monstermetal

So that's an excellent suggestion and something completely different that what I expected to hear.. I have zero experience with such things although I am sure there are locals who are capable.. Would an architect be a good place to start? I realize its more of a engineering problem but I have a architect who I like and listens to what I say (I find most architects nod there head and then do what ever they want)

Um... No, Im a blacksmith? Yeah saying "I lack the software and expertise" would be the nice way of putting it

Stuff.. and some things... But mostly stuff

Yeah.... Its only a matter of time and she will come back to life... Great pic's.. If there is video you should let us know where its posted!

Its not marked but after talking to a few people I am pretty sure its a early Hay Budden..

I am working on a set of gates, this is the last of three pair for a private school, this one is the widest at just over 30'... and I got to thinking about he next gate I have to build, which is just over 40' (double swing so each leaf is 20') This one seems pretty big, I think its the biggest double gate Ive built.. and the next one is a 1/3 bigger! Just got me worried about sagging, strength, adjustments ... Anyone had any experience with big swinging gates?

My dad threw the big anvil on the scale today... 400# on the nose...

That's exactly how I feel.. 9 years ago I came to Seattle with a 30 year old pickup truck and a sack full of dirty laundry.. which was the sum total of all my worldly possessions... the only thing I had to my name was debt for things my ex wife and her boyfriend where now enjoying... My first job was not enough to pay both my rent and my child support.. Let alone food or any extras.. But I could do anything I wanted... Life is grand now, As I sell off all the stuff I bought when times are fat and worry about where the money is going to come from to pay the rent I am still thrilled to get chance... And If it all goes away... I'll still be working at it doing what ever I can to make it work... Starting over seems like a big deal at the time but its just a blip in the bigger picture... Thanks Grant! By trying to "Urinate" me off you actually made me feel better :D

So I am no machinist and am a little lost on the "slot drill" I looked at wiki and what they label as a slot drill I would call a center cutting 2 flute end mill... Is it just a terminology thing?

How could you have a 1200 lb anvil and not say it was your favorite!! I own a Nimba Gladiator as well and although it is a fine anvil If I could only have one I think I would rather have a traditional London pattern... or a smaller Nimba maybe... As others have said I find often the face of the Gladiator to wide... I go to my 350 lb Trenton or 170 lb Hay Budden... Its a tough call... any anvil you use will have its strong and weak points.... Find a good solid working anvil and use it for a bit and figure out what you like about it...

Id like a grand for the common Sense hammer... Its complete but needs bearings and a motor

The Johnson Forge is not pictured and is here in my shop located in Seattle WA... Its in great shape and I'd like to see $500 for it, If I cant get at least that I think I'll cut it up and use the blower and fuel system for my next ribbon burner forge...

Hammer is sold.. Half way to its new home in Colorado by now :)

Yep... I think its harder on the motor to have to "catch" all that weight and suck it up rather than pick it up after a hit....

You know my take is if a guy wants to work he will find something to work on... Now granted as a one man shop that has a hefty nut to crack I know sometimes its about finding the work that will cover the bills until next month... Now has it been that bad for me? Yes... my gross is down 40%... about $70,000 less than the year prior... my expenses stayed pretty much the same which make me operating at a huge loss for the year, and I mean huge... (lets just say I lost more money this year than I made in the last 5) My "shop" wont survive another year like this... but I will... I will be the last man standing.. I may be working out of my garage by the time we are done... and I might be welding with a 60 year old buzz box and have to finish everything by hand with a hunk of sandpaper... But I will make it... My advice is to show up to your shop an hour early, and stay an hour late, even if you have no "paying" work... Build something you have been wanting to make or work on your equipment, I have built more racks, stands and organizational things this year than in the last several combined, my shop is better organized that its ever been... I am rambling now, I guess you have to be realistic... I have plans and guides, Last spring I had started making plans to mothball my big equipment and move into a smaller space until I could recoup... I never had to... and things got way worse than I thgouht they would... I still have plans and contingents... but in the mean time I just keep working my tail off and at least I know I am doing every thing I can... And I will make it...

So my Dad and I bought a shop out, We paid real money for this stuff and there was no bargains to be had but there is some nice stuff here... These are the photos of the stuff in place, They are loading tomorrow and sometime soon I'll have a much better idea about whats what... We may keep a few things but mostly Im just looking to evenly distribute this stuff at a fair price... There are two 50 lb little Giants, One new style, one old. both are running, both have three phase motors... There are several die sets but Nothing that I would say is anything to get excited about. They are currently in Idaho but I'll be hauling the stuff to Seattle at some point in the near future, if your someplace along the way I'll deliver for free

I just wanted to say If Brent puts half as much care and skill into the tools he uses as the ones he makes, This will be the nicest Little Giant you will ever see..

I have two 50lb lg hammers one new one old style and a 75lb common sense hammer. Lg both running. Common sense is a project. Also have a cone swage block and a like new Johnson 133 forge. I want west coast prices. I'll ad photos and prices when I get home. That's all I want to type on my phone. ;-)

Im gonna quit watchin the comedy channel and just tune in here So I do gotta ask what you think of the bolt on die system? Seems like a reasonable thing to do on a mechanical.. I am building a set of H-13 dies for my Chambersburg and thinking I'll put a couple of 9/16 holes through the die face for attaching things to the lower die, If you made a lower like that for a air hammer it seems to me it would guarantee that at some point in its life someone would put something two short on there and bottom out the hammer....

Boy that is a nice looking old style hammer, So how much??

alot comes into play.... what kind of anvil? if its a newer tool steel anvil you can cut as much away as you want but the deeper you cut the softer it will become (the heat treat only goes in so far) if its a older tool steel top it depends on the size of the anvil and how thick the plate was to begin with... a 75lb anvil might have a 1/4" tool steel plate where a 400lber might have a 1/2" plate... taking .050 off one is alot and the other not much... I think its safe to look at it and make a judgment call.. Dont hawg half of the plate away to make it flat.. but if it will clean up with .030 and its 3/8 thick to begin with Id say go for it...

Nice job on the projects, and your right $20 for 7 zirc flap disks is a must have deal! Thats one Id go without lunch to buy if I had to...

Aha.... that makes much more sense... I was thinking you made them three sided and welded the forth leg on at the center.... Which would have been quite a bit more work I think... Funny how your mind sees things..!

Again there was only 600 lbs for sale, 300lbbs was sold locally and the other 300lbs has all been claimed by I forge Iron members... At this time there is no more... sorry

One thing you should do now that you have it back working well is throw an amp meter on the motor and see what the draw is.. You can tell alot about if the belts are where they need to be from the amp draw on the motor... When your working the hammer heavy (most work for the hammer is a long blow that does not quite land on the die) it should be within about 10% of what the motor tag says... If its more than 20% over your belts are two tight and you will put extra stress on the motor and motor bearings... If its under 20% or more your belts are too loose and your sacrificing performance... measurements taken at full load are the only ones that really matter...