JAllcorn

Anvil asked for pictures This is one of a matched pair of identical screens. Frame and feet are 1/4”*1” flat bar, hammered edges on front. Cold riveted front and rear panels together with wire screen inside. Rivets are smooth 3/8” head for contrast. Feet match frames. Handle forged from 1/2” round. Wire brushed clean, washed in acetone and painted with high temp clear matte lacquer. Note these are freestanding and built to match size and shape of existing screens which had glass in them. Thanks for the help as this was my first fire screen project.

very good

My idea of what it might by. Growing up in Central Texas in the 50's, I used to go to Priddy, Tx (nearest village to my dad's ranch) and would visit their blacksmith shop. Back then the farmers used a lot of "one-way" or "breaking plows". These used large discs to turn the land over, top to bottom, one way. Haven't seen one in years. The discs would wear and the farmers would take the individual discs to the shop for sharpening. They put them into a rolling device and rolled the edge back sharp. Here's a picture of one, if it comes through, or google https://www.google.com/search?q=breaking+plow&tbm=isch&imgil=tI9xfskWx_7KGM%3A%3BU7ycIbL0Tl8yNM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.liveauctionworld.com%252F3-BOTTOM-BREAKING-PLOW_i24719568&source=iu&pf=m&fir=tI9xfskWx_7KGM%3A%2CU7ycIbL0Tl8yNM%2C_&usg=__wh6bEjqPuwnXre5kfMiS1NWPISU%3D&biw=1570&bih=769&ved=0ahUKEwj43ZuB8b3WAhVo8IMKHeqfC8cQyjcIXQ&ei=Cq3HWfiwJOjgjwTqv664DA#imgrc=_nRlIbBmEGw6XM:

Since my shop is in my downtown area, 1 block from the county courthouse and surrounded by lawyers, I get a fair bit of "attention" at times. After a couple visits by the fire marshal when starting my coal forge, he saw what I was doing and decided I wasn't going to burn down the city. When the wind blows a certain way (it is distorted by the tall buildings) I can get a complaint from a neighbor that the smoke is being drawn into their space via their A/C unit. That rarely happens but when it does I shut the coal off immediately. I also do odd favors for the lawyers for free, so that helps. I also get, on a random basis, visits from wannabe knife makers and blacksmiths. My answer to the "which kind of forge should I get" question is to start with gas for the reasons some have listed above; no smoke, easily stores, build fairly cheaply or if mom/dad have the $$$ buy the kid one, etc. Since most of the kids want to make swords, I recommend gas with a properly designed forge for that use. Also, I have to go 130+ miles to get coal and buy 2 tons at a time. The kids probably can't do that although I sell a bag here and there. There is one young man who came in looking for help and he was already making his own charcoal. He is definitely NOT the normal visitor I have and is well on his way to becoming a "smith".

I was trying to lower the input amps and prevent "spiking" of the electric meter. I'm on a "demand" meter (you can research demand meters) and my usage is billed on a combo KWH used and demand factor. Slowing the speed is an option w/ VFD. I did this a time or two just to see if I could and how well it worked. My electrician friend advised that if I was going to lower motor speed via VFD, that I needed to monitor motor temp, and if necessary, put a fan to blow directly over the motor. My 2 cents on this is that lowering motor speed wasn't really something I liked or needed. Demand would not be an issue in a larger facility where numerous machines are being used simultaneously or in a residential location where there is no demand meter (in my opinion). The VFD did work to some extent and it lowered my demand factor and electric bill as a result. However, I finally got enough of the elect co, the demand meter, etc. etc. and I sold the Anyang 88 hammer, replacing it w/ a Big Blu 155. All that to say, the Anyang is a FINE hammer. I never had a minute's problem w/ it. I am also happy w/ the Blu. There are some differences and idiosyncrasies w/ each.

