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I Forge Iron

Direwolf

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    Park Falls, WI

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  1. HI, it does sound like there may be some kind of issue with you're chuck. Mine also rotates a full 180 degrees. When I got it it was jammed/stuck that is probably why it was sitting in the parts room. It has been almost 20 years but I know I had thoughts of takng it apart. I think I did a little research and decided not to because if you do not follow precise procedures the magnets will lose their magnetism. I just did a quick google and saw that same advice so I would suggest that you do some research before digging into the chuck. As I recollect I found the plug for adding oil/lubricant and with some patience, oil, and a little help from a soft blow hammer I eventually got mine freed up. I would not be surprised to find that these new chucks may utilize rare earth magnets which may not have the same issues as the ceramic magnets like my old chuck has. It is probably wise to proceed slowly perhaps wait to get an update from Daswolf when he gets his. I suppose another avenue would be contacting the supplier/manufacturer. Good luck keep us posted I am curious to see what you find out.
  2. Hi Buzzkill, my 618 chuck is also 6" x 18" I haven't weighed it but I estimate it is at least 40 lbs. I just put a piece of 2"x2" angle 3/16 thick flat on the face, engaged the magnets and can easily lift the whole block. I couldn't dislodge the iron by hand, I think it would take a good shap hammer blow to get it loose. I then tried a 3" piece of angle 5" long same result easily lift the chuck and no way I could dislodge it by hand. This particular chuck is quite strong. As I said above it was jammed when I got it so I think the mechanicaal linkage in mine is worn just enough that it does not quite fully disengage when turned off. When turned off I can easily break the work piece loose but it still has a hold on it. My small 760 chuck completly disengages but has a powerrful grip wwhen engageed. Hope this helps. I have no experience with thee newer chucks, I do have friends who are full time machienists who I could ask at some point.
  3. Hi Guys, Das is right when you turn off the magnetic field most will easily fall or sweep off. However, my big chuck the 618, always has some magnetic field on the chuck surface so I use a rag to coral and remove it. I don't know if that is normal it is an old chuck probably 1950's with lots of use. When I got it it would not turn on/off, the lever and mechanism was jammed. I had to take it apart clean old grease ect out then it was working but with some residual magnetism when "off". It works good for holding work pieces so I am satisfied. I got the 618 at a machine shop auction when I bought the nut and bolt inventory as a group with some tractor magnetos, no one would bid because you couldn't have the wooden shelf/bins which were built in the chuck was on the floor under the part bins. The auctioneer looked at me and barked gimme a buck lets go! As soon as I said I'll give ya a buck he shouted sold ya gotta take it all! I 'm still usng th nuts and bolts so I have no complaints wth the chuck. Be careful if you ever attempt to take one of these apart they can be ruined if you aren't careful. I am not a machinest just use these for filing and grinding. I.m looking forward to hearring how yours works Daswolf.
  4. HI Frosty, yes I am familar with the history it is exteremly interesting. George, I too saw the Great lakes copper in the European /old world bronze age. I saw it on a program on the History channel perhaps 5 years ago? I do not have any references other than that. You are right about interesting things in the glacial till. I have always been interested in rocks/minerals. Spent most of my life as a civil engineer was in rock quarries and gravel pits site excavations on a daily basis found lots of interesting minerals , nothing that was very valuable though.
  5. Here is an interesting curiosity from this area, it is a piece of float copper. Float copper is native copper that was moved by the glacier in the last ice age. The Keweenaw penisula had big veins of pure copper which the glacier plowed up and moved as it moved. Float copper can be found as far south as the glacier got southern Michigan northern Illinois, but most of it is found closer to the source in the UP of Michigan. It is also found in Wisconsin. This piece I bought at a auction here in WI. No one there recognized it it was in a line of stuff on the ground. I spotted it and instantly recognized it. Well, when they finally got to the stuff on the ground I got the choice bid at $5.00 and said I'll take the rock. Everyone