Spruce

Thanks for the mention Biggundoctor:)

Man, starting a business is quite the timesuck - I haven't blacksmithed anything in months now. Hopefully one of these days I'll have some time to explore that again, and maybe one day get some metal going on as part of the business.

Kinghotpants - don't want to hijack the thread - maybe I'll PM you - would love to ask a little about your woodworking, and maybe as things calm down I'll get a chance to bang on some hot metal with ya, or at least hang out at ya at a meetup if we get one organized again.

Spruce

Hey guys - almost forgot about this thread for a while, as life has gotten super busy on this end. I think at our meeting I told ya'll that I was trying to open a community woodshop here in Vegas. Well, we're open now, so if you want to come check us out, look up communitytoolchest.com for details. I know we're not supposed to advertise and plug for ourselves on iforgeiron, but I think the folks at the meeting were interested, so I hope I'm not breaking too many laws, And, I think this is a good thing for Vegas, and for folks like yourselves who like to make things. And, we're hoping to expand into other trades as we go, including blacksmithing of course. We might even be able to organize something at the shop. Shoot me a PM if you want more info.

Man, it's been months since I've banged on steel - I sure miss it, and feel like I'll be starting from scratch again whenever I get back to it. It's cool to see some of you guys have been busy:)

Wow njanvilman - looks like you went to a lot of work on my behalf. Traipsing through snow, carrying that anvil around, rigging it up and everything else - much appreciated! You have gone above and beyond!

Spruce

PS do you use that particular anvil much? Like it?

Oh, I mostly want to know just for my own edification - it's going to get used no matter what. It's just cool to know about these old tools - from when it was made, to where, how, what it's made from, how much it weighs, etc. I feel like it's part of its story. None of that matters when you're hitting metal on it, but don't you wannna know anyway?

Just saw your post in my other thread njanvilman, on general weiging techniques - thanks

Spruce

Just saw your post in my other thread njanvilman, on general weiging techniques - thanks

Spruce

You guys are awesome. A whole bunch of good ideas!

Two bathroom scales - genius! Only I don't have two bathroom scales... actually, I don't even own one. But, I can obviously remedy that...

As for the mathematics - thanks, I may just undertake that process, unless I happen to be going by the feed lot or somewhere who has a scale handy, and I can wrestle it back into the truck.

Njanvilman - thanks, that would be cool!

Spruce

Also, any guesses at the weight? I'm hopefully going to get to somewhere with a scale one of these days, just for my own edification.

And, any idea what any of the markings mean? In particular, the 4 dots stamped into the one foot?

Spruce

Thanks njanvilman. Very cool to know what it is I've got.

Can you enlighten me as to how the large step and 45 on the step were useful for plow sharpening/making?

I plan on using it just like it is for quite a while to come - I have projects much more pressing than the repair of that face. But, I imagine I'll undertake it one day, if I think I'm able. I'm no stranger to welding, of most different types, so the actual laying of the bead doesn't phase me. Rather, the proper pre-heating, maintaining temp, post-heating, etc. seems like the tricky part to get right. In any case, if I ever try it, I'll do a lot of research first, and it's a ways off.

Also, I have a Mousehole with chipped edges I'd like to repair, although I can live with it the way it is if I think it will be too difficult. And, I have a Peter Wright, with not only chipped/mushroomed edges, it's just dead as a door nail - has nowhere near as good a rebound as my Mousehole, and neither are as good as this Fisher. So, I have no qualms about working on the Peter Wright, as it's got almost the same rebound properties as a random hunk of metal right now. I'd love to go at it with the appropriate rods and try to get some life back into it.

Spruce

Picked up this anvil in Cortez, NM, yesterday. Was on my way back from visiting family - managed to wrestle it in the back of our Honda Pilot... There's a hidden cubby thing with all the gear to change a flat tire, jump start, etc. in the back of the Pilot - the weight of the anvil cracked the panel which hides that/makes the bottom of the trunk. Also tore a big gash in the fabric on the back of the seats which were laid flat. Definitely not the ideal vehicle for hauling an anvil. I'm very lucky my wife loves me...

In another thread it was suggested this might be a plow anvil - does that look correct? Any guesses as to the weight?

As you can see it's in decent condition mostly, except for a couple of chips and that one obviously huge missing chunk of the face. I will use as is for now, but hopefully one day repair that area (will do all the research first - Gunther method I think it was called?)

Also got 2 post vices with the deal. Anyway, here are the pics:

Thanks for the suggestions all. I have the photos now, but think I'll start a new thread to not steal the anvils glory... will post a link here when I'm done.

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I'll have pics of it up tonight.

Good idea about the feed store - I might see if they can help. Only problem is getting it into my truck...

I picked it up in Cortez, New Mexico. I live a little ways outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, in a town called Blue Diamond.

Spruce

Hey guys... stupid question here, but does anyone have a clever trick for weighing an anvil too large for a bathroom scale? preferably a cheap method... I'd rather avoid just buying a big scale of some sort. 

This weekend I picked up a Fisher anvil, but I can't for the life of me find any weight markings on it. I'll try to get pictures up later, but for now, it has FISHER indented on one foot, some makers marks like LI   III, and 4 dots stamped in the front of another foot. The only other mark I can find on it is a blob of some sort on the outside of one of the feet, but it is unrecognizable.

I thought about trying to balance it on a lever or some such non sense, but that seems tricky and not incredibly accurate... I know this thing is quite a bit bigger than my 150 pound Mousehole and Peter Wright. Conservatively I'm going to say 50 pounds more, but I really think this thing might be quite a bit more... It's on a stump, and I can lift it, just, but not move with it. I'm a 6 foot 4, 210 pound guy, who can lift quite a lot... If it wasn't attached to the stump, I might just barely be able to take some steps with it, although I don't think I could lift it off the ground into a carrying position.

