MooseRidge

One of the methods I've been working on for holding glass in metal frames is a form of bracket. It's a simple "U" of steel riveted through the center to the outside frame. The walls of the "U" are dependent on the weight of the glass to secure (12ga or 16ga usually) and can be bent cold. A thin slice of close-cell foam protects the glass. I would bend the back tab using a torch (to prevent strain) to a 90 degree angle and the front tab to a 45-60 degree angle. Insert the foam and the glass, then bend the front tab to secure.

Joe H, How is that machine on holes? Need a LOT of holes drilled in a stack of 4 1/4" plates...... Located in Dunlap, work Downtown Chattanooga.....

I think you may want to contact your local group first... get some experience forging... Discuss with them your plans... many groups have members that will let newcomers tour their shops to see what they have and use... Very helpful in figuring out what YOU need based on what YOU want to do... getting a small propane forge when you eventually want to make structural pieces like gates, or swords, might cause you a major pain.... Take time to plan out your equipment, it's type, and placement... Make contacts in your local area as a way to network, learn, and share your ideas....

MooseRidge Moose Ridge Studios is my wife and I's "business" name... covers blacksmithing, stained/fused/flameworked glass, bookmaking, polymer clay, and rubber stamped art.... In the process of building a new house with "studios" for each of us and updating the forge (4X the size of the previous and adding power!)....

Or saw it down the middle..... May have to beef up the porch before you place and use it though....

Dodge.... If you had 2 you could make 1 heck of a rocking chair! Spacing looks about right....:D

I agree with Thomas.... dry gloves are a must. Most of the welding I do is in the field, so no jigs or big clamps. Usually just hold the piece in position and weld away.... used both 100 and 225 amp welders (the 225 may tingle occasionly):D

Two of the biggest items to watch is the attachment point on the roof and the depth/location of the grounding strap.... If the rod is attched to the roof so that the anchors are close to any metal (flashing does not appear to have enough mass to matter) such as sprinkler systems, I-beams, cranes, etc. , lightning may ignor the grounding strap and arc to this metal. Same situation with the grounding rod. Watch out for buried electrical lines and water mains as the lightning with jump to them. Usually, the strap is attached to a 6' rod hammered into the ground with only 2" or 3" showing....

THAT is some serious metal.... Be interesting to see what it (and you) can do....

174# Euroanvil - Feb 2003 - New - $340 110# ASO (Anvil Shaped Object) - Mar 2006 - New - $110 ASO purchased for sledge hammer work outdoors (Not worth much else...)

Bought last day of the longest yard sale in Dunlap, August 2006 $35 (only cash I had - helps when you dicker over the price!) 5" jaws - good condition missing spring and attachment plate

As any member of the deer family is wont to do in search of fresh fodder and shelter.... ;-) In other words, follow the job.... This is as far as I go... Building final house now, near rebuilt forge and shop.... one more move to go.....

BP0149 Spinning Bolster Plate*-*I Forge Iron

Biggest thing these ovens now have going for them is the digital timers... They can "soak" the metal at the required temps, then "ramp" up or down at set intervals and temps.... Only problems they have is price and shape... Unless you need this type of equipment in your work, (or, as I do, also do glass work!), the price will probablt precluse you using one.... Just a note, many folks have great results using the old tried and true methods.... ;)

While some shops might accept the challenge, not sure what it may do to the surface of the anvil itself.... Also, the paired pritchel holes are not usually setup up where they decrease in size as does Hofi's... Mine has a larger variance in the hole sizes, but MIGHT be able to put one in the middle.... but not two.... Just my $.02 cents worth....

If you are feeling "woozy", your ventilation needs to increased.... Propane (even "burned" propane) is displacing the ozygen in your forge.... VERY DANGEROUS!..... I run a fan unit up in the eave of my forge whenever I have either forge running, just to be safe.... same situation when welding indoors as well.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This safety reminder has been a public service announcement of the Save Our Blacksmith association. SOB has chapters located all over the world. Contact your local chapter and become a SOB member today!

Don't give up on the scrap pile yet! If you can figure out it's original use, that may help with its classification. Collect useful size pieces and the use the spark test when you get back to the shop... Just because all of it isn't tool steel or "weapons grade", doesn't mean that you can't use the "odd" steel for tangs (hidden only - show/display pieces, not for normal use), guards, pattern-welding billets, and (dare I say it.... ) regular blacksmithing.....

Jim Hrisoulas Author: "The Complete Bladesmith" "The Master Bladesmith" "The Pattern Welded Blade"

That blower looks to be the type that bolted directly to the forge as I cannot see anywhere to attach a stand. Many rivet or farrier's forges have them..... I thought you meant what kind could it have... sorry.... bad llink removed

A lot will depend on the size and type of the coal used. The pierced-plate style clog up when you use very small and/or dirty coal (High ash/clinker), the bigger grates have problems with the smaller stuff as well, but mainly because they are falling through the gaps... just my .02 cents worth....

A while back, I came up with an idea for a multi-use forge based on the pierced-plate style on grate. The grate area would vary depending on what position the plate was in, completely back was a 3"x3" hole pattern, expanding to a 3"x24" pattern when pulled completely forward. This would allow for small fires for normal usage, then increasingly larger fires based on the need. It would only require 1 forge and 1 chimney. The fuel would be coal. Never got around to making one yet..... :D

Other than some small items for the live steam train club, here is the dragon I made in one of Steve Williamson's classes....

Any blower could be mounted in various ways, direct mount to forge, 3-pipe leg stand, or single pipe w/ flat base. Doubt the stands varied much between manufacturers.....