Charles R. Stevens

I will pray for him, that he has peace with God's will, I also pray for the same for you and your wife. Cherish the time he has left, and then homor his memory with joy. I wish I was 1500 miles closer, I imagine a hug would help the two of you more than a post and a strangers prayers.

I would have to second (third?) the double horn and the post anvil, Some of the double horned anviles have muntible pritchel holes down the center of the square Horn graduating from 1" and a one inch hardy just befor the round horn. Id love a double horn post anvil! I'd also second the idea of a swage block. Might I sugjest looking at anvilfire's anvil fabrication pages? Some good ideas, just be carful Mr Dempsey can be a bit touchy about plagerising his ideas. Heat treat is a bit more involved that heating the "anvil" with a weed burner, as I understand it, large valumes of water dropped from a hight is the norm to quench, falowed by tempering. Tho one of the members has sugjested using a chilled (internally plumed) aluminum block to quench the face.

An other option is to build a retort and convert the scrap to charcoal. Of to build a "key hole fire" like in your Boy Scout manual. Exept use the cooking area to build your fordge fire.

As to your three sided taper, taper square, then round it. Now make it triangualar. Still going to grind it to finish, but that should get you close. You can even fuller it have to tack to rods on a plate) and refine the edges. Tho a for fluted reamer works well if fullerd

It appears as if the top of the forge has eroded and exposed the tips. I think they were probably resessed.

Don't disregard the use if something other than a London pattern Tommas made a really nice double horned bick from a rail road spike sledge, and their are more smiths using something other than a London patern in the world than are. As Glenn pointed out, often your old make shift anvils will still see daily use.

Have you attempted to contact the maufacuer? Liners are a consumable as are burner flares. Failing that try one of the blacksmith or farrier supplies, as often some one has bought the old company out and is still making parts. As to the tips, my proforge uses the liner as the flare, so the tips of the burners are recessed in to the liner. By 1/2-3/4"

As its low pressure, and less than 500 deg, silicon might work as would formagasket #2

The blue prints for the portable forge can be found here http://www.lrgaf.org/articles/blueprints2.htm About halfway down, there are 6-8 sheets.

The blue prints for the portable forge can be found here http://www.lrgaf.org/articles/blueprints2.htm About halfway down, there are 6-8 sheets.

I think Thomas was saying he has a spring, but it's just strong enough to hold it open after he lifts it, not self opening. I

It sugjest changing your order of work just a bit. Do the bend first, but only to 45 deg. Then isolate the heat just to the bend so you can drive it into itself (upset) gives just a bi more meat at the bend. Then draw about your point, finish to 90 deg. A square boister wil help, but you can drive it into the pritchel hole if the spike is the right size to flatten the drive pint and refine the 90. Form the hook, then twist. One twist should be enugh (unless, like me you turn the hook the wrong way one in a wile ;-) As to the workmanship, good work!

With a gas forge you need a gas rig with a rose bud for localized heat, and for heating of shapes that won't fit in the forge. And as already said, sole tacky cooling your work is a pain in the butt. Coal is a bit of a learning curve, but cheaper to operate. (Propane, high pressure material gas is a bit cheaper) Coal also gives you more versitility. Don't get me wrong, as a farrier my day my driver is a gas forge, but my project forge is solid fuel.

So, Glenn. When are you going to instal the "edit Charles's typo, spelling and and adaptive text screw up button? ;-)

Proper tork also helps. A bolt stretches ever so slightly. A grade 0, 3, 5 and 8 bolt all have different specks, and a fine thread clamps tighter than a corse. Longer bolts are also more resistant to loosening do to vibration. Lube the threads and use of washers will require less tork to get the same stretch.

I also subscribe to the rectangular handle, as I find it, alongs with a properly radiiised face keeps the hammer from jerking around in my hand. I wipe a mix of bees wax, Turpentine and linseed oil on them (the wax gives a little tac to improve grip)

I use a gass forge in my day job. But I prefer solid fuel fore most blacksmithing.

There appears to be a round pipe on one end and they are using a bottom blast between the the bottom of the bricks. Hard woods have more silicate in there cells. This makes the ash.

I've seen shepards axes made from modified shingling axe heads

One if the books I have shows a set of shears made from dirt sraper blade. Fits the hardy and is used to hot cut material. Reminiscent of a paper shear.

It looks like a compact set up, and efficient use of materials. I've been told that coal clinker likes to stick to fire brick (coal forges I've used have all had steel or iron pots) so I'd stick to charcoal, but you do have to keep the air down, and as a bottom blast I'd recommend using pine charcoal (much less ash) Funny thing is I've been playing with my fire brick stash and some one comes up with this sweet little set up. Guess I know what I'm building the next foul weather day!

I've used bees wax (good for cooling and for working at black heat) vegi oil (if I got it to dang hot) and water.

With big chunks like this you will whant to get a couple of the big water totes, and dump water on top of the "anvil" if you dunk it steam will form and insulate the steel.

Can you, maybe. Is it realistic? Lot of work and expense for the return (now of corse we are blacksmiths....) turn the rail up on end. It's a small area but it works much better. If your going to go threw the trouble of trying to get a full penitration weld and heat treating a large chunck of steel.

As a very minimum treat it as a commertial kitchen grill or a fireplace.