J W Bennett

My shop and tools are refuge and my feeble attempt to hold on to a way of life that I feel slipping away. I have new,old and older tools and use them all. Money cannot replace them nor the joy I get from using them and sharing that joy with others. I have taken pictures and have a real good record of all my tools, however if they were to be stolen I would have a hard time shouldering the loss even if I had unlimited funds. I don't beleive I have many tools that don't have a story behind them that I carry with me like pictures of family members. And yes I am a sick man with no hope of a cure. I love to sit in my shop. John

Thanks for the photo's Phil. It looks like the kids enjoyed the class. Good to see you put the spikes to good use. John

Thanks Ted, Glad you enjoyed it. John

Chris, I agree. I have been working toward doing architectural work and have done 2 commisions so far. I use the Demo's to show my work to the public and also I do enjoy the demo's. I beleive there is still a need for high end work it's just getting your foot in the door. John

Thomas, I have sold stakes at other events too. This was a small town festival an everyone was sat up on the street pavement. Only about 8 outdoor vendors total. But I will keep that in mind in the future. John

As Dutchman Creek pointed out it was hot and humid in Illinois and Indiana this weekend. I demoed at a local Strawberry Festival this weekend. Friday night mother nature took any hope of profit by destroying both my canopies with a thunderstorm and high winds. Saturday the flooding from 8+ inches of rain forced a state of emergency in all counties in the area and I couldn't get to the festival till about 1:30pm to check my equipment that I ended up covering with a tarp the night before. Everything was fine but the days activities were canceled due to all roads being closed in the state of emergency. I was already set up so I went ahead and forged a chain from 3/8 round stock of 11 links and had another group of three ready to join but the heat and humidity finally convinced me to shut down and have a cold one. Sunday morning I got there early and made one canopy out of the remnants of two so I could have some shade. Opened up on time and forged a connecting link for the three links I had made and then forge another set of three and linked them also. I had four kids really interested in what I was doing so I forged a rams head for them. It went well and they thought it was cool. I sold one tripod, One wavy pot stand and made a rather large bean pot bail for a fella. Not enough to cover the damage or gas. But to be able to forge weld 3 1/2' of chain and a rams head while doing a demo and only miss one weld was priceless as the commercial goes. If you think your going to get rich smithing you might be right but it will be inside yourself not your wallet. Hot,Dirty,Tired and Thirsty but It's been a good weekend. John

I have forged several froes. the eye is tapered from the non cutting edge down to the cutting. There is no need for tool steel since it is used for splitting wood. I have done a blueprint and I know there is at least one other. If you need a pdf of mine PM me an I will send it to you. John

Pattern Book for the Artist-Blacksmith Max Metzger Translated from German by Robert Ruhloff No ISBN# found 132 pages Spiral Bound Well If I'm going to get 2 books by Metzger I might as well get the pattern book as well. I'm glad I did. The pattern book is a large format spiral bound book with very, very nice patterns and real good descriptions on the opposite page. I see alot of use for this book in the future. Worth the price of admission for the drawings let alone the patterns. John

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I will post pictures when they are installed. John

Basics of Style for the Artist-Blacksmith Max Metzger Translated from German by Robert Ruhloff No ISBN # found 144 pages Spiral bound I seek knowledge where I can find it. Thats what led me to I Forge Iron to begin with. I spend my "extra" cash on tools and books. I was looking online in the book section of one of the blacksmith suppliers and trying to decide what books I thought I might get the most out of. I had already put Metzgers "Classical Techniques of Hand-Forged Iron Work" in the shopping cart and decided since I know sqat about style (My wife will vouch for that!) that maybe I'd take a chance and buy this also. I found the book interesting but in all honesty I will have to read it several more times before I get the full value of it. It has lots of drawings and B&W plates which help alot. However I find it hard to keep track of dates and periods in time. I'm not sure what I had hoped to gain from this reading but it could be I am confusing Style with Design. I beleive I am progressing satisfactorly with my forging skill but lack in putting "The whole picture together". I can't say this book helped with that. It did enable me to distinguish somewhat between different styles...Egyptian,Gothic, Renaissance,etc so knowledge was gained. As I said perhaps with subsequent reading I will gain more. I have the book now and it will be a reference guide when need be. The jury is still out as to wether it was worth the price of admission. John P.S. If anyone has good book on design please take the time to do a review. I would appreciate it and so will others

