picker

Picked up some marble and granite remnants (Free) - they turn into nice little curio tables.

I re-read this gem of a thread.

In my younger days, as I entered the competitive business world I learned many of these lessons through trial and error. Success came in fits and starts. I managed to maintain a blacksmith business for 13 years. Now, after a hiatus of 18 years, the economy has dealt me out of the career field I've been working. I'm seriously considering re-opening my business once again.

I'm conducting a feasibility study, and wanted to re-read this post to confirm the things that at one time evolved into a second nature in my business dynamic.

Thanks again.

Used all types of forges.

Coal forge is romantic, but not practical unless you're in an industrial setting, or away from folks who will complain of the smell.

Sucking down coal smoke for extended periods will shorten your life span. Works on your nervous system after several years.

I like working on a coal/coke forge if I have something heavy duty and I want to be a boss with a hammer.

Is that an 8" face or 6"?

Looks like a decent vise.

Sorry to hear this. Hate thieves.

Suggest you get a dog.

Preferably, a bad dog. :angry:

There doesn't seem to be an active group in Arkansas any longer.

Any recommendations for someone in NW Arkansas area?

Thnx

I had an engineer buddy who picked up junk on tracks all the time. He brought me a 20" piece of 137 track. Must have been an end cut, because it was shiny and new. My other buddy had a nice Clarke metal cutting bandsaw and he cut it in half. It took several hours to cut through it. The railroads get all the best metal. The 137 grade was top of the line. I traded one half, and kept the other, mounted it on a stump and used it for incidental work. It was impervious to anything I did on it.

LOL- I set my beard to smoldering once upon a time too. :lol:

Here is how I mounted mine. It is on a thirty gallon oil barrel full of concrete. image.jpg

That, is an A+ set up.

I can't stress enough to new smiths to always use a form of eye protection.

My experience was pretty scary.

Several years ago, in my haste, I neglected to wear my glasses for a brief piece of work. Sure enough, a speck of hot metal got me in the eye.

It was on a long weekend and I felt I needed to finish my work and I would see my doctor on Monday. Bad decision. I couldn't get the fleck of iron out of my eye and I couldn't sleep for two nights. When I went to my doctor he informed me a small rust ring was developing on my eye, and he referred me immediately to an eye surgeon. The surgeon had to remove the metal with a laser. I didn't always protect my eyes in my younger days with any shaded or smoked glasses either. Which may have contributed to my having early symptoms of cataracts, and which I eventually have undergone two eye surgeries for lens replacements.

Please, always protect your eyesight!

Sage advice Ted- 

I always have a sign in my shop which reads:

We do three kinds of work

Cheap, Quick and Good

You can have any two-

A good quick job won't be cheap,

A good job cheap won't be quick,

And a cheap job quick won't be good.

Hey guys, Could anyone help me figure out how to mount a post vice? I just finished cleaning up the vice I got for free. It's an old Indian Chief with 4 1/2'' jaws. The Threads of the screw are in excellent condition, don't think the previous owner used it much. I used a process called electrolysis which works awesome to remove rust, look it up on YouTube if you need to clean up some old metal. If you need pictures of the vice I can post those. Alright, Thanks.

The rule of thumb, or elbow as stated by George is correct. My work was accomplished on an 8" face railroad post vise.

You'll want to make sure the vise is mounted securely to a post that has a diameter large enoough to hold the vise, and the weight of the work you're working on. My vise could hold material weighing several hundred pounds (wagon wheel). You can buy treated telephone pole culls. They've been treated specifically to be placed in the ground, so they last a long time.

Make sure the placement is optional for the work you'll be doing. Prefereably, if your right handed, place the vise on your right, and far enough away from any work area or sharp eges of other equipment so the lever isn't impeded. But, close enough that your hot work can be clamped in without losing too much heat. You will have to dig, and if you have a mechanical auger, the better, or you'll have to dig, and dig some more to place the post. Anywhere from 3-4' is deep enough. You can go deeper if you care too.

Don't use concrete or cement to secure the post vise in the ground. You will regret it when you have to dig the post out. As it ages, weather conditions, humidity, and the torque which transfers from the vise to the post, it will eventually create weak points and the post will start to split and you'll have to replace it- which means...dig out the concrete or get the backhoe and chain the post and wrench it out.

To secure the post in the ground, use dirt and clay only, with a few pebbles and small rocks mixed in damp layers. You can add a little sand which will fill in any air pockets as the post settles. Tamp each layer down solid with the edges with a 2x4. Use a level to keep the post plumb to a degree. You can also wrap the post in scrap leather, wire (Piano wire is great if you can acquire some) or both to keep it from splitting prematurely. Especially, if you're using 1/2" or greater lag screws securing the vise 4" or deeper into the post.

