Thomas Dean

PaPaw, aka here as Thomas Dean, has a new striker! Camden Martin Dean 7lbs 5oz, 20in, brown hair...but I think it is RED!! Born Sept. 2, at 6:54CST. This is our youngest son and Daughter-n-law's first. And yes, I do have his anvil ready and waiting!

Hayden, in my opinion, that is a high. $4/lb. $3buck a lb is still high but more realistic. again, my opinion. I would offer $2.50lb and see where that goes. Really, they are out there, ya just have to look and sometimes look really hard.

The ABS school is in Washington, ARK, some call it Old Washington. It is part of the Texarkana C.C., so I've been told. Located north of Hope, ARK., about 30 mins or so from Texarkan. None better for learning blades. Frank Turley's school in Santa Fe. Robb Gunter's...now Chad and Brad Gunter's in Moriarty, NM. Brian, Brazeal is in Miss....fighting the skeeters... along with teaching. LeTourneau University in Longview, TX for the metallurgy studies.

Nice. Check the bottom of the cast cookware, if it's marked 'Wagner' or 'Griswold' then they are both highly collectable and to the right person they'll bring a nice price. The cherry will make some nice handles. Good for you. Whatcha gonna do with the digital stuff from the treadmill? :P

So, are you getting any "Get out of Jail Free" cards in return for the steak turners!??! ;)

I totally agree with Thomas P on this one! This piece works to fields, RR collectors and tool collectors, either may give you enough more to make it worth you while and then you can find an old cressent wrench to make your twisting wrench out of. But it would make a nice twister if you choose to go that route.

Good for you! Your stand may need a little attention... The edges look a little worse for wear but I have seen MUCH worse. Just work around them for a year or so before you do anything to them. You may find that they are of no consequence to what you do. "Repairing" an anvil can cause more problems if you don't know what you are doing and then you will wish you had left it well enough alone. (not implying that you don't know how to make the repairs...) When do we get to see something forged on this treasure?

I'm totally settled. We didn't know you had the summer with it, you just stated you had to give it back and now what....you did, good. and with something made from that anvil. Everyone's happy and YOU have a new toy! BTW, $350 for your anvil is not really bad, especially for a Hay Budden with clean edges. Glad it worked out for you and with your barber friend displaying some of your handy work you could get a little work from them.

11 folks on the first day of your original posting telling you to return it and it took you a month to do so.....hope you a quicker to make a forged piece to give both of the in appreciation for the use of that anvil. Good that you did return it, after all it was a loaner.

I LOVE IT when someone gets a great deal! Good for you and good for the guy that gave you the deal! Now when are we gonna see some purdys from these?

I'll send it via a PM here on IFI.

So, how's the repairs coming?

Absolutely some of the best I have seen! I agree with Rusty, nice to see pattern welded material used in such a beautiful application. Thank you for sharing and PLEASE, allow us to se more of your work.

Well true but it also comes in a hard wire for SMAW as well as a flux core wire for FCAW. The E309-16 or 309-17 is a smooooth running rod and you can drag these and are primarily for flat but can be used for other positions. The slag from either of these rods will curl up when the amps are right. The E309-15 is for all position, the slag of this one is the dickens to chip off the weld. The weld deposit is rough, like the P5, but much easier for any position, just leaves an ugly weld.

I'm with Bob, you should have no prob. with the 309. You may want to think stick rod here also, the higher you go the windier it gets and I doubt they are going to build you a welding hutch up there! Glad it's you and not me. I hate welding out of a personel basket or a man lift, if you hiccup the whole thing moves. Good luck with it. I had forgotten about that 'world's fair'. It was in Seattle, WA in '62, I was there for that one and then in San Antonio, TX in '68, there for that one too. Ain't been to another since. Do they still have them?

You will enjoy your time with Kelly, good man and a good smith. Been a while since I have seen him tho. He was the smith at the "Old City Park" now know as the "Dallas Historical Village", then moved to Lubbock. Returned and worked at the Farmers Branch blacksmith shop and now at the CC. All the $$ cut backs has played the dickens on him the past several yrs. $225.00 Ain't bad for a semester learning something this fun and rewarding. Enjoy the class!

Johnson's Paste Wax works real good also. The $$ you spend on this hobby is WAY cheaper than a new Bass boat, or Country Club membership, or new Browning over/under shotgun, or restoring a 19?? car/truck. Besides, you are feeding something that will give back. Good for you and the anvil also, looks grood.

With coke you will need a constant air supply--electric blower. You can buy lump charcoal at the 'big box' stores. With coal there will be smoke but that can be minimize with proper fire control and saving some coke for you next fire. These 2 cokes are totally different, the coke from coal is soft and easy to light as well as keeping it lit. The first coke I mentioned is 'industrial' coke and it takes some practice getting it lit as well as keeping it lit. I've used very little lump charcoal but it is much like coal, easy to light and stay lit. Of course there is always the gas forge....no smoke or odor! There are plenty of folks in your area that can help you build one or locate one ready to work. Who are you taking your B/S class from? They may be able to give you a heads up on buying your fuel. The local ABANA group for you is the North Texas Blacksmith Assoc. http://www.ntxba.org check their web site for their next meeting. They just had one this past Sat., they usually meet on the 2nd Sat of the month. If you want to make the drive, I am in Longview, about 120mi from Dallas. I'm about 5 miles north of I-20, easy to get to. My shop is alway open.

"Oiling"? Why? Does it squeak? :P

Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! There is blacksmith coal maybe 10 miles from you, depending on where you live in Ft. Worth! It's in Kennedale, TX . Good coal and the last I purchased there was $11.00 p/50#bag. The place is called "Texas Farrier Supply" the phone # is (817) 478-6105. Hayden, this might be an option for you too....

Check with the Saltfork folks. http://www.saltforkcraftsmen.com The web site will give contact info. Tho it may not be any closer than the farrier supply in Kennedale,TX.

Yes, that can happen IF you are driving it too COLD. As I mentioned earlier, I have made several hardie tools and have used the hardie hole of my anvils to size them. Granted, you need to forge them down close to what you need and the you will need to make sure that your part is HOT and then only stike it 2-3 good solid blows then let cool to remove. One other thing, just because you have a swage block with sq. holes doesn't mean the hardie tools made in them will fit your anvil! Most likely they will not fit.

If you are game, I will make your repair if you will pay for shipping both directions. I have made this same repair for a friend in Illinois a few years back on the same deal, he paid shipping both directions. Looks as though it will fit in a 'flat rate' box.

That'd be a good idea. The flame you want is neutral. Light your torch, and add oxy until the 'whisker' just leaves the 'cone' of the flame. You don't want too much oxy or your flame 'blowing' hard.

I remember this from the other day and when I suggested you brazing it I had no idea that you had no experience with brazing. May be difficult at best for you do attempt this, but here ya go... You can get the brazing rod from any welding supply store, I would get a flux coated rod and just a FYI, they were $9.00p/lb the last I bought. (a couple of sticks should do you but it won't hurt to purchase more.) You do not need to preheat as the heating of the part to braze will work. If your part ever turn red you are too hot, move the flame to somewhere else. When you grind the part for brazing you will need to grind the edges of the part to shiney, this removes the scale and brass will stick...doesn't want to stick to the scale. Once completed its would be a good idea to cover with some insulation or DRY sand til it cools, but at least keep it out of any breeze til cool. Where are you located? If you are close to me I would be glad to show you how this is done. But there maybe someone in your area that could help. Good luck.