Thomas Dean

ATTA BOY!!! WOW what a deal. TOTALLY agree with all above; "is an EM-50 urban assault vehicle ", display for forgings, AND "portable smithy"! Way to go! Please post picures when you finish all of these modifications! hehe (can't wait)

Howdy from EAST TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI. You'll be glad that you let the missus win that battle! Good luck with the shop and post pictures when ya can! WE LOVE pictures! don't we guys!! Once again WELCOME!

HOWDY form East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI. I was born in Seattle and still have a bunch of kin up in that area. AWESOME country. Hope to get the OWMBO up there and visit. She has never been that far north! Once again WELCOME!

Howdy from EAST TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI!! I've been at the welding/fabricating business since '73, but have LOVED learning the blacksmithing end for the past few years. Don't waste a day, use it to learn something. If nothing else how NOT to do something! Once again, WELCOME!

Howdy from EAST TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! What Blacksmith58 said!! I'd give my eyeteeth to ba able to learn from someone like Mr. Dixon! Glad you came aboard and once again WELCOME!

Howdy from EAST TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! WOW! what an opportunity you have, to learn a most rewarding art plus to work with and around such history! Would enjoy seeing some of the work you are doing and the shop you are in. Welcome aboard.

Howdy from EAST TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! Great bunch of folks here and willing to help, all ya gotta do is ask. Welcome aboard.

Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI!! Don't worry about your neighbors, they're just jealous. You might would enjoy looking at this site... Lorelei Sims - Artist Blacksmith / Welcome to the Vortex of Hot Metal The smith is Lorilie Sims and a great artist. She too is in Illinois but can't recall the name of the town just now..."oldtimer's" I guess... Anyway welcome and don't be afraid to ask, you'll get an answer.

Right! What ApprenticeMan said! and welcome to IFI!

Howdy from East Texas!! and welcome to IFI! Sounds like you are getting off to a good start on gathering up your 'toys'! Check out the blueprint section for plans on building a forge. (Glenn will probably chime in and give the BP# hehe) As for buying your next 'new' wire machine let me recommend going Blue...that's to say buy a Miller machine. I've been in the metal trade (welder/frabricator) since '73 and IMHO Miller makes the best wire machine on the market. Check your local trade schools, high schools, you may pick up a good used one for a song...you do sing don't you?!? Anyway, good luck and if you have a question there is someone here that can give you an answer! Shoot, we'll give you an answer even if you don't ask! hehe OH! and CONGRATS on the new blacksmith apprentice due in April! (that's a GOOD month for b-day's )

Ed Thomas thanks for the info to Rick's site. Nice job on the site too BTW. So Rick, you being a TEXAS boy where do you hail from? I'm just out of Longview, 120mi. east of Dallas and 60mi west of Shreveport, LA.

Howdy from EAST TEXAS! Glad you came aboard. 'Tis a great site and look forward to you shareing your knowledge! Welcome.

Howdy from East Texas! and WELCOME aboard! would like to see some pics of you and "your" shop sometime. I saw a small clip about the John Deere HS a few weeks back on RFD-TV. Just enough to interested....andyway, welcome

Howdy form East TEXAS!! YAHOO!!! Glad you made it aboard and are learning a fun but challenging art! I have been working metal since '73 but ENJOYING the forging end for about 4-5 yrs. I'm 52 and still learning, hope to keep learning til I die and this is a good place to learn. Welcome.

Congrats Mr. Hofi on a well deserved HONOR! Any one that works with kids is special to me. Well done.

If this is cast steel you may be able to weld a face on it. I have a friend that welded a piece of grader blade on his wore out Hay Budden and it is a great anvil now. Not real sure how he did it tho....:(

Thank you for all the encouragement! My son has seen Colton for a total of 2.5hrs now. (Colton was born Aug.05) BUT things are starting to look better. GOD is TOTALLY in control!

Just a note on the gouging route...If you go this way be sure to grind all the gouged area as there will be carbon deposits that will cause HARD spots in the weld causing premature cracking. My$.02 worth.

Thanks irnsrgn!

Ten Hammers, I bought a pair of elephant hide boots 20 years ago. Was told then that they could not get any more, elephants were being put on the 'protected' list. The boots look like the were bought yesterday. Have had them resoled at least twice. I need to have them stretched some but have been told you can't stretch elephant...

Colton Rae arrived one week ago today, 6# 8oz, 19" healthy with LARGE lungs! :)The situation is not good as the mother is not allowing much contact, we've seen him 2times this week. We called to see if we could see him this evening before we head home tomorrow, no answer,no return call. It has been that way for the last 2 months. NOT a pretty situation. Please pray for GOD's will. On a happier note...I was able to attend the SWABA meeting today, (missed you Thomas P) and won the 'Blacksmith's Cookbook" by Francis Whitaker. What's so special about this particular copy is that it was given, to the gentleman donating the book(Joe Whiton),personally by Mr. Whitaker, signed and dated "To Joe Whiton from The Iron Man {'F'inside a diamond, Mr. Whitaker's touchmark} ABANA Flagstaff 1986". Did any of ya'll hear me SHOUT! Had a great time with this bunch and enjoyed the demonstations. Actually, Thomas, kinda glad you weren't there as that would have lessened my chances of getting this book! hehe. did miss ya tho. Gone to bed, got 800 miles looking at me tomorrow.

Yes!, the other dave, pictures would be nice. I sent you a note via "privite message" with my email addy. But if you wanted or can post them here there maybe someone else needing to see this setup. Thanks!

Brian C. My prayeres are for your son, you and all your family. May he return home safely! GOD BLESS AMERICA! and all those who serve her.

I may be able to get an old Ridged threading machine that we have replaced. Am wondering what the max would be for twisting steel. It has the automatic jaws which quick holding pipe so it was replaced with a new machine with the manual clamp jaws. I'm thinking I can make an adapter to hold different size sq. stock and then possible make the twists cold, depending on the size of course. Any ideas as to what size I will be able to twist cold? Am I CRAZY or is this a workable idea? Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.

Welcome from East Texas! You will enjoy this site, good choice. Help us all by chiming in when you can. It's how we all learn. Welcome aboard.