rwolfe

Thanks for the video. Good stuff. Not too many wrought iron farm gates in the US. You see them more in cemeteries and well-to-do historic homes.

Jim Chamber's makes great locks. Take a look at this one: http://www.flintlocks.com/locks4.htm  (round-faced English). It's suitable for a musket/fowler. 

Well, as to worth, I paid $3 for it so it's worth at least that much!

I found these two images on Google Pictures. Both being described as roasting forks. Similar enough to mine i think I'll go with that unless better information comes in. Roasting fork sound better that pot trellis! 

I was just given this suggestion by Kelly Kring on my state blacksmithing site.

"These are very stylistically Pennsylvania Dutch ironwork pieces. Both most likely late 1700's-early 1800's. The fork is a meat fork. It's believed to be used for cooking meat by the hearth and the scrolls allowed it to be laid across a trivet or some other fire tool that propped up the fork end out of the coals. The loop was to hang it from a nail next to the hearth when not in use."

Thanks for the replies. Never heard of a pot trellis. Sounds reasonable though. Did a search on "pot trellis" and "antique pot trellis" and did not see very close but that doesn't mean it isn't one. 

My wife and I were out today in northern Indiana today and stopped by a few antique stores for some browsing and I saw these two old blacksmithed items in the same booth. They were cheap - $3 each - so I picked them up. I am confident the spatula is old and would have paid more for it. Anyone have an idea when this pattern went out of style? I'd like to think it could be Colonial. I have no clue to what the second item is. Anyone have an idea? The elements are nicely forge welded together in the center. I think this item is old but for some reason it doesn't "feel" as old as the spatula. What do you think?

Well done!

Cups for candles are a pretty obvious use. Here are some interesting (aberrant) antlers that I used to make candlestick holders using pipe for the cups. 

I just saw one of these last weekend and it uses two leather belts, each wrapped around the shaft in opposite directions. That way the shaft spun on both the up and down motion of the handle. Of course the dogs only engage in one direction to turn the blower. The second belt only serves to rewind the belt that drives the blower. Pretty slick. 

Frosty, had to get a new grate for the tuyere - ended up using a cast iron floor drain cover. Fired it up and it works great. You have to get a little rhythm going with the handle.  

Wayne, thanks for the name - sounds better than pump forge. 

Thanks for the info!

I recently picked up this small forge for $100 to use for demonstrations. I already had a small "rivet" forge that has a hand cranked blower that I currently use but just like the looks of the hand pump action on this one. It was missing the wooden handle and was quite dirty. I made a new handle, cleaned it up and then somehow it ended up getting painted. I don't think it was originally painted as there was no remnant paint on it even back in various crevices. The only marking on it is cast onto the bottom of the pan: "No. 100." The action is remarkably smooth and it moves air quite well.

Can anyone tell me anything about this style of forge? Does it have a name? Are they earlier than the crank style? Thanks. 

Well, I think I'll keep the ash dump open in the future. Seems prudent! 

Thanks for the comments.

Had a bizarre event happen today. I was working with two Boy Scouts on metalwork (blacksmithing) merit badge and we were going to be away from the forge for about 20-30 minutes so I turned off the blower and banked the fire with a couple of scoops of green coal. About 5 minutes later there was a loud bang and a flash and the 4 inch diameter flexible ducting that connected the blower to the forge flew across the room.  The banked fire did not appear to move; at least we did not notice it. Needless to say, we were quite startled.

I can only assume that when I banked the fire unburned gases were somehow forced into the ducting and then ignited. I’ve never had anything like that happen before – has anyone else?

The biggest stump in my wood pile was too short so I put the anvil on some 2 by yellow pine to raise it up a bit. Was supposed to be temporary but that was 5 years ago....

Yes, traditionally for hanging pots over a fire. I also have people buy them for hanging potted plants. 

I actually drilled and threaded the cups and then ran a small bolt up from the bottom. A nut on the inside of the cup would have been easier.......

I enjoy looking the stuff people post so I figured it was time for me to post something to return the favor. Nothing special, just a couple of trammel hooks. They seem to sell well at reinactments. I've made quite a few of the first style pictured but the second one is the first I've done from a horseshoe. It's a little rough but the next one will be better!

Here are a couple I did using shed deer antlers. My wife did not like the drips on the table so both now have cups.  Both are from atypical antlers which adds to the interest. 

Here is a simple hook 'cause I'm a simple kind of guy. 

Regarding ramps - not just in the mountains. I'm in Northern Indiana a long way from the mountains and they are common in my woods. I read once that  the name "Chicago" is derived from an Indian word meaning something to the effect of "place of the stinking onions!"

I have to say, that's the fanciest D.O lid lifter I have ever seen. Well done. 

Thanks ausfire. What could be more natural than a horse head on a horse shoe. 

You guys inspired me on this bottle opener thing. Here are some of my attempts. I'm particularly happy with the horse head/horse shoe and alligator openers. The horse head is pretty much standard except for the opener end. Seems like most folks have the opener on the other axis - this way the curve fits nicely in your hand. The alligator is my own design which makes it fun. The alligator with the big nose was my first attempt. They got better after that!

Anyway, thanks for all the inspiration.