Timothy Miller

Your right it is over 150 ft of rail I was way off base on that. Kind of had my head in the clouds today. But still there is most likely a lot of work needed to retrofit the rail to a new location and have it pass code. You can have a lot of money and fudge things after the fact with code. But lets say some one gets hurt after the fact and sues the home owner and you. Do you think the insurance company is going to cover you when you willfully and with full knowledge built something that was not up to code. How is the home owners insurance company going to react when they found out the rail was installed after an inspection to avoid code issues on the home owners instructions. I see a very expensive and long law suite. I have heard a lot of stories but for the most part I have found inspectors to be on the up and up.

LMC charges what they want because they can. Can you say that you worked on the statue of liberty? They often are awarded contracts for twice what the competition is charging. They know what they are doing and know how traditional ironwork should look. I have seen a bit of there work around NY and everything is done right or at least it looks that way both technically and ascetically. They also wine and dine architects builders and home owners to get work. They once held a sailing regatta for their customers where they gave away a trophy that they had made.

I would say the price is about right for replacement. Biased on some other similar work I have seen done around here, If done using traditional technique. It it were MIG welded and water jet cut and looked about %75 right. I would knock off about %40. Up here in NY there a hand full of shops are doing Yellin quality work. Meaning well designed, Mortis and tennon, rivets, collars and repousse forge welding etc. I aspire to get into this market it is kind of like being allowed eat at the grown up table. These shops keep a low profile out side of marketing to there clients. You will never see a demo at one of there shops or will be invited for a shop tour. The builders and architects want this kind of work are a hard group to impress and have close long standing relationships with their metalworkers.

As far as I know In most parts of the country they have backed down from the "ladder effect" for the exception of pool enclosures. Largely due to the efforts of NOMA. There was some testing done where it was proven that almost all railings were climbable even glass panel rails. In addition there was a review of accidents from hospital records where people had climbed over rails and fallen. The results were that It had happened only in 2 or 3 incidents. To the push for that requirement was largely abandoned.

well if it goes to mass It might pass. I forgot to mention that there also is the 6" sphere rule where a 6" sphere may not pass under the bottom rail.

Most likely the opening sizes. A 4" sphere may not pass threw the rail at any point, The run and rise of the stare must conform to current codes. It will need to be 36" high at any point where the potential drop is over 36" or something like that. Also the cap rail must not be have a perimeter of over a certain size can't remember what though. this is just off the top of my head. And the person buying must build a stair to match it. I should contact them and find if they need anyone to reinstall it and make the necessary modifications. B)

Whatever you forge them from they should have some sort of edge holding ability. They will need to bight into the pipe that they are being used to turn.

The best part is the rail is not up to current building codes. It will have to be modified to be reused if it is within the united states. I live near there and know the company who is selling it. I would love to be in the room when the buyer finds out it is basically unusable as a stair rail if it is removed form its current location.

Most respectfully Mr Hofi, nice work.

It looks like you have enough steel for two chisels. That is a big hunk of steel to draw down and spread by hand. Nice work.

your idea yes I guess you got me in check. :)

That's what I have been saying about this.

Yes but I am in New York and according to some people that is not part of real America.

The wheels kind of defeat the purpose though . What a massive piece of iron that makes my 8" fisher chain vise look like a toy.

Ill give it another look

This is a stationary forge in a professional shop. I am not sure I want to go the break drum rout as the don't seem to be that thick. I am also not big on the whole improvised thing when the real deal is available. Is the j Newman the same one they sell at the blacksmiths depot? That looked like a pretty serious fire pot. Thanks for your input.

Seems a bit small for my needs I did look at that.

That is going to rock the house with out a foundation. Be prepared to have things fall off of you shelves.

I need a new fire pot. My old centaur forge pot burnt out after a day of forge welding. It had been on its way out for a wile. I want a as big and heavy duty as i can get. I plan on doing some large forge welding with wrought iron 2" square t welds to be exact. I would rather not have to build something.

Anything you want to post is fine by me. If you think it is weird its weird.

How much should a 50 to 100 year old hammer cost that is no longer made of proven quality? How much should a high quality hand made hammer cost?

Think you will need to cook it with a hardie hole in it.

I thought this idea is good for people who don't have a hardie hole or just don't like them. People might even be able to weld on a holder with a set screw on the side of their block anvil to use tooling like this. I use side mounted dies like this in my power hammer. But somebody was using it at the time so they improvised.

I love your tools by the way use them every day.

Actually, I walked in the shop and one of the guys was using a power hammer tool on his anvil he had set it up on his own. I started laughing because it was stupid simple and worked.