Jacob Nothstine

Dan, Thanks, seen the link it's a good one. I did a treadmill motor for my drill press it's great love the low speed for metal.

I'm going to make mine out of aluminum extrusion,seen one made that way on ebay. I have all the material just waiting to order the wheel kit off ebay. and the large contact wheel from Grizzly. Going to use a treadmill motor for variable power. Hope to build it for under $300.00 http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Aluminum-Rubber-Wheel-For-G1015/G9242

Buffalo Forge No.152 add a post to my garage this weekend to mount it to the wall. Still need to clean it up.

Michael, That would be great, I have the bottom half of the gear advance. A photo of the part would help me a lot to make a new one. Even the measurement of the top half would help. Thanks, Jacob

No motor for me. I have an old Craftsman 150 I converted to DC power for most of my drilling needs. This is a tool I have always wanted, but never ran across at a good price. I'm going to clean it up and put it back to work again. I was looking at photos on line of the part I need, I think I can forge one, add it to the list of things to make.

At a garage sale this weekend and pick up a Buffalo Forge Post Drill No.152 for $40.00 needs a lot of cleaning, still has original grease and it's solid. Wouldn't turn when I pick it up, soaked it in WD-40 and it moves fine now. Looked closer at it last night it's missing the top half of the gear advance. Anyone know of a place that sells parts for Post drills? Also pick up a Wilton 935 at a good price.

I checked the price, they are around $100 - $150 mine is in good condition, but is missing or didn't have the small vise for the table top. The vise adds a lot to the value. I'm going to replace the steel drill table top with a wood one so the kids don't drill into the table top. It's a cool little drill. I just purchased a full size hand crank drill, will post it soon.

Picked up three hammers at a garage sale for $5.00 each, first time purchasing hammers with good handles and clean. :) Put the punch hammer to use the next day. Making a tomahawk. Also pick up a Goodell - Pratt hand crank drill press for my kids to use for $15.00 . Looking for more information on using the weight forward hammer for blades.

Stopped at a garage sale and picked up a rivet forge with blower for $60.00, three coffee cans of railroad spikes for $15.00 and two steel mushrooms? 2.5" round for $5.00 Not sure what the Mushrooms are used for, I think they are for tinsmith work?

Here is a web page with a lot of good information on gas forges. http://zoellerforge.com/

Get an extra tank, learned that last weekend. wife "should we grill the hamburgers?", "no let's cook them inside the grill is out of gas" :(

My spell checker wanted me to use two, but we have a lot more crazy people around here then just two.

I would not bring stuff into your garage, brings them to close to your house. A good blacksmith hammer can open the door easily. You need to try to break into your place. I did this to my old house, found out the basement windows were so weak I could push them in by hand. Give your door a good kick and see what happens (I'm not responsible for any damage you do to your place) . Make sure you have long screws in the strike plate that go into the frame of the house. Here is a good idea. http://www.instructables.com/id/Hardening-a-Door-Frame/#step0 Check out this video on Fishing to open a garage doors. http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28189580-breaking-into-garage-by-pulling-door-release I have photos of everything in my garage and insurance. I would never confront anyone stealing from my garage it's just not worth the risk to many crazy people with nothing to lose.

When I built my forge, from what I read you want the hard firebrick for the bottom of the forge. Because it's more durable, (sliding metal in and out of the forge) and the soft brick for the sides because they are better insulators and hold the heat better making your forge more efficient.

With Nick and Jim finding good stuff, I might have to start driving up north to go to estate sales.

I lifted the 1968 Bronco in my garage myself. Spent about 2 hrs trying to figure out how to get it out of the garage, It was to tall with the lift to get under the door. Had to let the air out of the tire to get it out of the garage. Sold the Bronco about 15 years ago to get a wedding ring for my wife. I think I was hanging onto the left springs just encase I wanted to build another Bronco.

Thanks you for the information. The Bronco was used off road a lot by me. Replaces the leaf springs when I lifted it more. Going to scrap the leafs and get some better material. I think mild steel should work fine. I will research high carbon steel more before I use it again. Thanks, Jacob

Making a Froe from a leaf spring from a 1968 Bronco. Forged the eye first and it turned out great. Cooled the eye in water heated the other end up to flatten out the curve, second hit with the hammer snapped the eye off the leaf spring. Working the metal at orange temperature. Did dipping it in water make the metal brittle and snap? Started a second Froe with the other half of the spring, made the eye but ran out of time so I dip this spring in Canola oil to cool. Will the Canola oil cool the metal slower and keep it from getting brittle? Could I just let the metal air cool? Is the metal from the other spring any good or is it shot. Thanks, Jacob

View of the lake across the street, helps cool me down when it gets hot in the shop.

That is a good price for tank fill ups. I would add a stand for supporting long stock. http://www.homedepot.com/p/PORTAMATE-Adjustable-Pedestal-Roller-Stand-2-Pack-PM-5080T/205037750

Make sure you check for gas leaks in all the fittings. Here is a link that shows how. http://www.propane101.com/checkingforgasleaks.htm John I like the Flexible wire conduit idea will have to pick some up.

Make sure you forge away from the forge. I did a hot cut one day and almost drop a piece of hot metal on the forge gas line. It would have been real bad. Look up, almost melted a light that was hanging over my forge. Make sure you wear a leather glove when you start it, mine shoots flames out the front at start up. It also take my brick forge about 30 - 1 hr to cool down to the touch, fire bricks get hot and stay hot for a long time. A lot of good safety information on this web site, I would look it over, even if it's for a coal forge. Good luck.

You can send your old files to be cleaned and sharpened I send my files to Boggs tools, they come back better then new. I also fine old brand name file at garage sales for .50 - 1.00 and send them to be sharped. I save a lot of money on having them cleaned and sharpened. http://www.boggstool.com/

The reversible switch is my sell item. I always try to buy an item to sell so I can break even on the rest of the junk. Going to list it for $15.00

Finally pick some up. It was ok, would not be my first choose but would not turn one down.