ironrosefarms

Welcome to IFI, I'd say I feel sorry for you living in LA but you probably don't feel quite the same as I do from my stay at Hotel Fort Polk... That piece of real estate is the most loathsome place I've ever had the honor to tread. Glad to have ya here though where the fires always warm and the people are just plain good folk.

I'd think "de-rusting" barbwire would be as much a pain as de-galvanizing... but if you are interested in old barbwire, I suggest taking a drive out in the country, look for a farm with either a brand new fence (who will probably have the old rolled up and tossed in a holler) or a farm that looks like it has been out of commission for a few years... I have offered a few places to take down feed lots free of charge for the panels and gates... I have found some that have been happy to be able to mow it all down without the hassle of the old fence lines... sort of like anything else, ya don't know till ya ask...

That was fun, just one question... What did them poor jugs ever do to you??? :D

Right hand dominant and typically I keep the anvil with the horn on the right...

That is what I was thinking Thomas, I think an adjustable anvil would be the ticket to allow hickory and chestnuts... but first things first, bribe wife into making the pie if I make the nut cracker... :D

I have seen this done but without glue by taking a chisel at an angle to create barbs where the iron will be inserted into the antler. I'm sure that a little clear epoxy or perhaps gorilla glue (gorilla glue expands and would fill any voids that would happen to be around and dries to a slightly yellowish color) would work nicely to sure it up for the long haul.

I like it, how about a couple more picture of it open and fully closed? If'n I had one of those, maybe I could get's me a PeaCon Pie...

eambo, I'm curious where you are from? Could you go up to the CP and enter your location. I have heard some things about the carbon foot print and such but it is usually from those same people who have a problem with my eating meat and wearing leather... so I haven't had the need to answer such a question. As I looked at how to answer your question, a couple questions came up... are you having the tanks refilled? and how are you using the argon? If you take the tank in for refill, the only energy expended will be the transport of the tank and the energy required to capture, transport and transfer the gas into the tank. Each time the tank is refilled you earn "points" as you are re-using (one step better than recycling). Another issue is how you are using the gas, if you are keeping your usage monitored and reduce waste, your once again on the right track. I think I would ask your supplier if they have any documentation on the carbon footprint issue? If your in California or similar cultural areas this may well not be a shocker of a question for them... another thought is an idea of offsetting, (warning some groups don't believe that this is a valid method) the idea is that to help alleviate and reduce the effect we have, we can take action that will help bring our activities to zero. Things such as reforestation and in some cases even protecting forested and other green areas from harm can classify as offsetting. James

Jayco, I can smell the stench of smoldering plastic all the way over here!!! EWWWWE Who would have thunk that a metal paint pail could be half plastic?

This is a good thread, including the discussion on the hammers. For myself I make it a point to look at the gallery here on IFI and it is a quick reminder nearly every day of how little I know or have tried. Brings to mind a quote my great grandmother used to say when I was little... "At what point I stop learning, I suppose you can close the lid, for obviously I must be dead." James

I went and spoke with a friend today about a similar story. My friend is 102 years young and relates stories that her mother shared with her of the days she was on the run as a slave. I thought I remembered a story of a carpenter who would hammer code to aid the slaves in choosing where was safe. I tried to write it down as fast as she spoke today, but it gives insight that the coding smith might be at least possible. Here is what I got wrote down... "Mama said that as they was coming up they would use conductors who would help them make their way from place to place. One man or lady would take you a ways then they would leave ya, if you found your way to the next stop ya mind find another kind soul. They was always a concern of if the conductors would prove to be unfriendly. Mama used to tell us of how different white folk would put out different signals to let the conductors know if it was safe or not. Lanterns or candles in window or a horse tied out in a certain place." (Here I asked her about the hammering codes) "Yeh, mama used to talk about hiding in the woods and hearing someone hammering. The conductor would listen and determine by the repetition in the hammering if the area was safe or not." (I asked her if she knew what kind of code they used) "Mama always just said it was repetition, I'd say like three strikes to drive a nail was safe, anything else was unsafe." (I asked her if she ever heard of a blacksmith doing this) "Naw, but anything could have been. It was dangerous and Mama said yah just had to trust the Lord's hand that He would deliver yah into safety each day." From there she started in spoiling my kids and that was the end of getting any more info... kids are easily bought with candy, and older folks are easily bought and distracted with kids... maybe that answers the idea of a possible code in the hammering?

