David Einhorn

Here is the thread on a stand for a Champion 400 blower: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30028-champion-400-stand/

Usually there is a bolt there. A previous owner of the vise may have lost the nut and then simply peened that end. I agree with the others that you could first try oil, then if all else fails, cut the deformed bolt off and replace it with a new bolt when you reassemble it.

Do I understand correctly that your plan is to make a knife blade out of wrought iron? Or are you planning on only using the wrought iron for the guard, and something else for the blade?

Here is a picture of my wagon tongue tongue vise mounted on the stock of my Civil War era Traveling Forge. The smaller Civil War army "portable forge" had a moderate sized vise with a stem so that it could mount in the hardy hole. Diagram of the U.S. government diagram of this vise is also shown below. When I didn't have the Traveling Forge I just used either a small clamp-on vise, or a wrench with a stem welded on the back with the stem stuck into the hardy hole for twisting and bending small demo items. I guess it depends on the size of the projects that you are demonstrating, and how much in heavy tools you need for your projects.

If the 1/2" thick top was flat to begin with, if possible I would cut all the welds and just have two small tack welds, one on each opposite sides. ... unless the table is going to be used to play tug-of-war with an army tank.

From: The ABANA Affiliate list: http://www.abana.org/affiliates/affiliate_list.shtml APPALACHIAN AREA CHAPTER OF BLACKSMITHS President: Donnie Ferguson 159 Fergus Lane Lavergne , TN 37086 USA 615-793-6027 --------------------------- Editor: Danny Parsons 1018 Lone Oak Road Mt. Juliet , TN 37122 USA dannyparsons1184@gmail.com 615-444-4431 -------------------------------------------------------- Website: www.appalachiablacksmiths.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLINCH RIVER BLACKSMITH GUILD President: Bob Bell 5946 Westmere Dr. Knoxville , TN 37909 USA Anvil4bob@Knology.net (865) 690-5564 Website: www.artintheburrow.com/crbg -------------------------------------------------------------------------- RIVER BLUFF FORGE COUNCIL President: Bob Rogers 1897 Crump Memphis , TN 38107 USA meltingman@bellsouth.net (901) 278-7826 Editor: Jeannie Tomlinson Saltmarsh 1475 Faxon Ave. Memphis , TN 38104 USA forgencast@gmail.com 901-336-6904 Website: http://rbfcmemphis.com

The anvil in front is my wife's anvil. It has been in her family since when it was purchased new.

A 100 pound anvil is small enough to put in the back of a closet, with a pile of stuff in front easily hiding it.

Since we don't know what your exact application is we can only guess at the type of wood screw you are aiming for. With that in mind have you considered taking unplated lag screws and reforging the heads to be more decorative? Some examples include: http://www.tetoniron.com/Hardwarelags.html https://www.blacksmithsdepot.com/page.php?theLocation=/Resources/Product/hardware.xml http://www.blacksmithbolt.com/

Are Lincoln Wearshield and Lincoln Abrasoweld the same product?

Yesterday I saw a five inch leg vise that was missing parts was for sale at $80, and last Tuesday I saw a six inch leg vise that was complete that was selling for $100.

Sounds like a great table. I would be interested in how that arrangement works out over time. Is the wood sturdy enough so that the vise does not come loose over time? I usually weld bolts, threads up, to various benches and bolt the vises directly to the metal table tops. To support the leg of the vises I cut a short length of steel pipe for the bottom of the leg to sit into, and weld that pipe stub to a length of angle iron that has the other end welded to the bottom of a leg on the bench. When I do that it works fine, but it is the one vise that I have attached to a bench with a wooden top that is not stable. That vise is on a long list of things that need to be fixed... some day.

I am a Life Member of the Blacksmith's Guild of the Potomac. I have confidence that Ropemonkey will provide you with great information. Additional information may be found: - https://www.facebook.com/bgop.org - http://www.bgop.org/ and their 2013 calendar may be found: http://www.bgop.org/calendar.htm You might also consider joining the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland for additional forge time: http://www.bgcmonline.org/ If I may be of assistance, please feel free to send me a PM [Private Message].

Excellent! Thank you for sharing.

My advise, as usual, is to visit and use as many forges belonging to other smiths as possible... before... building your own forge. That way you have a better idea what works for *you*, and not myself or anyone else. That said, it looks like you have an excellent start with an excellent firepot, tuyer, and blower. I'm not clear on what you are planning to do with the firebrick. Having the blower straight in-line with the tuyer's air intake might result in embers blowing back into your blower, so if you look at other setups I believe you will usually see some offset, sometimes a lot of offset. Sharp 90 degree turns will reduce the airflow into the forge, so gentle bends tend to be a good idea. Classic forges using the type of firepot and blower you have do well with a 2' by 2' or a 2' by 4' forge table. Check out the information on this forum on the three zones of a coal/coke fire, as it is very important. With the parts you have, I am not sure where the firebrick will work, or even if they are needed with your firepot.

