David Kailey

This is a table i Built this week. Pretty simple design, dose not require much smithing skills but that is what makes it beautiful.

 

the top is a 3" walnut slab distressed with logging chain, hammer, and what ever else was with in reach

legs are 1" square stock with a hammer texture and a 6" detail using hot chisle work and a quarter twist

shelf is 1/2" square stock also textured.

I like to leave a bunch of scale on the anvil as it adds another texture in addition to the hammer blows.

I installed some flat stock and forged some spikes that i drove through the wood and the flat stock and them welded them on the underside of the slab.

 

All the labor was in forging the texture and wire wheeling the scale off.

 

I got the slab of walnut for $60 and the iron was all at a local salvage yard that cost me $20 my labor was around 17 hours.

 

Here are some pics of the work i got to do in my first year Smithing. Some of this is stuff I did on my own and the railing was a job I got asked to help with by my friend Steve who is my mentor and has taught me alot, always been around to help me out, and is a talented smith.

 

 

thanks for sharing your work

i like it when if flakes off and land on my hammering hand right between my thumb and inde finger. You cant just let go of the hammer and by the time you stop hammering to let go it has already burned it way in to your skin!!!

 

I always wear long sleve shirt so i have not notice burns from slag or cinders but I have been burned badly by large metal that i am working on and that is what has left me so good scars.

I have a buddy who actually takes his cordless sawzall with him to save on the cutting price

I just had a local guy from a “Rat Rod” magazine ask me to make some forged shifters and mirror mounts. These rat Rod guys have money and are always trying to one up each other.

I forgot to mention, In spokane there are areas in the city that have huge yard sale weekends and i have set up and solt stuff out of my friends driveway that live in those parts of town I sometimes even set up my forge and anvil and pound on metal. It really draws attention to all the people driving around and alot of them stop to check it out.

I started selling my stuff at local farmers markets. Which got me connections to diffrent shows and trade fairs. They are cheap or free and there is little commitment but always make sure you have pics of all your work and cards for people to take.

Here is my blacksmithing apron i had made, along with some cuffs. I started smithing a year ago and as with my traditional archery i have embraced the culture of the trade. I also am a taller thicker built guy so finding a thick leather apron was difficult. I am happy with the way it turned out it. The upper is a stiff chunk of bull hide and the bottom Bison hid which is very thick but pretty flexible. Cuffs are the same leather as the upper portion of the apron.

 

My wife is not happy about all the burn holes in my sleves and front of my shirt. I have suffered some pretty good burns on my forearms and am glad to have some protection. I know it may sound wimpy to some but I would like to preserve my body so as to enjoy smithing for a longer duration of time.

 

 

I have two hammers that i use for 80% of all my work and it is because I like the way they feel, I like the story behind how i aquired them and am pleased with the work I produce with them. With that said wy good buddy hates one of them and his reason is that it just dosn't feel right to his hand. So there you have all my "technical" advice about hammers.

 

The best hammer is your mental confidance!!! After that is don't much matter you can do great work with a Rock fastened to a stick.

makita makes a angle grinder that has a variable speed ajustment on it for around $150 I use it most of the time because i can slow the rpm down and not deal with flying wires hardly at all. I only use my bench wheel when i have to

there are 3-4 types of "clips that the rail roads use to hold down the rail any I have mad tools from these that have held up well. here is a picture of three of them that i have found

http://www.incandescent-iron.com/

His name is Steve he also is the desighner and seller of Rino Anvils.

He is a top notch guy and dose great work


509-456-8321 this is his number he is usually around in the afternoons.

Steve has a long list of helpful hints on his Incandescent Iron site. I'd recommend perusing it thoroughly. He is also the designer/seller of his American Made Rhino anvils..

Steve is a great guy, and has been a great mentor, i am glad to have meet him and i enjoy banging around in his smithy. I just got a papa Rhino and am loving it,

Well done! the photos are great!!! I look forwar to seeing it installed!!

I like it!! nice job!!

ere is a link or file is attached to a tool holder i came up with, It is simple to make and works great. Let me know if you have any positive comments to improve it.

Tool Holder

kailey.doc

i wear the 14mil "thicksters" and i keep baby powder in the shop so i can use them untill they tear. I had on pair last me 4 days!!!!

i moved from So Cal to Montana and entered Jr High, I wore cargo pants and surf shirts, road a skateboard or a freestyle bmx bike. they all wore wranglers and road horses. I combed my hair they all had cowboy hat hair. I got beat up everyday but during the summer I started to build my own teepee and killing game and tanning the hides and making my own bows and arrows. I put on 25 lbs and became very able to handle logs, deer, cows, pigs, a bow, knife or gun. I wanted to live out in the forest so i did. I froze at night cooked in the heat of the day and had a ton of chores. when i showed up to the 8th grade one of the kids that picked on me looked at me and said, xxxx xxxx!!!! and took off running lol. I took some revenge but i realized that i was and all around good guy and one tough kid because i new i could live in the wilds and no one can take that from me! So figure out who you are or want to be, dont wast time with fighting and loosers, dedicate yourself to your craft and let find contentment in knowing you!!! Some people spend there whole life trying to figure that out, if you know it at a young age you will be way ahead of the game.

Those are some nice twists! How'd you do each of them? Excellent work on all four items!

hot chisel on the cornor of the spike at a 45 degree angle. some have a center line down the length of the spike.

hot chisel on the cornor of the spike at a 45 degree angle. some have a center line down the length of the spike.

Here are a few RR spikes that i made with diffrent handles and my second knife

I just bought a papa anvil last night. Beat metal on it until the neigbor came over at 10pm and asked me if i would stop!!!!
I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very nice. I do wish I had access to that kind of equipment.

Phil

I don't own the cutter, i had a fab shop cut them out if you would like a top plate i could find out the shipping and i sell you one for my cutting cost and shipping. My cost is around $50.00 to have them cut out of 1/2" plate.

he's got two women, his father in-law, and a lazy apprentice working in his Smitty!!!! his whole world is up side down, sadly the only thing right side up is the anvil!!!! lol