KYBOY

It is easy to ruin an anvil but its also not that hard to fix one right if you take the time to do it right..Those torch cuts are already haz affected. For at least an inch in every direction Id guess. Though Im guessing you already know that since its probably softer around them from the auto tempering.. Ive fixed three I think and all three turned out just fine,actually they pretty good Ill modestly say. Also want to add that you can get stoody rods in 1/8" so you don't need quit so big a machine..Im familiar with several hardfacing rods/wires but not so much the supercoat your talking about..I know Gunthers method usually calls for a underlay of 2110 and cap of 1105. That's generally for large repairs though

Dang you can buy a brand new 540 pound Blu anvil for $2995 or a brand new Fontanini 460 pounder for less than $2700

Its funny you mention that, look at what a power cost was relative to then and now.Its an eye opener.

Some people out there(especially collectors) are just willing to pay more..More and more gus are just saying "screw it, I want it" and coughing up the money..I also wonder why more people just don't buy new anvils..Ive been wanting a 400 pounder for a long time and when I finally break down and buy it Ill probably just buy new..The used big anvils are already approaching the same price as new..

 Ive got some of those "found this for a steal price" stories too..Super nice $1 a pound anvils but you know what? that don't mean a thing anymore..Those are far few and between now.

I see 150# and 180# anvils listed for $600-$800 all the time now..AND SELLING

Heres our newest swage block stand. We have three blocks and use at least one of them daily.

That circular band you see wrapped around the flywheel is both the brake and a spring. The lever that operates it is connected to the foot treadle..When you push down it opens up the band, when you let off the band springs back and closes.

On ‎6‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 1:37 AM, Frosty said:

Thanks for this round of tips Joel, My 50# LG's keys tend to want to work lose, the copper shims sound like just the ticket. I'll report in however it works out. If it doesn't do it I'll be forging new keys.

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty just to add we use thin copper shims on our 50# LG and the dies stay put very well with no movement and that's without driving them in brute style..Which I never liked doing, I drive them in tight with a heavy hammer but I don't drive them in like Im sinking rail spikes either..The copper seems to really make them stick tight.

here is the brake on our hammer. works very well, just need to clean the oil off the pad every so often..This hammer will stop when you let off the pedal but the brake allows you to make hard single hits without accidentally over rotating a double tap. Just smash the pedal and let off..

$3000 for a good working 50 pounder is not bad, if it comes with extra dies that's a big bonus..Check the sow block and babbit bearings. The tire hammer is a fine machine if its built right..My only complaint with the ones Ive used is that the dies were small. 3 1/2" or so. That's tiny for our work.The dies on our 50# are 6". Ive got pics of the very first tire hammer built that belonged to a friend of mine who sadly is no longer with us. It cost him almost nothing and he used it for years..

 Not all hammers are created equal or tuned equal. Ive seen tire hammers that run great and ones that run like a crap..Ive seen 50# Lgs that wont work 1" square because they are so out fo tune and then Ive seen them that will work 2" stock no problem. Ive seen a lot of homemade air hammers that are PAINFUL to watch..So slow you can fall asleep while running one..Ive actually seen 25# LG's outwork some of those homemade 60 pound kenyons before..Not all of them mind you as they have gotten significantly better than they use to be..

 Id like to make a upsized tire hammer one day as a side project. Something in the 100 pound range. I think that would be a great build.

Ive known of a 10" leg vise but I cant for life of me remember who had it? I use to talk to him on the forums all the time.. Ive been trying to remember but cant yet... If Im not mistaken Larry has a 9" vise, Ive seen a pic of it..

Ive paid a lot of money for good guns, custom rifles capable of planting three handloads inside .300 or even .250 on a good day at 100 yards..They were not cheap but man were they just an absolute dream to shoot. Shilen barrel, 2oz trigger wearing a 36x scope.. I never once regretted buying one..of course this was before I was married,LOL

 Im blessed enough that I can make any kind of hammer I want but if I could not I would not balk at paying $140 for a good tool.. It seems like a lot but its really not after you see how much work goes into making one..

 Custom tools generally are just better at what they do but not everyone is capable of using them to fullest extent.. Ive seen guys buy 5K power hammers but couldent draw a taper with it..Ive seen guys buy Rem 40x's that couldn't hit the ground if they dropped the gun..

 Id suggest buying custom tools with the mindset of it being better at what it does but its still not going to make you better at what you do..

Heres another article.It has some nice pics of them forging the barrel and other parts. His stuff commands huge prices but since hes been in the business so long and does such fantastic work its warrented. He isn't in the shows credits Lucky the dude Daniel mentioned him as his mentor and his blacksmith videos as inspiring him to make guns. Thats how he came about in the show..he isn't in it..

http://www.housebrothersproject.com/gallery/index.php?action=view&gll=2

Here is a youtube vid of him on our local outdoor show(longest running outdoor show in the nation)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGpa_SkxmvI

I want to add that pay attention when he shoots his flintlock at the end of this video. You will see that a properly tuned flintlock shoots as fast as a percussion gun.  Lots of folks think that there is a big lag in ignition with flintlock guns. There isn't if its tuned right..

