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I Forge Iron

Charles R. Stevens

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Everything posted by Charles R. Stevens

  1. If you set the 4x4's on 4' centers around the parameter you can attach siding easily, t11 pattern plywood is fast and easy, but more expensive than old fashion T&G siding. I'd put a walk threw dire on the west side, snow, ice and wind on the north isn't a great thing on the plaines. With the 4x4 posts on 4' centers you can have really big openings for summer. As to the wood burning stove and your forge, you use an insulated stove jack threw the celling, and a double walled pipe threw the roof, with a large threw flashing. I prefer to go threw the ridge line personally. One at each end of the shop.
  2. Let me know if you decide to go with my suggestion, as there are more details to doing a long lasting quality job. Save you time and money in the long run. Like rapping rubberized asphalt and poly ice xxxx around the posts (below ground) and considering a sod roof (I know sounds weird, but it can be done for about the same money materials wise, and the sun is what destroys conventional roofing).
  3. You need to insulate the roof, even in summer the sun heats up the roof, the roof radiates down on you. So not only do you have 120 degree out side air you have a 160 degree roof radiating down on you. Poise the forge. A free ate ding carport kit is affordable and quick, you can add to it as well. But your wife, neibors and realtor may apretiate something nicer. Build on a 4x grid as building materials come in 4x sheets. I'd probably build a pole framed building, that is to say, plant 4x4 PT posts intend of 2x framing. . You can span a bit more than 7' between posts with a 4x6, but I'd go with 4' on center. With a 4x4 top plate. Build a conventional roof, something that compliments the house. In the sommer you will want all the ventilation you can get, in the winter not so much, after you get the roof up I'd consent rate on west and north walls, insulation is optimal but I'd palm on it and to close all w walls. Hear in OK, I'd try for opening the whole north side and half the south side in the sommer. And it's alwase best to face the long sides north and south, less sun on the walls in the summer, more in the winter, and the north wind has less wall to run down and rob heat. I'm not a carpentter but I've built and remodeled a few houses and barns. So if you have a question I'll try to help, and pony you in the right direction so you can deside if I'm full of BS.
  4. Lol, your ears must have been burning, Thommas. If you haven't figured it out by now, despite the gruff manner in wit h he posts he's good Peaple. Always a place at my table.
  5. That will work. I think you'll enjoy the versitility of using it in 3 positions. Then use the small rail anvil as a bick and tool holder. You'll be very "traditional". As your skills and tooling improve, the "lump" can be forged to cool Iron Age demo anvil (Tommas would be so proud ;-). That is if you can black mail some strikers. So keep her around you'll have fond memories of what you did on that old "lump" as well as "upcycling" like a "real" smith of old ;-)
  6. Geoff, can't be any less clear than mine. But it looks like the slug is flat for about 1/2 the serface, I don't think a wedge would be needed if he gets the box to an 1/8" If you have acces to a table saw then ripping 45 degre peices for the box corners would help, but not strictly nessisary.
  7. Build up around it, laminating 2x lumber. A square hole will work just fine, no real need to bevel the bottom if the sides are faily tight (slip fit) Like I said, if you build the box right, you can pull it out, and flip it over. Or lay it on its side, think of a wooden "V" As for he rail, normaly I'd say to mount it long down in a stump, but it has a bick and a hardy hole, so mount it solid and use it as such, were the foot is cut out you can extend your 2x laminations and clamp the web, that will help sticking it a bit. So to re cap, think about laminating 2x lumber to gether to make a box, build a solid plug about of 2x to stop the steel slug from falling in. If you cut "v" shaped notches in two (or all fore) sides of the box the slug can be rested on the "V" blocks on its side. I wish I could sketch out what's in my head.
  8. Think wheelbarrow handle for horses, it he hold up the front of a cart, and alow the horse to steer a wagon.
