Nick

I love Roy, he's like a very talented bull in a china shop. The two of them together are great. Fun and educational!

From the photos it doesn't actually look too bad. My big Hay Budden has a flattish spot near the cutting table, angled a bit towards the far side. I've never found it to be a problem. Some of those grooves you may be able to planish out.

It's been discussed some here: But yes, it is a great video. Bittersweet, but well worth watching.

Here's one I made a while back. Curling up the claws and forging out the head didn't hurt the eye at all.

I was drawfiling a large piece recently and it reminded me of this thread (hence the thread necromancy). It was the first time I had really draw filed anything to this degree but the project called for it. The first file I used was a brand new flat bastard. I had already ground and filed the surface pretty smooth, and there was a spot I had run my finger along. I really could feel the file run along that spot, not skip but certainly not cut as much, and after a few passes there was a black residue built up in the file marks in that spot. So I cleaned it up and wiped it down every time I touched it to check for irregularities. I don't have acidic skin but I was certainly sweating at that point. I kept an eye on it after that.

My local library used to have several bladesmithing books, but not anymore. There's still a few blacksmithing books, at least.

Never thought of checking, but I always notice when something matches up.

Why are you cutting the piece of the hex that will be welded to the die? Just leave it in half and quarter the lower section.

I'm guessing there was nothing on the wheels, at least. Some of those old bone skakers had wooden wheels with iron tires.

Do you have a picture of your cap setup? My cap is fixed, but it's so tall because off the 12" pipe that I get a lot of water down it anyway.

I grew up around them, so maybe I'm just used to them. The pinch points and head bashers are the reason I wanted a foot switch, since I can get it away from moving parts and reach it from where I am standing to work at it. I do like the thought of having the on/off at the forge, though. Wiring it could be easy or difficult depending on the layout of the shop, but it would certainly work.

I'm not thinking that kind of switch, but one with an on and an off position, probably a push button type though a wide rocker switch would work, too. I did think about the higher load on startup, but would it really suck more juice with startup than it would sitting on during reheats? It is possible, though, I'll have to see if I can find some numbers. Having it warmed up is something to think about, too, but I think that's something I'd only be able to tell from experience with my own hammer to see how it behaves. It's something to bear in mind, though. Lots of good thoughts, thanks!

Welcome to IFI. If you're getting it to white, you're burning it which is one thing causing those cracks. They are, or should be, high carbon steel and so need to be forged within a proper temperature range.

Accidentally turning it on could be an issue, but a cover for the switch, a secondary switch between it and the wall, or simply unplugging it when not immediately in use could all reduce that. I wouldn't like having the motor running while I'm reheating or not at the power hammer for whatever reason, if for no other reason than keeping the electric bill a little lower. And if I don't like the arrangement, I could always move it or rewire it to something more conventional.

Most of the home built hammers I've seen have the power switch mounted on the frame around waist height. I'm still knocking ideas around while I gather materials for my first hammer, and one thing I thought of was a kick switch mounted on the base. My grandpa always wired in homemade pedal switches to his bench tools (I learned to be careful walking around the basement!), so he never needed to reach over or around or let go of what he was holding. I have his big drill press now, and I love the pedal switch. For a hammer I was thinking an on/off mounted somewhere near the treadle, probably on the front of the base so even if I'm holding something heavy with both hands I can come to the hammer, kick it on, and kick it off without ever taking my hands off the piece. This seems a logical setup to me, but I don't recall ever seeing anything like it. Is there a reason the switch is always mounted high that I don't know, or is this workable?

I don't have any pictures but I've read about some hammers with automotive gearboxes, etc. If the motor and gearbox is mounted seperatley from the hammer base and connected by the drive belt, wouldn't that eliminate any wear from the shock of the hammer itself?

Wrought has a tiny, negligible amount of carbon in it, ~0.05% or so, it has significantly more impurities. Wrought cannot be cast, if you can cast it it's no longer wrought.

Beautiful pattern, I really like the high contrast.

Very nice!

And so the tradition of direct transmission from master to apprentice. Of course, most of us don't have that kind of experience and often have to figure it out ourselves, or through discussion. That's why meeting other smiths is the general advice for those new to it. This wouldn't be the first time blacksmithing has been used to further scientific research: Charles M. Keller and Janet Dixon Keller, Cognition and Tool Use: The Blacksmith At Work (Cambridge University Press, 2008). "The cognitive realm of blacksmithing is of particular interest because it relies on visual imagery and physical virtuosity rather than verbal logic, the conventional yardstick of cognition." Data about forces would be useful for what happens to joints for different swinging techniques, and for the forces applied to the metal with regards to effficiency, etc. It wouldn't replace hands-on experience, but it's good knowledge and worth knowing, I think. To be comprehensive, though, it would need a lot of information, ideally from multiple smiths, etc. Got to start somewhere, though.

I think the correct Latin would be "Carpe terminum frigidum" ("cold end" in the accusative, receiving the action of the verb). I'll wear gloves sometimes, as I think necessary, but in the winter I wear gloves and glove liners full time. It's just too cold in my shop otherwise, my finger's numb and lose dexterity. I'm glad for the spring when I can leave them off, but until I have a better-insulated and heated workshop I'll wear them in the winter.

Not wrought, the structure is too granular and not fibrous enough in appearance.

Indeed! Even then they'll be tested and have safety cords bound on, and tempered on the soft side. Eseemann, that may be a viable option if I can't find barstock. The S-tine harrows would be even better, but I have to ask if they're solid spring steel. I've read that some modern spring tooth harrows are case hardened. Not sure if that's true, but I doubt they'll accept a return that's been straightened out!

I'd need two or three lengths 1.5' to 2' of .5"x1.5", so wouldn't fit in a flat rate. OH Rusty, lots of auto junkyards, but for this project I really need new steel. It's for crossbow prods, and I'm not going to risk old unknown steel for that, too much chance of metal fatigue. I was hoping to find something closer to the center dimensions to reduce the forging time, too, so I only have to draw it out from the center. I might have to find a different steel to use.

Yep, UP. If there's a specialist spring shop I haven't found it yet. Checking truck service places but so far nothing. There's not much industry around here anymore.