squire

Thanks for all the complimentary replies. The next job I've to do is make old style pillar and drive-way lights. Anyone got any ideas/photos. The plan is to have them solar powered.

When I was in the trade we used cold tea bags over each eye and wraped a tea towel tightly around the head to ease acr eye.I never heard of using spuds which is funny as Im Irish. Hopefully I wont have to try it.

Here is the finished gate in good old West of Ireland summer rain. As per usual I didnt take any photos prior to hanging. Materials used were 1 1/2 x 3/8 flat for the main frame,3/4 solid for the uprights and 1 x 3/8 for the braces and scrolls. Total weight is 420 lbs. Oh and the scrolls took 10 hours in total. Overall it took 4 week of evenings

Im in the process of making a gate based on a 19 century design. The scrolls are from 1" x 1/2" formed on edge. This is my first attempt at blacksmithing since I worked as a fitter welder some 15 years ago.

In my younger days as a apprentice welding Gavl was one of those jobs that just had to be done sometimes. The guy who talked about drinking milk is mostly right accept that you drink it before starting to weld. I havent touched the stuff in 20 years and dont intend to any time soon. The effects of Zinc poisioning are not very pleasent. The systoms are : 1/ Sweet tast in mouth. 2/ The Shivers ( no matter how hard you try to stay warm you still shiver ) and finally 4/ where you vomit for a few hours. It takes a good 24hrs to clear.