J W Bennett

I'm with Mills. Check to make sure that the flue is clean and unobstruted. Is it a side draft with a smoke shelve or is it overhead? Is the new section of pipe the same diameter? Is there a possibility the motor got bumped around and the airfow direction or force(damper/restrictor plate) has been changed. Just a few things I'd check John

:) Thanks for all the feed back everyone. You gave me some points to think on and some pitfalls to avoid. I will let you know how it went when I get back this afternoon. John

Earlier this year after demonstrating at a craft fair I was asked by the local Purdue extension educator If I would judge the 4H Blacksmithing projects at the local county fair. I was surprised by the request and accepted the offer. This is the first year for the program and so all entries will be at the beginner level. I am glad to see Blacksmithing being offered at this level. Do any of you have any judging experience or advice on dealing with younger people interested in blacksmithing. The judging will be tomorrow morning. John

Best of the Bits Volumes 1-5 Alabama Forge Council No ISBN While not a true book these 5 volumes taken from the Alabama Forge Council's Bituminous Bits News letters are approximately 60 pages each and have a wealth of information packed in to each one. From basic fire management to damascus steel and carved animal heads to lots and lots of tooling. These five volumes have it all. Vol. 1 is a true example of blacksmith notes/drawings made in the shop or at a demonstration. I found a couple of the projects hard to follow but the vast majority are clear and easy to follow. It is interesting to me to see the progression from Vol 1 to Vol 5. Lots of drawings and some pictures. I now have 2 sets, one set in a binder in the shop and one set in the house. I did a quick check of the Alabama Forge Council web site and they currently only list Vol 1 & 2. I bought my 2nd set of all 5 at John C. Campbell in May so the other 3 vol. might still be available. If anyone from the AFC reads this and knows how to order all the volumes please post the info. John

The Backyard Blacksmith ISBN 1-59253--251-9 176 page Lorelei Sims As the books title suggests this book is aimed at the backyard hobby smith. However I would recommend it to any smith at any level. Lorelei starts with the shop setup and tools and goes thru basic techniques, forge welding/joinery, tool making and then puts it all to use with well explained projects and lots of pictures of the details. While none of this is new to blacksmithing "how to books" the high quality pictures and Lorelei's delivery of the material and her sense of humor make this book an enjoyable experience. There are several corrections that Lorelei has acknowledged on her web site and will be addressed in the next printing. Well worth both the price and your time, John

Chris, I park one over my blasting cabinet and the other over a work bench. Both are up against walls (on oppisite sides of the shop). 90% of the time I only need 1 so I try to keep the one by the blast cabinet accessable. I have setup my shop so that I can manuever around or move equipment easily if needed. I just wish I had 12' ceilings, but if I did then I'd want 14" LOL. JWB

I have 2 matching rolling A-frames in my shop. I only have 10' ceiling so they just fit under the lighting. but they are handy especially for handling big sheets and trailer frames. John

JJ2k, I am not a full time smith so I don't rely on smithing to feed me or keep the roof over my head. I put all the profit back into equipment and other things to further the business. So I don't have the same pressures you and other full time smiths have. I am just starting doing demo's and shows and I find that the time could usually be better spent in the shop. I enjoy the Demo part but hate the sales part. I am starting to do small commission work now and that is far better than faire's for me. As you have stated the weather can really put a damper on you. Out of teh 4 faires I have done so far I have done real well at 1 and decent at 1 and the weather was terrible at the other 2 so I didn't even cover my expences. I've tried a popular local flea market 3 times and people love to look, watch and ask questions but not much else. I have talked with several smith's in the local IBA chapter and they have found the same to be true. I find I am doing a steady welding and repair business. Not on the scale of JR's but it helps with the bottom line. My goal is to build the business for the next 15 years so that I have something to keep me occupied when I retire. I've only been going at it as a business for 2 years so I am no expert and I went thru SCORE to set up my business. Very helpful people with a lot of knowledge and experience to draw on. You might talk with them also. My counsler has 30 + years in metal and fabrication. Amy Pieh at Pieh tool uses them also. I ran a small welding/repair business as my only source of income back in 92/93 by the seat of my pants with no capital and no business/legal knowledge and got ate alive. I told myself this time I was going to take it slow and ask alot of questions and seek professional advice. Sorry to ramble, John

