TASMITH

Thanks Jr.
There is a low oil pressure shut down switch already installed. I'm not sure about a shut down for overheating although there is a temp gauge on the engine to monitor it though.

Terry

Very nicely done. Classic example of Blacksmith re-cycling!

Finally finished the Wife's Christmas gift! She got it a little late because I had other orders to get done before Christmas and just run out of time. She didn't mind getting it late though as she says anything that I make for her is a labour of love.Just thought I would share it with people here on the site as I have gotten some inspiration from so many others who have posted here.

Terry

insrgn,
I have a couple of pictures posted in my gallery under tools and jigs. I will do as you suggest and contact lincoln. As I stated in my previous post the welder is running like a charm right now but will probably need maintenance in the future
(brushes etc.) I wasn't sure if parts may still be available from Lincoln, but considering how popular the welder was and how well built it would make sense that there would be several still in service and parts might be available. Thanks for the tip:)

Terry

Thomas,

I am not exactly sure of the date but I believe this is a late 50's early 60's model SA 200 welder. It was commonly referred to as a "Pipe Line" welder as they were the main welders used on oil pipe line installations. It has a series/parallel wound generator with a constant voltage and variable current with a main current tap and a variable fine current Rheostat to adjust the current settings between the tap settings for infinite heat control. You hardly know it is behind you when you are towing it and with current control from well below 100 to 250+ amps on the high end there is almost nothing you can't weld with it except very light sheet meta. As i stated in my previous post she started and run like a charm and for a mere $400 (my share) I couldn't pass her up.As for a Tig welder, it is not at the top of my list for now but if I fall into a deal like this welder, well then I would probably have to take it.

Terryl

A good friend of mine called me up the other day with a proposition. He had a chance to get a Lincoln portable welder that was sitting in a field not being used. He offered to split the cost and have me keep it at my shop as he had no place to store it and would only need it on rare occasions. I said," OK, whats the catch" and he said nothing. It was just sitting there and the owner didn't want it anymore and he could have it for $800. Well of course I thought about it for about as long as it takes a light beam to travel the length of my house and said "Deal!" Well he brought it out to the house about a month ago. We pulled out the kill switch, pressed the starter button and after about two rotations she fired up! We got some plate and tried out the welder and she ran as sweet as can be through ALL heat ranges and didn't even cough once!
Now I can do any type of welding I like as I know own a mig welder, an AC buzz box and a full range portable DC welder. The only one I'm missing now is a TIG and hopefully that is in the not too distant future.:D

Wooo Hoooo,

I got a powered portable kerosene heater for the shop/garage! Now I can get some work done even on the cold days!

Terry

Merry Christmas to all! May the new year bring health and prosperity to all and your families and friends!

Terry

Steve, sounds to me like John has the right idea!What with Christmas here you could buy a keg of beer, enjoy it thoroughly, then recycle it into an excellant slack tub. Win/Win situation!

Terry

Welcome to the best blacksmithing site on the web(in my Humble Opinion). Great bunch of people here. Nice job on the twist!

Terry

There is nothing wrong with that!. Remember it is a "poker" not meant to drag a tree around as Craig said...LOL. I use the same size stock as that (3/8ths?) in my fireplace tools. The only difference being I weld a piece on the parent stock for the side hook and forge the points out of the full 3/8ths stock. That leaves a slightly thicker section at the junction of the two hooks and plenty of material to form the points.
Great job for a first one!

Terry

Hey Johm, looks good! You have to make the first one to know how to make improvements on the next one, and the one after that and on and on! like anything else each one you do becomes easier than the last and you make your refinements to suit your needs. Keep up the good work!

Terry

I remember gas prices at 25 cents a gallon, getting a bag full of candy on a 2 cent bottle return, going to the movies with 50 cents which payed my admission, bought a pop, popcorn and a chocolate bar..... enough said....LOL

Terry

Welcome. You are right in saying you will be spending most of your time initially checking out the forum. Begin with the getting started section and work your way out from there. Be sure to have a comfy chair, a drink and something to eat on hand because you will be here a while!

