David Einhorn

...... That's when I switched to a 3D shield. I now have 3 of these shields and am very happy with them.

I searched and can not find a "3D shield". May I ask the name of the manufacturer and who sells them?

Some other stuff:

• Vise, and stand for vise

• Anvil tools: cut off hardie, hold down, guillotine tool, etc.

• Air source such as bellows or blower

• Swage block(s)

• top tools

• bottom tools

• cone mandrel(s) (depending on what you plan on making)

• water quenching bucket

• bucket for clinkers and hot stuff removed from forge

• Safety stuff: safety glasses/googles, first aid kit

• assembly table

• racks for iron/steel

• measuring tools

• reference books

For going to events you will need other stuff such as tables, boxes, display stuff, etc etc. 

Used/second-hand spring steel has concerns as to metal fatigue, so not recommended for making swords. ( a guess based upon your avatar and planned acquisition of spring steel)

Thomas, is there a formula for adjusting the heat treatments in the books to a thinner cross section?

Welcome to the world of blacksmithing.  It sounds like you are off to a good start.

Sounds like you got it at a very good price. 

A friend welded my cone to a steel plate, and so far the welds have held up for more than 26 years. 

The heat treating books from ASM are increasing in number, besides the 1991 edition of volume 4, Heat Treating by ASM, there now is:

Practical Heat Treating / Edition 2 (2006), by Jon L. Dossett, and Howard E. Boyer

and now a 2013 edition

ASM Handbook, Vol 4A: Steel Heat Treating Fundamentals and Processes

Editor(s): Jon Dossett and George E. Totten

And New ASM Handbooks, Volume 4B—Heat Treating of Irons and Steels, and Volume 4C—Induction Heating and Heat Treatment, will be published next according to the ASM website.

I have a copy of the 1991 edition of volume 4, which of the heat treating books by ASM or other publisher is/are best for heat treating knives?

You valves are huge i gues its because one valve for each board. How much these bellows  are long i guess they are a litle bit smaler than previous.

The challenge here is repairing the bellows by making *minimal* changes, and that the bellows are a rather small size being that they were reproduced from mid-1800s U.S. Army specifications and drawings.  By enlarging the valve openings, and hanging a weight off the bellows hook, we hope to increase air flow.  .....

Bellows repaired and ready for bellows cover, and nozzle.

Bellows repair continued: The photographs show the bellows valves, straps to limit how far the valves open, and the boards reattached with new hinges.

Hi,
   I am working on setting up a forge but i have limited shop space so i have been looking into alternative bellows designs. So far my favorite kind is the Japanese Box Bellows. Has anyone herdof these bellows and if so do you have any information or tips on them? If not here is a link to a description of one and I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=23504.0

Thanks

Simply Google on “youtube build a japanese box bellows”

here are a few videos and information that came up from that search:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwJ2mCv0Lls

In the situation where a bellows has special historic value, *and* the wood within the bellows is solid, it might be possible to take the panels apart and edge-join them back together.  There is a woodworking technique called spline-joining where matching grooves are cut in the edges of boards to be joined, and then a wooden spline is glued into the joined edges of the boards.  Done properly, this joint is strong and provides a highly air-tight connection between the boards. 

I learned the hard way to try out the equipment of others before purchasing or building any equipment.  That way you can find out what equipment works best for you, prior to investing money and time. 

That said, I highly recommend finding a blacksmithing group close to you and participating in their learning opportunities.  I feel that the absolute best way to start, if possible, is to take an introductory course in blacksmithing.  That way you can get a jump start on knowledge and safety information, that otherwise might take many months to learn on your own.

is this too critical. 

In cases of too much damage to bellows parts, it is easier to simply build a new bellows from scratch.

.....What if you make uneaven side in one of padle like from center one padle have one side wider than other is that real problem. But all of tree can be matched.

The important thing is whether air leaks from chambers and the seals on the valves.  The shape of the bellows boards are not critical, and has some margin of error.  You just don't want the bellows boards to have a huge difference in shape.

There are several ways to draw a symmetric shape. One way is to draw one side and flip the pattern over. Another way is to draw squares on a board and copy the lines from boxes on one side to the matching squares on the other side. Then use that board as a pattern for the other boards.

Great pictures David! Did either of these bellows use floating ribs to support the leather?

Excellent question.  The bellows that are being built from scratch will have two ribs, and in the photo the ribs are sitting behind the top and bottom boards. I guess I should have shifted them to where they could have been seen in the photo.

I would have thought that the bellows that are being repaired would have had ribs, but looking at the U.S. Army drawings by Captain Albert Mordecai circa 1840s-1850s, the drawings show only the top, middle and bottom boards.  This bellows worked ok without ribs, so it seems that the bellows is so small as to not need ribs.

With both bellows, the wishes of the smith-owners are used as guide for both materials used and various construction details. Although, if I had two more wood panels on hand, I would have simply used all new materials instead of trying to save any parts of the old bellows.  Optimally, the valve openings in the smaller bellows would be further forward, so that the valve covers could hinge in the opposite direction. I replaced the top board because I had one similar wood panel on hand, and it was *much* simpler to replace the top board than try to repair it.

Today's progress on bellows repair.

The top block is one of the three support points for the bellows, thus the reason for the block to be both glued and screwed to the center board. The bottom block, when added, covers and hides the screws.

Here are two bellows currently being worked on in my shop.

The arrangement that I had with an acquaintance was that I would lend him a display box with my logo on it, under the understanding that it would only be used for my items, and returned if and when he no longer used it to display my items.  Well, that did not last long, other people's items ended up in my display, and when he closed his store the display box was not returned. 

I would have to say that once you provide displays to a merchant, the agreement on how it will be used is limited to the merchant's memory, and the merchant's honesty. 

Personally, assuming all the parts are mild steel,  I would try this:

- place dies back into Guillotine tool

- place Guillotine tool dies-side down into coal forge

- slowly heat the dies *and* the die holders to a bright red heat

- place Guillotine tool in a nice safe place to slowly cool

Dies should now move fine.  Remove dies and clean off any scale.

Think about and decide what process or processes may be involved in this method.

Your other option is to save the wrought iron for making etched guards and end-caps. 

These folks are restoring a press of that model.  Maybe they can provide that part.

http://www.used-garage-equipment.com/workshop/floor-press/laycock-60-tonne-h-frame-press/prod_52.html

Welding the tuyer to the forge is not something I would do.  If the tuyer, when heated, expands and contracts at a different rate than the forge area it is attached to, something will eventually break.  Also, as folks already mentioned, future repairs would be much more difficult if the two parts were welded together.  Please consider drilling and bolting instead. 

The finish of the door is important in both stabilizing and protecting the wood. Unfortunately it is not practical to soak a large door for several weeks in a 50/50 boiled linseed oil and turpentine mixture, but if it were practical I would soak the door in the mixture for a couple of weeks, and then let it thoroughly dry, and then apply a marine grade, exterior, spar varnish. The 50/50 mixture is an old method of stabilizing wood. By soaking wood in the mixture, it seeps into the cells of the wood.

Since that is not practical, I would suggest applying a stain, letting it completely dry, then apply a coat or more of exterior, UV protective, marine grade spar varnish. Unless you wish an antiqued finish, using the same brand of products will reduce the chances of the two products interacting in a funny yet sometimes interestingly antique type blotchy finish.

http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/difference-between-spar-varnish-and-regular-varnish/

Here are some interesting information as well as two videos on making doors, while not exactly the project that you are making, they can provide some ideas.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/build-wooden-door-zmaz90ndzshe.aspx#axzz2f26uBw5f

Very nice work!