tompdw

Happy hammering

The Grizzly is a true full sized mill with an R8 collet setup. I happen to have the drill head in there.

Hi Frosty, I just happened to have the stand for the forge at that height and I never really thought any different simply because I don't know any better. It seems to work ok though. Would you like me to mess up my shop for you?

My anvil stand is too high but I bought the stand for a good price but it is as low as it will go. I need a good stump about 21-23 inches.

I finally got the digital camera and computer setup. here are some pictures of the shop.

Hobart ac/dc stick, Hobart mig, Gas torch and a Thermal dynamics plasma cutter.

When I bought my house in 2001 I had the garage wired for 220 and I bought a used lincoln tombstone. I then got an ac dc stick, mig and oxy aceteline. My girlfriend's dad is a retired welder and he gave me my leather apron and some tips. The rest I learned on my own.

Alfonso, Hello from Portage county Ohio. My name is Tom and I am also new to blacksmithing/ machining and metalworking.

Hello everyone, I am trying to make a battleaxe. I started out with the intent of making a tomahawk sized axe but it got a little large and heavy. Could anyone offer some suggestions on mounting it to a handle? The back part will have a point when I am done.

I get a lot of leaf springs. I am a regular at the scrap yard. I tell the guys what I want and they cut the brackets off for me and free the leafs.

Selling metal at a scrap yard? I thought it was where you go on Sat mornings to buy steel.

I use used motor oil from my vehicles with some used trans fluid mixed in and it seems to work fine.

After we test the blades on politicians or whoever could we save on coal and burn attorneys. They should be oily enough to burn. They're going to burn eventually anyway.

A couple of years ago I saw a handmade knife at a flea market and it felt really great in my hand. The guy wanted $75 which I didn't have and wasn't about to pay,( It was worth it though.) I said to myself that I could build my own, Over a thousand or two dollars later I have made my own and saved the $75. I was in boy scouts as a kid and have always been facinated by sharp objects ( knives, axes) and old tools. That's my story.

The method that I have been using is I put a 1/2 in thick steel plate in my toaster oven. I turn it on and let it get up to temp. Usually an hour. I then lay my shiny, hardened blade in the toaster oven and I watch for the color change. I am sure there other ways but this seems to work for me. Hope it helps.

Explosive welding is for real. That is how dissimiliar metals are joined. This is done under very strict conditions. This is not some guy with two pieces of metal and some dynamite. This is how the metal is made for U.S. quarters.

How did you mount your handles and what are they made from?

I've never used nitrogen. Mine is connected to my air compressor. Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 81.

Here is what they look like finished.

What kind of steel are you using? Do you quench in water or oil?

I ended up using my mig welder. I have the tomahawks done. I will get pictures and post them. I still wish to get some borax and learn to forge weld.

That is a question I posted recently. I have never forge welded before. Yesterday I tried using a piece of mild bar stock with some plumbing paste flux, It was all I had and it didn't work. I may have to arc them but I really want to forge weld them. Wish me luck. I will work on them today when I get home from work.

I've been told about 100 deg but I have always used room temperature without a problem. It may flame up on you. I have my oil in a metal bucket and I keep some old license plates with the buckets and when it flames up I smother the flames with the license plates.

I generally run about 10psi. I have a flapper over one of my burner intakes. I close it when I light it. Should I leave it shut when I am using it?

I am getting a lot of scale from steel that looks clean when I put it in.