Terry

Hey, good score. that is a dandy anvil and some hammers too! Looking a lot like Christmas!
Good for you. Happy hammering!

Most people use a wire brush for cleaning off loose scale or a powered wire brush for more aggressive cleaning of the scale for general purposes. Of course if you want to remove all scale and colours you can sand blast the piece or pickle it with acid. Knife makers of course spend a LOT of time filing, grinding, polishing and buffing their products for the bright finishes obtained ( not to mention etching to bring out the patterns.
Grinding flat surfaces is the easiest way to remove hammer marks, but learning good hammer control goes a long way toward rducing the amount and severity of the marks left behind in the first place. Others will offer suggestions here as well I'm sure.

Just remember one thing though, there is no such thing as a dumb question. We all stated out not knowing anything either. It is through experience, trial and error and asking LOTS of questions is how we got to were we are today.

Terry

Two more Canucks!
Welcome gentlemen. You have come to the right place. Super bunch of people on this site all willing to share all the mysterious dark secrets of the trade! There is enough reading here to help get you through the long cold winter nights here in the Great White North so grab a drink and something to eat and enjoy.

Terry

I am sure you will get a lot of takers on that one Frosty. You have a lot to offer in your own right as well as being a good listener, as is obvious on your numerous posts here. I know that if I ever have the chance to be up your way that I would definitely drop in. After all, I might be in the need of a bite to eat and perhaps a little nap!

Terry

Ok, well I guess I had better add my name to the list of Blacksmiths anonymous. Here it is the 19th of Dec. and I am out in my forge for four hours (with no heat) and it is -14 deg. C (7deg F) with a wind chill factor of -25 deg C (-13 deg F). Trying to get a last gift done for Christmas. I guess if that doesn't qualify me as a member nothing will! Guess thats what an addiction is all about. A complete loss of sense...LOL

Terry

If it put you in a different Class of people it would!

I can't quote exact temperatures on burning coal or coke but I can tell you that coke burns at a lot higher temp. than coal does. Coke is coal that has had all the other volatile products ( such as benzene, toluene, tar. light oils, to name just a couple of the over 500 different chemical compounds contained in coal) driven out of the coal by heating it in the absence of air(in coke ovens). After processing what is left is about 90 to 95 % pure carbon. This requires a constant air flow to keep burning, were-as coal will continue to burn without a steady air flow.Coke produces very little flame (usually a light blue) but is the best fuel for a forge.When using coal you are basically reducing it to coke but are doing so in an open environment and thus you get more smoke(Volatiles burning in the coal) and significantly more flame but not the same heat value as coke.
Most Blacksmiths use coal or charcoal simply because it is far more readily available than coke. One other point I should make in the coal versus coke, is that the firepots are different for each of these products. Coal firepots are deeper( generally 6 to 8 inches) and are usually made of steel. Coke firepots are much shallower (and usually round) about three to four inches deep, and are made of cast iron. Coke pots are made of cast iron for the fact that coke does indeed burn much hotter than coal and would burn out a steel firepot much quicker.

Terry

Another Beauty "Master" Rich. Outstanding work.

Terry

Beautiful job on that knife Rich. Very well done!
I don't make knives myself other than something required for my own use, but I really enjoy the threads and postings by the fellows who make them.It is a highly refined skill and speciality of the Blacksmithing trade and there are numerous examples on this site of work done by those who could call themselves Masters.
I tip my hat to all of you.Fine examples of workmanship and beauty combined with practicality!:)

Thats what were here for James:D.
But they are right about your thumb, even a miss-blow can cause you some serious grief to your thumb with the one blow. It can be a hard habit to break, but may save you a lot of grief further down the road.

Terry

Frosty is right on the money with his hold down! We used a lot of them at the plant were I first started out. Of course being a big shop we had large tables to work with that had a series of 1" holes drilled in them and our hold downs were quite a bit bigger due to the large forgings we worked with. The point being is that our hold downs were made exactly like frosty's and they would hold anything securely in place. The key is the flattened "S" shape and the foot. Make them like Frosty does and you will have no problems!