2 hours ago, KYBOY said:

 

18 hours ago, Frosty said:

Well, it could, just COULD be an old skool curmudgeon messin with TV producers too. Hmmm?

What little actual smithing I saw looked competent even if there was a lot of oogga boogga Bull . . . spit being talked. Last night's new episode had virtually zero smithin in it maybe we just don't know what the show's about.

Frosty The Lucky.

It could be, Hershel is no stranger to TV..Hes the real deal, a rock star in the gun making world..Him and his brothers have made guns,hawks and knives for movies like the Patriot,Master and commander(also a planet of the apes film). That beautiful possibles bag worn by Mel Gibson in the patriot was made by Lally House. Hershel made his rifle and I think it was his brother Frank(may have been Hershel) that made the axe for Abaham Lincoln: vampire Hunter...That axe actually worked and fires as well..Its real..

I just saw the "quenching north" thing again.. I almost have a hard time believing Hershel told him that but then again Hershel is very old skool' too.. It made my stomach hurt..

On ‎3‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 2:24 PM, Frosty said:

Exactly Smoothbore, it's common for folk to believe it's the tool not the operator that does the work. How many times have you heard, "If I had one of "Those" I could do "That." A person has to have a basic level of knowledge to realize how little they know and a hands on craft requires them to pick up the tools and give it a try before they get an idea of what's involved.

"If I had a press forge like JPH I could make pattern welded swords in a day too." Oh yeah, 40+ years experience doesn't count, it's the machinery. You have to know you don't know and if your only contact with a craft is video games the that's what you know.

If we want them to have a clue we have to show them. If they don't want to learn they won't and that's on their shoulders. By show I mean show them, telling them is not much different that the babble on social media  channels. When I take on someone I spend at least half an hour describing the tools, equipment and what their first project is and involves. I talk the safety mostly. Anyway, it's not till I've demoed their first project and they take the hammer they start to figure out it's not an easy craft to learn.

Frosty The Lucky.

That reminds me of all the times Ive heard "If I had a power hammer and a press I could make Axe's and all that stuff too" Never mind that there had been at least a couple hundred Axes come out of this place before there was ever a power hammer or press here..

 I just cant seem to make some folks understand that either one dosnt do a thing that you don't already know how to do, it just does it faster..

On ‎11‎/‎26‎/‎2015‎ ‎1‎:‎29‎:‎31‎, Charles R. Stevens said:

One of theise days I'll poney up th $ for the saltfork swage and mandril. I would like one with other than 1/2 round profiles.

hey TJ know any one with access to 2" plate?

I got one of their blocks. Its handy, has a real nice shovel impression in it..Ive put off buying one of the cones forever..One small reason..For some reason everytime I see those handling holes left from the foundry my lip curls up..I know it does not affect use one bit and is purely cosmetic but for some reason I just get irritated,LOL

Why yes, yes I do...

Hard to decide..Power hammer, 2 x 72 grinder or maybe its the large horizontal bandsaw..being able to cut 12" wide plate steel in a wonderful straight crisp line is a boon..

Dang, we made a new stand less than two weeks ago and have already used that block for several hours counting the time its been used for hardys that wont fit the anvil. mostly drifting hammer and axe heads.

Always wanted a cone too well just because. we have a 20 'ish pound hardy cone that gets used oh Id say about every other day mostly on strikers but I doubt a full size cone would get used that much. Wont stop me from picking one up given the chance(and right price,LOL)

New stand for one of the blocks.

For you guys using a arc welder you can bend you rod a bit to get in those corners and it makes it a lot easier..

Oh I also that I know its kinda hard to cough up money just to buy one but if you have to take the time to cut all the materials and/or buy the materials your just about there anyway..I like both versions. The smithing magician while it isn't open it is a very,very sturdy design and you can see your work very well with it..The C frame ones allow more wiggle room and ways to place your stock in..

Heres a C frame that we are working on right now. very heavy. made from 1/2" plate..Waiting on the die material to get here(found a screamin deal on some 4340 stock on ebay) so it can be fitted up..

We are in the process of making a new guillotine.We have had the same one for years. We made it with 3/8" dies to start because that's what we had to work with at the time. Its made from 3/8" plate and even at that im real surprised that its survived the beating we have givin it..Its been regularly whaled on with a 8 pound hammer fullering hammer and axe heads..been re welded several times until the last time I broke down, cleaned all the old small mig weld off and did 6010 root passes and cap welds of 7018 just like I did when I took my bend test..Shes been sound ever since..We did the button on top just like John did though the first three have been hammered away to nothing and replaced,LOL. this is what it looked like when it was new.

Most like the looks(I do myself) and when you pay for a handmade hammer its expensive..A nice hammer is a time consuming thing to make.

Hey guys...We'er getting to ready to make some new tooling. We have a homemade guillotine that's been a good one and taken much abuse but years ago when it was made the only thing we had to make dies with was 3/8" thick bar..Didn't take long to find out that 3/8" was a bit too thin for many things..Ive noticed that the smithing magician has 3/4" thick dies and most C frame guillotines have at least 1/2"...What thickness dies do you prefer? Not really talking about the shape or type of die just the starting thickness.