Charles R. Stevens

They are a fair replacement for an apprentice striking top tools. Eats less any way. top tools are hard to wield with only two hands. For those who have 3 or mor not an issue.

And incompletely pyrolized charcoal. If you make your own softwoods and softer hardwoods contain less silica (ash) wile some woods are known to snap and pop

Treadle hammers can be as simple or as complicated as you wish. In line hammers are a thing to behold hut if you look at the Blacksmith designs from a hundred years back you will find some are simply a sledge hammer hinged to a post and suspended buy some kind of spring (A wooden stave works) or a heavy tamping bar with a pair of swing arms not unlike a cars suspension. All sharing a chain or other linkage to a foot pad to provide the wamp. mine is of the 14# sledge hinged to a post brand. . if your looking at YouTube I would look at this for simple. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmru3hXj47U

Not that Steve and I haven’t screwed up, lol. I used to keep a quench bucket at the front of the anvil.... dropped an H13 bob punch in it when it slipped from the tongs. It now has a lid

learning curve

I would be hesitant as to doing so for a tool. Likely to have micro fractures threw the area.

You can download an app for your phone that uses your camera to judge temp buy light imitions

H13 has a very narrow working rang of yellow and orange heats. Do not work it red, as buy then it’s already getting hard.

Oh, and make sure it’s fully hot. Think foster marshmallow. Tan in the outside and gooey on the inside

The “snow load” car ports have 2x2 uprights on 4’ centers. The same size as 100’ roles of R13 metal building insulation. The other ones are on 5’ or 5’6” centers. Their is an insurance office here me build out of one with bricked in ends. law to pallets. Get matching ones, cut some in half (across the 2x4) so you lay them down two whole ones and one 1/2 2x4’s end to end. The next row gets layed out so the 1/2 is on the other end. Now nail, screw or glue the 2x4”s together. Keep going until the wall is as long as you want and set up your wall and repeat for the other 3. The roof can be done the same way except only work two rows at a time. A stringer to prevent roof pitch from flattening and the walls pushing out is needed every section is needed. if you go with a 12x12 pitch you can go with shorter walls

I am full of useless knowledge, Jerry.

Sometimes the reality with age is if we can knock cancer back on it’s heels something else will have a chance to kill you first. I lift my cup in that ardent hope.

Are you talking about the sucker rod knuckles? That it pretty close to 6040. I a halt forge them the other way. I set down the roundish side of the square shank to fit the hardy hole. For a hot cut forging down the threads won’t cause any issues. If you watch Jenn draw about tapers she moves back from the edge and fullers down forcing the center to bulge at the end. I would call that advanced, lol.

Bees practice active ventilation Jerry. Most hives have a top board with a vent and a weather cover over it. If it is two drafty they will plug the holes and if it’s not they assign members to fan the hive.

Think cabinet scraper, 90 degree spine rolled over with a hard knife steel (a broken 1/2” drill inverted in file handle works well) In practice a pressure washer works very well

I use aluminum grounding wire salvaged from the power company to start the little kids, it moves like hot steel.

Perhaps our jurists in residence should call the hospital administration for an update on mater Thomas’s condition. As medical error is the leading cause of death a gentle reminder than a very pair of very large hammers are ready to step up if the veterinarian and the Mistress are ignored. “We are understaffed is not a viable excuse, hire more aids, and install in-house training programs to advance their training as they used to do. I love and respect my RN friends but I will never look down on an LPN who came up the hard way after working as an NA. TP, your sorry butt can’t pass until you sign my curmudgeon journeyman’s papers! At three Masters left standing we just barely have enough to form a quorum! So you have to hang around to nominate your replacement and see him/her installed! (Might I suggest Jenifer?! Give he a year after she opens her school to have the right additive!)

Keeping your charcoal forge small and side blast also help. One might consider switching to corn.

Knee bent, anvil rung

That is one way to discourage hecklers…

Ah come on! Nothing like having the hammer fly across the shop!

Dad watches forged in fire reruns, the episode withe a farrier squared off with other metal workers shows just how much steel you can move with a 2# hammer and proper technique.

I am a farrier, so not everyone will agree with me, but… If you cradle the hammer head in your hand, fingers bent square to your palm, the handle should reach the inside of your elbow. You can always chock up on a long handle. Second, the handle should not be to fat. Your fingers should almost touch griping the handle. In my case mine are shaved to about an inch buy inch and quarter rounded of rectangles. Similar to the handles frosty makes from five quarter hickory. to fat of a handle requires a death grip. I use what has Jenn called a sword grip, as most of the grip in your hand is from your pinky, I grip progressively less as each finger up to the thumb and index. I also lay the handle from the palm (where the lines meet at the wrist.) to the where I pinch it between my bent index finger and thumb. Now for heavy blows stand up bent over just enough to place your eyes over the stock. Bend your knees if the anvil is low, cock your wrist to bring the handle vertical and the head horizontal. Now lift the hammer over your head (arm pointing strait up like Thor) now pick a target on the anvil and move the steel under the hammer. When you swing you will straitened your wrist and pull your elbow back as you do. This gives you the maximum power and control. Use the whole handle. Lifting the head up reduces the leverage of the hammer.

Thom, I am glad you have the privilege to pay some back to the Powers. When he comes this way load up a hunk of that soap stone counter for me (I just need a bellows stone sized chunk, say a foot square ;-) pass on a hug from us, two for the vet/daughter. Iam still catching my breath!.

And look up your local artistic blacksmiths association. They are usually welcoming and will provide more help than you can imagine.