Steve Sells

why not compacted Clay ?

Just to jump on the bandwagon, I use 20 mule team out of the box. It works very well on most everything from Wrought Iron to the tool steels I use. I lately started adding a small amount of Boric Acid to the Borax, because I started playing with Meteorites, and the high nickel needed a little help.

What I find amusing is comments from people that, from my talking to them in other contexts, I know have never welded, but seem to think they know more about how to do many things better than those of us that do those things regularly. Its a sad fact of the Internet I am afraid, as it makes knowing the real information hard to discern. But as for the matter at hand if I was only allowed one flux, it would be Borax, as its cheap, safe, and it works well for most welds. (look what is used as a flux coating on some welding rods for example)

enough of my ranting, I return you to your regularly scheduled programs.

for what purpose ? You can build one for under $5 with a fire brick a drill and a can of propane, OR you can build a 6 burner that gets 500,000 BTU. with out know what you want to do there is no way to answer except to say that you should not look into a gas forge, it can cause retna burn from the IR waves.

As for buying one, again there many options,and most of the those can be removed from your choices, if you know what you are going to use it for. Since you have not told us, then we don't know.

what is your question?

I am a Master Electrician with IBEW Local Union Number 305. Code is clear about this, but since you are not in the states. it is up to local authorities.

What is important is good path to earth for a lightning strike to drain off, Remember Its a very high power electrical charge, no matter what you use, when it gets hit it can become toast. But its lazy. Electricity will travel the easiest route. so if your Rod is a better path (less resistance) than the surrounding area, then it will follow that path. Your conductors likewise should be an easy path, large enough to deal with a high power transfer, at least a diameter as your finger as smaller wont last, this usually means Copper wire. as Gold is too costly, and Silver is not much better.

Steel is used for most grounding rods, they are only copper coated. the rods for lightning as well. Use 1/4 inch strapping 1/2 inch or wider should be a good connection point to the rod, larger is fine, but 1/8 is too thin to hold up to a strike.

For the record, when I mention lasting, it is not about years, its about lasting long enough to drain the lightning strike. its not any good if it melts at the first hit, before it can drain the electricity.

You may want to ask in the folder section. FYI Rich Hale does Beautiful folder's and is easy to talk too.

good brand I would like one. Hit it with a hammer and look for the bounce, checking for problems like, is this an anvil a fire survivor that ruined the heat treat? are their cracks in it?

Price sounds good too. 2 thumbs up.

do ya think that Glenn has the legs for a kilt ?

Very nice, Congrats on your journeymen status. I served apprenticeships in 2 trades: Blacksmithing, and Electrical. I and remember how nervous I was for those exams.

Your work looks much nicer than my presentation for blacksmithing was. You have done well.

Cold shunts or weld sheer, the point it that it is no longer welded.

You can re weld it, but being a finished blade it will get very thin, and me already be too thin to hold enough heat to be able to weld. It may have been faulty from the manufacturer. You can ask them, BUT since you forged it, any warranty may be void, because most will warrant wasted stock methods, but not the forging process. If you forged too cold for the steel used in the pattern welded billet that can cause separation as well. Many have a danger zone of 600F to about 1550F. Between these temps we do not hammer.

Tonight at my class, my Apprentices and I will ring ours in Her honor. May she have peace.

Looks like a knuckle from a rail car's coupling.

When the moon is rising over a grassy hilock, and thou hast sacrificed a bail of oats to a she goat, Then warm the "want-to-be spring" in yea forge hearth whilst chanting the mantra, "Harden yea steel". When said item no longer is attractive to a load stone, plunge into oil or water if the spirit moves you thusly.

Then polish and change your mantra to "I hope this worked" while heating the polished and shiny bar of hardened iron, til it reach the appearance of a sapphire.


Prefer this one ? While it WILL work, there are many unnecessary steps, but if you feel that you have to complicate things, ... what ever floats your boat. Have fun. :D

5.5 inch Post vise from IBA member, $50 in 2005
3 inch bench vise $1 at yard sale 1989

Model 45 Kholshaw scales say 104 pounds
like new paid $235 2007

75 pound anvil with stump, no markings, on anvil OR stump
Trade for rewire of electrical in a bathroom in 2001

7ft x 4ft leather bellows with fire pot, my portable for Ren-faires
I paid $600 in 1998

Maybe you and I can not forge weld Titanium, but look at the all the timascus being made and see that it can be done. The timascus.com web page is dead.

