firegnome

Thank you for all the views and the reply I am getting in touch with them to see if we can get it repaired :)

Hi, about 10 years ago I bought a peter wright anvil for 50 dollars if I loaded it in the truck alone :) . She weights 421 lb and has a well worn face taht could use some repair edges and a little build up aprox 1/4 inch to 3/8 in a swoop . She has good ring to it and rebounds well. After divorce I got the equipment she got the shop so things are up in the air till a new shop is settled upon. I do not have a welder but I am willing to haul her a fair distance to get repaired if anyone know some one who could do this :) Just let me know I wi taqke picture of her and post them soon . Thank you Jim Firegnome Forge Hampden maine

I have had smae experience here in Maine my dad was an antique picker and auctioneer still is :) I stoped in and they had the lawn art and pretty much chased me out of the drive way I came back after I made a lovley plant hanger as I saw they had a few store bought ones. I was met with the same resolve and explained the local historical society had a get together and we had a few items left over :) So I explained that this would looknice to go along with the anvil and walked away . A few days later an elder lady stopped me in a store and asked if I would stop in as her husband wanted to thank me for the plant hanger. I wheeled over a few days later and found that they had a relitive that forged and that the anvil was very semtimental to them and it would never be for sale. At which point I offered if they wanted to come to the blacksmith shop to just vist at the fair grounds they were welcome. it took several weeks but they showed up on open blacksmith night and watch and talked a bit. This was several years ago. I found out last year they donated that anvil to the historical society last year as they were moving south for their health. Make them something have fun doing it and get joy from giving it you never know :) Jim Heckman Firegnome

Well I designed a few years back wicked strange mouse trap. You take an old garbage disposal place a pvc top on it with a motion detector to turn it on and off and a place for bait. Then run 2 inch pvc at a good angle to it like a slide. Once they enter they never leave except down the drain. ;)

Looking at the picture the screen in the bottom of the forge looks to be floating with air space around it I would seal up the gaps around it so when you get the air flowing it will stay in the firepot and things up I noticed this due to the fact i had a forge with a cracked pan once and it did not heat well until I clayed the bottom to seal it up. Gook luck Firegnome

Slow and easy long soaking heat. Remember pull it out brush it off flux back in slow air and when it looks just the same color as the coals around it your almost there. I have even welded a box of paperclips together this way . Firegnome

I watched a special on musical instruments where they filled the brass tube with water mixture and froze it them did the shaping and the ice helped maintain the shape of the tube. It was on how it is made. You could also use some copper tubing to conceal the wiring and paint it to look like iron. I have used brake line before on a small lamp it worked well just had to find it large enough. Jim

Well spring will be upon us soon and I want to build a permanent forge in my garage/shop. I love coal and will build a side draft type forge but I want to use natural stone not brick (at least not all brick). Has anyone had dealings with this ? I have heard if I use the wrong stone they can get to hot and crack and break. I would love to hear from anyone who has done this as I want to end up with a lovely forge as well as a functional one as well. Thank you Firegnome Jim Heckman Hampden, Maine

http://www.knifeandgun.com/ I have purchased from them, ordered some 15n20 for a Damascus blade I was working on came out very nice. Firegnome

I have seen a regular door latch Adapted to a bookcase where it locks from the book side when closed and to open you make book a pivot point to lift inside latch that way they have no idea it is even a door to some where and looks really cool too. Firegnome

Now wouldn't that work like an old railroad train except vertical how did they balance them or did they? Silly thoughts. Firegnome

Before I could make tongs I would go to the local junk shops and watch ebay for large old tongs like foundry's used long handles large sizes jaws. I would buy them cheap and re form them and re rivet them they would work great and I would have lots of rein stock left over from cutting off the 5 ft ends to 2 footers. Here in Maine we have Liberty tool and die who buys bulk tools lots from failed bussiness all over the US so they have a good supply. This allowed me to reform some cool tongs. Jim

Sorry I did not see this posting before all hallows eve. On anvilfire.com - Blacksmithing and Metalworkers Reference for Metal Artists at Raising a Norman Helmet by Eric Thing, Armourer : Table of Contents This is how they raised a Norman helmet looks like it would help in creating a calduron. Firegnome

Well lets start by saying I enjoy making chain but it does not like me either the welded joint is to thin. I tried to scarf it several different ways and always the same results. The weld is always good a nice ring to it. Any tips you would think after doing this for so many years I would have gotten it by now:) Thanks Firegnome

Does anyone know of a good video or older film that shows anvils being made from scratch. I had a teacher ask me if I had ever seen one being made. I told her I had not but I would ask if anyone had a resource for this. Thank you Firegnome Hampden, Maine

While the dragon crawling out was cool how about one trying to crawl in body , tail and rear legs and claws then you could add some scales to the underside of the horn and 2 eyes like it is stretching it's nose into the horn. Fire

I like to use mild steel for tools that will take a beating or extra heat. I use super quench witch I think there was a recipe posted on the Iforge site. 5 gals water 5lbs table salt 32 oz dawn dishwashing liquid (blue) 8oz Shaklee Basic I ( I use simple green it is easier to find) (A Wetting Agent) Quench at 1550 F (Light cherry red) Expect 43 to 45 Rockwell C on 1018 mild steel and low carbon steels This is Robb Gunters recipe. It works well BUT ONLY USE IT ON MILD STEEL. If you do not if it is mild steel do not quench it in this please. We tried it on a chisel made with tool steel and it shattered on the first strike. Firegnome

I wonder if you are looking for the gloss finish if powder coat would work better and last longer? More costly I bet but I know it looks good we have shop down the road that does it for other companies he had me make a few plant hangers for him and he powder coated them they looked good. Firegnome. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Blacksmith hammer 50 dollars, steel to make same hammer 5 dollars Aloe plant for the burns free, a day off from work doing what you love. Priceless :)

Blacksmithing marathon

Hi all I was given a horse shoe forge that has 2 burners on it. I will try and follow this up with a picture of the unit it looks in good shape it does not look homemade and needs a coat of paint or stove black. It does not have the regulator or regulators and hoses. I will update more after I place picture to see if anyone knows what it is and if it is worth using. Thank you Jim

I have used the always available and simple brake fluid this stuff goes on and eats we used to use it to strip bike tanks to the bare metal. May take a few times but it always seems to bubble it all up and it just wipes off.

When I first started trying to forge weld I used very fine sand that was a hit miss thing but in thoses days I only had hard coal. Not knowing of soft coal or charcoal. I did mannage to take a cable and electric weld the ends. Then I heated it up and un twisted it a bit to get flux in deep twisted it back, then kept heating it and tightening the twist till I was afraid it would break. Fluxed it again and slowly brought it up to temp just before it started sparking bright yellow not molten pulled it out and welded it. moving it and working it at welding temp until I had a solid block. I had a few letter openers and knives from this and it ecthed well. if you get the cable down good try a box of paper clips makes a great demo:) Remember that the cable should be clean of grease and oil before you heat and flux. Firegnome

Can you convert the in line to a power hammer ? or switch from one to another by moving the foot peddle connecting rod from clutch to stright connect? Do you know what I mean ?

I shop the local thrift stores and look for the old hair dryers that have the llong hose adn the adjustable speed. People throw them out as they do not want to sit with there hair in the bag while it dries. Last one lasted 5 years for a buck adn like I said it has speeds nice for building a welding heat and keeping it there. Firegnome