I used this method, and my post vise was used daily for more than 13 years before the post had to be replaced.

Good Luck

Yes, I found that buying a treated telephone pole cull and cutting to length lasted quite awhile. To get more mileage out of them, I would wrap the stump in piano wire (if available) or leather.

A nice steel post a great option. Good industial I beam works great if you can find some.

good luck

Good work!

And, they feel even better in your hand because your hand sculpted them.

Looks like a nice vise.

However, you'll find that the vise will soon overpower your post, and as the weather and heat dry out the post, you will find the post splitting and splintering. You'll be tugging, pulling and torquing metal in the vise, and all that will transfer into the post.

Thnx Chuck, I'm reading around. Posting some anecdotes and a few pics along the way. I'll pay better attention and try not to use any prohibited words.

When my business was operating full steam, I didn't have to do any shows. Folks came to the Theme Park i worked at in droves. Over 2 million a year.

On occasion, I would meet an event promoter or some such person who was promoting their event at another site. They would tell me that, I really needed to go there and set up (I had a mobile op) because I would make lots o money- (yeah $$$) They would tell me a spot would cost only $600 and 25% commission, or some such fee.

I would tell them, I made that much in 2 hours at my own shop, and why would I need to go there? I would then propose to them that they could purchase my skills for that amount, and that I would keep all the sales and not have to pay any commission. That ususally ended all the fallderall with time wasting conversations.

I did, however have one persistent event promoter who agreed to my terms. I made a bunch o money, and got to meet one of my Hollywood idols Jack Palance at the event.

LOL- Holy Toledo- that reminds me.

I once had a guy come in my shop and he needed me to forge the hardware for an old convertable top on a car he was restoring. He needed the metal extensions that raise the convertable top. I think the car was a mid 1950's model. He had the right side hardware, but the left side hardware was warped, twisted and beyond repair.

He came in saying I was his last hope, because he had no luck finding a replacement part. I love people who come in and say that.

Anyway, I made the hardware by simply matching a pattern of the undamaged piece and flipped it so it would be a mirror of the good one.

The guy was pretty grateful. I was too, because I charged him out the yin yang for the work. :D

I would also suggest memorializing your stuff in photos, and videos, then upload them to photobucket or other off site source for reference. Even on to a flash drive that you might secure in a safe deposit box or home safe.

Insurance companies are in it to say "no" to your claims unless there is some evidence of it's actual existence and ownership by you. I have all my musical instruments photographed, or on video with me playing them, and saved.

Most of my tools are photographed with my touchmarks on them.

Most metal suppliers have what is called 'rem' piles- these are remnants. Most of the stuff is warped, twisted, a bit rusty or has some sharp edges.

They usually sell it cheap. Usually by the pound and not the foot. When you have a fire, you're the boss and you can reform the stuff to your needs.

I bought probably 75% of my materials from rem piles. Most suppliers are glad to be rid of it.

Rowan,

All this practical advice is valid.

From what I gather, you will be paying to lease the shop to the Heritage organization which operates the area?

Is this a straight up payment per month, or will you be paying a commission on your sales?

Are they banking on making money off of you and your skill?

You may want to consider the commission option if the area operates under a seasonal basis.

You may even want to request they waive your first month or two or three lease payments or commission from sales in order to cover your start up costs and get you up and running.

good luck

I think Daniel is correct. It seems to be a more modern version.

One of our demostrators in our Early Arkansaw reenactors Assoc. uses a tool such as this for his rope making demos.

He uses a tool that is similar, but is an earlier more period correct, crude version.

here he is making rope, but I don't see his little tool in the pic

http://www.arkansaw.us/images/CSMSmikerope.jpg

What kind of ring does it have to it?

Have you put a hammer to it yet?

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This was my 8" face that was formerly used in an Oklahoma railroad shop.

Hey,

I'm Chris- formerly the Blacksmith at the Rawhide Blacksmith and Branding shop in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Some of you may know me and I would probably know some of you from the old days. I'm not great with remembering names, but faces I recall. So, I'm glad I found this tidy site to shoot the breeze with you all.

I still Smith on occasion and do demos for historical societies, Museum open houses, and special redezvous events.

I'll respond and add things when I can. Will post some pics of my past work when I get the chance.

Watch the language please. We run a family site, that means G rated, Also we do not allow un paid commercial adverts, so it was removed. 

welcome to the site.