Dillon Sculpture

Build a boiler, WOW! Thats dedication! I am not trying to tease, fact is I'm not in business to hammer every day. I have acquired, rebuilt and installed most of the hammers out of speculation, desire for power or just plain stupidity. All my life I have been collecting tools, learning how to use them and trying to find someone that felt my endeavors were worth paying for. Although it would be nice to be a "studio artist" and just pound away every day, its not the case. I am a one man shop, contracted to build someone else's vision or need with small intermittent experiments in madness. This is a long road and I am patient, I feel I am close but also know I will never satisfy the burning quest to build it bigger, better and faster! B)

Many of the machinery dealers list it at 10,000.

Here's one I didn't see in the above link. Unless that die is huge you should be able to adjust the ram high enough with the turnbuckle, I can move mine 6" but it is on the other side of the scale... I forged a chunk 10" tall once but it was a bit tight :blink: They use two tapered keys because you can't get in behind the die to knock em out, tighten and loosen from the front. Bradley.pdf

Whatcha up to Dave... You find something you don't need for a price you cant refuse :P You din't say if it was utility or self contained? No difference between my 200 and a 300 (utility) but the ram weight, its around 5000#

I have a thread about "Avian" the kinetic wing sculpture somewhere on here... Yes, it was one of my entry photos. They picked local designers to put together a room for the show as they needed to use work from the show is how I received highlight in the publication. Bigger congrats to to Shawn Lovell who made the cover "Woman of Steel"! A great article if you haven't seen it.

I really like your building techniques! Some people get really caught up in measuring ;) I'll have to make me one of those there tables for my vise too, Thanks!

Sounds like fun... Unless you have a hoist I would think bending would be better suited on a horizontal and forging to a vertical press. Would a C or H that big be better suited to turn? I guess you want it to do both B) I always liked the bottom mounted cylinder with side post pulling down...

Where'd I go? I always seem to be where I'm at :huh:

I have a long road ahead to realize the full potential of my efforts in insanity! I have recently been running a batch of items I hope to sale at the upcoming American Craft show in Atlanta, mid March. In this work I move through all four of the hammers and my hydraulic press, some in the same heat. I am amazed with the amount of production that can be done with the tools, it leaves my head spinning new ideas! I may have to install a large rotating table centered in this assemblage of madness :D

Not sure why I feel like I need to defend my artistic endeavors, but for me it has never been a place to hide because I was unable to pull off a technical aspect of production. I have found the creative process to be a detour from the lesson plan, liberating and exceedingly difficult at the same time. For me working iron is an extension of drawing, a practice that has been the basis of art since the dawn of man. A practice in which I found talent, one that was much easier for me to express myself than with any other form of communication (Probably because my personality problems had exceed the George Norm). I believe promoting the craft as an art has always been around, some have even called it magic! I also think that utilitarian forge work is much closer to death than artistic work, a great example of that swing is John Neaman. Promote it anyway you can I say, but try not to belittle anyone that has truly made an effort.

Shiny...

Beautiful sculpture Andrew, throughout the process, your execution, attention to detail, and enormous talent to bring the material to life has been a joy to watch, thanks for sharing. I love the log idea as well, should complete the sculpture perfectly. What did the weight come in at and does it come apart for transport?

Santa didn't come around this year, I've been a bad, bad boy... I did see him on the beach yesterday though, we tipped our glass to each other. Should be full steam ahead next year fellas!

E.A. Chase buckles are amazing, David Brown is not to shabby either. Silicon bronze

http://youtu.be/KwW8p1xhzWM Just a bit larger

Thats not a nail, THIS is a nail... :o Ben Bradshaw has it... A side note the man standing directly behind me in this photo name is Mike Shaffer. I just posted a dragon that Dan Boone made that was in Mike's collection, Mike just passed a few months ago.

A nice little one that was in a friend of mine collection. Looks like it was forged from 1/2" square, welded with a bit of magic, no doubt B)

I have some shearing dies for a mech. close to that, but not quite. Not sure the tonnage but I like the checkered paint job :D I'll bet it makes a great sound when it goes over...

Gonna get up to 70 today here in GA :P

I have used a small bullet level, it should be level when you have it perpendicular to the length of the cap. I also use bending bars and a vise in the field to address the twist, over bending the radius as it will come out when you twist. The hard one to figure is when your whole inside corner is high, this means you need to curve the whole section down and vice versa when your outside corner is high. It is helpful to go slow and check often. You may find something of interest in my Smith Rail post.

Forged from 2" of 2" round copper

Sorry I missed that one, ya know Omniversal-Fabricated Anvil

Pretty much got it smoothed up and ready for blasting, patina.

She's a beaut! The hammer that is...

Welcome Ken, Not restoring motos anymore, how do you just give it up :blink: Is panelbeating-sheet metal for autos and such?