Trip

Hey yall,

For the past 2 day's I have been having a world of trouble forge welding.
yes I am using flux (red flux and EZ-Weld)
I am getting it to (or I think) the right temp
And I wasn't wasting time between taking it out of the fire and the anvil

So got any idea what I am missing, or tell me how you weld.

Thanks,
Trip

Looking in the catalog; the 400 is the 9 and 12 inch. The 420 is the 14" and the 421 is the 16" . Take note this is the size of the CASE not of the fan. The literature states the 14 and 16 inch case is suited for supplying air to two fires or fresh air for a mine. The 16" case 421 model turns 50% harder than the 400 model with 12 inch case, so says the cataloge.

Nice find. I was happy to score a really nice 400/12 inch a couple of months ago. Nice find on your part.

I probly dont want to know what you paid for it :D

how much do you want to sell it???

How much?????

From the looks of that lever action, it looks like a Winchester 94, and if so BUY it, they don't make them any more and they are sweet little guns. I got 2, a OLD one, and a new one with a scope.

That looks like a good anvil, but like Glenn said, it is hard to price stuff with out more details.

Well I used it yesterday, and I didn't think it was all to hard to turn, once you get it going you can turn it with your little finger.

So I take it that there aren't many 400's this size out there?

Hey yall,

Well today I had to deliver some blacksmith tools that I sold over the internet, but while I was at the buyers house, I saw a blower that caught my eye. From a distance it looked kinda big, but that's because it was!!!!! LOL I knew after seeing it, I had to have it, so against my better judgement, I bought it. oh well, I guess the power hammer will have to wait. :(

The blower it's self is a Champion 400 with a 16" fan, and from what I have read and heard, there aren't many this size out there. I hooked it up to my masonry forge, and BOY OH BOY does it get the fire HOT!!!!!!

I had thought about selling it, but after using it, I'm not so sure I want to part with it, but I would kinda like to know what it is worth. Any of yall know?

This first photo is the Champion (on the right) next to my Tiger blower, kinda shows how big it is!!!!!





Trip

Although I have said that I have decided to go with the helve hammer, I still have reservations about it. The main reason is because I have never used one, and there for don't know if I will like it's control, speed, and power. To where I have used a tire hammer, and know that I like it, but am intimidated on building one with only a set of plans, and no REAL knowledge of tire hammers.

Does any one know of where I can find a list of the dates and locations where Clay Spencer will be holding tire hammer build classes? The reason I am asking this, is because I have been asked by a potential client to build them a tire hammer!!!!!!! So I am thinking if I go to a class, build me one, and then I can build them one when I get back. Just a thought.

Thanks,
Trip

Hey yall,

Thanks for the info!!!!!!

I think I am going to go with the helve hammer, and I got some more questions. Imagine that!!!! :D

On, I guess you would call it the helve? (the piece of leaf spring on the top) What size leaf spring do Need for #50 hammer, and should I straighten it or leave it curved? Also what size motor should I use? And how big of a anvil post do I need ( I am planning on using solid steel, not wood or anvil)?

thanks,
Trip

How big was the blank for the shovel head?

I just restored a Canedy Otto Royal blower and when I wire wheeled it I found it had red paint, and black lettering.

Here it is after all done

what do yall mean about a tire clutch? I am new to all this power hammer stuff, so photos would be a big help for me to understand what yall are talkin about.

Thanks
Trip

hey yall

I bought an old blower that didn't work about 3 weeks ago, and after a whole day of work it looks new and runs like a swiss watch.

What do ya think?




Trip

Hey yall,

Well today I had the honor to work with Dave Custer at his blacksmith shop (FFF LLc), and whats better is, I got to try out his new tire hammer!!!!! WHAT FUN!!!! Thanks Dave!!!! (Oh and Dave, you don't have to tell about that, remember I have only used a power hammer like 5 times in the past 2 years) LOL

Now, I have a feeling that I will be building a power hammer of some sorts before summers end, and I have been looking at helve hammers, kinda like the "Rusty", but maybe a little more....... oh how should I say it???? ...... Factory built. kinda like the one in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTP9ZnaaHkI I have never used a helve hammer before, just a tire hammer, little giant, and air hammer, now I know I don't have the checking account for an air hammer, or little giant. So I have it narrowed down to a tire hammer or helve hammer, and personally I am a little........ no not a little..... I am BIG TIME intimidated by all the parts (moving and stationary). Now I know some one will read this and say to them selves "Awwww come on its a piece of cake" but let me tell you, for this backwoods Kentucky boy, its pretty intimidating. So after seeing the video above on the helve hammer I was like "hmmm that doesn't look all to complicated, all the moving parts are near the bottom, and one "biggun" ;) on the top.

I feel confident that I can build a helve hammer from what I can see on that video, and using dimensions of my own, BUT I am not to sure on how a helve will handle compared to a tire hammer in the way of hammer control, and speed control. So if you will bring me up to speed on the pro's and con's of these hammers, and if you were a young fella who had only one shot within the near future to build just A hammer and have to LIVE with it for a year or 2, Which would you build?

Thanks,
Trip

I pay $0.10 a pound for Ky lump coal

Doing shows a lot, you'll get odds and ends that turn up. I was at a show this past weekend and a guy came up and said he had a big bellows (like a 7 footer.) Said the first $100 would take it home. I'd love to have one but I don't have the floor space and the ceiling isn't tall enough to hang it up there.

That's not something to worry about until you get a covered forge or a shop. They are bulky and I would HIGHLY suggest using one before buying one. I didn't really like the one I used once. Hand crank or electric is so much more compact, and I like the way they work better.

They do occasionally turn up. I've got a friend up here that has one for sale for (I think) $500. You just have to keep a continuous eye out on craigs and the local adds on ebay for one.

thanks

I do custom blacksmithing and welding, so I have made things from old time wood working tools, hand forged art, to welding on pick up trucks. Mostly I market off of Craigs List and word of mouth, but I also put business cards in different places, post fliers around towns, and will soon be putting my work in art galleries in the surrounding area.

Is the copper wire holding on some of the branches? Looking good so far, are more branches in the offing?

Hey yall thanks for the info!!!!

The legs are round pipe.

Hey yall,

last Friday I picked up some "new" blacksmith tools, and one of them is this old cast iron forge, but the strange thing is there isn't a brand name on it. So yall got any idea who made this forge?? I have done a LOT of searching on Google, but the only time I found a forge like mine was on google images when I typed in "railroad forge" and there was only 1 photo of a forge that looked like this one.








If yall got any Idea's of who made this forge please let me know.

Thanks,
Trip

Good job Trip,It shows you have creative drive, run with it! I like that whimsical swing.

Hey yall,

well for the past few day's I have been working off and on, on a hand forged tree, and yesterday I finally got it finished. I got about 8-10 working hours in it, and the metal was just some scrap that a friend gave me. It stands about 3 feet tall, the trunk is made of 3/4" round, and the "vine" is some left over electric wiring.

I don't know WHY I can't get photo's on here!!!! GRRRRR so anoying. Lets try again.

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aren't the 400 like the best hand cranked forge blower there is?