plain ol Bill

Where in the world have you been scrounging material Larry? I need to go there!

Larry if you want to watch one work, or get an idea what is involved in getting an idea into the machine to be able to cut it come visit and we will spend some time playing with mine. Mine is home made as you know but I can guide you some in getting what you need if you really want one.

Some of the best wrought I have ever used was from window weights. I would check them out before throwing away for sure!

What have you gotten done now Grant?? We want to know!

Yes it is heavy and HEAVY DUTY TOO. Gawd folks, Jessee has been doing fantabulous work of all sorts with metal for a loooong time and now there ain't gonna be no holding him back at all! Jess give Grant Sarver a call and order you up a bunch of different tongs to hold iron with. I believe (and a lot of other folks too) that he makes the best tongs going.

Nice to hear Marie has a good hammer now! She was going to come play w/ my Sahinler but never got around to it. She was curious about the Sahinler line at the time. I think she will be happy w/ the Saymak - I know she never was pleased withe the "other" hammer she had.

Larry are you short a certain green hammer in your shop now???

I have a cabinet and I use silicon carbide in it. This media is very aggresive and will descale things well.

Darn is that really you in that pic Dave? I thought that was one of Santas elfs! As you know most elfs are short, ugly, fat, bald and cantankerous. Well on second thought I guess that is you Dave cause Andrea wouldn't keep an elf! That sign sure finished out nice buddy. I really like how the cut scrolls wrap each other.

Why Frosty every guy your and my age needs at least three different pair of glasses according to how far away their work is. That pocket is where you keep them others! That way they are sure to get all them little speckles on them when you weld overhead (not that it has ever happened to me - grin). And in comparison to Dave I am slick looking, svelte, muscular, handsome as a shiny cowboy boot, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (well 10-12 anymore ), land on my feet ready to dance or fight, and xxxx handy also. I got hair on my head anyway! Like Red Green said "If women can't find ya good lookin at least let em find ya handy".

I have a plasma cutter and cut the letters for my good friend Dave. Each letter is different as they have different curves to fit into the arc. Having a CNC plasma machine is handier than pockets on a tee shirt and a lot of fun too!

I use ITC -100 in mine and have not complaits. It sure increases the reflectivity of the Kaowool and heat comes up a lot quicker and hotter.

Man those letters look like they were cut to fit don't they (grin). Dave a really nice looking piece of work!

Well it is about time you decided to show your ugly face in this forum Dave. Folks let me tell you a little about Dave. In MHO he is one of the premier smiths in the Pacific Northwest. I met Dave a few years ago and his smithing talents continue to amaze me. Dave was already a knifemaker when we met but his work has come light years ahead in a remarkably short period of time. Last year Dave earned his journeyman status with the American Bladesmith Society and in my opinion is on a fast track to earn the coveted Master status. I am proud to call him a good friend (even if he is ugly, short, and fat).

Larry currently the vise is in storage under the fab table until I can get it outside to wire brush it up and start getting it cleaned. Started in the shop but the dust got thick really quick!

Larry you suck! Cool find buddy. That ought to smash a damascus billet real good.

Yeah, I built my own system and love it. Took me right at a year to get it done but I lost a few months out of that due to some surgery and recovery time. Take a look at my build posted here: New 5 x 10 plasma build - CNCzone.com-The Largest Machinist Community on the net!

Grant you forgot to take a shot of the wife over in the corner making all those OC tongs and you with a whip in your hand ---- or was that the other way around hmmmmm.

Hofi you are having too much fun (grin)

Otto some of the beta's can be used for blades. However (always seems to be some doesn't there) beta is out of the scope for most home type knifemakers. Beta's are difficult to heat treat or grind. I've seen a very good knifemaker spend all day grinding on a piece of beta, used up 6 belts and that stuff was still a long ways from being a blade.

I saw TJ's post about balancing a weather vane and thought I would ask a question I have puzzled over for a long time. How do you mount (or make) the portion that lets the top spin into the wind?? Is there a bearing involved? Two different sizes of material where one fits into the other or???? I've got lots of ideas, just don't know how to do this part and have never had a chance to look one over. Sure would appreciate pics or sketches on how to do this folks.

Steve you are right that Timascus shows that titanium can be forge welded. We have made a lot of it and it is a really interesting material to work with. It requires close monitoring of heat since ti will burn and that can cause a fire in excess of 4000 f. Makes for a really exciting time when that happens! Titanium works well under a hammer, either manual or power. Keep the heat in the 1800 - 1950 range and it really moves well. There is a point it will be moving well and the next blow just bounces off. At that point temp has dropped off to 16-17 hundred and it just flat refuses to move any more. Titanium will NOT make an acceptable blade folks. It just will not get hard enough. I, and a lot of other knife makers use it for knife furniture, liners, locks, handles etc.

Hopefully it was the forums hardware and not my computer that was so slow. But I noticed yesterday it was loading MUCH faster than it had been for awhile. It was so slow there for awhile I didn't even try to get in unless I had LOTS of time. Thank you whoever or whatever!

They say pictures are worth a thousand words - well in my case make that ten thousand words. I would love to see some pics of an axe like these in different stages. I'm pretty good at monkey see - monkey do!

Pros and cons. All pro propane from this end. I have used coal, charcoal and propane all and would not go back. I have 2 propane forges currently (down from 4). I have a vertical forge I use for making damascus steel (or forge welding)primarily and a horizontal for general forge work. If I am doing something that won't fit I stop and make a quickie from firebrick and Kaowoo using a venturi burner. That is the only time I use a venturi however and all my other forges use a blower. A blown forge is easier to control, burn hotter (my opinion) and get a neutral atmosphere therefore creating less scale. Jut my opinion.