Ratel10mm

Just browsing around & found this great thread. I really like the jig, good idea! fwiw over here we have a sizable history of very small spoons, usually silver, for salt & pepper. Not 'cos it was expensive (we're talking 17-1800's here), but 'cos you don't want much of it on your food. ;)

Crackers, have you got any more details or a contact for the hot iron muster? If it's on this year I'd love to get there. :)

No photos I'm afraid, but 2 recent finds - first was a 1.5kW 3ph. motor that my boss gave me. So that's the power for my to-be-built-one-day grinder sorted, I just need an inverter. The other was a Mitutoyu 200mm dial caliper given to me by one of the guys where I was working recently. They're moving & a TON of stuff is going in the skip. Mostly no use for blacksmiths, but they know of my interest. ;)

Weeeelll, now you're asking! Quench in oil, or whatever grease mix you use. Temper, I'm not sure of, but I would imagine trying it as per 01 for a start. 180 deg. C (NOT F!) in your oven for 1 hour. Then try the brass rod test & go from there. There's some guys on BB who could give you a better idea, but nothing's really going to be certain unless you know what steel you have. I've always been told to try the above method for any high carbon 'unknown'. By the way, if the whole cable is twisted in the same direction, then an easy way to start the weld is to stick it in a vice & twist in the same direction as the lay of the wires.

Crane cable will do nicely as will lift cable, but remember that it may be galvanised. If so, steer well clear as the thick white smoke it gives off in the forge is extremely poisonus! Also it may have strands of nylon or other fabric in it - obviously this will not forge weld. ;)

I'm not sure if it's okay to post this, but I have no relationship with the seller or anything. And it's an interesting design of tongs. Adjustable Tongs

No idea mate. As far as I know I don't know anyone who uses a hand cranked blower - even demo-ing at craft fairs there's generally a 1ph. supply. I'll look into it. :)

Thanks all. Rusty, I'll give you a yell when we get there. I've been there in summer before a few times. I'm told that February is worst - not tried that yet. The wife comes from Tweed Heads, so not sure if we'll end up in Brisvegas or Porpoise Spit yet. What I do know is she wants to be close to the sea. Good with me, especially if Cudgen Creek is close enough for a morning dip. I am, however, wishing we could have found the money to buy a property 5 years ago. Hmm, I've been told of the possibility of an anvil or 2 at the 105kg range for aorund

Nice looking piece.

To the Aussies on the forum; We're moving over later this year, expecting to clear customs at Brisbane around mid - August. At the moment we are probably going to have a groupage shipment as we do not have enough to fill a container. I have been told that a 20' container will cost around

Cheers Ron, I found it. The knife looks like it'll work well. Hope I can do as well one day. :)

From that animantion I'd say that it's meant as a self-compensating jaw for gripping varying size stock between the 2 faces. The 'teeth' on either side of the swinging plate being there simply to keep the plate in line. Just a guess of course. It's certainly an interesting tool whatever it is.

I've seen 2 things so far that I thought useful - one was a post vice adapted so that the fixing plate had a post welded underneath to fit the demo anvil's hardy hole - coupled with a tube welded on the anvil frame for th epost to fit through. The post vice just drops into place when needed. The other thing was a set-up that Pete Oberon has in his shop (I beleive that he won't mind me mentioning this as he did say to take any photos & ideas we wanted to). What he'd done was make a small table / bench with a vice mounted on it. The legs were steel angle iron, and welded to the bottom trusses was the wheel & frame from a wheel barrow. This enables him to wheel the (reasonably heavy) bench outside in good weather so that any angle grinding is done there. It's amazing the difference it makes in the noise level inside the workshop. I was so impressed with the idea that I've been thinking of ways to adapt it for future use.

That looks pretty da*n good to me! Is the damascus your own (sorry, not sure if I'm reading you right - where's the embarrased smiley when you need it?) , & what mix please?

Could you post some pictures please Ron? I'd love to see what you've come up with. :)

We've not met as such, but it sounds like a tough time so I just wanted to say good luck with the job hunt Pam. :)

Great find, thanks! :)

Welcome to the forum Toad. I'll be over there myself later this year, and looking forward to it.

Interesting point ballpeen. Over here though we generally prefer to use old files as the steel is usually suitable for cutlery, which most modern files aren't.

One of my friends just digs a hole in the ground & lights a fire in it. You've guessed it, he earns a part of his living demonstrating iron-age forging - even has someone pumping bellows rather than a fan. It works remarkably well & would probably be the ultimate in portable forges. ;)

Refrigeration Technician (know more than a mechanic, less qualified than an engineer. ). Studying blacksmithing as circumstances allow & hoping to build up a business in artistic blacksmithing & blades.

Sorry Matt, I only just saw your post. The place is Cold Hanworth Forge, run by a chap called Bob Oakes. The cost iirc. was

I'm not a patent lawyer or even approaching that, but I would say that you run a huge risk of a court case if the patent holders decide that your design infringes their patent. I'd try to get a patent for your design, as that aught to offer some protection. As in - if it were significantly the same as the competition's, then you owuld not have been granted a patent? Definitely get professional advice. :)

My favourite is a 1kg cross pein, square head by Peddinhaus. Wood handle.

Glad to hear you've got it sorted mate. See you at Owen's in March.