Jim Coke

Greetings Voodoo, A simple solution is to move your hammer with a pallet jack . An angle iron on each end with screw jacks will lower it to the ground and pick it back up for the pallet jack to slide under. Large caster wheels only have a small surface area to set on. Just this ol boys solution .. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Wicon, That is a well thought out set up . I’m sure people enjoy watching it all unfold. You have room enough on the roof rack for a portable power hammer. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Bryanl, I have had success in the past welding a ring to the wedge on the exit side than using an auto axle slam puller backed up by a friend on the other side with an air chisel. The vibration and shock does the trick. For sure lots of good lube.. Good luck it will happen. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Kevin, The wings are separate repousse and chase with a coined rivet in the rear .The bug is a chunk of copper with colorful windings.. Was fun to make. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings All, How about a scary wall mounted bottle opener.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings JLP, Always a challenge to build a better mouse trap... LOL ... Mini fly press? Some of my best tooling started out as one thing and ended up as a successful tool completely different than my original intention.. Keepa thinking. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings 21, My champion has served me well for many years . Notice the custom handle made for me for my birthday by the famous Black Frog,, Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Baja, Let’s get down to reality, You can spend the same time making some very saleable things and make enough money to purchase a good anvil . Why waist good material on something that most already know is going to fail.. Sorry that I’m so blunt but this is this old boys 2c. Who has been smithin fo 40 yeats.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings P3ressire, You are getting a lot of advice on the electrical hook up for your blower for speed control . I’m sure the fine folks have much more knowledge than myself ... My blower. Has been working for years but I did not have access to the vast knowledge on this sight .. ( great folks) . The original blower had a selective exposed contact resistor selection which mine had and I exchanged it with a veritable switch . Better safe than sorry.. Again good luck on first fire. I wish you lived closer I have a complete table ( Heavy duty ) that is all set up for a wirlwind fire pot that you would be welcome to for zip.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings P3ressure, You are getting lots of advice from some of the finest.. Another suggestion is to start your forge with some charcoal than add coal a little at a time to make up coke.. I must know it’s my real name .. LOL Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings P3ssure, Save your money for now on the tap set.. I suggest you buy the individual tap and for sure the correct drill size for tap.. When you buy the single taps they are usually American made.. You should also buy a quality tapping fluid. You are about to develop a new set of skills.. Just trying to help with your project with some advice from a good ol boy that has been there many times. Forhe on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings P3ressure. One of my forges has the same basic set up I use a simple wall switch and a rheostat so I can control the speed and an off and on switch.. Good luck on the first fire.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Pr3ssure, I think you will find your blower has tooo much air .. I would suggest a rhostat to control the speed. You could put some coal in it on a brick support and give it a try. I do not see the clinker breaker. The ones for that fire pot that I have seen have a boss that slides up in the airway. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Pr3ssure, Don’t bother with an extractor, ( EZ Out ) .. It would be best to grind the bolt off than drill an tap for a new one . What I have done in the past rather than a bolt ( 1/4 / 20 ) I use a stud with a double nut and washer. The area for ash is plenty big and only requires dumping after several hours of operation . Just this ol boys suggestions. Good luck . Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Pr3ssure, I looked at your post for your fire pot and I don’t think the bolts will have to be removed for reassembly .. If you are still worried about the rust I will pass on to you what I have done in the past on many rusty pieces of equipment ... Get some Rustolem barbecue paint in the quart brush on style. .. It will apply over rusted parts and is heat resistant .. You will find that it will last many years .. I hope this helps . Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Dax, There must have been a use for a heavy round face hammer . Must have been for tire work . The tongs are called pipe tongs for lighting ones pipe from the forge or fire place. Nice find. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Pr3ssure, Why bother a little rust won’t hurt at all.. The first time you fire it up it will clean up just fine.. Have fun. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Grumpy Biker, It looks like a typical anvil from a machine repair facility, The edges have had some repairs and for sure it was welded to a bench or fixture. I would suggest that you mount it on a stump and use it as is for a while before you make any changes. Back in the day anvils we’re readily available and many workers in the shop abuse them. Keep up the search for the perfect anvil for yourself and maybe pass this one on to a beginner in the future. The price was was just a tad high for me but I still buy anvils for my students who never can seem to find them. It’s funny through the years I have acquired several near perfect anvils but my go to anvil is a 160 pound Trenton that was in the family for years just about that size. Go figure. Have fun.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Theo, Well done... I see a roll around black board in your future.. A real class act so to speak.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Mike, It would be best to take your regulators to the welding supplier and have them checked out.. The tanks will probably need recertification also .. I would never use a questionable set of torches. Why risk it.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Duck, Through the years I have built tons of tooling for my acorn table . I use old line shaft solid rounds and shaft locks for many things .. Line shaft pulleys make great tools for forming rounds . Upper right shows the solid pins with shaft locks.. Your new very large toy will serve you well .. Have fun.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Ary, ( IMHO ) I think it would be best to find that chunk of RR track than use your welding skills to fab up a free standing stand for hardy tooling ... Lots of scraps available... You can also make up a vice block for some hardy tools... Most of us let’s say older more seasoned smiths would agree with that combination of equipment we could get along just fine.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Mike, Glad things went well.. A bit of advice, Don’t park your walker between your forge and your anvil .. They tend to get in the way.. You will be back at it very soon.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim

Greetings Mike, I have friends that have had both done.. They are doing just fine . I wish you well .. Jim

Greetings Arthur, I ended up with a chunk of thick walled pipe like yours... I made a stainless insert and a support in the center with a small strap on the top in the center for handling. i would take it to demos and heat it in the forge than insert a hot dog on a piece of stainless welding rod .. The object was to show young folks radiant heat.. Lots of fun until I ran out of dogs.. 1 heat would cook 3 dogs.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim