Ratel10mm

Happy Christmas everyone, and a peaceful, prosperous new year. :)

This plan chest followed me home recently. :D

G'day Joel & welcome. Are you aware of the ABA(Q)? Whereabouts in SEQ? Brisvegas, Goldie, Hinterland?

I'm pretty sure that the Orcs had blacksmiths in the LOTR films too?

I'm so disappointed I couldn't get there this year. :( Thanks for the video & photos blokes. Loved the shot of Andrew cooking snags on Moony's new anvil. Has anyone got more to add please?

Yes if I can car pool.

Good work Phil. :)

I was taught 8 degrees for punches iirc.

So Phil, how many have / are about to find their way to Moony's yard?

Giles, if I'm still on the Goldy in October we may be able to car share. That should help persuade both our wives! I'll talk to you about it on Friday & show you a few photos from previous events. Welcome to IFI. :)

Whirly, I thought that was probably the case. And yes, BOC have a good system (AT LAST!!!!) to track bottles. Pain for us small guys admittedly, but I've experienced what happens when you use a LOT of BOC product under the old, useles tracking system. Let's just say it was expensive!

There's a number of potential post anvils as well. Some sort of grate sticking out of the ground in front of the heap that might adapted into a poor man's acorn table type thing, or a small welding table with a bit if sheet metal (the grate for mass, the sheet for a solid surface). Man, there's one or 2 decent scrapyards around here, but nothing like that!!

BOC & most other places will charge you rental on any gas bottles in the UK and here in Oz. So if you can get your own bottles (not sure if that's actually possible in Oz?) you'll save a bundle of money. On the other hand, the suppliers are responsible for the safety testing of their bottles. Not a responsibility or expense you want in a high Health & Safety conscious environment. ;) In that case rental may actually be economically more sensible.

Thanks Larry, that's a really useful tutorial. :)

Please please please put the video(s) up on here?

Dodge; they certainly are. You just need to be careful not to open the taper lock too far with your wedge. They're cast & crack fairly easily if you do. And that can get embarrassing. ;)

Edit: Hadn't read the second page before posting! So for future reference for all; The standard thing with pulleys these days is to use a taper lock. This is in effect a tapered collar with a split. You ease the collar open with a flat blade applied to the split & slide it onto the shaft. Remove the blade & you have an interference fit (plus a key way). The pulley is machined for the taper lock & slides right on, being fixed with 2,3 or 4 allen screws depending on the size. http://youtu.be/RBjtuetw44Q or: http://www.fptgroup.com/fenner.asp?title=Taper-Lock-Bushes&pageid=2668 Much cheaper than getting a pulley machined for the shaft, and more versatile as well. If there's a belts, drives / pulleys supplier near you, I'd go talk to them.

Very, very nice dividers.

If you have an angle grinder, use a 1mm cutting disk. Should do the job ok. (I haven't tried a Frederick's Cross yet).

Beth, that is absolutely beautiful! You did a fantastic job on the peony and I live the composition. I hope one day I'll be able to do as well.

Love it. :D That's one of the great things with this craft I think - just because it hasn't worked out for your original plan, doesn't mean it's rubbish. It just means it has a different purpose. :)

Welcome to IFI. Stick yourself on Dale's Oz Roll Call thread. And get over to Australian Blade Forums as well as British Blades if you haven't already. BB especially is a fantastic resource for budding blade smiths. (not that IFI isn't). See you at Moony's hopefully. :) G'day Corin :)

Nice effect mate & nicely made too. :)

Welcome Whirly. :) Just remember when hammering to keep your elbow in and your joints relaxed. You only need to hold the hammer tight enough to stop it flying off. If you tense up & try to wallop the living daylights out of things, you'll damage your joints in double quick time. Looking forward to seeing some of your work. :)

He looks like a keeper to me. :D Congratulations, and what a great photo too. :)