looked at me with that "what village is missing it's idiot" look. A couple of folks looked at it when I packed it to the truck I put it in their hands and the light bulb went on but I would't sell it to them. This piece is 18 lbs about 13" long with beautiful green patination. I was happy to walk away with a thousand dollar plus beautiful piece of float copper for $5.00. Folks still find a lot with metal detectors in the UP most that you see is small dime to palm sized. The more size and interesting shape the more it is worth. A friend found a 78 lb piece in Wisconsin while metal detecting old logging camps he carried it a long waay to his truck. Turned down $6,000.00 offer on it still has it with the tale to tell. Incidently the largest recorded piece weighs in at 53,100 pounds! It was found metal detcting in the vicinity of the old Qunicy mine on private property 30 years ago.
  6. Hi all, I have two permanent magnetic chucks a Brown & Sharpe 760 and B&S 618. Good old school made in the USA chucks. They are indespensible for holding work pieces for shaping, grinding, filing and drilling. They are most commonly used on milling machines, shaping, surface grinders. Also great for layout and assembly operations. Here are a few of my observations: They work best with flat stock, sometimes round and spherical shapes may be moved around by the magnetic fields and or just easily move because they have very little surface area in contact with the chuck. If you use round stock or ball bearings you will soon learn where they will hold best on the chuck. Also be very careful if you use the chuck for welding operations as magnets are easily damaged by heat. For instance my chucks are not designed for heat over 80 degrees centigrade. Also I would not recommend any hammering on them also will damage the magnets. I personally do not use my chucks for welding period. I asked a friend who owns a large machine shop about that years ago his answer was do that in my shop you're FIRED right now. Having said that I think that if you are "just tacking" work pieces and take care not to heat the surface of the chuck it will do its job but take care and also be aware that magnetic fields can and will mess with weld beads depending on the proximity to the field and strength of the field. Go forth and have fun I doubt you will regret having one. Here are a few pics of my old ones:
  7. Hi all, I've been gas welding since I was a kid, I tend to mig weld more now though for thin metal. As Scott said flame adjustment is very important. You want a neutral flame, just google that term, and the correct size tip for the thickness of the steel. For example 22 gauge use a #00 and 1/2 inch #8 or more. If you don't have a book with tip size and gas pressure requirements I'd bet it could be found on line. Just as important is the gas pressure, to much or little will cause unbeliveable frustration! If you have single stage regulators as the pressure in the tank drops you will have to addjust the regulators once in a while if it's a long job. It is very easy once you get the hang of it to adjust the welding heat by moving the torch tip closer, further, or faster. I also like to use the gas welding tips to heat shrink dents out of sheet metal like fenders as it is so easy to control the heat also to braze cast iron. Gas welding is a good skill to learn I would still do more of it if acetyene wasn't so pricy these days. Hope this helps, if I had time I'd fire up a torch and taake pics of flame types. Lake Superior is being generous with lake effect snow today. Happy welding!
  8. Hi all haven't posted in a while thought you might get a kick out of this load I brought home. My best friend Dave is a picker like me from the UP (Michigan) I live real close to the border closest big town for me is Ironwood. He bought this load of iron at an auction with some things he wanted so he brought it home. I go visit a lot so yesterday he said if you want this iron give me $50.00 and take it all or it's getting scrapped. The mandrels or dies if you rather are for bending pipe 2 1/2" to 5 1/2" and they are heavy. 15 pounds to 45 pounds each. The stake plate is not marked but in mint shape and heavy 75# or so. The tinner stakes are untouched nice shape. What looks like a bending brake is not a brake but perhaps to size or form tubing I'm not sure.Only mark is 1-4, inches I assume. The place these came from was a hardware store that also did plumbing, electrical, HVAC for 80 years that closed and sold out. It took ten auctions with 1,000 lots in each to sell out the place. If anyone recognizes the bending dies or the brake looking tool let me know. It was a heavy load at least 400 pounds of nice iron. I have stake plates and stakes but a few more never hurts at that price! I hope the pics are ok I took em with an old camera the Fred Flintstone model if you will.