Ouch, I've had them in my shoulder, wrist, thumbs... Don't know if my back would be an area I would agree too??? Just remember you won't be able to participate in the Olympics with those drugs racing through your veins... :D

I'm in Indiana just outside of the area known as Greentucky (at one time Greene County, Indiana was part of Kentucky) looks like I'm about 4 1/2hours away...

I worked in a small shop with a friend once, it was basicly a 10x10 floor with a slant roof high end was 10 foot, low end 7. The anvil was under an area about 9 foot. It was crowded especially when working long bars but it worked all right. The forge was coal and the chimney had adequate draft. Downside was the small size of the building, the draft would pull all the warm air out and up, long before the heater he had could replenish the warmth and trying to work large tripods, the curl on the top was a bear to get room to maneuver the metal...

I don't have a shield but I do have my logo here as my avatar. I like the idea of creating a shield though, might have to give it a whirl... James

Thank you Roy, I wasn't the one who asked but I appreciate those pix of the Iris...

That is truly a gorgeous piece.

Some great ideas so far, I thought about one of those tool bags that are available, but don't know how it will hold up to the chutes and overall abuse luggage can take. I thought about an old hard shell suitcase, but my fear is the latches won't hold up. My mind keeps saying that 50 pounds of tools is far different than 50 pounds of clothing... A couple things I have thought about doing is wiring or zip tying the wrenches together and stringing the sockets together like a beaded necklace , things like that I can bundle or tie together I thought might not be as likely to get "lost"? Another idea came from a post here about one guy who says he carries his tools in a canvas roll... I thought that rolling the tools in even old Tshirts might buffer their ride? Please keep the ideas coming and I'll let you all know what I finally come up with...

I mentioned a while back that I am planning on going on a missions trip to an orphanage in Jamaica. One of the things I will be doing is some miscellaneous mechanical work on some farm equipment and such, but it also looks like I may be teaching some blacksmithing. I am in the process of purchasing and accumulating what will likely be 40 to 50 pounds in tools. Tools will include sockets, wrenches, screw drivers, hex keys, hammers (of course), pliers, etc... I looked at shipping and due to a friend who works for a major shipping company, I can get it shipped for nearly nothing, however the process of getting it released once down their will be very expensive if they release the shipment at all? If I can keep it under the 50 pound mark and get it all in some sort of suit case I can take it as luggage on the plane for what looks like about an extra $30. So this is the route I'm planning on taking. A few guidelines I have been told to follow... new tools should not be in their packages (so it doesn't look like they are to be resold), Not to box up the shipment tightly as it will likely be opened for inspection multiple times. So here is my question... What kind of bag or what ever do I pack these tools in? I know the airlines don't handle baggage with a lot of care sometimes and the idea of having tools ripping out a bag and spilling all over a baggage processing area concerns me. Any ideas???

The best machete I have is one that was given to me as a gift from a man who I helped send to El Salvador for a missions trip. The description that was passed to me of the culture there is such that it not uncommon to see men women and children all carrying their machete through town just as many of us in the US keep a pocket knife. He brought me back a machete that would have been a daily used version (not the novelty chromed souvenir type) very simple design. It is twice as nice to use as the local garden, hardware, or military surplus versions I have used from the US... I would suggest that price wise you will find that any area of the world where a machete is needed for daily life will tend to be a good place to purchase one as well. Simple easy design and a tool that can stand up to truly hard use is nearly always what you will find. The picture looks as identical to mine as I can find except mine has a black handle. Available for about $40 US dollars.

Well, my truck has two old coin operated newspaper racks in it. The local newspaper tossed them in their dumpster. Each have been dented and beaten a little but lots of good straight plate and other goodies on them to scrounge.

I just wonder what size hofi and what style anvil do you use on a tough old black walnut?

Knowing the symbolism makes it all that much more beautiful...

A good number of items I have come across that still had the original leather belt in place was simply riveted together with a small copper rivet or two depending on the width. This is the same technique I used on my belt drive forge blower. It is best to skive and glue the ends then rivet but really those first two steps are not 100% necessary.

Some candidates will collect as many of their signs for use the next election cycle as well. However in the past I contacted a loosing candidate who was glad to let me have all the signs he had to go out and pick up. Heck he even dropped them off at my home for me so I didn't even have any gasoline involved.