Francis Trez Cole

Koutetsu Hay I am in Sarasota It looks like an old mousehole forge anvil good stuff. I have an old one that had damage if you clean up the surface's put an aluminium rod in the hardy hole and do fillit welds you should be able to bring it back to life. If its is a mouse hole anvil it is forges and it can be repaired with 7018 rod I did mine 6 years ago and it has held up well. Check out Faba http://www.blacksmithing.org/ we meet once a month great group of people. We have a meeting this saturday in tampa (Armour making). I am right off str 62. If I can be any help let me know

nice rose I use felt to hold the rose oil. my self I like them black (new beginning) not death.

nakedanvil: they are all real square saving up.

I am feeling wrought with all the philsophical imput. Here in florida they do wrought aluminium. Aluminium tube with cast finnials welded to it. talk about the 21 centeury.

my $.02 Wrought is steel that was produced before the use of Bessimer furnace. that is when we got consistency in steel production and were able to build the empire state building.

At my metal store they have some 6" soild rounds scrap diffrent length. Thought I would sleve them in a steel pipe and weld it solid.

King archeticual metals have them all sizes solid and hollow

my portable forge is a BBQ grill make a fire pot out of 1/4" plate if you need plans I can sent you a set. they work great and when you are done working just close the lid

the pic of the scroll is great good way to open a web sight. Love the work

I would thing labor would be the compermize. With many strikers you did not need a power hammer. For my self I am a soiltary blacksmith if I can get a striker for the day that would be great. So with out more power or a second set of hands there is only so much one person can hammer and shape.

brian's referance is a good one

what I see is white marks from soapstone. I would reheat to working temp. to burn it all off the oil and soapstone wire bruch then cool and try again. Myself I would use stright bees wax. only my $.02 nice work we have boy scouts make steak turners for there metal working merritbadge here

I was thinking of using the same thing except I was going to go oversized like the type fpr a 3 point hitch Northern tools sells them. Have seen them used on Baja Racing vehicals. If that isn't a pounding I do not what is that was my logic. Have seen the hammer using a engin block on youtube? think I am going with that design.

those would wake up the neighborhood on a saturday morning

well oil and vinagar don't mix. :oJust kidding:D a Pic would be nice to see what it is doing.

I had a bench model wore it out. then I got a Jet floor modle lot bigger moter better speed ratio that is the most important thing how slow will it go

what is in your area.

King architectural metal has lots of pattrens but that is what most architecs use they sit with the book while designing.

When I started I had to setup and brakedown and put a way everytime. you can pick up a carport at harbor freight for $199.00 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92942 they do have a cheeper one but its a good way to start. protecting your investment in equipment is important. Here I built a pole shead. the only thing I bought was wood and nails the rest was stuff friends were getting rid of. check out the video on my web sight Welcome to nokomis Forge - Hand-Crafted Custom Ironwrok even the floor they were removing pavers up at a coumminity the road and the workers dumped 2 dump truck loads at my house $0.00 and they loaded the dumptrucks. you have to go out there and make it happen you would not belive what people through away.

I would like to see the pictures. I think I have a feel for what you are trying to accomplish are you trying to put a spade shape at the end of your stock. 1/8" stock would have to be compressed. which is kind of thin to do you have to have the right heat to hot it will just roll over. the other option would be to cut away to get the shape. Hammer control is very important.

wow a stone building how cool.

when I first started I shaped a piece of rebar to make a harder still use it works real well others who used my set up are shocked how well it works. This year I got a piece of wood chipper blade welded a piece of square stock to it works real well. the height should not be critical when you use a harder you do not want to cut all the way through. You should be worried about hitting the hammer face and once the cut is deep enough ringing off the metal. the height of mine is 2-3".

give it a try the worst thing is you have to reweld it. I would fill the tube if it was up to me more mass. I have seen people use 6x6 solid stock cemented in a 5 gallon bucket. I started out with the back side of a vice.

marc a good way to figure out what it is going to take. what I do is figure out the metal have the client buy it produce a 1' section and record the hours (we all work at different speeds) then multiply it by $100.00 an hour then X running feet. that is there cost. they dont want to do it give them back the metal they purchased. "do not forget the insurance" join abana they have it though a broker.

I am in Sarasota there is a great faba chapter here in town there is a video posted on my web sight for blacksmithing 101 nokomisforge.com feel free to contact me directly 650-1068