  9. Hi what you have there is a tool to that is a saw set. Was used on two man cross cut saws as part of the care and maintenance to keep them tuned up and cutting efficently. All saws have to have set to help clear cuttings from to kerf as they cut. There are other tools to help keep them maintained also. I have lots of those saw tools from sets like yours to the gauges tensioning hammers and anvils.
  10. Hi Sonic, what you have there is an early Fisher and Norris anvil probably made in Maine before they moved to Trenton NJ. Query njanvilman on here who just wrote a history of Fisher and Norris. I have one identical to yours, 50 lbs, which if I remember correctly he gave a date of late 1850's. Yours is so weathered the logo is obscured. Use it as is it is a waste of time and money repairing cast iron anvils. If it doesn't do all you want you can make tooling to help and eventually acquire a better anvil. You might read through the Fisher and Norris section there are many pictures I belive I posted one of my 50 llb but it has been a while. Hope this helps ya. If you really want I suppose I could post a pic again.
  11. Hi Keith, you do indeed have a Trenton swelled horn farriers anvil with a modified clip. Date of manufacture 1921. They made several different farriers models with different horns and clips. The swelled horn helped with making different sizes of shoes I am not a farrier but if you want to know more about making shoes there are a number of farriers on the site.I have 4 or 5 like yours and a few other styles I just use them for blacksmithing they are some of the best. Hope you get to put it to use some day.
  12. Hi Jim, you have a Trenton anvil there from 1902. Trenton anvils are the only anvil with weight on the left and serial number on the right. Early Trentons had the weight on the side of the anvil but only in the first year or two. So your's weighs 255lb. As Thomas pointed out the caplet is also on all but the very early Trentons. They are excellent anvils and 255 lb is a great size for the shop. I have a matched pair of 250 lb trentons made a year apart they are some of my favorite anvils. Just as a side note Arm & Hammer anvils always have the serial # on the left side of the foot and the weight on the side under the logo except for the very late production the last few years they put the weight on the right of the foot. If you can't see the logo the serial # and weight locations will identify it for you. I own many of both brands along with Hay Buddens you can't go wrong with any of those brands. Put it to use and enjoy your new anvil!
  13. Hi KYCATS, what you have there is the top half of the heat exchange section of an old coal furnace. That was the top of usually three sections, they were common in the early 20th century and were made up into the 1940's. There was one in my 100 year old farm house but it was not usable without work so I disassembled it removed all the asbestos insulation and removed it from my basement. I still have it out back for some reason. They were well made would last 100 years or more but take up lots of room and lots of labor to stoke and maintain. Some folks call them an octopus furnace because of all the large ducts. Mine just had a 4 foot square ornate floor grate in the kitchen as the house is smaller. The previous owners had remodeled the house but left the grate in one of the barns. I still have it might make a table some day.
  14. Direwolf

    Leg vice help

    Hi JSavon, I think Marc1 is right, it looks from the pictures like the movable jaw has been overworked and the result is that it has bent back. Normally the jaws should close tight and the top of the jaws should match in height, it looks like the movable jaw is bent back and the top of the jaw is higher than the stationary jaw. I repaired one with identical damage 7 or 8 years ago for a fellow. I used my OA torch and a rosebud to heat the damaged jaw and hammered it back to proper shape/alignment, it also had cracks in the eye area which I v'd out then welded up with 7018 result good for another 100 years or so. One other problem I have seen with post vices is a lot of crud in the box preventing full closure, yours looks to be bent from the pics. Good luck hope this helps
  15. Hi Two4mirth, Your anvil is a first generation Hay Budden branded American Wrought horse shoe for the Montgomery Ward company. I own several American brand anvils they are branded completely different and no serial number. Mr Postman has documented these American Wrought Horseshoe anvils in AIA and also covers the American brand if you want to learn more about either brand.
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