SmoothBore

Concur. Best Wishes to all ..... .

A few things to think about, when selling in a "Farmers" or a "Flea" Market. It's pretty much the same crowd every week, and you're selling "durable goods". ( Once you buy a hand-forged "widget", ... you don't need another one next week. ) So you need a constantly growing, changing inventory, of unique merchandise. Also, ... your typical customer has absolutely NO imagination, ... therefore it's up-to-you to display your goods in such a way that their intended use and utility is plainly evident. ( Just laying things out on a table, is simply NOT good enough. ) And you cannot compete with Walmart, ... so don't try to sell the same kinds of things that can be found there. You're in the wrong kind of setting for "Big Ticket" items, ... so keep things in the "impulse buying" price range. ( You'll sell a thousand "Leaf Key Fobs" for every set of "Fire Dogs" or "Fireplace Crane". ) People will spend their money more freely, on "recreational" or "hobby" related items, than on the mundane wares of daily life. It's not my intention to discourage anyone from trying to market their goods. But 25 years experience in the kinds of Markets you're talking about, has lead me to conclude that the best products, are those that are consumed on-the-spot, ... or carried home, to be used before the next Market Day. I know that's not what you want to hear, ... but it's how it is. .

Is that "Oliver Tractor Green" paint on the vise ? .

Although it's not the most "convenient" possible situation, ... you can't run the "Hoe" and the Mill simultaneously, ... so why not a couple of "Ag" type ( Pioneer pattern) quick-couplers on the hydraulic system ? Hooking up 2 hoses, isn't any more trouble than starting up a stand-alone gas engine, on the Mill. And 22hp seem like serious overkill, just to turn such a Mill. .

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned hammer weight. When hitting hot metal, I like a heavy hammer, that does a lot of "work" with each blow, in the shortest time possible. But that's NOT what you're doing, ... so I'd think about trying a lighter hammer. .

Heat the Rivet and the first inch-or-so of the Calipers, to a dull red, ... and flex the joint while hot, ... and continue to flex it until it cools, naturally. .

Some Cylinder Rods are Chrome plated Cold-Rolled "Stressproof" type steel, ... and some are ground and polished Stainless. A magnet might be useful in determining what you have, ... as would the appearance of rust, in areas where the Chrome was machined away. "Stressproof" makes excellent shafting, ... but it would be hard to beat a couple of Trailer Spindles and Hubs, ... for making a Band Mill. And while I'm giving unsolicited advice, ... a direct drive Hydraulic Motor is a very simple, effective way to power such a device. Especially when you already have a Backhoe, ... with a high-volume hydraulic system ..... .

No, ... Stainless is much more difficult to work with, than mild steel. .

I have opinions on this subject, ... but learned long ago, to refrain from participation in discussions concerning Religion. I don't care if you're a "deep water" Baptist, ... or pate sprinkling Catholic, ... and I don't care if your Hammer runs on Electricity, ... or Steam. If you can't tell the difference by examining the finished work, ... then I don't want to hear any quibbles about how it was achieved. .

This issue regarding the shape and structure of hands ( and feet ) has intrigued me for quite some time. If memory serves, ... Rutherfurd attributes the long, delicate fingers and hands, to the Native "hunter / gathers" that he called the "River People", ... and the square palms and thick, short fingers primarily to the traveling Craftsmen ( mostly Stone Masons ) that had their origins in Western Europe. Those "Guildsman" Stone Masons and Iron "Smites" were most likely of Germanic heritage. ( Like me, ... I'm Swiss, ... and a 32nd degree Mason. ) .

Nearly 30 years ago, I read a truly excellent book, titled - SARUM "The Novel of England", ... by Edward Rutherfurd. In this "Mitchner-like" History, ... the author traces the development of English speaking people, from their earliest beginnings, through "modern" times. As part of that study, he takes note of the physical differences in the various tribes, ... that evolved into today's recognized ethnic groups. The Romans in the Southern parts of the Island, ... Vikings in the North, ... Indigenous pre-historic "Natives", ... the iterate members of Craftsmen's "Guilds" that built the Cathedrals and Castles, ... and the "Norman" French invaders. One of the variations in physical appearance that he pointed out, was the difference in their hands. Some with elongated, slender, nimble fingers, ... and those ( like myself ) with "square" palms and short, thick fingers. Which leads me to speculate on the original topic of this thread. Perhaps, the "best", ... or "correct" thumb position, is directly related to the physical shape and construction of each individual hand ? .

Yep, ... sure is ..... .

Ladies and Gentlemen, please hold all cards, ... we have a BINGO. "Reinventing" the wheel, is seldom the solution to any problem. ----------------------------------------------------------- As a young man, ... ( which occurred a VERY long time ago ) ... all my friends were hot to "soup-up" their cars, with a variety "hotrod" modifications. Big carburetors, ... wide rear tires, ... traction bars, ... and exhaust headers, ... were "all the rage". Yes indeed, ... garden variety high school clowns were sure they knew better than the best Automotive Engineers in the World. And they created some God-awful abortions, ... that wouldn't go down the road in a straight line, ... nor would they take a corner without hopping and sliding all over the road. The results were quite predictable, ... and sometimes tragic ..... I think there's a lesson there, ... that applies to this situation. .

