HIGHSIDER

Get well soon to the original poster, horrible experience but as you say; it could have been a lot worse.

Randy, I used solenoid valves to operate the press. The limit switch on the right side of the pic slides up and down on the rod. It breaks the connection to the valve and the ram stops.

That's a great idea using the drift to hold the tool in place, real neat that

That is amazing work..

Very well done dancho

This is what's wonderful about "iforgeiron"...

You click on a thread a view someones work and just go...""wow""!

Fantastic work there fellow, really is inspiring..One of many on this site, top quality work & I'm learning a world of stuff here..

Thanks for sharing..

if you desire, why don't you take up blacksmithing and NOT sell the equipment!

I would agree with what this man said ^^

If there's a chance you have a slight interest in blacksmithing, do consider holding on and don't sell the gear. Arrange some lessons and get off on the right foot. Take up where your Granda left off..

That is a fine piece of work. Well done

Would like that over me fireplace lol

That's the ticket..

Thanks for that.

Are there any score marks on the front part of the threads on the removable part of the vice? The threads may seen fine on the male part for want of a better description but have you checked the internal threads?

I guess there's a build up of compressed dirt & possibly fillings given the age of the vice. I would suggest you take the vice off the work bench and soak it in thinners or diesel. Give it a good soaking and give it a chance to break up and then clean it best you can. I'm sure you'll be surprised what comes out from the internal threads that should not be there.

A good clean down, drop of heavy oil on those threads and re-assemble, job good as new. (That's only a suggestion fella, hope it helps!!)

Very nice, well done

I keep coming back to this thread if it was only to study that first pic....

That is a real neat piece of work that, I do like the shape and the woodwork and maybe someday I might have a go if ever I land a power hammer to break the back of most of the shaping.

Maybe if you have a minute, could you be so kind as to explain how you would go about forging an axe head like that in the first pic?

I may learn something here, thanks

Deepest sympathy Jimmy Seale, may she rest in peace

Thoughts & prayers for you, your family & friends from Ireland

Wow!!

Finished hugging it......... well that made me laugh!!

Yeah I recon the sludge is a result of condensation and a build up of water and oil where the hammer has sat up for many years lying idle. A good clean up, fill it with the recommended oil, correct levels and off to work we go!!

Good as new, best of luck with your new hammer.

PLEASE be very careful of that thing! One of those with a multi horse motor is indeed a widow maker!

I worked with a professional swordmaker and he built an *UNDER POWERED* buffer as a safety item---if things went bad he could clamp down on a blade and choke the motor down rather than it throwing a yard long sword through the shop!

Look at the safety posts on anvilfire under the I-forge section Paw Paw Wilson cracked his skull wire brushing a small hook using a much much smaller system.

There was a reason that many people didn't live till 65 in the "old days" and things like that play a part!

I would agree with that comment

Be very careful with these things. I'm always very conscious on how tight a V belt is irrespective of the motor Hp. Always allow some slippage, flat belt is ideal although a V belt works fine too if the tension is set correctly. Let the grind stone tell you what it wants to do when working it rather than loading it up and stalling it.

It's a rotating grinding stone at the end of the day so you can never tell if there's a fracture within the make up of the stone itself. You can even have a brand new stone that could destroy itself because it may have fallen on a hard surface before an install unbeknownst to the user causing a stress fracture, always treat them with an air of suspicion and keep the guards in place preferably the ones that completely surround the stone leaving only a working window visible. Oh and mind the eyes, you've only the one pair!

That is a work of art!

Just Beautiful!

Train your self to use *both arms* equally and switch off as needed.

Very good point..I have trained myself somewhat with my woodcarving tools using both left & right hands and I think that is exactly what I need to start doing with the hammer.

Great advice that & thanks

Wow, they are a thing of beauty! Well done, very nice work

What a great idea! That's a super job! Well done

Seriously built there. I guess you don't have to go back to the anvil for light straightening.

I am sorry to hear about your dog, every one is special one way or another.

Phil

Thanks Phil,

That's exactly it, moving to the anvil & back to the vise; I'm wasting time & loosing heat. Strike when the iron is hot or so goes the old saying!

And thanks for the comment on me dog. 12 years I've had him. An extreamly loyal and highly intelligent dog, always sitting only feet away whatever I'm at, knew exactly what I'd be saying, it gas how you get attached to theses creatures, now his mat lies unoccupied..

We'll there's only one way to sort it...I'm on the look out for another one (big thumbsup!!)

What are the holes on the top & bottom plate ofthe stand for?

Those holes will act like the hardy hole of an anvil. I've yet to make up some drop down jigs or similar type tooling that may be needed in future. Might as well pop those holes in when I sketched up the parts and let the oxy cut the plate. It sure beats drilling the thing at a later date

Why ask a group of faceless smiths? Ask you doctor, we have no way of knowing the details of your injury.

Nah, like I've said it ain't a problem so I not going to bother a Doc, just interested to find out from anyone here that may have experienced something similar & get a few opinions on this this type of bone break and how they found smithing since the injury

I've broken my left, non dominant elbow three times over the years. Thankfully not my right. As far as advice goes, do what the Physical Therapist tells you, even when it feels better, even when it feels fine and you think you're fully recoveredexperienced ff, keep up the PT.

Actually that's good advice, thanks for that

Man that is one substantial table, I like it a lot! Nice work.

Sorry to hear about your pup.

Thanks,

I put a bit of thought into it and built it with what I could find. Had a little plate cut and put the thing together in a day.

Yeah, miss the old Shepard, but it ain't right if the animal is in discomfort and nothing can be done. It's the decent thing to do

Hey Guys, just wondering among the gang here has anyone broken their elbow particularly your stronger arm where you do most of your hammer/anvil work?

I broke my elbow a few years back and I'm very consious of how I limit the discomfort when working the anvil or similar activity. It's not a problem but i don't wish to test it and find out when it really is a pain and have to stop.

Is there any advise from those who have had arm injuries or broken arm bones that could be issued that would help limit any further damage or pain say when hammering & using the anvil?

Thanks

Well guy's this is my main vise & stand. Two pieces of 30mm plate with 50 x 50mm solid formed legs & married together with centre piece that acts as the hold point for the leg of the vise. I've made this with a flange at the back close to ground level where this is used with a pallet truck if & when I wish to move it. Save me tired back when moving it around! There's a lot of weight in this thing which is exactly what I wanted. My best friend is also picture where sadly the old boy's no longer with me. I've had to put him down last weekend. Any German Shepard owners will know the hips on these dogs give trouble and when the time comes that the animal looses the use of the back legs, then it's time to do the decent thing and put him to sleep. I miss the poor old dog, he was good company

Wonderful!! Just wonderful