HWooldridge

I'll take some pics and send to you. I have a show this weekend so might be next week.

Not worth a blueprint but a good method for anyone who makes candle holders: I typically rivet my cups to the holder body and usually had trouble getting the hole centered in the cup. Since I make my own cups from 18 ga sheet, I had a "DOH!" moment when I figured out to center and drill a small (1/16) hole while the blank is flat, then do the sinking in the swage block. Afterwards, I can easily open the hole to any size I want for the rivet. Sometimes, it's the simple stuff that gets me... :oops:

A friend and I demo at fairs under canvas and a break down frame made from tube. The tarp is 25x25 but we only close the back against wind - the sides and front are open but we tie ropes all around to keep the crowd from climbing on top of us. We use one forge with two anvils and we both work out of the one fire. We typically work fairs with two full days and this is a very handy setup. I always work on the right facing the crowd and my buddy on the other side because I work the blower. I also have a table to my right at the edge of the enclosure that we can put product on. I would like a shed roof better for smoke escape because the peak has a tendency to roll the soot around and drop it right back on us but that is my only complaint. I DO NOT LIKE HAVING LITTLE KIDS AND THE CROWD right on top of me but I have worked under those conditions a few times. It just takes more paying attention to what you do and drop on the ground.

Just so everyone is clear on what I'm doing - I take two pieces that are already either upset and pre-scarfed or just laid across one another (like the crosses). I lightly tack the pieces in proper orientation with a TIG, then heat and forge weld using the torch for heat. This works well on real small stuff that loses heat quickly and is hard to align for a forge weld. I also use a cutting tip instead of a welding tip but a rosebud might be better. As Ed has mentioned, I think the trick is to get an atmosphere around the weld like what happens in a forge. I am also not trying to sell Sure-Weld but it is the only flux I've tried with this technique that works. I have also done round rings using O/A on 1/4 stock that closed at the scarfs and looked good. I would not use this on anything bigger than 3/8 but it's nice for a one-off project or some little items that are hard to handle.

I am fortunate to have an old Dodge Army 3/4 ton truck with a PTO winch so I can move a great deal if there is a solid anchor point like a pole to hook the snatch block to.

Burr Oak is cool - go for it. Not too cutesy but has character.

Mine is "Comal Forge" because that's the county I live in - no other reason. However, I have always admired the more creative ones like "Dead Skunk's Forge", "Hiatal Hernia Forge", "Mashed Possum Kill Forge", "Spotted Hyena Forge", etc. Don't call yours anything plain - take time to consider and make it count. Imagine you are Frank Zappa naming his kids Dweezil and Moon Unit...:D

I lined a Buffalo forge that has the lips an inch or so above the iron hearth and it turned out well. The process is based on something I learned years ago when I used to help my grandpa build houses. In addition to carpentry, he did some rock work and one thing we would do occasionally is reline fireplaces. On horizontal areas, he would make up a mix, apply it dry and level, then spray water on top. This would rock up in a day or so without cracking. The mix I used (based partly on his recipe) was 3 parts mortar, 3 parts clean sand, 1 part fireclay and 1 part dry lime. I mixed it, poured in the hearth to a depth that was flush to the top of the firepot and raked it smooth, then sprayed only enough water on it until the surface was wet. I let sit two days before making a fire and it hardened nicely with no visible cracks anywhere. I think the minimal amount of water helps eliminate cracking. Forgot to note that this is my permanent forge - it was lined last year and has no cracks visible anywhere. I angled the mix a bit higher away from the firepot so the coal moves downhill as I rake toward the fire.

Dan, Are you talking about a gas or coal forge?

I may not fit your request because I do very little custom work. I don't figure any materials in the job but figure out how long it takes to me to make something and divide into $100/hr then that's what I charge for a finished piece. If the piece doesn't sell at that price to the public, I drop it from my website and catalog. Even if I like making a piece, I won't continue to develop the process if I think it takes too long to make. I build all sorts of jigs and fixtures to make things go faster and almost all of my 22 years experience is in production work. I don't like to make one of anything - although that does come along on occasion. For instance, a local ornamental ironworker asked me to do some custom piecework. He had no ability to do the job because it required a power hammer plus I charged him only $50/hr as I thought I was doing him a favor. However, no good deed goes unpunished since I got the distinct impression it was too much money so I've decided not to pursue that any further. If you want actual numbers for a product, I'll give you an example. 1/4x12' CRS square is $3.75, which yields 12 pieces 10" long so steel cost for one S-hook is $.313 each in material cost. My gas forge will run about 40 hours on 25 gallons - at $60 per tank, that's $1.50/hr. Steel and gas come to $.81 each so that's $6.19 each. I can make 30 hooks an hour without killing myself and I sell them for $7 each. Total material cost is $24.30. That's $210/hr gross minus material = $186 but that doesn't count time to finish, which is another hour, so for those 30 hooks I'm at a little less than $100/hr. For what it's worth, a local guy who does nothing but custom gates and rails told me he figures 3 times material - but he is getting a lot of work and complains he is not making any money so I'm not sure that is a good formula. Electricity is practically nil for me and all equipment is paid for so I don't count that but vehicle fuel and that other stuff you mentioned does add up - sounds like it's time to get a real job... :mrgreen:

Everything floated along for some years and life was good. Now, we have a huge trade deficit, high gas prices, a war, etc. Sounds like the 70's...eh? I agree with you and the issue is to charge a fair price and get that in front of the people who will pay it. I make a couple of real simple items that retail for $8-10 and some people still just finger them at shows and walk away. Being in the "right crowd" is necessary so they'll part with the coin. Unfortunately, I think that gas prices currently are a big cut into discretionary spending because the jump came after raises and bonuses are normally given so most people are spending less on luxuries. Imports have always been there but the imbalance has grown enormously in recent years. I once heard an economist say that open trade would allow the world to increase to the standard of living enjoyed by America but I suspect we are instead descending to their level and will meet somewhere in the middle. I seldom lose money on what I sell but I don't always generate enough sales to keep up the cash flow. That is the main crux of my business.

I posted this today over on Forge Magic - Speaking of normal blindness, I had to have cataract surgery when I was 42. Although I have also spent many hours outside in the sun, the doc said the IR in the fire likely contributed and that he had read many older smiths went blind before the surgery was available. Something to consider when you are staring at a bright fire.

Dan, An anvil must have some mass but part of the relationship is based on what you will be forging. Anything is better than nothing and what you are proposing is better than a rock but I think a piece of square or round shafting would be better (buy it at the scrap yard for not much). A possible set up would be a piece 5-6 feet long and set endwise in the ground semi-permanently. Another very good style used by the Brazeal brothers was a piece of plate 14x14 by 3 inches thick. They ground various radii, flats and a beveled corner on one edge and mounted it in an angle iron holder. This is quite useful and offers a lot of flexibility.

Ed, I see now why you didn't want to penetrate the roof for the chimney. Nice job on the whole thing - it's too purty to be a blockschmidt shop... :D

To answer your question, I imagine there is a way to combine function but I know nothing about glass so am speculating to the requirements for that purpose. If it was me, I would try taking a working glass furnace and putting a piece of steel in it to see what happens.

Centaur sells it - it's one of their gas welding fluxes.

Ed, I made one out of 3/4x3 flat bar and welded 3/4 bolt shanks on the ends - it has never broken or bent even when I pull the hay wagon or the sprayer - both of which are very heavy.

Ed, I did 11 little crosses today and they all stuck. I clamped the torch in the vise so all I had to do was manipulate the pieces and held them about 3 inches away from the flame cone so they could soak. When the temp is right, you will see a few sparks just like in a normal forge weld although I have to wear a green eye shield or it blinds me. I also can really vouch for Sure Weld from Mustad - it is a very good flux and I have taken to using it for everything. Welds I used to miss with borax or EZ Weld stick every time now. I don't know what's in it but it works.

Some of you may have already done this but I have been doing a bit of forge welding with an oxy-acet torch. I was experimenting with making some small pendant crosses to be hung around the neck and didn't want to fire up either forge. I laid the 1/4" square stock where I wanted it and tacked it with the TIG, then clamped the torch in a vise near an anvil. I heated the assembly to red, applied gas forge flux and went back to heating with a slightly carburizing flame. The flux makes a bright yellow flame so you need a #3 or 4 shade for the eyes (I used a tinted face shield). Wait until you get a few sparks and go right to the anvil - one swat and it's welded. The result is not as clean as a scarfed weld but I've tried to break a few of these and they don't - so they are fine for jewelry and ornamental stuff. This is not economical for long runs but works fine for onesy-twosy jobs. Just another kink for the tool box...H

Before modern steel melting processes, it was one of the best ways to get a high quality piece of blade material. All the fine Japanese, Persian and other blades from centuries past were made with some form of pattern welding, wootz or damascus. The Vikings made "weld and twist" blades that were both superb in cutting ability and appearance so pattern welding can indeed produce a high quality blade. Initially, the patterns were probably "happy accidents" that were later refined by the smiths for both function and appearance purposes.

It might be genetic with me (although I don't think it counts since I didn't know him), but the Wooldridge I'm directly descended from was indentured as a blacksmith and came to America in 1697 to settle in Virginia - we have also had a few more in the family since then. He made a good living at it - too bad I'm not... However, I got hooked as a kid watching my uncle on the farm. I stayed interested and met a guy in college who was a farrier. He took me to a blacksmith's gathering and I got hooked on the smell of coal smoke - it's been downhill ever since for the last 23 years.

Yes, using a magnet would be close enough. The trick to a good anneal (or any heat treat) is to get the whole piece to the same color and soak long enough so the interior is also to temp. If you have a gas forge, this is easier because you can soak it and then turn off the forge, which will accomplish a decent anneal on most steels. With a coal forge, get it to the right temp and stick the piece in old wood ashes or something similar.

I hope the dog didn't really get hurt - the rest can be fixed. :cry:

Ed, Try this link. These guys carry a good line of hats in all sizes and the prices are right. Some styles are accurate to the 1800's (and they are cool to wear). http://www.bigbendsaddlery.com/hatsp.html Beyond that, folks like to see blacksmiths in suspenders so find yourself a nice pair to wear with jeans and a chambray shirt. Finish off with work boots and no one will be the wiser.

I think Packard made an I-8 too. I seem to remember an uncle who had one back in the day.