I have noticed that when I am aligned with Gods word, I have a much better life. Why wouldn't this apply this to the forge it is just another part of our lives isn't it ?

Many of us make it ourselves :)

I have forged brass and bronze as well. Usually in the bright red to dark orange range. Light blows are preferred. Try to move to much metal and it can fail. also as noted above, many alloys will be very red short, and fall apart if too hot.

Working cold poses none of those worries. Heat to red, QUENCH , then work a little more. if any resistance to movement, heat to red again, then quench. this is how most metals are annealed.

Blacksmiths: Iron alloys are opposite of most other alloys in this matter: its not a typical typo from me.:D

The things that just knowing Dale can drive people to do.

But that is impressive.

No problem, and you are correct, I was also made aware that I need to explain distal taper too.

There are many things I am too opinionated about. (and I should not be) The web page comments are good for others to see too, as not everything on the web is totally accurate, and we all can benefit from scrutiny. Even the most l earned person, can make mistakes, we should always question what we read, and verify if it is the truth, nothing wrong with that.


and the Ren Fair is only 2 days.

This is one thing Thomas and I agree on 100% the buffing wheel/bench grinder is determined to get us if we don't watch out.

They are the single most dangerous machine in our shops. Use only with total concentration, and care. Any one that does not agree, has been very lucky so far.

respect all power tools, as One of my teachers told me, Tools can injure, power tools can maim, and fast.

I am forwarding this on behalf of my Friend:

Hello All:

I know I have been more than a bit quiet the last little while, I was dealing with the mess that my ex-wife left when she died this last 12th of February. I am still neck deep in that but I am coming out of it. Only a few more things need to be accomplished and that mess will be dealt with and done...However...

The call that I and my new wife Sue have been dreading to get was received last night. Our newborn son, Dimitrios Ionnes Chrisoulasadides passed away from complications from Mediterranean Thalasemia, a genetic disorder that is not uncommon amongst folks of Mediterranean/Mesopotamian/Asia Minor ancestry.

Born on December 06, 2007 in Las Vegas, he passed on April 10, 2008 at Sunrise Hospital's Newborn ICU unit.. He will be interred in the family cemetery back east. There will be a small family memorial. He is survived by his older twin sisters and his big brother.

Needless to say everyone here is devastated. I just figured that you all should know what was going on. Personally I feel like I am surrounded by death and I feel responsible for his passing. I knew I carried the gene necessary for this to happen but I never thought that my new wife cold possibly have it. It wasn't until after we were together that I found out that she is 1/2 Greek and 1/2 Sicilian.

So I will be "gone" from the list for a little time longer while we deal with another death...




Dr J.P. Hrisoulas, COL NANG (Ret)
Metallographer, Bladesmith, Researcher.
Author: "The Complete Bladesmith"
"The Master Bladesmith"
"The Pattern Welded Blade"

Oh Yes... the southern Ohio thing. I do know about it, BUT thats the same weekend as the Metea Ren Fair I work. They moved the date a few years ago, when Fisher's event moved theirs to "our weekend" , and so now its are same time as the S. Ohio event. As the Only smith as this ren-faire, I don't want to lose my spot there :(

His post said edges plural, as did the quote I included above. And I am aware he is talking Oreo cookie (soft middle hard outer) that does not change the facts for forge welding.

The bellows was made as a double to work better at events, as I am lazy when it comes to pumping that all weekend long. Blame Mr Moran as it was his, I bought it from him a few years back. If I could get away with it I would power it with hamsters in Wheels, those little guys have boundless energy.

I will be at Tipton Indiana for the IBA thing first weekend in June, Don't know anything about quad cities, start a thread and tell about it ?

I do not have all the answers, in fact I have only a few, I was trying to help a guy that stated he was having troubles in welding some layers. Some time back I wrote that at my web site to help people understand what is happening, Sorry if you disagree.