Jim Coke

Greetings all, I think our budding blacksmiths soon get boared with repeditive practice on the same thing... Normally they make the same mistakes and end up with the same results.. I have found in my teachings with our young smiths that if you show a procedure and the procedure leads to another... Make it square , make it pointy make it flat...... I use as an example starting with a fish tail scroll... make it , streighten it out, than convert it to a ginko leaf... now make it into a leaf hook.... and on and on and on.. We need to increase vision in our new smiths. Teach estimateing the volume of material need to complete a project... As we all know learning is a life long journey and the possibilites are endless.. Jim Still scratching the surface after 40 years...

Greetings Jeff, Just some thoughts for your building..... Forget the overhang enclosure, You will find it just gets in the way... Do away with the small entry door.. It takes up to much wall space for storage A window would be super.. Put another set of rolling doors in the rear for access , ventalation, and light... Keep designing, Jim

Greetings Greatwhite... Babbit material melts wll below 600 You can clean all the areas , preheat the casting , fill the hole Melt babbitt with a torch , let cool and drill to the shaft size.. You can find babbit material on line... not hard at all Good luck Jim

Greetings Daryn, Enclosed is a funny picture tilted Patience and wizdom.. You will find blacksmiths some of the kindest and willing to help people on this earth... I sugest you get ahold of SOFA Sothern Ohio Forge And Anvil in Troy Ohio.. I know those folks and I'll just bet they could supply a young sprout like you with your needs. www.sofablacksmiths.org Keep the faith Jim

Greetings all, Tired of looking for that just right spacer for your post vice . I thought i would pass this on for the newbies and the pros . I made these from some scrap I had from a parking meter.. You can make them easy from some 1/8 x 1 flat stock.. drill some 3/8 holes Put a a 5/16 by 6in round bar through with key chain earrings... It works slick ... I put some of these in IRON IN THE HAT and the pros were fighting over them... go figure they are easy to make.... MOST OF THE TIME THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE IS THE BEST ( comments welcome ) Jim

Greetings, When you get right down to it fire place doors don't get that hot.. Look in the store and you see them made from brass and glass... SANDBLAST ???? Now that you have Rustolem and other high temp paints are your only soloution.. If you read the can they suggest that it is applied without primer... I would question the use of regular primer and paint.... You could also gold plate them for grandma... Good luch with your project... Jim

Greetings , I never seen a fire basket that did'nt rust... I can assume you want it to look good for a while.... If you heat it up with a weed burner and put drain oil on it it will form a black carbon look... Its stinky and will fire flash at about 900 Be carfull.. Do that a few times and it will blacken .. ANNNND it will still rust after a while.. Good luck Jim

Greetings again, You use the flat pien to shape flip the hammer to the flat side and remove the ridges.... easy try it.... Flip the stock over and hammer all the ridges sazamm will be gone.... Good luck

Greetings ML, Looks to me like it would serve another function.... The new puppy cage..... I'm retired now but when I had my downstate shop I had a lady bring me a Porshe boxer fender and she wanted me to make a 5ft tall flower pot with the flowers growing out of the headlight.... She said she would tell me what it was for when i finished.... Seems her husband without her knowledge bought the Porsche and as he left the dealership door he crashed it... It now sits outside thier breakfast room so that every morning he has to look at it... We do what we have to to keep the dollars flowing... Carry on JIm

Greetings again, You'l have fun with your new hammer .. OXYMORON it's not little and it's not big butttt it sure works well... A LG 25 is the only hammer Francis ever had.. Can't see does it have a brake.... If not look into it... Jim

Wow ... Better add some extra peanuts and bubble wrap when they ship that one .... Its a tired trenton...aka dish... I wonder who would bid on that...

Congrats Dave, A true example of superior craftsmanship.... You will do well JIm

Greetings again, Just 4 3/16x2 z bracets will fit on your anvil on the shelf drill 5/16 holes for lag bolts works fine... Good luck Jim

Fantastic detail... Are you sure ya didn't cast it.... THAT TAKES PLANNING I'M IMPRESSED... Glad you have your shop up and running Jim

Greetings Ryan, You can also use a flat pien hammer on the face of the anvil. About 1/4 in flat works fine... SQUISH Good luck Jim

Greetings Danguite, Looks just like my first attempt ( 40 years ago ) I suggest you look at some of the fine videos on this websight and get some ideas.... Also I would make 4 "Z" brackets to hold down you PW anvil... Look up anvil hold downs... Keep a nockin Jim

Greetings Loren, What size is the hardi hole..? I have many Trentons and it looks to me like a 1930 ish manufacture... I have a 300# with the same dementions.. as Sask said the serial number is on the base along with the weight.... Does the bottom side have a dish? Some times there be a larger number on the foot.. 25 I hope this helps JIm

Neet Idea,, I'v been doing the same on several anvil tools for 15 years.... I will pass on some info.... You can use 1/4 x1 stock formed in a " U " and it's a lot easier.. Keep in mind to form all of them the same distance from the face.. ( so that you can use the same wedge an all tools...) Glad to see others have a thinking cap on and are willing to share... Hammer on Jim

Neet.... If they mate do you get an alleganvil ? Remember to take it off or you will texture EVERYTHING

1st 137# trenton 2nd 300# trenton 3rd 176# trenton 4th 100# arm and hammer 5th 100# hay budden got more than one shop

Greetings Welder, Looks like a fine job... You should be proud... Give some thought to the propane plumming if you put a burner on the other side.. My personal feeling is that two burners with that design would be fine. Good luck Jim

Greetings again, Forgot to mention ... Lance Olsen has a open forge on Tues. eve Lots of good folks.... Parma Mich not to far from you Welcome again.. Jim

Greetings, Its got a bit of swayback to it.. I've worked on alot worse.. It would be of value just for the horns.. A swayback is handy for straighting. Jim

Greetings, Sounds like a small opener... You can put a 2in pipe in your forge ...thick wall... heat it up cherry ... slide in your part.... wait for color....quench. and finish...I suggest if you finish with spray enamal or lacquer.. only put a dusting on first AKA tack coat...wait to dry... Good luck Jim

Greetings Ken, I'm a long time member of the Michigan Blacksmiths group.. We have alot of good people who are more than willing as I to help you learn..If you log on to michiganblacksmiths.org you will find some great events that you sould take advantage of.. March a meeting at Larry Carrigans near Jackson and a May hammer in at Lance Olsens .. Both are great and are close to you... Welcome and I wish you well Jim