caintuckrifle

Some kind of "step Vice" Pretty cool-Don't sell that one.

Looks pretty good from where I sit, one suggestion: clean up the jaws of your twisting wrench (or whatever you are using) and you won't get those marks in the back.

Check out: http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d200/ptsideshow/Tools/WElding%20equipment/junkyard.jpg For thrift store quality steel look for tire irons otherwise known as lug wrenches, they are plentiful, cheap, and generally good carbon steel.

(After you get some better steel) When you are hardening get yourself a magnet- as you heat the steel touch a magnet to it. As long as that magnet will still stick you're not hot enough to harden when it won't stick quench it immediately until it is cool to the touch. When the workpiece comes out try to file it- if you can it is not hard and you can try again. Then there's tempering- but that's a whole different story... This is just a general rule that works with most carbon steels that I use.

With the size of vise you can put on most anvils and given that it will be made of cast iron I don't think breaking the anvil heel will be an issue. I would off-set the hardy shank a few inches to position the vise more over the center of the anvil. the shank would still hold it but the vise would be over more meat for pounding.

I say never grind-always wire brush. Also household vinegar is a excellent rust remover.

I have used a small flat forge for about 2 years now, and am currently in the process of attaching a larger fire pot forge. the flat works all right but if you hope to continue on to bigger and better thing the fire pot is necessary for efficiency, depth, and size.

You will have to post a picture of them hearts when your done...

One of the best things you can do is put beeswax on them when they are just a tad warm, just take the cake of wax rub it all over and buff of the excess with a rag. Another idea worth passing along is this: when the piece is warm say around 4-500 degrees (no longer red) brush it down with a brass bristled brush and seal with wax. The brush will leave a small amount of brass on the surface giving it a gold color that looks neat. I use this technique on leaves and it works good. If the brass does not stick your piece is not hot enough, also you can use paraffin as well- the wax also protects against rust. Hope this helps- Caintuck

No not near any here, I think I will clean it up with the angle grinder flapwheel and polish. Would you recommend filling it with something? If I did do that I would have to fill the slots at the bottom which I might do anyway, but I do not weld cast iron. Also I think I will turn a cone cap for the top on the lathe...

Sorry about that, I guess I am not supposed to post sale links like that... since read that.

Found this during a roadside cleanup, I don't know what it is but I'll re-dress it and use it as a cone mandrel. It is heavy cast iron and I might fill it with sand. Anyone know what this is or have any other suggestions as to what to do with it? I also found a sledge head, small gauge rr rail (for stake anvils), and a broken tow strap. Thanks, Caintuck

$325 Trenton blacksmith anvil 135 pounds Found this one today, it looks a bit worn and a bit overpriced...Thoughts opinions?

I recently purchased a 5 inch iron city post vise that is missing the mounting plate. I am looking for a replacement if someone has one to sell or a tracing or outline of what the original bracket would have been shaped like so I can reproduce another. Any help is appreciated, -Caintuckrifle

With coal you will be working with a comparatively dirtier fuel. Now you have clinkers and other impurities however it's just all part of the learning process and you will soon figure out how to manage the coal fire.

When testing how hot a workpiece or tool is that has been cooling or just quenched, use the back of your hand, in the case that the piece is hot you can still continue working. The front of most people's hands is much more sensitive than the back.

Watched that one in school and thoroughly enjoyed it! Nice work with the crucible steel.

Look for a forklift tine, they work great and can be had cheap.

I recently purchased a vise that has a bend in the moving jaw very similar to the one you picture here though not as large. Is this common in older vises? Is it caused by misuse or what???

I am a little late getting here... check out Dewit Gardening tools they are forged (by machine) in Holland. May give you some ideas if you look at their product pages. http://www.gardentoolcompany.com/brands/DeWit-Garden-Tools.html?gclid=CKD-qazFyL0CFfFFMgodcxsAeQ

Another thing to consider to is the handle on said hammer. The handle is nearly as important as the working end of many tools including hammers. I have had hammers that I just could not get to do what I wanted. For example some handles force You to really grip to hang on to the thing, add a larger meatier handle and the problem is solved. A "junk" hammer just became a whole lot better.

I guess plentiful is dependent on many factors, around here they are everywhere, the local salvage yard is full of them some of them are massive.

I thought Iron City used a diamond early in their years of production.

Or a Fork lift tine... Plentiful and good steel.

A farrier friend uses one of those anvils for all his shoe bending (cold) withing a couple of years the horn had grooves from the repeated bending on the same part that were nearly an inch deep. not worth the money, A.S.O. piece of junk still don't believe, check out anvilfire.com and search for aso's or cast iron anvils.