Stuart is a good friend and always helpful to all of us that are less experienced than he is. PM sent with my email address so that I may attempt to answer questions that Neil may have about wheelwrighting. Be careful about copying how people tire wheels on Internet videos. Burning tires and bands onto wooden wheels creates a layer of ash between the tire or band and the fellows and/or hubs. When the ashes work their way out, then the bands (both tires and hub bands were called bands) become loose. Thus you hear about all the stories of tires coming loose. Yes it was too often done that way, but it is sort of like letting your auto mechanic put cheap knock-off parts on your car or truck that wear out in six months instead of quality OEM parts that may last for years. Shown is a 57" diameter wheel being *warm* tired in front of my shop. The white stuff in the photo is steam coming off the wheel as the warm tire (temperature approximately less than 454 degrees Fahrenheit) is cooled.

Before you tear it out, if it were me I would remove some of the masonry on the two sides creating a much larger opening through from one side to another. Mortar has compression strength, but not sheer strength, so with a bit of patience you should be able to remove an area of brick on each side. Cape Chisels are what I have used for this purpose. Cement blocks can be cut or removed by breaking them at their weak spots with either a hammer, or if you wish to make it neater a brick hammer or brick chisel. http://autonopedia.org/crafts_and_technology/Tools/Tools_and_How_to_Use_Them/Chisels_and_Gouges.html I have seen masons cut blocks by rapping the blocks with the edge of their trowel, breaking blocks or part of blocks out is pretty easy. I have built most of my tables to about 27 inches in height, and forge openings at about 30 to 36 inches in height, see my calculations in the bottom right corner of the diagram of the Portable Forge as shown below. Remember that you can more easily raise the height on a masonry table than to lower it. What I have tended to have seen done with masonry forges is either a masonry table, that is four masonry legs with large open masonry arches on three sides, or four masonry legs with a steel plate as the top so that everything is open except the legs and perhaps the back. The masonry forges that I would love to build, if I ever win the lottery, would be like the ones I saw being used by the Furnace Town Blacksmith Guild http://www.furnacetown.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=113

I have two side-blast forges that I have built that have bellows that I also built, as well as an old bottom-blast Buffalo forge that has a Champion 400 hand-crank blower. I have used other bottom-blast forges two of which had bellows, and the rest had blowers. The main thing I can say is that each forge had something different about it, both good points and not so good points. Looking for the ideal forge is sort of like looking for the ideal truck. My humble advise is to visit as many smiths as possible and spend time working at as many forges as possible. That way you can get a better idea of what features fit your personal needs best, and have a chance to talk to the smiths about why they built their forge(s) with those features. Fortunately, you live in Maryland, the land of many forges. If you come to a meeting of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, located at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster Maryland, join the guild, sign the release forms you will then be able to try the bottom blast forge(s) in the blacksmithing school. Also, when the the historic shop is open, one of us could take you down to the historic forge and you could try the bellows forge there. We can also talk to a smith or two at other museum forges about your trying their forges. I will also be taking one or the other or both of my side blast forges to the museum and other area locations this year, if you wish to examine their features and differences in how they work. If you live near or in western Maryland, Wally Yater has the Western Maryland guild and he is very into making and using charcoal.

There are at least eight blacksmith guilds within driving distance of less than three hours, and I am a member of three of them. At least seven of those guilds/clubs have more than two hundred members with some having over 350 active members.

Yesterday I mailed in my registration to be at this event. Great event, great tailgating, and great people.

Around here we have beekeeping associations that offer courses. Taking a course is a good way to start beekeeping safely and in an informed way. It is also a good way to find out about the laws and regulations here in the United States, such as requirements of registering an apiary, yearly inspections, licensing requirements, fines and penalties, etc etc. Also, at least around here, Sudden Hive Collapse (or whatever they are calling it now) is making it very difficult to keep hives alive (along with the other hive diseases). An important part of being safe around hives is how you dress. White or off-white clothing is much safer than dark clothing. You don't want to dress up in dark colors least they mistake you for one of nature's robber-of-hives. ;-)

I agree with the above. Penetrating oils, take it apart, clean the parts and reassemble. I once took a rusted frozen up wagon vise to a reenactment, soaked the hinge area with gentle heat in my forge, let it cool slowly under the forge. Being made of wrought iron it loosened up nicely without risk of damage in the fire. With a larger vise, I squirted it with oil at the joint and whacked it with a rubber mallet once a day for a couple of days and it came loose after a couple of days. I then took it apart, cleaned it and reassembled replacing the nut and bolt at the pivot point so that the jaws would line up properly.

I was going to suggest holders for mineral blocks for his horse's stall, but you are looking for something for his office. How about: - wall mounted coat rack. - picture frame - pen holder - book ends - folder holder - in and out box - foot stool

I agree with John M. It may not be authentic, but he is making an effort to provide something nice..... and it has a bellows and not a blower. Maybe I am just mellowing in my old age, as seeing a bellows at a public historical demonstration tends to keep me calm now-adays. :D

Very impressive. Thank you for sharing.