Sask Mark

I paid $325 for a 100 pound Trenton in very good (not perfect) condition. Anvils in very good condition are rare in my area, so I thought that finding another one in that condition might not happen any time soon. Did you find your anvil on Kijiji Calgary (that lady who had about 10 anvils for sale)?

For a power hammer, as Paul mentioned, I would agree that the hammer foundation sitting on compacted granular should suffice (1+ foot thick) assuming the subgrade is packed and consolidated enough (ideally undisturbed). An asphalt impregnated fiberboard (3/8 - 1/2" thick) as an isolation joint between the foundation and the slab is usually advisable. This is the type of foundation we built at a local steel mill in their spiral pipe operations.

Actually, all matter is comprised of atoms. Combinations of atoms bonded together are molecules. Crystals are composed of atoms or molecules bonded in specific arrangements. All the elements that make up the metal you are working are made of the atoms that you find on the periodic table.

Ahh, wire mesh and not fiber mesh reinforcing. That should give you plenty of strength. If your base is well consolidated and compacted to 95%+ density, and you don't have any frost or heave issues due to clay expansion/contraction, you should be alright (as you mentioned that you have no cracks, you probably don't have any of these issues). Please post some pics when you are done!

Yeah, it took 2 'reminders' before they could finally dig deep enough to find it on the suppliers list.

In the industrial applications I have worked on, if the anchor bolts couldn't be cast in place, they are usually grouted in using an epoxy similar to the one you have mentioned. I don't know if the shield anchors would provide you with the pull-out strength you are looking for. Do you know the nature of the slab you are mounting the hammer to? Is it a slab on granular or on void form or...? The concrete slab is the one potential weakness that I can see. I don't think fiber mesh reinforcing is as strong as the rebar reinforcing. If you really want to make sure the slab will handle it, you can do what I did. I have a 25 pound little giant copy trip hammer mounted to a 14" concrete base slab (I saw-cut out the existing 6" un-reinforced concrete slab to make room for the deeper base slab). I cast in the 5/8" threaded rod attached directly to the rebar cage and had 4" X 4" plates at the end of the rod to prevent pull-out. The concrete I used should achieve around 32 MPA at 28 days. I should have dowelled the slab into the surrounding base slab, but I got lazy. I was running the hammer for a while yesteday and I could feel the surrounding slab shaking quite a bit. I would imagine a modern air hammer would run smoother than an old trip hammer. If you are running the fir sleepers, the force should be distributed over a larger footpint so there will be less point loading. Good luck!

How are you planning on anchoring the rods into the concrete? Are you planning on using grout capsules?

A lot of people refer to pattern welded steel as Damascus steel. Damascus steel was a form of steel that originated in Damascus, Syria. It was a superior steel for many applications at the time, and it showed patterns on the surface. Glenn recently posted an article where a researcher recently thought he cracked the secret with how damascus steel was originally created The modern 'equivalent' is pattern welded steel. It shows patterns in the steel when it is etched. The patterns are accomplished when the smith forge welds different types of steel together into a billet and the billet is manipulated (twisted, folded, punched etc.). Damascus gun barrels were formed by wrapping a band of steel and forge welding together. Sorry if this doesn't answer your question. I'm by no means an expert and there are other members that can do a lot better job clarifying the matter. edit: geez I'm a slow typer. In the time it took me to type this, 2 other members posted answers.

Though not much of a smith, I live in Regina, Sask. Are you looking for something in particular?

$100 minimum? Wow! I recently paid $10 for one. They just don't sell to well at auctions around here. I have to restrain myself as I now have 4 vices, and could easily accumulate a lot more if I'm not careful.

Ebay seller the_wagonman from Arkansas sells replacement tuyeres on ebay. The bidding starts at $30 and the ones I've seen sell usually only get 1 or 2 bids. See item # 250319302984.

I don't know if this is the appropriate location for this thread or not, but there is a nice, larger anvil for sale on Kijiji Toronto for any smiths in Southern Ontario that are interested. Anvil blacksmith - Toronto Collectibles For Sale - Kijiji Toronto

When I was in my early teens, I heard of a guy who built knives. I was at the newstand one day and picked up an issue of Knives Illustrated. while paging through it, I saw Hugh Bartrug's pattern welded steel, and started researching how it was done. That was my first introduction to blacksmithing. I used to be intent on making knives, but my interest has shifted more to the sculpture recently. I wish I was introduced to it by my father/gradfather as I could have been at it a lot longer and with more guidance and teaching. So far, it's been forums like this that has tought me the most.

Some exploration to see what nature of the existing footings are would be your best option. Once you know that, you can go from there. There might be a spread footing type of foundation below your basement walls. If this is so, you can dig deeper, but don't undermine the footings. If you don't have any cracks in the brick and stone walls, you are in quite stable soil conditions and your foundation is solid. To solve the moisture issues, you can dig down and place a bed of compacted granular. Ideally, you would have a sock-wrapped weeping tile running in a grid pattern at the base of the granular carrying the water to the sewer system. Then place some heavy poly over the granular and pour the concrete over that. Make sure you have an isolation joint between the footins and the slab as you want the slab to float independantly. That way, you won't affect the footings if you get some heave or slump in your slab.

Very true Thomas. I have seen many pallets made of oak and maple. I know an old blacksmith that makes thousands of iron survey stakes for various customers. Before he switched over to a natural gas forge, he burned oak pallets (he got for free from a neighboring business) instead of coal in his forge to sharpen the points.

I tend to agree with you re: the curve under the heel. Also, the Vulcans I have seen tend to have a 'blockier' looking horn than yours does.

Maybe a Vulcan? I've never seen a vulcan without the arm and hammer symbol cast on it, but I have heard that they were fairly common in schools. I had a 150 pound Vulcan that had decent rebound as well.

The hot cut chisel, cold cut chisel and hardy were recent ebay purchases, I put the new handles on today. The vice, picks, and wire brushes were picked up at a recent garage/estate sale for under $20 total. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/data/500/medium/P1070225.JPG http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/data/500/medium/P1070226.JPG

Some beautiful work!

That horn looks a little thicker than most Trentons that I have seen. That one almost looks like it's shaped by a Columbian to me. Of course I could be off my rocker and highlander could be right on the money. On second thought, I think I see a top plate, which a cast Columbian wouldn't have...

That looks like a Fisher to me.