Anybody have setup and or operation/maintenance manual for the Big Blu 155? if so please PM me James

I have a VFD on my Anyang C41 (88 lb) but my VFD is a different brand/model from yours, or at least looks different. I watched my electrician program it. You really need to know what you are doing. The (at least mine) VFD's are computers and have many settings. My VFD was made by Schneider Electric and I d/l a 90 something page manual from their website. I suggest you try to obtain a detailed programming manual and get someone knowledgeable to program it. It must be set correctly to work properly. Good luck James

In the shop bathroom, I keep a jug of Iodine (I think it is a solution, not pure) and use it when I get a cut worth treating. After washing, I use a liberal handful for a final wash. Good antiseptic and smells great. The Iodine color washes away w/o staining. Then band aid or bandage if needed.

In our area there's lots of Bois d' Arc trees, Bois d' Arc Creek, even a Bois d'Arc Restaurant (now closed), streets named after it, a little Texas hamlet, etc., etc., also called the Osage Orange... a very tough wood used for fence posts and by the Native Americans for bows. Anyway, we named our shop "Bois d'Arc Forge Blacksmith Shop". In the beginning we never intended to do anything more than have fun, make smoke, try to add to the downtown area and irritate the lawyers (we're located 150 feet from the County courthouse). It is commonly referred to by locals as "the forge" and we even painted our bathroom in the shop "Bois d' Arc green". Looking back, we might have picked a different name... maybe just "the Forge", ??? Bottom line, you are stuck w/ the name so choose carefully.

I found 1 pic of the rebar railing.

I'll look on my other PC for pics of that staircase and post if I can find them. We were hit by some sort of computer hack about a year ago which encrypted the word, excel, jpg and pdf documents on ALL our systems since they are on a network. (My wife was looking at emails and just "had" to look at something, turns out it was a really bad deal. The hackers wanted a ransom in "bit coin" to UN-encrypt the files.) we hired a computer security guy but wound up deleting all the corrupted files.

10 years ago we had a client commission us to build a staircase handrail completely out of rebar for a 5,000 ft sq loft apartment. The staircase goes up to the roof where a motorized door opens allowing access to a roof deck. The idea for using rebar was their idea. The top rail was #14 (1-3/4" diameter) and the side panels were various sizes from 3/8 to 3/4 bent and welded to give the appearance of tall grass blowing in the wind. Sometimes the rebar cut really well with a portaband and sometimes it would quit cutting and all the teeth would have disappeared on the blade. I built a form to scale of the staircase out of 3/8 x 2 x 2" angle iron and heated the #14 top rail bar w/ a torch while pulling the bar around the form. Finish was achieved by wire brushing the rebar on a wire wheel running at 3450 RPM on a bench mounted motor, then the rebar was heated to blue w/ a rose bud and cake beeswax applied over and over till it quit melting, all the while rubbing w/ a heavy cloth. The bar was a bit sticky for about 2 weeks. This was primarily a cut, heat, bend and weld job. I don't think any of the rebar was forged. It turned out great and is the centerpiece for the apartment. After that I tried making a set of tongs from some left over 1/2" rebar... one side of the tongs were beautiful, the other side broke in half when I laid them down. I haven't played with rebar since!

If you have access to a Hossfeld #2 bender, you can do most anything w/ 5/8 bar cold. A local machine shop came to me 3 mos ago needing 4 bars of 5/8 4140 bent in a particular shape and tolerances were pretty tight. I practiced on some 5/8 oilfield sucker rod (drill rod) and that bent easily COLD. So did the 4140 but just a touch harder to bend. The machine shop specified the bends to be all COLD. One bend was 180 degrees w/ a 2 3/4" inside, the other was a 90 degree sharp bend. Use some WD40 or some such oil and it helps the bending a lot.

I've got 2 work tables but have the chance to buy an Acorn plate, 96x60 w/ 1 1/2" square holes. seems in good shape. I've never used one so the question is this, just how useful are they and what are they worth? I'd have to travel about 500 miles to get it (one way). James

There used to be a supplier, advertised in Hammers Blow or something like that, they carried all sorts of hard to get bar shapes. Haven't seen the ad in a while. I think they may have been in CA, not sure. james