to make something else. That's the fun of it all!

Here's another great idea- Corn Cob Holders! I never used them myself, (the barbarian I am) but what an easy way to thank someone for a BBQ invite! (In the last pic, they even used old forks! How cool is that!) (I'm not sure who created these or who to credit, so Thanks to whoever you may be!)

We have a rotisserie on our grill that bastes the bird nicely, but I think i'll try the beer idea for a change! I found these circle skewers on the interwebs, and I like the look of them, but wouldn't they take way too much space on the grill? Maybe if I make them in graduated sizes so they fit inside each other....

Yes, I beleive I can...... ;)

Hey Beth, I found this pic online and thought of you! You thought your gate was heavy, I can't imagine what this thing would weigh! ;) dragon gate.bmp

I was planning on making a few more skewers (you can never have enough!) and maybe some hot dog/marshmallow forks when a friend showed me this picture, and I think i'd like to make something similar. (I've never beer grilled a chicken before so i need to do a little research) but it got me wondering, what other other unique BBQ ideas are out there? I'd like to see what you all have created, and maybe brainstorm a few new projects. chicken roaster.bmp

I'd be afraid it would tip if the candle was too tall, but I guess if the ends can compensate, it's all good. Neat idea.

I never looked when i took mine apart, and put it back together with the curve facing forward when cranked (Thinking it would "scoop" the air into the pipe opening) but never even really thought it may have been different when i started. The wheel is in good shpe, that was my concern on mine, but it turns out that even if it's split into 2 wheels, as long as you have a good (new in my case) tension spring pushing one half towards the other is works nicely. (I actually sanded the inner edges on mine to remove the craked bits and scuff up the surface a bit for traction)

I used high heat Krylon for the black parts and gloss red for the rest. When you line it, (and you should) most of the fire-areas will be protected anyway. (Fire areas? There's got to be a better way to describe that!)

I think replacing the gears would be a big undertaking without the originals (or mine) to use as a template. Does the fan move freely set up as it is now? My fan only had 4 small blades and didn't move a great amount of air (enough to forge, but I never had to slow my cranking!) I got lucky with mine since the only part I needed to replace was actually in good shape, all I needed was a lot of sanding and a new tension spring. I would try it as is and see what you want to change about it. (The crank may be too low, or you may learn to like it as is) and then we (and by we I mean you!) can create the changes you desire.

Looks like the one I restored in this old thread: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/22978-small-champion-forge-questions-now-for-sale/page__hl__%2Bchampion+%2Bforge but without the garbage can sheild! I sold that little guy, to buy my "bigger" one, but I kind of miss it. Nice find!

Love the handle, what kind of twist is that?