Ten Hammers

Good luck Wes. 

Depending on what you are doing, the height of your anvil and your approach to the issue can make a major difference.  This meaning that you may be forging large stock and using large hammer (or not).  I have forged my share of 16" plates for production work (14 guage) in 4-5 heats each.  This is work but can be done.  Please don't ask for pictures because I haven't any.  This was proprietary work I did for a customer for several years.  Some here have been to the shop and seen some of the other stuff I did. Regardless, the tooling stand used for this specific instance and many others is anvil height prior to attaching any tooling.  2-3# hammer(s) used normally.  Sore elbow some yes.  I found ( and find now) that a piece of bridge plank ( about 2 feet long ) placed on the floor beside the stand gave me an altitude gain of roughly 3".  This gave me power on the down stroke.  Could kick the step out of the way when not needed and stow it easily beside the file cabinet.  This plank is roughly 8" wide and easily dealt with ( not a trip hazard ).  There are a few other issues I may use the step on the anvil to gain power.  Some have room for an anvil set at a lower height ( for plow work example ).  I deal with my issues in a small crowded shop.  Regardless, most of the sore arm issues left with this solution.  Actually it helps to gain momentum ( think of aerobics or isometrics using poor technique.  You CAN hurt yourself.  I sometimes used a welding glove on the tong hand for this work simply because of the large heat involved.  Never a glove on the hammer hand.

Make yourself a shovel for coal.  There will be several plans for them here on the site.  Good exercise in skill building.  Good luck.

Tim !  :)

Actually the only carrier I was on had a wood flight deck.  U.S.S. Ticonderoga.  Agreed Mike, it was cool.

Red Wings rock.  I get 5 years from mine and I ain't light on my feet.  Everbody different.  11 d.

Junk store or garage sale.  Find some stainless mixing bowls.  Acid in this, stock in following.  the bowl on the coal fire ( just settin on top) in the wintertime.  Yes the vapors drift.  use care.  Yes cheap dollar store white vinegar ( gallon ) is fine. 

Just so we are all on the same page.  Galvanized is some nasty stuff yes.  Forged, stick, mig or torch welded.  I have welded it with a shop vac suckin the smoke and I have welded it on the table, outside or whatever.  Here is the thing.  I will NEVER weld it again.  Another thing.  Plasma dust is not only nasty it is fatal as well.  Protect your lungs.  Bein sick from shop stinks yes. 

Woody, glad to hear the good news. 

I just used a Roger Lorrance pot but home growed is fine too.

Nice rig Dave.

Bites his lip on the hijack of the thread.  Suffice to say that we don't need any more of this here. 

Yes there will be a few secrets left.  I have stuff I produce for a customer (14-15 years worth).  Some of it I have developed but mostly it is their stuff.  Come to the shop and you will see tooling for a lot of it hanging around.  The rest of the tooling is buried.  You also may see tooling or first parts or fixtures for a lot of other things.  All you have to do is ask and I will try and explain them. 

In my youth, we had blacksmiths that fixed farm equipment, we had welders, we had a machinist, we had mechanics and we had one particular fellow that was in a class by himself.  His name was Loren.  He was a brick mason, finish carpenter, framer and also was a gunsmith.  He made firing pins from broken ( warrantied) Craftsman screwdrivers.  He knew the craftsman salesman and got the broken stock from him.  this man also made his own springs for gun use.  The technology and skills to build these springs was passed on to him by his great uncle.  His great uncle immigrated to the USA in mid-late 19th century and was hired as a clockmaker for a company in Des Moines Iowa.  Loren had success with the use of the knowledge and skills.  Loren passed this on to me.  Will I attempt to write what I know about it? Not on your life.  I could type for a week and my time is not the net.  I have passed this information to a few folks.  Some will agree with it, some will not.  Big deal.  I'm not stingy with information. Stop by sometime and we can do the work.

I know a man that used to frequent a couple of smithing websites.  He was (and is) a vast well of knowledge.  After a few years of the net and the personalities involved with it and the arguments, he just quit coming around.  This is unfortunately our loss.  Kids and grown men that are new to a given skill will ask a lot of questions and then proceed to question and argue about the results sometimes.  Timothy covered this problem fairly well.  So did Steve. 

Alec, good on you and the other young smiths.  You fellers are the future.

Can't for the life of me understand why someone would give you this advice.  Assume this was given in person ?

My friend you have a very nice group of work there.  Thanks for the pics.

no idea why it double posted

You will indeed go through a lot of charcoal compared to coal.  Just going to depend on your situation, needs and coal availability.

Rich, your inspiration was no doubt Bob for this exercise.  Thanks for the pics.  Ruben Funk (RIP) used to forge a fork and a knife from drop shoes (just to show it could be done).  I use drop( and new ) shoes for many things related to camp.

I live in southern Iowa.  Couple hours south of me you can go to the grocery store and buy lump.  Folks cook with it a lot.  The thing is most clerks won't know beans about other uses ( or trendy names on the bag ).  Royal Oak is available at Wal Mart and Cowboy Brand is available at Menards.  Stremph brand is what I get in Missouri.  I think Joe gets his at Home depot in Kirksville.  Like Thomas said you can use scrap wood.  I use firewood to bank the forge in camp.

Forging with coal is a skill that takes time and experience with various coals you will find and whatever air supplies you will use.  It is rewarding to make things happen and learn fire management.  Charcoal will give you some instances to think differently but will do what you want as well.  Less air is the thing I have found. 

Nice work Mike.  Good use of mechanics in the stand.

Any NOS gas bottle works from medical size to " K " tanks (steel to aluminium on the little ones). There will be a variance in tank bottoms. I haved at least 3 different shapes. Obvoiusly no fuel tanks.

OR, you could just leave it alone, grease and all. Mine has looked the same for likely 75 years. Picturers on other puter.

trick is gettin the hole empty yes Thomas.

A small Victorinox (or Wenger) knife with scissors and tweezers/toothpick is an essential thing on my keyring for 25 years anyway. The tweezers are for any splinters from pallet to metal and normally the knife stays sharp enough to drag accross and free the splinter to pick it.

There will be many things that contribute to the space and time thing.

I have used a ton of stuff over the years. LPS #1 works, liquid wrench works, MM Oil ( heat a bit and put that on , heat till sizzles, come back when cold). My current and no doubt forever will be Aerokroil. Perhaps the other thing ( atf) works well but I have aerokroi in aerosol and bulk, needle oilers and pump oilers. Restores lathes, handsaws, firearms. My story.