saintjohnbarleycorn

that leaf looks good, I like the stem. kevin

I agree with one poster, some days it works better than others, and it depends on what you are trying to weld. You are off to a good start, good luck. kevin

Thanks for taking the time and effort to put this all together it is appreciated! I also like the new format, and very thankful for all the FREE info and help that is given here. There is something about a gift horse I think?

ok, looks like experimentation is the key here. thanks for the reply. kevin

This has probably been asked before, many times. I have some rake tines that are likely to be .9 carbon. I don't think they have anything else in them. They are probably from the 40's or before. I am making some simple wood carving knives out of them. I am heating to non=magnetic then quench in water. Then sharpen and the use a torch to temper to a dark blue. This method is working well enough. My question is with this type of steel will I be making an improvement with using a toaster oven to heat to 350F or so and also will I see a positive difference with the heat and cooling of the blade more than once? These are simple blades hand forged and small, about 3" long one inch wide to a point and about 1/8" or so thick. thanks for any advice on this. kevin

i got some of these, in the mail. those mail bags. You can put anything in there that will fit for a flat rate. I got mine from ebay, the mail lady wasn't too happy though!. Made hardys with them. But these was just plain steel, repro cannon balls. they were easy to weld, but very handy.

I couldn't work without it. Its a 10 ton or so vertical, made a number of fixtures for it. Just using it today makes very quick work of railroad spikes, not sure if the 4 ton would do as good of a job. good luck. I think I have some pics in the gallery of it. kevin

I will let you know when I can find anything I am looking for. I always find what I don't need, and then when I need it I remember " its around here somewhere I just saw that last week" ?

If you check around I would guess there are some blacksmiths not too far away from you, they could be a great resource and even supply you with material. you are on the right track, keep it up, its a whole lot of fun.

they look great frosty, time, what are you gonna do? I worked in a plating place, can't remember the exact juice they used, but I remember that arsenic was very common. We did copper, zinc, chrome, in that order, with hydrochloric for rust, and ammonia to strip copper.

I tried a chop saw, and was very unhappy with it, for anything thicker, it took forever. I bought a used bandsaw for 100 and it was much better. BUT if you keep you eyes out you can find a really good horizontal bandsaw and possibly a vertical I got this vertical for 350 and the horizontal for 300. sorry the pic is not that good. ITs a johnson horizontal and do all vertical. It took a couple of years on craigs list to find it, but you never know when you are going to get lucky. I do some welding and other things and the chop saw just won't do the job for many applications. good luck! kevin

they make a good canoe anchor +

I have had good luck at large construction companies that fix their own stuff, treads links and stuff. I ask just about everyone where ever I think there may be steel if they have any junk laying around. Lawnmower shops also. good luck. kevin

I almost forgot the drill, like you said and the 7" grinder, both were black and decker, the drill chuck comes out to a morse taper. I am now selling the 10" southbend and the atlas mill I have now. should break even I think!

I have to figure out how to use the welder part, and see about bulk blades, do you have a good place to get them?

I had a very luck day picked up a do all saw, horizontal saw, 13" lathe and hardinge milling machine, all I went to buy was a magnetic drill!

thanks frosty, I should have some time here shortly ( famous last words) and get a couple put together. I will do some pics and some info when I do.

Ok I put together a gas forge from an old one that was discarded, welded the holes and put in 1" of insawool. I bought a burner 3/4" burner. Its the hybridburner. The inside dimensions are approx. 7" x 12" x 9" my calculator come up with 720 cu ". It heats up a jack hammer bit to orange in lets say 10 minutes. It plenty hot for all the work that I have been using it for. no itc 100 only 1" of wool and not very tight around the seams. the box was set up for 3 burnersI plugged 2 with wool. I have not tried to get to welding temp, but I get most of the heat that I need in a timely manner at 5psi. So I am wondering about the size requirements, I had asked this before I actually put measured this one in another post. Part of my reason is the idea of having more than one forge just for forging and a smaller one for welding. I guess I will find out anyway when I build it, but just for speculation I am thinking that 1000 cu" if I use 2" of wool, and itc. and only one 3/"4 burner. Experimental I guess, I can always put another inch of wool lin there if it doesn't work. Sorry for all the theorizing on this subject, but just trying to get a better handle within my melon to make my "WAS" guess.

like suggested above, consider making you own. I am also in a situation where I want the forge to do more that is possible. So buy 50' of wool for $110, and make you own design to suit yourself. If you want you can buy or build burners. I plan to make several with one two or three burners, depending on what size I need and how portable. and make is so the burners are interchangeable. hope that helps.

lysdexix, that would be black locust?

I have seen pipe with a solid ring welded on the pipe for a nice round edge, forge you ring then weld it to the top of the pipe add hardy hole adapter so pipe sits on anvil. kevin

good luck, you will really enjoy it. kevin

good info thar, thanks. kevin

I melt aluminum wire on a regular wood fire all the time in a small lead pot, the kind the plumbers use. I am not sure if this is not a pure enough way for you to do it though, maybe the smoke and all ruins it? maybe for casting you might want more control? I just am pouring it into cans for now. I have a whole lot of aluminum wire.

lawn mower blades also, thanks for letting me know what steel they are. Use them for making garden tools.