chyancarrek

Really outstanding work John!
Excellent design with superb craftsmanship and execution.

Enjoy the install and post some pics when it's all in place!

Most fab shops have some method of cold bending material to produce scrolls and any number of other shapes. The fact that a hammer never touched the material goes right by the client without any notice.

They also can order any number of machine-made "forged" elements to include into their work to give the look of smith produced items. It doesn't make business sense to have an actual smith on the books.

Hey Sabre,

Lots o' places online to buy - Here's a few:

Round Head Rivets

Steel Round Rivets

Rivets - Jay-cee Sales & Rivet inc.

Thanks RC! What are the dates? Maybe the GF and I can break away and stop by to visit.

Your plan sounds good to me. Close as you can get without going overboard on prep and cost. The crowds are pretty forgiving - they just really enjoy the show.

I remember reading a publication from the mid 1800's regarding blacksmith safety - " for protection of the eyes, the smith should squint mightily" . . .

I'm thinking that's not a period correct method you should use

As Glenn said, peeper protection is an absolute so don't worry about any comments from the crowd regarding that.

RC, what event will you be demoing at?

Check in with the folks at the Ft Vancouver National Historic Site.
They can steer you to some good local resources/publications for period correct info.

Have fun!

When using a striker, the lead smith communicates to the striker everything he wants done through his own hammer blows - where to hit, how hard to hit at what angle ect. all the while the lead smith is moving the metal as needed with the tongs.

I've got fellow smiths I've worked with so many times that no matter who is striking or leading, we never exchange a word of direction - it's all done through the hammer and knowing each other's non-verbal signals.

This translates out to any of number of strikers needed for the job. When done properly, it sounds exactly like power hammer blows.

Oops - I meant to say: Has a really nice ring to it Thomas! :D

Has a really nice ring to it Dean!

Do you have a new logo to go with it?

hmmm, chain saw carpentry . . . maybe if I show up with mine, my girl friend will be a little less enthusiastic about the honey-do list . . .

I see you have embraced the dark side alright. Pretty darned nice job of it too. Another series of pics I am NOT showing Deb.

I prefer Stihl wood working tools myself and routinely mix iron and wood in the Jotul. Frosty

Thanks Frosty!

Yeah, I long for the days when I could just get away with giving gift certificates for B-days and holidays . . . now it's a family faux pas if I haven't made them something by hand.

I hear ya on the wood-iron mix for the ol' wood stove!
This one has a hearty appetite for the scraps from my shop . . .

aww, c'mon guys - once you embrace the dark side you'll never go back . . .

These two materials are just begging to go together :D

Welcome to the site.
Sounds like you've got quite the project ahead of you.

Contact - Budget Casting Supply: BCS - Budget Casting Supply

They carry everything you mentioned in your post. Good prices and reasonable shipping - really great folks who will answer any questions you may have.

Keep us up to date on your progress!

Welcome!
Glad you've joined us - you'll fit right in around here.

Your work is outstanding!
What kind of patina is on your pieces? Its a great color and consistency.

We'll miss your input Thomas!

Take care and drop by for a hello now and then!

Hey Mister!

Welcome - Good to see you here!

Jump on into the discussions - you've got a lot to contribute and the folks here are great!

Welcome,
Sounds like you're taking the same path as I did.
Wood - Iron - Non ferrous casting . . .

You'll find all sorts of great folks and advice here.
Looking forward to hearing about your progress!

Hey HK,

Here's some pics of my 6" Columbian set up kind of like you're describing except mine's bolted to the concrete.

Go with what is most comfortable for how you work. I love having the table on mine because I do a lot of punching, chisel and fine forming work and it puts my tools right on the vice - I also like having my angle grinder and disk sander hanging there where I can swap one for the other quickly. The hand grinder is great for deburring hot stock.

Let us know what you come up with!

Have fun!
Neil

A lap desk and a small straight peen hammer for my GF's kids.

I guess it might seem 'weird', using stuff scavenged from cemetaries, but all of it would wind up in the landfills...........I think of it as my contribution to 'recycling

James,

I grew up next to a cemetery and that's where we got most of our yard plants and a bunch of other great stuff that the grounds crew gathered up off of the graves. (and no, I never gave flowers to a GF that were taken from a grave).

The best time to go is the week following Memorial Day - there will be mountains of stuff to go through (potted plants and potted flowers abound). The crews will often hang onto any well made stands or hangers for use later but you'd be amazed at what you do find. One grounds keeper picked up a great little CD player that someone left playing music at a grave site.

That being said - NEVER go and just start taking things. Always get permission as taking anything from a cemetery even if it's in a dumpster will be considered theft of private property and you'd probably end up on the evening news for being arrested for "stealing from the dead".

Good News Jerry!

Best wishes for her recovery!

Jerry,

Decisions about life support issues are soul wrenching and I hope your sister will come to terms with you can only do your best and the rest is out of your hands. I know from personal experience that this is a very difficult time and my thoughts and hopes go out to you and your family.

Welcome Charlie!

You'll find all sorts of great folks here!

Where are you at in Washington? Go to your user's CP and fill in the location - we may be neighbors!

someone said you can't throw a dirt clod in Oregon without hitting a smith. We need a giant hammer-in here. I'd volunteer, but I only have an acre.

Come on out to one of the NWBA's conferences (if you haven't already). We hold two conferences during the spring and Fall It's a great group of folks.

Check out our website: Home Page

Happy Thanksgiving all!

May you be blessed with family and friends!

Enjoy!

Neil

R.C. - Hard topic, but thanks for posting it.

I lost my mom, dad and a brother in a 3 year period from 92' - 95'

Mom passed from heart disease - she went into the hospital where they did an angiogram. The doc stayed in too long and she stroked on the table. The result was that it changed her personality - she became very child-like and my father and I stayed with her 24/7 for three weeks until she passed in the home she loved. She was everything to me. I didn't have much of a relationship with my dad so mom was the one who instilled in me my values and to look at life as one ongoing opportunity to explore and discover and to pursue every chance to do the right thing - she was an incredible woman!

Dad died at the same time - he just didn't know it. Never sick a day in his life but after mom passed he just stopped living - the cancer took him less than two years later. I resigned my position at Nike to stay home with him and be his hospice caregiver for the last seven months of his life. We used that time, to make up for all that we had missed together when I was growing up. A man of great character and integrity!

My brother passed 11 months after dad did from a massive brain hemorrhage - he was a special needs adult who lived with me on the family property. I was his guardian and caretaker and even though surgery may have saved his life, I made the decision to remove him from life support so that he could pass in peace rather than being trapped blind and deaf in a crippled body. He was an amazing individual, even through all his challenges in life, his honesty and unconditional love were always in the forefront.

When I was going through all of this I received so many "what can we do for you?" offers from friends - I always replied: "The best help you can give me is to love each other, let those in your life never doubt your feelings for them because someday you're going to face this and when it's over you don't want anything left unsaid".

In just a few hours I'll be heading to my remaining brother's house to spend the day with he and his family - The fact that I have he and his family in my life is my greatest possession - everything material pales in comparison.

Never hesitate to give thanks every day for those you love and who love you!!

Beautiful work Sparks! Nicely executed.