trying-it

Number 1, where are you located?

Number 2, even in the best of circumstances Mother Nature has a way of playing tricks with draft/chimney draw. There are smoke and CO2 detectors available. A just-in-case exhaust fan system might come in handy occasionally. Exhaust fans also come in handy if you decide to do some type of welding inside too.

Just my $0.02 worth.

BE safe and have fun.

Rich sounds like something that might even make great subject matter for a BP.

I am no bladesmith, but love making and using pattern welded stock. Sure blades need high quality start materials used in the billet making process, but as stated my final uses are generally not blade related. I save band saw drops, lathe/mill/drill chips, bandsaw dust (dry cut), etc. and keep each material seperate for later use. These can be mixed with other materials and forge welded together using the "canned" Damascus process. Final products such as jewelry, lathe turned objects, split crosses, etc. merely scratch the surface of currently hidden and/or overlooked niches and markets.

A Henrob needs to be attached in place of a standard A/O torch and uses the A/O rig's gauges, regulators, hoses, and tanks. Only changes to be made are the pressure settings on the regulators as a Henrob torch operates best at the recommended manufacturer's 4# setting on both tanks, thus the economical gas consumption. It works great for welding, small isolated, drawing temper colors, cutting, piercing, etc. For general shop use buy the complete A/O rig and torches. Later add a Henrob to your equipment; you will be glad you did!

Andrei, Cutting 6" plate or thicker LOL.

After buying and using my Henrob, I can now kick myself for ever buying my 50 amp plasma cutter that requires a steady supply of Dry air. DRY air in Mudville, USA? That would be like a having an actual snowball fight in Arizona someday!

Many states are praying for rain while other states are praying for it to stop for a while! As with many other things in life it is feast or famine. Mother Nature sure is not happy this year in America's Heartland and she is definitely letting it be known. Future food prices, among other things, will soon reflect the hardships endured this year in Mid-America.

"Levee breaks, threatening eastern Mo. homes"

Levee breaks, threatening eastern Mo. homes - Midwest flooding - MSNBC.com

Punch presses are mostly designed for sheet metal or thin plate fabrication. I ran many a punch press in my lifetime and consider myself lucky that I still have all 8 fingers and both thumbs complete. I'm real lucky as I had one particular beast triple punch during one cycle instead of a single punch; apparently a dog had a little too much wear on it. Many I have worked with were not so lucky as they do have fingers missing. Or in the case of one dear friend, both hands are missing to the wrists as a result of just setting a press up with dies and the machine cycled at the wrong time.

Just a heads up warning from an old concerned IFI member. BE safe - Stan

Flood updates

Iowa river has swamped 400 city blocks - Weather - MSNBC.com

Steve (Ten Hammers) is so right about a Henrob torch; I have to thank Garey Ford for introducing me to it. All the other A/O torches are great and I still occasionally use mine, but once I added a Henrob rig to my shop I noticed a massive reduction in tank refills. Just another handy tool with its own niche area. For those not familiar with a Henrob, consider checking this link:

Henrob 2000

Ed,
Mapquest shows you are about 150 miles north of me; I'm north of Pinckneyville, IL. on State Rt 127. Be glad to give you a few hands-on lessons if you ever want to make the trip.

The tool steel bits can be welded on (I have many times here), but there is a good chance the tool steel will shear under heavy cuts. 2 better options are:

#1 braze the bits on

#2 make tool holders for the bits

As I said I will be happy to help you any way I can and I am not afraid to share a few shop tips & tricks used here.

Pocket knife, short piece of round soapstone, short piece of flat soapstone, short piece of chalk, Sharpie black marker, stubby pencil.... and last but not least..... a length of the infamous baling twine.

Back pocket has a couple of paper shop towels at the ready.

Attaching copper to glass - You may want to research a little on "Stained Glass/copper foil method". Copper foil is sticky on one side; you just peel off a paper backing, fold around glass edges and a little of both sides, burnish smooth with a wooden stick. All pieces with copper foiled edges are then lead soldered together (just like a Tiffany lamp shade).

For the curious, yes I dabble in stained glass too. LOL

Andrei that's a real nice lamp and artsy too.

As I was told in SIUC artist blacksmithing classes, modern methods (like A/O, mig, tig, and arc welding) may be utilized, but should never be seen in the finished item. At SIUC, if any modern methods were visible it cost the maker a full letter grade being subtracted from final project grade. Another SIUC tip was to make something that leaves the viewer pondering as to just exactly how the piece was made.

I think you succeeded quite well. A+

They say a picture is word a thousand words; yours is a keeper for sure.

Let's all be thankful there is but one Monday per week.

If you properly prepared the billet materials before welding was attempted, then the fault has to be somewhere within the welding process itself.

"Now what to do with the remnants?? :-)" Flat rate box? Mailing zipcode 62274

I once wrote a paper entitled "Experience is the Best Teacher" and presented it at a professional conference. The title fits in so well regardless of the individual paths taken during each of our own lifetime's.

Too many undisclosed variables in your first post. Some billets may be repaired with proper procedures and some luck. Some portion of a billet can be salvaged by cutting out the bad spots, re-stacking remaining pieces, and weld again. Others could have all bad parts removed and remaining pieces used in a "canned" billet.

"Make other stuff" as you suggested; --- I once showed Jens (at his 2007 hammerin) how to use some out of the ordinary materials in a canned billet. After welding, a short section of the can was found flawed, thus cut-off. Consider little items like this necklace Jens made from that small cut-off section:

Pattern_welded_Pendant - Blacksmith Photo Gallery


I do not know if your posted question is reality or hypothetical. If reality, some stage(s) of the billet making process went wrong. Trick is to determine the hows and whys.

Hope I helped to shed a little light!

Another blacksmithing gal, but this one I know:

[ABANA] Holly Fisher - Dec 2007

Real nice work Jose. It does seem to make an individual feel real good inside after doing one of those "special projects". I was always taught that entrance to Heaven cannot be purchased; but I do think brownie points are still considered.

A link to a "special project" I once was a major player in:

http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/santa-blacksmith-2193/

Superior - Anti-Borax #2 also has Boric Acid as active ingredient. The MSDS for this product

Boric Acid is an active ingredient in Forney brand brazing flux and labeled as such with its own dedicated warning area of the can.

Regional news talked about some animals doing strange things just prior to main event. My horses have been all wound up lately, but I blamed it more on flirting mares and isolated studs.

On a follow up note, there were 22 aftershocks through early Monday morning. They predict these aftershocks could continue for yet another 30 days. Last time this particular fault line showed any major activity was in 1968.

Many famous names and places can be credited for the resurgence of pattern welding of ferrous and/or nonferrous materials. Just thought I would share this link with everyone. I find it especially interesting since I too am a SIUC graduate, with multiple degrees. See how many names you recognize within the confines of this text.


L. Brent Kington Oral History Interview Conducted by Mary Douglas for the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2001

Ron, a mapquest search shows that the distance between us is:
Total Estimated Time: 2.0 hours 40 minutes
Total Estimated Distance: 154.89 miles

You are more than welcome to visit anytime! I am NO expert bladesmith, but I think I can get you started in some of the right directions.

Stan

Thanks Chris, yes that is one of the possible sites. One has to keep in mind that a hotlink today may be dead cold tomorrow. Good Lord willing IFI will live forever. I was trying to post a road map that would allow other futuristic searchers to follow the trail and find a copy too. Other sources, cheaper prices,etc...... but same highly instructional package.

Glenn when BigFoot stomps who knows what the indirect impact might be?

Dang I just designed and built for direct impact variables.