divermike

We have a Christamas party tonight and we are doing the white elephant gift exchange, so I had about 20 minutes to come up with something to trade, I looked around the shop, and gathered a few scraps and welded em up, somebody is gonna have to take this thing home, hahahahahahahahahaha

After the ride, we sat on a log, talked and picked at the MOSS.

The storm has passed, and it is pristine white, about 8-9 inches dropped over night, my Corgi has 4 inch legs, and she is having a ball, guess I'll go shovel a path to the forge, this is the best time of year for working over the hot coals. I'm not dreaming of having a white Christmas, it's a definite.

you want the chimney 3 feet above the roof, 2 feet above anything within 10 feet, I went with 10 inch drainage culvert for mine, works like a charm, maintain a 1" clearance to combustibles just in case!!

We all hope and pray the mass is a thing of the PAST.

We had a serious storm here today as well, but the finest times I have had in the forge has been with the snow blowing sideways, it's 50 degrees inside, and flat out beautiful. We have 20 people coming over tomorrow night, but somehow I will still get in a couple hours in the forge, Welcome to the group, feel free to admit any further indications of this disease as they strike, Merry Christmas.

The discussion of vibration may be at the very core of why we see so many rodded tools, the rod, if thin enough, can deflect much more than a solid wood handle, and thereby possibly prevent injury, I was taught to make small diameter rod handles for that very reason, with a striker or power hammer, if things get out of whack, the wood handle can hop, and bounce in ways that the rod handle will absorb and deflect, I prefer the feel of wood, but with my power hammer, I take no chances and use the rodded handles, I have many failed wood handles, never a rodded handle (yet).

I believe you are a candidate for the blacksmiths anonymous posting, when the level of concentration is so high, that even a large ball of exploding gasses near your backside does not even cause a moments hesitation, son you need help! IForgeIron holds claim and copyright the *Anvils Anonymous* for future use.

Guys, I just realized that I have some perfect material to make additional dies for my tire hammer, problem is, I don't have any idea what else to make, I know tooling is a big deal, and I have a lot already, can some of you who have several types of dies send some pics so I have an idea of what to make? It does not matter what type of hammer you have, I can adapt it, but I need to see what is available, my dies are simple drawing dies, The only other one I can think of is a combo die, and Clay Spencer said those are not really all that effective, can ya lend a hand?

Sometime back in this thread, I showed some machining dies I had picked up at a local auction for pennies, I found out that 1 piece is perfect for additional dies for my tire hammer, so that made the aquisition sweet, but at our monthly meeting, my buddy Bob made a suggestion to trade several pieces for a small swage block he no longer needs, well I jumped at the offer like a man in the desert offered a glass of water, Merry Christmas.

Frosty, The Finger Lakes of western NY in the fall are about the most beautiful place on the planet, and naps and lunches can surely be provided, I have 3 decks depending on what you want to look at, 4 rockers, and a couple gravity chairs with springs, my wife and I believe in providing restful places where a fellow blacksmithing addict can rest their weary mind and recharge. You can take a walk in the woods, have a go at the shooting range or run the quads around, or throw rocks into the pond, and ponder your naval, all worthy of restful contemplation. Door open bro.

Terry, Your post indicates a willingness to pass on your hard earned knowledge, and the content appears worthy of much much more elaboration. Have you ever considered writing it all down? I for one, see a ton of potential in your post, and the desire for more is apparent in those comments that followed your post. Old pics and stories just gathered together, could easily take on a life of their own and fill out a nice journal, or novel or just a " tales at the hammer" thing. On the nights where you are sitting and realizing the content on tv is such garbage, not worthy of watching, that is the time I go to the word processor and ramble. Please consider it, we need what is in your head!!

Maybe I'll skip the Jaimeson and go to Oktober FEST

Challenge for the addicted: Taking no more than 1 square foot of sheet metal, you pick the guage, and no more than 1 linear foot of round stock, 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 inch , make an item or items that would be seen or used on New Years eve. Describe the material in the finished posting, and technique if not obvious.

Glad you are here, pictures, yes post pictures, lots and lots of pictures, we love the new ideas, and need to see other work to feed our desire to create new stuff.

I am sorry for your loss, and it is true, little will console you in the beginning, yet over time the pain will turn to nostalgia, and the fondness slowly replaces the lost feeling of emptiness, in this time of sorrow, your brother grieve with you.

A single shot of Jaimeson would be BEST!

Your mirth I deride not, however your girth creates merriment. Twas nose twiddle I directed at thee, Be not thee a wiper of other peoples bottoms, I throw my shoe at thee, (sic) it is certain a pebble shall lodge in thy sandle. May copper infest your nuetral zone, and thereby render your already meager efforts, furtherly innefectual. The guffaw you have been assailed with comes from my retreat with an exposed Glutius aimed in your general direction. Oh thy ignorant knave, beset me no further lest I taunt you a second time!!

Folks, I can not thank you enough for your prayers, I thought I would get through the holidays and start lookin, but since you all responded, I have had 3 great offers for what I like to do. Now I have an embarrassment of riches, never doubt your prayers are heard, God bless you all, and remember "Jesus is the reason for the season" May your time with your loved ones be blessed.

I was told no feathers, but thats a cool link thx.

I like the rose, when I first saw a rose demonstrated, it was a multiple disk rose, I was just amazed, and immediately set out to make one. Then Bill Epps showed us one at Campbells folk school rolled like yours. Of course I tried to do that one as well with varying degrees of success. The fact is however, had I not seen it done, I would never even have attempted it. After several now, my main problem is to properly texture the stem and leaves, I am planning on grooving an old ball peen hammer for that, any better ideas out there?

Our church is doing a play, the director wanted some archaic looking writing instruments, so I volunteered to hammer a couple out, the blister has reduced enough to work around, so here they are. I only had about an hour to do em.

Look at what you have, some guys do all their smithing with a ball peen hammer, do you have an old vacuum cleaner, save the blower, do you have old chisels sitting in a tool box? You should see as much of your local group as possible, once seen, it can be done. Safety equipment, first aid kits, aloe vera, old files work for sooo many things, clamps, trouble lights, just sit and look, it is amazing what is right in front of you.

Part of the fun of watching visiting smith demo, is the fact that they all struggle with the same thing, unfamiliar equipment, we all laugh and understand the struggle, and it encourages us wwhen they have a bit of a hard time, because we know it will be our turn, and we will face the same thing, it is a right of passage in my eyes, to go to unfamiliar territory, and stand in front of a group of your peers, and show what you can do.

I made a wall hook, it still holds my apron, may I suggest going to the goodwill or salvation army, buy the cheapest oldest vacuum, disassemble it, take the blower motor and use it to drive your forge, it was my first blower, and it takes some doing, but a slide can be made to adjust the airflow and a squirrel cage to hold it, I look back at it sitting on my shelf with reverence. I fooled around for about a year before I got wise enough to join a group, don't make that mistake, find one and join now! Your life will be enriched beyond belief.