As time goes by I think I'm getting better at keeping it respectable. But there's still times you couldn't find a bright orange whosawhatzit in the shop on a bright sunny day;)

Nice work, Thanks for sharing John

Nice really nice, Thanks for posting the pics JWB

Herchammer, I have a ten inch flue pipe sticking 4'-5' above the peak of my roof. It is a straight shot with no bends. I put a 4" smoke shelve in the hood and mine draws well even when first fired. As Glenn stated I have noticed as it warms up the draft does increase and as tbrforge said once it gets going it will pull the whole fire toward the draft opening. I built my side draft coalforge in about 2 long days. But I'm not as fast as most but I do have a fairly well equiped shop which helps. Which ever design you decide to go with good luck. Here is a link to the thread and the pictures of mine. http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/new-coal-forge-3101/ JWB

Herchammer, I am no expert but I recently built a new forge using a side draft hood and it works great. It draws well with the shop doors open or closed. Just my 2 cents worth JWB

Awhile back I bought a Canady Otto #0 post vise off of rthibeau. I mounted it on a 4x4x1/8 wall piece of tubing welded to a semi brake drum to make it portable.I have used it at several demos. It catches peoples eyes. The other day at a flea market I picked up a Cole #7 manual drill that is for drilling large holes in about any position. I got it for 5 dollars because the guy thought it was missing some parts but it's all there. I mounted it to the opposite side of the post and then on the left hand side I added a mount for 2 old hand grinders I had squirreled away under the bench. Made a real nice manual drill/grinder stand. Just don't let it get over center when you move it!!! John

Thanks for the BP#s Glenn. Now I've got something for next week. Heres the pictures of the finished project.Everything is forge welded. I was surprised how easy the leaf lap welded. I've hit that rock a hundred times with the mower.Gave me a good excuse to move it. John

I just wanted to take a minute an thank mike-hr for BP0231. I gave it a shot this morning and other than wishing I had your swedge block it went quite well. The bride has the digital camera in her car so this evening I will try to get some pictures. Once again thanks. The BP was real easy to follow and the forge welds went well. John

Jayco, We won't bother to ask how your day is going John

I wanted to share it with all of you and I am humbled that you wish to share it with others. Please do! I think it would be nice to hear from those of you who "Like to sit in your shop too." and tell us why. We all have more in common than just Iron and fire. John

Thanks for the kind words, as I said I'm not sure why I wrote it I just felt like putting my thoughts down. It belongs to IFORGEIRON now and Glenn can use it as he see's fit. But once again thanks for the kind words I like to sit in my shop I've sat in my shop and watched the sun rise through the big open doors I've sat in my shop and watched the shadows grow long toward the end of the day I've sat in my shop and looked out those doors-I've seen Orion the Hunter, Lupus the Hare, Cygnus the swan,Bootes and Ursa major and Minor....I can't forget the bears. I've sat in my shop and looked out those doors and watched the colors change with the seasons. I have sat in my shop and and looked out those doors and been in awe of what I've seen I like to sit in my shop and look out of those big doors JWB I left that one out because I thought it made it to long Once again Thanks

Just a few thoughts about "Why I sit in my shop" I like to sit in my shop. I have a favorite chair that I like to sit in when I sit in my shop. Sometimes I sit in my shop early in the morning and think of the day ahead. Sometimes I sit in my shop at the end of the day and look at the results of the day and what tomorrow

Get a big enough water tight container to hold the "drill", Put the drill in it and fill it full of diesel fuel. Sit it out of harms way for a week or so and then pull it out and try to work everything. That should free it up. If a big enough container can't be found soak rags in diesel fuel, spray the whole drill with diesel fuel and then wrap it in the soaked rags. Check everyday and keep the drill and rags soaked. Be sure to do this outside away from flammables. I've never had one catch fire due to spontaneous combustion but I don't want to read about it in the papers either. John Cover it up so the cats don't fall in it. (Don't ask me how I know this):rolleyes:

As the Glenn said just tighten the rivet up by peening it hot or cold. I don't like to work metal cold so I would do it hot but either will work. Bill Epp's makes a nice pair of tongs to hold the head of a spike out of an old pair of nippers. I made mine from a $2 set bought at a flea market. Basicaly you split one bit and shape it to the protruding side of the head and shape the other bit to hold the flat side. These are some old pics but you should be able to figure it out. John P.S. you can do it without taking the tongs apart:D