  9. Dropping it in a hole should work fine, even a big stup with 3 large spikes driven in it would hold it. Of corse a couple hours with a file world work, or if your feeling frogy heat it up and forg it flat. Blacksmith 102, "there is more than one way to skin a cat.
  10. Tommas you beat my to it! I came down with "Frosty-itis"
  11. What dose the other end of the lump look like? Can you flip it over? A nice stump would get you up to a good working hight. The rail anvil could serve you as a bick and tool holder, again find a stump to bring it to hight. 10/1 oat going to hurt the rail, it just isn't an efficient peice of steel for heavy forging. The combo of the lump and the rail will work pretty well. 10/1 on the lump will work just fine. As to mounting. Fabricate a stand that will bring you to say, rist high on the rail. It's to light for real bashing, but it will be easer on your back to work with. Mount the lump about fist high. I assume welding is not an option as you would have grount the working face down. Build a standout if wood ( a pipe that it would slip in would be nice, sink it in the ground like a fence post, fill to the apropriatly level wit sand, ad oil and drop in the slug) I bet the lip is about 3 1/2" across? Of you start with a 4x4 it will stand on just shy of hight, then ad 2, 2x4 tall enough to hold it (say 1/3 up the side) and about an inch longer than the ground. Each side then will be a 2x8. Of set the 2x8 and ad a piece of strap for a tool rack. Walla. Now , if you take the end that is buffers up and clean it up, even slope the other side so you have a big fuller, you can flip it end for end and have 2 working serfaces. Make the 2x4 taller than the 2x8 and you can have 3 (lay it on its side). As fr the rail do something similar but clamp it or bolt it down. If you think you want more mass in the stump use PT and bary it to hight, or if it needs to be portable, knock the botom about of a bucket and use it as a concrete form. You may want to ad 3 short feet do it will set stable on uneven ground.
  12. Can't help you much. There are a few on hear that I know can. I will say this. Unless you narrow your focus, you'll have just about enough room to out line the history, in 10 pages, more than. 4000 years, over 5 continents. Multiple cultures.
  13. I use 1 1/4 black pipe (actually the same as scedual 40 with our the code compliant stampings) for shaves on carts, it's just under an 1 1/2". You can use DOM tubing in a lighter gage, as well. If they hold up to horses and training carts the should hold the curtains. If you are still worried, mount the brackets solidly both to the studs, as well as the rod. This will make it more rigid in the middle. Like a cantileverd beam.
  14. 21 break, N&V. 21', The distance a person can cover and engage an opponent befor they can draw, aim and fire. Takes 3-5 tenths of a second to even recognize and begins to react to a threat. A knife is still a viable defensive tool.
  15. Thanks Steve, I own two of their farrier anvils, a 150# and a 75# faces are bit softer than I'd like but otherwise they're work horses. Thinking about making a set ;-)
  16. You and the plasma cutter have obviously came to an understanding. Nice work.
  17. A wind shield on your portable forge will help direct the smoke up. For some reason the boundary layer of air around walls seems attracts smoke.
  18. Think truck axle. It has to take the twisting and shock load. I'd bet Tommas is right on the money.
  19. Another trick. Back in the day they made a smoke hood that swiveled over the fire pot, and drew the smoke to the inlet side of the blower, that allowed the smoke to burn wile starting green coal.
  20. If you use a stack, at least 12"D it will pull a lot of air in to delute the smoke, glens "super charger" draws a bunch of air, and often the smoke will ignite and suport flames above the coal. If you light up with coke and manage your coal so that you have plenty of coke and don't dump a bunch if green coal in the fire you will have minimum smoke. Certainly les than crippling hamburgers.
  21. Get the feeling that we are all to familiar with Harold's law? Harold's law states " Murphy was an optimist"
  22. Not negative at all. I really think you have to like to do things the hard way to fit in here. I said it once ill say it again, were blacksmiths, if we wanted to do it the easy way, we'd be potters. You will have more time and materials typed up than you first thaught, that's just a given, you'll grind out and re do things, you'll scrap ideas and redesign, just the way it is.
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