HIGHSIDER

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.

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!

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

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!!)

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

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 Actually that's good advice, thanks for that

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

Thanks for that Thomas.. ""do not play well together"" I do like that description..Absolutely agree fella...A split is on the cards, in fact it's madness having it any other way. I've learned my lesson mixing the two

Many thanks Danger..I just got some pictures there just out of interest now that you have asked.. Finished this vice/work station there few weeks back, solid legs with 30mm plate, bit of weight in this thing, exactly what I'm after. That's my best pal alone side This is my old Adcock & Shipely pillar drill, quite an old drill I believe, it's not finished or positioned just yet, I have the switch gear & lubrication system to fit and it's then more or less ready for action. Here's a recent project again, almost complete. lot of time gone into this, over two years with a complete take down and rebuild, Lovely old tool maker lathe, Maker; Drummond Bro's Surry, UK This is my power hack saw currently under rebuild, have a mod on this where you can see an old water pack water pump that will act as a coolant pump, hey!! got to use what I can find? lol Some of my woodcarving. My spindle lathe, not finished! My bowel lathe, this a home made job, I've used a gearbox from an old ferguson 20 tractor and fabricated around the box, little bit of ballest included, here to dampen vibration, 1100kg, Another old girl, 1930's J Seager halifax, thicknessing machine, again not complete or in position That's some of what keep's me head right!! Granted they are not complete or installed but will be soon enough, one step at a time. Hope you enjoyed my few photo's. I have just visited your own website and can just say...That is ""AWESOME!!"" and I'm not just saying that. Nothing would give me greater pleasure if I could only achieve a fraction of what you have listed on your web page and at your forge shop. That's an inspiration! Every success to your work and future projects

I'm not forging just yet where I'm still getting myself set up however I do have an idea where I would like to focus on a celtic type art forging using a design similar to the image below and include wood turning as a finished piece. A blend of the two crafts if you like. That's what I'd like to work on. I've a bit to go yet before I get there, but I'll get there

Thanks Thomas! Yes, you have to be so careful, a fire can spread so quickly. I like your approach and I’m in the same mindset. I have to separate the dirty work including welding away from the wood shop and reduce all possibilities. You learn from experience, once bitten twice shy!

Hello everybody! Hope you’re all doing very well! Tom here from Ireland doing the decent thing and saying a quick hello with an introduction of myself. I am a design engineer by trade but also have a range of interests at home from woodcarving, woodturning, motorcycles, old wood & metal working machine restore, (the real old girls, heavy cast machine body, built to last, yee know the type!) and quite recently, started taking a real interest in forging & blacksmithing. Those big power hammers, wow, how exciting!! Those babies’s pack some punch! Got to get myself one of those someday! Lol.. I’ve also had a bit of bad luck there about 4 years ago and have learned a very valuable lesson maybe I could share with you guy’s that may act as a little reminder of when things go wrong. I’m sure I’m not the first that this has happened too, I’ve had a workshop fire that levelled the place! Only the four walls and the steel work of the shed remaining all caused by grinding steel late one night, some sparks smouldered where I had a small store of timber, a fire got hold of everything, took off and destroyed the lot, a lifetime collecting old machines and everything a busy workshop contains all gone up in smoke in a mater of hours!! Oh I could cry!! Nevermind, that’s all behind me now, I’ve spent the last 4 years rebuilding the workshop and rebuilding all my machines, those that could be saved. The place is better than before now and I’ve got the drive & spirit back again to create. It’s been a slow rebuild but I’m nearly there. The fire was not on my schedule and was a major set back both mentally & financially, but hey! It could have been a whole lot worse?? No body was hurt or worse. Just be careful folks, a workshop fire is a terrible experience! Be careful! Looking forward to reading & learning from you guys. What a great forum! Keep up the good work all, thanks for having me. TOM