When I was in High School the Printing Industry was still a major employer. ( Nobody had a clue that the various "photo-copy" processes were about to turn that whole Industry on it's head. ) The Print Shop Teacher was a very "hard-nosed, old school guy", who demanded "adult" behavior from his students. He didn't often get it from High School Freshmen, ... and therefore, he had a reputation for "failing" everyone who took his class. But I'd been raised in an equally "old school" kind of home, ... so rigid expectations were nothing new. ( I got "C's" in His class, ... and got chewed-out at home for doing so poorly, ... and didn't know until years later, that those were the highest grades He EVER awarded. ) It was His recommendation that got me my first "real" job, ... and that, in turn, eventually lead to being accepted into the Pratt Institute, School of Engineering. ----------------------------------------------------------- No, ... I NEVER did any homework either ..... ( Or rather, ... I'd do it in class, as soon as it was assigned. ) In those days, I was "all about" off-road motorcycles, ... and needed my "free" time, to ride, ... and do maintenance on the bikes. ------------------------------------------------------- And I too despise working on any car made after 1970. ---------------------------------------------------- There's always been a lot of talk about "individuality", ... but I think we're ALL a very similar type people. .

I was the fat kid, with his nose stuck in a book. I don't think school was fun for anyone. Only the filter of time makes it seem so ..... .

That's a "cold" chisel. The hammer with the square face is for sheet metal work. And one of the things that files are good for, ... is that they make excellent files. It's my personal opinion, that "modern day" files, do NOT make good knives. Maybe, "once-upon-a-time", ... back when files were essentially made from high-carbon tool steel, ... they did, ... but the addition of Vanadium, Cobalt and Chromium in today's files, makes them very difficult to heat treat. If you want to make a tough knife blade, ... start with an old lawnmower blade. Just my opinion ..... .

You can forge most Stainless, ... but it's not easy, ... so mostly, it's reserved for those applications that require it's special properties. It can be heated and "bent" into "shapes" without much trouble, ... but upsetting, drawing, punching and drifting are a bit tougher. --------------------------------- Some folks get way "out in the weeds", ... and take the whole "what's the very BEST" of this-or-that, ... to an absurd level. Do you need the very "Best", ... or is "Serviceable" good enough ? ----------------------------------------- The above mention of automotive leaf and coil spring material, is a good answer, ... because it's a readily available source of "Serviceable", medium carbon steel. You'll find it easy to forge, and tough enough for general purpose work. Obviously, any service garage, body shop or auto salvage yard is a source, ... but most towns of any size will also have a "Spring Shop", with a scrap hopper full of new "end drops" ... that can prove quite useful. .

I have a half-mile long private gravel driveway, ... that rises a couple hundred feet over it's length. And a couple of old Tractors used for road maintenance and snow removal. I run "off road" ( Log Skidder ) chains on the Tractors, ( even the big 4x4 ) in order to assure traction in all weather. On the Ford Utility Tractor, that I've owned since 1988, virtually all the "original" cross-chain links have been replaced with my "homemade" links, of approximately 3" x 4" oval shape. For many years I had access to an unlimited supply of the 4' long "bolts" that hold together the wooden reels used to ship electrical wire and cable. The bolts are about 1/2" diameter, ... and are of a mild steel material that's soft enough to bend cold, as-well-as being suitable for "thread rolling". They made good chain links, ... but do wear quite a bit. About 5 years ago, I ran out of the bolts, and started using rebar for "repair" links. Sometimes I find useful bits of "old" rebar, ... that cannot be bent cold, ... but otherwise work OK. But when I use "new" rebar, ... ALL BETS ARE OFF. It's an adventure every time you try to bend it, ... or weld a link shut. .

The only thing I have to add, ... is that Wrought Iron is often worked at temperatures that are HIGHER than those necessary for mild Steel. For that reason, it's unlikely that you could get it "too hot", ... without burning it up. ------------------------------------------------------------------ In the days when Iron was made in open Furnaces, and run out onto the ground to cool, ... the channel it ran into was called a "Sow", ... and the lateral channels coming off the Sow, were called "Pigs". Thus the name "Pig Iron", ... meaning simply, unprocessed Iron, straight from the Furnace. ( Anyone who's seen Pigs lined up to suckle a Sow, understands the origin of those names. ) ----------------------------------------------------------- The slag-rich Iron from a "Bloomery" rather than a "Furnace", was sometimes referred to as "Sponge Iron". .

Photographers often hang a white Bedsheet in front of a light, ... to diffuse and soften glare. I'd try hanging one horizontally, under your existing fluorescent light. .

What part of that Hinge requires Welding ? .

"Spice" spoons ..... hmmm ..... sure, I'll buy that. Do they make "Spice" straws too ?

Although it goes somewhat contrary to "conventional wisdom", ... I'd recommend tackling something that you find particularly interesting, ... regardless of it's technical complexity. For instance, ... I like to make "useful" things, ... rather than "ornamental" things. Even though the "money" is more often to be found in ornamental work. ( Shoot, ... if I was "in it for the money", ... I'd still be designing Automation Systems. ) It's much easier to maintain your enthusiasm, when you're making something you want, or need, ... and intend to use. .

Just from the standpoint of "Character Building", and "Work Ethic" ... ALWAYS finish what you start. ( OK, ... perhaps there's a bit of a "slippery slope" between diligent Craftsmanship, ... and "OCD" ..... but, given the risks involved, ... which side do you favor ? ) .

Getting the temper right will be the trickiest part ..... .