Wayne

A slightly more advanced one 17th / 18th century? Used with a blacksmith-style brace that would have a dimple in the top in place of a head. The screw is capable of applying the tremendous force needed for drilling metal. Phenomenal patina. 36" high. Can be extended approximately 20" to 30" from the wall.

Hi Mjenki There is not really a lot to the construction of a beam drill. Basically you are looking at a horizontal beam of timber, one end is fixed to a vertical post so that it can pivot up and down like a fulcrum. On some fancy beam drills it is possible to raise and lower the beam to suit the work and also pivot the arm if the upright beam is round. One some of the drills I have seen, the under side of the horizontal beam has a metal plate attached along it with a series of blind holes in it to take the end of the brace. At the other end of the beam to the pivot would be a weight to provide the downward pressure on the brace or maybe a chain/rope for your assistant to haul on. The fulcrum and weight provides the downward pressure you turn the brace. The brace would be metal with a square socket at one end for the drill bits and a straight shaft at the other with small rounded tip to fit the holes on the under side of the beam.

I guess that at times we fail too see what is right under our noses........

Its the same this side of the pond. But the upside is that there are fewer scrappies nosing around.

Frosty, How much difference does adding powdered charcoal to your finish do? Normally I just use oil or bees wax but I have been looking for something darker Wayne

There have been several news items recently about a new craze in the north of Lincolnshire, basically it involves kids spraying themselves with aerosols and setting light to the vapours to see what happens ??????? They interviewed one dad who's son decided to see what would happen after spraying himself with petrol. The lads glasses saved his sight but received major burns. It seems that as technology increases IQ drops

Some days you just have to know when to walk away..

Saw this, I wonder how long it took to come up with this idea?

You can also check out the dvds by th UMBA blacksmiths of Peter Ross in action.

Going to be there on my todd so if get a slack moment will try to slip over and see the press, otherwise will have to take a look early before the punters come in.

This video is about suet/tallow www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypRsO9KdxXk&index=2&list=PL4e4wpjna1vylyk-nUSIPmHrNnPZ1ivPU

Hi Ken Is the old guy still mobile? Sometimes its the old things they remember and seeing the forge and smelling the smoke could bring back memories for him. !

Starbîts Looking at the fittings on the small vice I think it is a portable one for fixing to the shafts of a wagon or a military forge.

Just seen a British Alcosa hand cranked blower sell on eBay for £210 Some one sure must have wanted that.

I know its not Smithing as such, but there is some ironwork in it made for the fun of it

Go back to the middle ages and even back to the Roman period you will find L T and headless nails in use. I have several archaeology books showing these, if I get 5 mins later will dig them out and see if I can upload some pic's

Sorry guys but bacon and maple syrup is just so wrong............ It has to be a bacon butty with HP sauce, preferably smoked bacon

Sorry bikecop I wish I could, as soon as the paint was dry my friend took it. The shaft is round where it goes into the socket but hexagonal for the rest. Overall just under 8 feet overall length with the head and socket just short of 19 inches forged in one piece apart from the cross bar which passes through a drilled hole and brazed.

Very nice work. Love the Swiss style halbard ( second from right)

Hi Frosty Most of the spears I have seen with wings/arms have the blade and wings lying parallel with each other, There are some with a seperate stop that is attached by tying or a metal link which appear to lie at 90 degrees to the blade.

Thanks, the blade and socket could have done with more of a polish but he wanted it fast and was happy to sit and polish it at the event.

Finally got the pictures sorted for the cart springs I aquired

Made this for a friend who does 15th century living history

Saw this and liked especially the human figure

Thomas I think it is down to gravitational mass, your first anvil has a set amount of gravitational mass which will attract other small pieces of metal. These small pieces combine and increase the gravitational pull thus attracting larger pieces of metal and so on until there is enough pull to attract another anvil / swage block etc which further increases the pull. The range of the pull also increases as the mass does, starting with the yard then the neighbour hood and further outwards not only drawing in more metal and tools but in some cases other people.