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Thanks for the replies. I may try the boiled linseed oil, it certainly doesn't hurt to try it. I'm in hot and humid Virginia where rust is a local crop. Another product I may try is Boeshield. It was developed by the aerospace industry as an anti-corrosion wipe on wax. I've used it very successful on machine tools. Google it for more info. I already have a black Ford model T. Don't need another!

It looks like the earlier photos no longer show up. Here is what I started with.

It's been over 4 - 1/2 years since I started this thread about my fisher anvil. I've been using it all this time and been very pleased with it. But I never did clean it up. A few days ago I decided it was time to give it some attention. I got all the rust and nasty old paint off and cleaned it up a bit. It's pretty as is, but because it sits out on a covered patio, I'm going to paint it (except of course the surface and horn). It has plenty of bumps and bruises, but cleaned up pretty well for being over 140 years old.

ARKtest - On the 4th of July, Hunter Perkinson and I will be doing a demo at George Washington's Ferry Farm across the river from Fredericksburg. Come on out and say hi. Steve

Welcome Flemish, from another rookie Virginian!

Welcome to the addiction! Sounds like you have a mentor and are off to a good start. I'm in the 'burg too and have a little smith set up behind my house. Nothing fancy, but I have a lot of fun with it. What are you using for a forge?

There is a metal recycling yard in Fredericksburg on the corner of Blue and Gray Parkway (RT.3) and Lafayette Blvd. They may be able to help.

Thanks for the advice Rich! With a small forge with no fire pot, it is a bit of challenge getting a good tall fire. Adding the drum helps to hold the pile together.

Nice rig!

Hi Guys, I thought I'd give you an update on my little forge. I've been using it for a couple months now and its been really good. But the fire grate was burning out and I needed to replace it. I snagged the iron floor drain grate from my wife's laundry room with the promise to replace it with a new one. While replacing the grate, I decided to install the pressed steel model T brake drum I mentioned earlier. I fired it up yesterday and forged for about 3.5 hours. The drum made an improved fireball by holding the fire together better and making it a little taller. I definitely made it easier to use. Today I inspected the grate and drum and they looked fine. Here's a photo with the coals raked away to show the drum. Overall, a very worthwhile improvement.

My Bufco was the same way when I got it. It appears the cover should slide off, but many years and some corrosion has made it stuck on there. So I left it alone. I cleaned it as best I could, oiled the crank bushing through the hole, oiled the gears through the top oiler hole and squirted some oil on the lower shaft by slipping a flexible oil spout past the fan blades and dripped oil onto the shaft. After that it turned nice and smoothly and I've been using it that way for 3 months now. I put a few drops of oil on it before every use.

My Bufco was the same way when I got it. It appears the cover should slide off, but many years and some corrosion has made it stuck on there. So I left it alone. I cleaned it as best I could, oiled the crank bushing through the hole, oiled the gears through the top oiler hole and squirted some oil on the lower shaft by slipping a flexible oil spout past the fan blades and dripped oil onto the shaft. After that it turned nice and smoothly and I've been using it that way for 3 months now. I put a few drops of oil on it before every use.

Nick - I suppose you could do it that way. But if you are looking for an inexpensive portable frame to build on, I'd recommend an old dead gas grill as a better start. They have 2 wheels and 2 legs and I would think they would be a bit more stable. I routinely see them for free in the "Free" section of craigslist or quite cheap for old burned out ones. You would throw away all the grill parts and just use the frame, so that would not be a problem.

I picked this one up a while back. Here's what I did with it. The jaw moved, but was very stiff. I removed the nut and bolt and got the jaw out. It appeared that a previous owner had trouble keeping the nut on. It had mutiple center punch marks on it and the end of the bolt. At one time the nut had been tightened so hard that it bent the two plates inward, pinching the pivoting jaw. I used a wood splitting wedge and a BFH to spread the plates apart slightly to allow the jaw to move freely. I reassembled it just snugging up the nut and used a little loctite to hold the nut in place. It works great now and the nut doesn't come loose.

I picked this one up a while back. Here's what I did with it. The jaw moved, but was very stiff. I removed the nut and bolt and got the jaw out. It appeared that a previous owner had trouble keeping the nut on. It had mutiple center punch marks on it and the end of the bolt. At one time the nut had been tightened so hard that it bent the two plates inward, pinching the pivoting jaw. I used a wood splitting wedge and a BFH to spread the plates apart slightly to allow the jaw to move freely. I reassembled it just snugging up the nut and used a little loctite to hold the nut in place. It works great now and the nut doesn't come loose.

Hmmm, it seems a system hiccup is causing the double post - sorry about that.

Hmmm, it seems a system hiccup is causing the double post - sorry about that.

Looks like a good basic set up. But is your fire grate made of sheet metal? Its hard to tell in the photo. If it is, I don't think it will last very long. You might want to make something a little more substantial or get a cast iron floor drain cover. Look forward to seeing photos of a nice fire in it.

Looks like a good basic set up. But is your fire grate made of sheet metal? Its hard to tell in the photo. If it is, I don't think it will last very long. You might want to make something a little more substantial or get a cast iron floor drain cover. Look forward to seeing photos of a nice fire in it.

I read that same article a few months ago and had the same reaction as you. I thought it was quite condecending considering how many successful brake drum forges are out there in use.

Very nice and you work fast too! When you are finished I'd like to know the stand's weight. Thanks - Steve

More good ideas. I like that adjustable rest too. Keep the photos coming!

I've got the same saw and went through the same teeth facing backwards issue. After I flipped the blade around, it cut much better! I have a sheet of information and tips someone else wrote up on how to adjust these saws. If you would like it, PM me with your email and I'll send it to you.

Pure oxygen is highly explosive - you may recall the Apollo 1 oxygen explosion that killed 3 of our astronauts in 1967. Be safe, a blower is all you need.

Thanks for the reply, some great ideas here. I don't have any more photos of the stand I posted, but I think the center post was 6" square tubing. I like how the legs fold up for transport. Any others out there?