Also, this anvil has another peculiar feature: the step has a huge drop down - about an inch and a half. And, instead of running straight across the anvil at a perfect 90, it has a 45 in the middle of it, if you get what I mean. Anyone ever seen this? Pics would help I know... working on it.

Spruce

Agreed, it was great meeting everyone, and looking forward to hanging out in the future!

Iron Nomad - I was sitting next to you - my name is Will - feel free to shoot me a PM, or else I'll get hold of you in the next day or two.

Spruce

Yep, I'll be there - should be a good little gathering:)

Never been there, but Big Dogs sounds fine for me, on January 31 - this is sounding good!

Will

We really should make this happen. I am back on board - my schedule is completely random, but I should have quite a bit of time off over the next couple of weeks. This coming weekend I am out of town though. Does anyone have a particular date in mind?

Hey everybody,

This is sort of off topic but it's the kind of stuff I find super interesting. I was watching youtube clips the other day, and came across this:

It's bascially a ribbon burner, which someone pumps sound through. The sound has an effect on air pressure which in turn has an effect on the flow, and therefore the flame. Hence, by playing with the sound, you can get cool visual flame effects.

Very cool! At least I thought so, but I'm kind of a geek for these physics things. I am in no way connected to Veritasium, the guys youtube channel, but for what it's worth, if you're into cool physics phenomenons, it is worth checking out. I hope it's cool for me to post up a youtube clip - I remember running into other youtube links on here in the past, but if I've broken any of the TOS then apologies in advance.

Unfortunately I don't think pumping sound through a ribbon burner has any practical blacksmithing use, but I thought it was cool to see a ribbon burner used elsewhere - apparently in the physics world a ribbon burner is called a 'rubens tube'. Perhaps those researching ribbon burners might be able to find useful information by incorporating ruben tubes into the search - who knows, maybe the physicists have already done some of the work for us!

Spruce

Thanks for the info fellas - those Genshiemer burers sound very interesting.  I will probably try to get in touch with him to see how much he's charging these days.  Anyone know a price offhand?  And contact info?

And any other recomendations?

John - I have made my own burners - 2 Reil burners, 2 Zoeller burners, and 2 Frosty burners.  I'm getting sick of making burners.  My last 2, Frosty burners, seem to work the best, but for whatever reason don't reach welding heat.  I'm not sure if my forge is a little too small and has backpressure, or what, but I've been tweaking a lot, (see my other thread) and haven't managed to get it to work yet.  I can't reach white hot, and can barely reach yellow.  I'm sure that it is something very simple I'm missing, and maybe with try number 4 they would be perfect, but right now time is money for me.  Every second I spend working with a sub-par forge, or working on burners, is a second I don't get to be blacksmithing, which with my limited time, is the main goal.  So, I'm thinking about trying professional burners that I KNOW will get hot enough.  Just one more variable I can rule out.

Spruce

Hey all,

Just wondering what the best option is for a bought, off the shelf, working propane burner?  I am still tweaking my home made burners, but I may at some point try switching to an industrial or professional burner.  The best I seem to be able to find are the Rex hybrid burners.  Are there others?  Advice?  Thanks!  Oh, and by the way, I am looking for naturally aspirated burners, not blown.

Spruce

Cool.  I'll try some adjusting to see what I can achieve.  I think maybe I'll try .030 mig tips to see if that helps - maybe because my forge is so small, I'm dealing with more backpressure, so I'm just flowing too much gas into it?  I dunno, but I'll try adjusting one thing at a time to see if I can get it to work better.  I know my arm would thank me if I could get my metal a little hotter.

BTW, you say commercial burners are better Frosty - in all my searching around the only thing I've seen which is sort of a commercial burner are the T-Rex burners - are there others?  I just did some googling and didn't find any.

If one was to buy a premade burner, is there one which is hands down the best?  I kind of thought that was the T-Rex burners, but are there other options?  Hopefully I won't have to go that route, and I can get mine working just fine, but I'd like to know what my options are.

Spruce

Yes, my burners have flares.

Spruce

Got your PM Rich.  Replied to it.

Hey Frosty - I just went and double checked - my 3/4" nipple is 8" long.  My mig tips are .035, trimmed down a bit and cleaned up with a torch cleaner.  I think I only deviated from your write up a little bit.  I tapped the 1/8 pipe nipple for the mig tip, instead of the brass 1/8" MPT to 1/4" flare, and then I threaded the outside of the pipe nipple about an inch up.  This way, I can just screw the pipe nipple up or down in the T to tweak it to where I want.  Seems to work well, although something isn't adding up.

Do you think I should try dropping to .030 mig tips?  Or pulling the mig tip back further in the T? Go to 9" nipples instead of 8"?  Yeesh - very tweaky little beasts aren't they

Spruce

Yahoo2 - running too rich you say?  Maybe so...  I thought that after my last round of tweaking - moving my mig tips up inside the T, and with the chokes open, that it couldn't possibly be running rich - but if I was tweaking a torch, I would think it was rich - I want a smaller, more intense flame, not just more flame.  To get it to run leaner, I should move my mig tips back even further inside the T, correct?  I have read Ron Reil's web page several times, and looked at the photos showing the different flames - but, it's hard to tell exactly what's going on in the photos - cameras seem to have a hard time picking up the subtelties of flame - maybe this is where I'm going wrong.

Spruce