Classical Technques of Hand-Forged Iron Work Max Metzger Translated from German by Robert Ruhloff No ISBN # found 71 pages Spiral Bound This book is excerpts from Metzgers book "the Artist-Blacksmith's Workshop" fourth edition dated 1927. I have not seen the "the Artist-Blacksmith's Workshop" but having read this small sampling I would like to see the full version. I don't read German so all I could probably do is look at the pictures and drawings. For anyone wishing to do quality Artist-Blacksmiting this book is a must read. Metger covers hammer techniques, Forging Leaves and Flowers, Embossing and Chasing and Working in Brass, Copper and Bronze. The book is full of drawings and black and white plates. Sometimes I wished the plates were a little clearer so I could see more detail. I personaly enjoyed the section on Leaves and Flowers the most. It gave me something to set my sights on as my skills develope in the future. I have no doubt that as I progress I will find myself flipping back thru this for helpful information. The book is a little pricey for 71 pages but I spend more on beer in a weeks time and at current prices is less than 8 gallons of gas and lasts alot longer. It is spiral bound and I like that because it will lay flat on a work table (now if it was only fire proof). Once again I beleive "Classical Technques of Hand-Forged Iron Work" to be worth the price of admission. John

Just finished these this morning. I'm not punching the mounting holes until I get the hardware. Once I have the holes punched I will sandblast and paint one set for the customer that ordered them and the other I will oil and put on display. I have to forge the latch this afternoon. The top and botton hinge are 18 1/2" from pin center to tip and the middle hinge is 24 1/2" from pin center to tip. The pins are 1/2" and the hinges were made from 2" x 1/4" Flat stock. The barrels were rolled on the anvil. The customer was over last night and was very happy with them. I just thought I'd share. Let me know what you think. John

Frosty, The web ads are free, I did have to give up some coin this time:rolleyes: John

Well answered an add in the local free web ads and came away with a bucket of tongs 14 pair all together and a box of stuff, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 top and bottom swages, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4 top fullers, A real good handled cold cut and handled hot cut, 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 bolt headers, Three misc hammers and some odds and ends. John

Pete, The intent is to plate one end and fill with ballast"sand or srap steel" and then plate the other end. John

Thomas, When I get home this evening I will take a look. I have that in my book stash. Thanks, John

One of my 4H students asked me the other day how hard it would be to make a RR anvil. Told him I didn't know because I had never made one. I had some time to burn yesterday so just out of curiosity I decided to make one with the stuff available in my resource pile. Theres alot of ways to do one and I've seen alot at flea markets and a bunch of pictures. Here's my quickie version, 3 1/2 hours including stand. Forged a couple of leaves on it yesterday and it is quite functional. I'll take it to class next weekend to show him and his dad.

Picked this up from an older Gentleman today who didn't need it anymore. Said he forgot to put it in the auction when they moved to town last year. Been sitting in an empty machine shed ever since. It's a 165# Peter Wright. The edges are worn and it was rusty from sitting outside. I cleaned it up when I got it home with a wire brush and a 4 1/2" grinder. All the gentlemen wanted for it was 60$. Said thats what he gave for it when he bought it at a farm sale years ago. I paid him and thanked him over and over again. Also went to a flea market Saturday and got 21 good heavy "Williams" C-Clamps for 65$. I wish I had weekends like this more often:) John

David, I run 2 converters in my shop, one is a small 1hp and is dedicated to a hydraulic pump. been in service for about 7 years, the other is a 7.5hp that I use to run several pieces of equipment. it has been in service for about 3 years. I built both and have had no problems with either one. in my opinion rotary is the only way to go for shop equipment. I'm not powering any compressors with it but end rush has never been a problem. John Bennett

It is up to us to change the perception of the Blacksmith in the publics eye. I enjoy doing demo's and interacting with the public. I have recently started teaching blacksmithing to 4H young adults. I am amazed by their interest and desire to learn. I am sure there are alot of things in this world we don't comprehend as well as others do. I have gone into a time warp shock the few times in the past ten years that I have went to the "mall". I don't understand the people there young or old and I'm sure they don't understand me. That doesn't make any of us stupid it just means we are from different backgrounds. Have patients and remember there are several here who started out wanting to make swords. Anytime we are in the public eye we are ambassadors of the craft. John Bennett

Thanks again for all the replies and info. I finished the master acorn and the swedge late last night. Did get 2 acorns made with the swedge that turned out good. Had to work this morning so I will try to get some pictures taken today. Once again thanks to all who replied, The info was appreciated and put to use. John :):D

Thanks for all the input fellas, Had 2 bad days and haven't gotten into the shop yet. I will post pics of what I come up with. John

Stan, Thanks for the info, I had googled "Acorn Swage" and had went to that site. The one I was thinking of involved a dremel tool/die grinder but I can't find it now. I guess I will forge a master and then stamp the dies. Once again thanks, John

I remember reading a piece on making an acorn swage some time back. not really sure where I read it. I didn't find anything in the bp's. Can anybody give me some pointers. I am going to try to make one this evening. Thanks, john