MOblacksmith0530

I don't know how I missed the end of this thread before. Last I heard you were still setting it up. Anyway I love it.That drive pulley looks like the bottob of a little oxy cylinder or sumthing.

Used the big block again today half a dozen times forge welding bundles into round. it really helps hold the peces to make a quick solid weld. Then used one of the holes to flatten the lip on boss for a targe. You can get by without one but why if you don't have to. Learn to use all your tools.

looking forward to seing it.

I used to use mostly 4140 plenty hard if heat treated correctly and has good abrasion resistance, I still use it when I have it. I have also made very acceptable hammers from 1040 through 1050. I think Nathan at Jackpine forge (big hammer maker) uses only 1045, and makes excellent hammers. The goood thing about the 10XX steels is they are more forgiving on the heat treat and can be water hardened and tempered generally without cracking from stress. The last half dozen hammers I hae made have all been out of 1040 and have worked well.

I am with Stewart on the linelshaft, overhead for sure. I ran acroll a little shop in Rice MN that is run on a lineshaft (5hp I think) and they had power hammer, mill, drill press, lathe and grinder all on the same shaft. Stewart, you need to work faster some of those tongs are rusty, you are not forging fast enough to keep them clean :D

Thanks for that

Duracraft was a name of chinese import tools back in the 80's. I have a duracraft drill press. I keep waiting on it to die completely. My guess because of the location of the cast letters as already noted is cast iron ASO.

Geez Bob I heard you the first two times you said it... :rolleyes: ( dont you hate it when you mullti post. I think I get the shakes sometimes and multi click) Seriously you are right keep it short and have a few good jokes and it should go well. I like to also have a little local history if possible to make it more real to the "locals". I have been at a demo where someone comes by and says I heard you tell that joke this morning.... I then explain I am a blacksmith not a comedian and get more laughs that way. When you are doing a public demo you ar ethere to entertain, tha tcan mean telling a joke, or some historical fact related to blacksmithing and showing them how it works. It can be rewarding and that is why I still do it.

Another thing you can do is at the corner you want to hang it from flatten the outside 1/3 or so and punch a hole and then hang it from the hole. Less contact with the metal means better ring.

Yup cable "damascus". I love using it. Get yourself some borax. Heat the cable and foge the ends to eitther square or rectangular and weld them. ( forge weld them with Borax) heat them again and untwist and clean out some of the gunk if it is used cable, then flux the inside well and close it back up by re-twisting. Heat it to welding heat slowly and continue to twist it tighter and if it is at welding heat you will feel it lock up as you twist it tighter. The center is then welded and you can go ahead and forge down and weld the outside. I have some 1" with some pretty heavy strands probably 16 to 14 gauge and it makes beautiful axes.

Good job! Simple but elegant. Be sure to keep it around as it is the first one. If you have to give it to your wife or significant other you can go that far but you need to keep the starting point like the first dollar for a business. It will give you a reference and will give you a way to look at your progress. You will eventually find something to critique yourself on and change in the future. My wife still has my first leaf that I was taught to make by Bob Alexander about 15 years ago.

your gonna love those long bicks. They are handy as heck. and real nice work by the way.

Wow you will have to mount it on a crooked stump. The top does not appear to be level with the base. It has the upsetting block on the base so in my mind that is a big plus. Looks like it might be cast steel so that is also a plus. I would work on that uneveness to reduce the price or let it go. If it were over here in the states I would go as high as 250 on it myself but not more. The above statement is my opinion only and others may feel differently. "no warranty expressed or implied":)

Triangles can be made of any size material. the thickness of the material will vary the tone and the weight of the hanging cord. I have made them out of 3/8 round and square but not usually. I hang them from one end that I have drawn down and made a scroll loop on with a back scroll on the very tip. I then draw a longer taper on the other end and divide it in 3 portions one longer to give the hanging loop. I back bend the other loop so that it will end up near the top inside the triangle so you will be able to hang the clapper on it. The clapper needs to be heavy enough to give it a good rap so it will have good sound. I will make them out of stock as big as 3/4 and those have a real nice tone. I can also use thicker leather on the big ones and it doesn't kill the sound. I have had some success making them out of rebar and they have a nice tone but don't quench them they will break. Mild steel ones I have had success in quenching.

Mild steel for the frame and Jerry Hoffman uses 4140 if I remember correctly in the "smithing magician" he used to sell. I bought some die blanks from him at the time and made some dies and heat treated the fullers like 4140 and had no issues.

bottle openers key chains and hooks, they always sell sooner or later and take up no space to store for the next event.

I don't have any sort of list I just wander with the camera and let it happen. You won't be disappointed.

99pppo Looks good, they are kind of a pain to make as you have probably noticed with the lack of volume to split and make the eye out of. I have made several and I usually upset the middle of the bar to at least 19mm and try for about 22mm then split it and you will get a taller eye socket. I have not tried to weld in the cutting edge with spring steel that is a nice idea I may make one like that some day. I wouldn't get too worried about the small lines around the weld. I bet it is nice and solid inside. GOOD job!

I am horribly jealous. I recovered about 30 from a house I remodeled a couple decades ago and all were cast.

Thomas, What do you mean by "solution" the alloys?

I agree with the ugly paint to go with the flowers it works for me.

I have had similar issues with mystery stainless. My best sucess has been never to go above orange and stop at high red and put it back in the fire. I have had sucess to a point. the smaller the dimension the harder to keep it hot enough to work.

Good job 99

Wow what a scrap yard. I would keep that one on my stop by and see what they have short list. Great scores on both of them. I however cannot help with the ID at all.

Ah another person living is bliss.... Ignorance is bliss if you don't believe me just ask me...... Does loo like a fisher. Is it loud and ringing when you hit it on the face with a hammer? Or is it kind of dull and thudding sounding?