chyancarrek

Bob, Nice job - real attractive layout and easy to get around! My only critique would be that I prefer to see product for sale as the "top of the list" navigation choices, the columns of descending pics with no details, leaves me wondering whether I'm looking at past work that's already sold or NFS. Your work is beautiful and I've got your site bookmarked so as to refer it to others. Thanks for sharing it!

Kenna's on the list here!

Fe, I do like the look of those live edges down but either way, they've come out beautifully - Nicely done!!!

Nicely done Ian!!!

Really nicely done Steve - great execution!

While I do enjoy sharing old school demo time when I'm with a group of folk who are really into what they're doing, truth be told, I don't particularly "enjoy" blacksmithing. For me, it's a means to an end along with fabrication, wood working and casting. I guess the best way to put it is I enjoy "having" forged something. I love the end result, seeing what was in my mind's eye come into physical being.

That's the ticket!

Man those are nice! I'm with ya on the amber stain - I like to use Minwax Natural on pine and fir - it gives a nice warmth to the wood without being overbearing. Have you given any thought to flipping the slabs over so the bevel on the live edges transitions inwards to the iron? It might give it a bit of loft to the top and accent the delicacy of the bases.

Fe, VERY nicely done - set the slabs on, then make the call about backs. You've got great underpinning there - backs may overweight them visually. Pics - Pics - Pics when they're done!

Pouring molten metal can be as easy as pouring it into a simple form and letting it cool to get a rough shape but investment casting is a multi-step complex process that takes some experience at each stage to make it all come out in the end. Along with a furnace, you'll need to construct a kiln that withstands temps upwards of 1100 - 1500 degrees. The temperature will have to ramp up slowly then be maintained for the number of requisite hours determined by the size of mold(s). This means using either an electric kiln with built in temp controls or gas fired with a pyrometer and thermocouple paired up to burners regulated by an electric gas valve. You can use straight pottery plaster as an investment up to a certain size (quite small) then you need to start making mixes of silica sand and use mechanical reinforcements to produce a failure free mold. There are commecial mixes in different grades that will hold detail right down to fingerprints (Google casting supplies). Microcrystalline wax is a common type used for lost wax casting and is available in a number of grades depending on the work being done. Proper sprueing and gating of the wax is critical to getting a successful pour and techniques vary widely depending on what the shape of the piece is. Don't let any of this discourage you, but Fe's right - you need to work up to what you want to do. It can go wrong on you in a whole bunch of unexpected ways if you've never done it before so finding expert help or getting some training really is the way to go. You might connect with the local college and see if they have a casting dept that might be willing to take your piece on as a project. This fella has a pretty good site on techniques for doing simple work - it might give you a little inspiration. www.backyardmetalcasting.com/ Good luck and keep us in the loop on how it goes!!

I've seen a few of them around over the years - mine is real similar. Someone put a fair piece of work into it.

They're on the list here.

Hey, I know that guy . . . how'd you get my neighbor to sit still long enough to model? Nicely done KS! Well executed.

Absolutely beautiful John! I do love me some well worked bronze! Where are you getting your bronze mesh fabric from?

I used to work at an air museum where we did "themed" dances . . . We'd clear out all the aircraft except one and convert the hangar into a dance hall (We got the idea from the dance scene in Memphis Belle). Just imagine 600 -700 people all dressed in period clothing, a 20 piece big band and vintage aircraft . . . it was a great time! One year we themed it "Rosie the Riveter" in honor of all of the women in the work force during WWII - We did some research and tracked down Geraldine and invited her to be the guest of honor but she had a conflict and couldn't attend. She was just stunned and so flattered that we wanted to honor her. She seemed a very gracious and genuine lady. God Speed Geraldine!

I wonder if that's the one that we repaired at Powerland in Brooks Ore this summer? The owner sure was convinced it was an "authentic" item . . .

He finally got to ring the bell at the top o' the post . . .

OMG! . . . I'd pay to work there!

Merry Christmas Jerry and to all of the other members of the IFI family - May you be blessed with all the best this holiday season!!

Nicely done! Way to step up and make what you need to move forward. Time to change your handle here on IFI - - Wannabe's don't do this kind o' thing for themselves . . .

Ohh, disregard the above. We're already reprehensible as a group . . .

Sorry Sam - doesn't work that way. I've been naughty every single year for decades . . . . it's never yielded more than one lump per stocking. Enterprising smiths in generations gone-by probably worked that loophole pretty hard . . . I'm thinking the Jolly ol' Elf's contract has been altered to sew it up tight! Now, if we got together and were reprehensible as a group, perhaps we could come up with a bulk amount.

Hey MD, Most of my work is small scale and hammered vessels so I'm not trying to move large cross sections - For myself, I've found that the round pein works great for moving specific small areas of metal and I can get into tighter areas than I would with a cross-pein.

Ditto to John . . . 99% of my work is done with BP's, even the heavy forging - I've always found them very comfortable to use.

That's REALLY nice Fe!