jay_cat

I looks great. One question though, how will you mount it? I don't see any mounting holes.

Is there any reason I should not use the peanut oil from deep frying my turkey to quench in???

I need to make my touchmark.

I have to thank Technicusjoe for posting his hanging basket video. I took what he did to the bracket and applied it to the ends of my cross. So thanks again Joe.

It's finish. Not perfect but I learned a lot making it. I messed up at the very end and welded the loop to hang it by on the side I intended to use as the front. Oh well. I will pay more attention next time. Making this cross I had a few firsts. This was my first time using a chisel to cut steel while hot and this was my first time riveting anything together. Overall a fairly simple project for a beginner. The hardest part was welding a small loop on the back at a angle to hang the cross. Thanks again for the assistance.

I got nervous seeing you bend back the pedals while not at a red heat. It would suck to spend all that time upsetting then drawing out the spike to snap off a pedal or two. Great work and video.

thanks for the info and picture. Not sure why I didn't think of that. Very simple. I tend to over complicate possible solutions so the pic saved me from myself. I need to buy some books. I've primarily used you tube as my teacher along with the tips and tricks on here. One major mistake I keep making as a beginner is not planning out the steps of what I am making. I just start hammering. with only the finish line in mind and no map of the journey.

Great video. Thank you. I think I want to try attach the two pieces using the method at 10:20. If not this cross maybe another one. it would look really nice.

Petere76, I need to make me some of that mix. I'm still puzzled on exactly how to finish this. For such a simple piece, I am having a difficult time deciding. I could always make 3 or 4 and attach them each differently and sell or gift the left overs. I am trying to keep things simple as I learn. I will update with a pic once I am done.

Thank you for all the options. Petere76, I attempted a lap joint on another cross and failed. It was really sloppy. I am still very much a novice. I have a nice welder, so I might weld from behind or use 3 rivets. The 3rivets could also stand for the trinity. My wife is the client, so either option will work. Up until now I have been using bees wax for my finish. Im not sure how it will look on a larger piece. What would be the best option? I don't like paint.

I'm making a cross for my wall and I could use some advice on the best way to attach the to pieces together. Thank you in advance.

Only $1,100 for everything. The first thing I ask a price on was the anvil. When he said I'll take $75 for it, I knew I had to buy everything. I told him it was worth more than $75 and paid him $100. That happened a couple times where I gave him a little more for what he had. Watching the American Picker show, they always say to buy it if you see it because you never know when you will see one again. So I bought everything. Now its all protected by ADT in my Garage. I'm still pumped by the purchase. All from just asking around to everyone. That's How I purchased my first anvil, a 100lb Fisher from the 1860's. It was buried in the ground outside a small foundry. That only cost me $60, So to all those who are wanting, get the word out and have some cash ready to buy. i've been asking around for two years now and trolling craigslist daily. deals will pop up suddenly and go away even faster. Last fall I scored a 176lb Arm and Hammer of craigslist for $160. The guy was asking $200. I showed up at his house at the time we agreed to, but he forgot. I waited the 40 mins for him to get home and he gave me a $40 discount for waiting.

what did the bolt come off of?

I went back to get the rest of the items from the same person. I can't find a manufacturer name on the forge or the vise. I have the exact vise already in use, so this one is going to my little brother. I'm not sure the purpose of the angled hammer. Any idea?

Thanks for the info. I will keep my eye out for it. I have the opportunity of running across a lot of old things being in Massachusetts.

What is the big deal about wrought Iron??? what can it do that steel cannot?

Thanks. I took your advice and switched to a lighter hammer. I had more control over my strikes because my are didn't get tired. Thanks for the help.

Another ring I made last night. I used 1/4 round bar so I didn't have to draw out the bar as much. I also punched my first hole and made a bottle opener.

I just went out to file off the edge of my 24 oz ball peen hammer and noticed the face is dented in. This is a fairly new hammer and has never hit nails. Only metal. Could this impact my work? And is this something to watch out for with store bought hammers? You can see the low spot in the pic.

Thanks for the pics Beam and taking the time to do so. I will try a smaller hammer next time. I was thinking If I used a bigger hammer I would move more metal faster and increase my wrist strength at the same time. And who doesn't like to brag about how big there hammer is?

This is my first leaf I made a couple days ago. I used 1/8inch round bar. I upset the end before I made my diamond and forgot about tapering the end first. I used a small chisel followed by the end of a railroad spike to make the viens. I used 1/2 round bar for the napkin ring and did not upset the end. I had some nice markings using the edge of the rounding hammer at first, but I kept flattening the leaf and redoing it a couple of times. This taught me that making the leaf to thin will leave less detail when using a hammer and not a chisel to make contours. I should have left the leaf alone the first time. It looked really nice. I used Brian Brazeal's video on YouTube as a teaching guide. I also bought one of his rounding hammers last year and I am working on building up my hammering muscles using it. I work in a car dealership and take home the used springs from the garage. I'm going to use one to make a few punches soon to add better detail to my leafs.

Big, I was using a long piece of stock. It was to heavy at the opposite end for my little chain. I didn't have a heavy enough weight holding it down. I like the foot pedal idea. That way I know the piece is held in place. I have a post vise.

Thanks for the feed back. I'm learning what tools I need to make as I'm doing this. I found out I need a hold down of some sort. The chain I was using didn't have enough weight to prevent the rod from falling off the anvil. That is why I didn't add any viens. But the upside, I got to see what using then side of the rounding hammer as a pien was like. My first leaf informed me that I need more options in punches to make the veins. It's neet how every hurdle is a lesson. Can't learn everything in YouTube. Noting to it but to do it. I will keep adding pics as I go along. I know seeing the pics of other people's work has help and inspired me.

I just finished forging a napkin ring. I've decided to forge a leaf every other day until I get comfortable swinging the hammer and manipulating the metal. My wife brought up the idea of making leaf napkin rings. This is my first attempt and my second leaf attempt.

This is the rest of my Sunday score. Anyone know what the shears are for and how to use them?