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I Forge Iron

Charles R. Stevens

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Everything posted by Charles R. Stevens

  1. I find Chanel locks work better than vise grips. So a large lump of steel. A 8-20# sledge hammer works well and are generally easy to find. But a 2” or larger drop of steel works. Do not buy a cheap cast iron “anvil” such as sold buy HB, NT or the like. I beam drops don’t work well either (unless they are an inch and a half thick). 24- 32 oz. Ball pein hammers either yard sale, 2# cross pein or single jack hammers (not the shore handled lump hammers, they are soft for driving stone carving tools) for $50 you can get a mustad rounding hammer from tractor supply or the like are a good choice for the money. as suggested The JABOD (just a box of dirt) threads are a good start for a forge. As John found the fraze and I started the original thread I would suggest not giving much credit to YouTube or other sites. Our understanding of simple side blast charcoal forges has grown so check with us to see if your reading is on the current best practice. A chisel, a punch a file and a hacksaw are good to add. A vise is nice but not strictly nessisary. now strictly speaking I can forge most of those tools but it’s hard to do with out having them.
  2. You need something to heat, something to heat it with, something to hit it on and something to hit it with. Where do you live, what is your budget, and how good are you at scrounging?
  3. I use surgical drapes as shop and kitchen towels. They are cheep, low lint and large. I drape one over the back of my helmet
  4. Dad served on the Constellation back when she still flew F4’s and A7’s. As he tells it he begged the brass not to make him a “tweet”
  5. That it is, lol even cast iron fire pots are consumables. I used the JABOD forges as a test bed to design a steel fire pot.
  6. Always defer to Steve, the union master electrician. That said breakers do get week, especially if they trip often for cause.
  7. I would have advised you to run, but your already our kind of crazy!
  8. An auto hood from HB improved the ability of my old eyes to see the puddle. Another improvement was a bit to my optometrist. Either that or cheaters. My bifocals were to low for welding, now I can dang well read with out them.
  9. As an only child I live buy that, George. At the risk of getting a nasty gram for Glenn and co. The news media, politicians and preachers are in the business of selling fear and hate. Jerry, welcome to the fruit and nut stand… Nick, I am particular about my friends, some of the best post here. Even if I never get the honor to break bread with them. I figure the world would be better if we turned of the news and actually met our neighbors. They are generally dang good people.
  10. Anvil rung, knee bent. If I was a state closer I would do it in a second.
  11. I would suggest pulling it apart. As the case bolts on from the outside (forge blowers you have to pull the fan to get into the gear case) unbolting and pulling the handle and unbolting the side plate would allow you to clean out any shavings and gunk. Take pictures so if any thing comes apart you can put it back together.
  12. Pretty dang close. It had a broken off and smashed oiler I pulled with an extractor.
  13. I taped mine for 1/8” pipe and installed a radiator/air tank drain. It has a nice sized cup I fill with bar oil then open it wile I spin the crank. Generally do so once a forging session.
  14. Now that is interesting. Mind if I forward this discussion to a Geology PHD I know? He has worked on some Mediterranean digs dating volcanic deposits in absence of dateable organic material. As to the barrel bands, I have seen then broken down to make furniture hinges and other hard wear. The consistent size of the pieces make me think that is a possibility. Might whant to check the existing house for site built hardware materials
  15. What alloy is also helpful. Is it wrought iron, woots steel, etc. may first blush it appears to be sand imbedded in rust, but Jerry’s questions and suggestions will give us all a clearer idea.
  16. That often takes longer to heal than a broken bone. I did basic in my right wrist in a splint as I had broken a carpel. I also trimmed horses for two months in a cast after breaking my right thumb. I tried shoeing but driving nailed and shaping shoes hurt to dang much. I found that I could do about anything in the brace.
  17. I was raised buy one of those, it still bites me in the butt some times. The original forge I posted here was the second addition, I started with an 11 inch deep box with the tuyere about 4” off the bottom. I had to cut down the sides to get down to the hot spot. This one was based on those experiments. I have progressed beyond this one as well. I am up to the mark IV. I have built a side blast steel fir-pot based on what the have learned as well. I recommend if you are planning in building your own steel fire pot or side blast masonry forge you mock it up with a pile of dirt and experiment with the design first.
  18. Charcoal has a sweet spot, lol. The historic record seams to indicate tuyere of 3/4-1” ID. As 3/4 schedule 40 pipe comes in close to 7/8” (schedule 80 is almost spot on 3/4”) from there we experiment with what it takes heat 6” of 1” stock to welding heat. For me that’s about 5-1/2” know as a demo forge I use a double action manual bed pump with a 1/2” schedule 40 tuyere. 2” is the sweet spot for welding heat on 1/2” if you make a template that is 6x6” square and then cut on the diagonal you have a good shape. If you then measure up an inch and a half from the 90 degree corner and drill a 1” hole (he 1-1/2” mark being the center) for the tuyere. If you cut the template from 1/4” or thicker steel you can weld 4x6” plates on the six inch sides and have a fire pot. I have done this, adding a 1” rim and welding the tuyere in at a 5 degree down slope. I have found this shape and size to be efficient. A 4” high wall 8”down each long side helps contain the additional fuel to be placed over the stock. with this set up an electric bed Inflater bypassing about 1/2 the air forges up to 1” (I have pushed it to 1-1/2”)
  19. Knee bent and anvil rung. Their tour ended and they got to go home. I am glad to know you carry their memories forward.
  20. Forge design and fuel management are related but different issues. I find a trench 4” wide, 6” to the bottom of the tuyere and about 8-12” long. I slope the ends to the bottom. As to fire management, I start the fire with wood kinling and paper, then add charcoal and air.
  21. Well as I heard it, there are two kinds of helicopters… “the ones that have crashed and the ones that will.” might rib you a little, but huge respect for all the fingers (and joints) that made up the fist.
  22. Yep, uppity pilots, lol. when you were a ground pounder, helicopters all look the same
  23. Dad was a machinists mate in the navy, he tells a story about an uppity pilot and the crew chief who left an extra set of HUD retaining pins in his seat as a warning as to what side of his toast the jelly was on… as for myself, I was a 11HE9, lol. We just hitched a ride with you folks once in a wile.
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