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I Forge Iron

notownkid

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Posts posted by notownkid

  1. On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 11:02 PM, ThomasPowers said:

    in general used grinding wheels cannot be used for any powered systems due to the danger of undetected damage---people get killed by exploding wheels.  They can still be used for treadle systems but few people use those.

    50 yrs ago I used one of these most mornings during haying season to sharpen 3-4 cutter bars for our mowing machine. Treadle type with a seat that fit me much better then than it does now. Still in my shop guess I Will keep it for nostalgia but not much use these days will end up in our museum soon. Value not much.       

  2. I'm going to stop buying tickets on the castings, but would like to note that I'm very pleased the drill went to some one who really  wanted it and a young man with a lot of potential. I understand he was on the winning team in the forging contest.  I was interested to  see how many young folks that were there and getting involved, looking good for our interest for another generation  

    Thanking everyone at NEBs for a great event, very well done, Demonstrators were all great. 

  3. On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 11:25 PM, Lou L said:

     I seriously hope to make it for Saturday at least.  It would be nice to see Dale win one of the big prizes again.  It appears he has a knack for that!

    Lou

    Sorry you didn't make it. but I know how far it is, 4 hrs from my home in VT but you did miss me winning again.  I think I may be on the "don't sell to this guy list"  next time but  no matter I'll be in the West then anyways.  You may be happier with the fall location IF things work out right. 

    This was a great meet, about 115 people registered and in my estimation a great Demonstration team of 4 people all at once doing a couple things with great narration.  If no one else does I'll post a few pictures(if they come out) on the NEB sight when I get a chance. 

  4. It appears this conversation took a sharp  turn and ended up in a Frog Pond in Greece by the sounds here .  I've had driving experiences in the past similar to this just mine were closer to home.  Maybe it was the chorus of Turtles that leered me into the pond, seems like there was some mermaids or something that attracted Greek sailors onto rocks or island, been 50+ yrs since I read this stuff. 

    Maybe there will be some Frogs or Turtles at the Fryeburg meet, frog legs and turtle soup on the  Sat. Menu? See you all there next weekend.

     

  5. 10 hours ago, Hawgdirt said:

    after telling him I have 0 experience over the phone

    After telling him you had 0 experience and him meeting you and Chatting with him while watching him shoe he knew fast on you had 0 experience.

    Coming from  a family of former race horse owners I would not have been happy with a farrier that was teaching an 0 experienced person  farrier work on one of our horses.  We the  owners would know fast on as well of your experience.

    So the bottom line here is you need experience with horses so  go  get some, it should be easier to get a post working around horses than finding a farrier but plan on entering this at a less than desirable position usually cleaning stalls at the end of a shovel and handles of a wheelbarrow.  It truly is starting at the bottom and working up. 

    1 hour ago, jlpservicesinc said:

     But like anything.. If it isn't done on a regular consistent basis ones work can get pretty sloppy or take a really long time.. Both are bad habits to get into and the horses will let you know and get impatient.. 

    jlp is soooo right here, any farriers I've tried to use that were part time were hard to schedule, they only wanted to hear from you when they needed money not when the horse needed attention, they took forever and hardly ever had what they needed to  do the job, one even asked to "borrow" some nails half way through the shoeing as he had "run out", to me that is sloppy work.  In this case I loaded the horse half shod drove 125 miles to a former farrier who had moved away to get the job done and he  had to remove the two shoes the part timer had put on as the hoof wasn't level and not trimmed correct.  If your going to be a farrier be one and train to be the best.

  6. On ‎5‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 7:39 PM, George Geist said:

    Matter of fact does anybody under 40 even go horseback riding anymore?

    Oh yes there are. I live about 4 miles from a large horse Assoc. here in VT I read this week they hold 200 events on their grounds from mid April to late Oct and that doesn't include individuals using areas for training.  these will be 80%+ under 40 and big $$.  Some weekends with a 3 day event there will be 100 or more Truck and large AC trailers go by my place all well over $100,000 and they aren't carrying E-bay horses either.  But at the same time we were driving around the surrounding area yesterday and passed 3 large horse "Farms" with large beautiful horse barns, round pins and fully enclosed arenas nicely fenced pastures and turn outs, empty and for sale. These aren't but 5-6 yrs old either multi Million $ places huge houses.  Dreams of somebodies down the drain. 

    So there is a calling for Farriers and Vets but their degrees and certificates will be looked closely at before they pick up a hoof, right or wrong that is the way of the world.  Now keeping a backyard horse or two has  gotten prohibitive for the kids with costs of farriers, vets, Hay at $5 a sq. bale, grain to say nothing of tack.  I've heard of a couple horse 4 H clubs giving up because of so few kids with horses now that would  be in 4 H.  

    Now this is just my corner of the world which has a lot of corners. 

    As Thomas says there are Farriers of all ages who  have given up because of injuries short and long term not a matter of if just when. 

  7. I  would also love to have one in my shop, last one I  saw he "would take $2500 for it", he still has it.  I used one many times to caulk up shoes many moons ago.  We had moved ours from the lean-to blacksmith shop to the carriage restoration shop and it disappeared when everything was moved in 1962.  It was our go to vise in that shop.    

  8. 11 hours ago, John McPherson said:

    Oh, and FYI. By altering the ramp, you now assume all of the legal risk associated with any future failure.  The original manufacturer's liability ceases the instant anyone modifies it in any way.

    Amen to that.  If he wants longer ramps buy new longer

    21 hours ago, Dave51B said:

    Tell him to get off his wallet and buy a tilt top......lol                Dave

    This makes the most sense just looking for trouble adding onto ramps for HD equipment in my  opinion 

  9. 2 hours ago, Hawgdirt said:

    do most farriers forge their own horseshoes

    "Most" I don't think so certainly not in my area, I know one who does and uses it as a "Marketing Idea".  Time is money in any business, use premade or keg shoes and you can do 3? times more horses a day.  A lot cheaper for the horse owner this way and the cost of keeping horses is getting very high. 

     

    2 hours ago, Hawgdirt said:

    Gonna start Monday just picking up horses feet to make sure I'm not scared of horses.

    Keep us posted on this event, please. 

  10. take it easy and do the recovery right the first time.  Remember your body has had a major shock today so let it do it's thing in it's own time.

    Read Read and read some more. 

  11. I've been searching historic sights, History Centers. Library of Congress Photos, local History societies for yrs. looking for and getting some original photos of working Blacksmith shops both inside and out including my Great Grandfather's in about1900.  Quite interesting. Most of these would answer your questions.   

    Where are you  located that makes a difference on building materials.  in 1910 there were 1801 horses in my home town and 26 blacksmiths and at least 2 wheelwrights and 4 blacksmith shops and 1 wheelwright shop all within sight of each other.  All but one are still here today but none being a shop.  1 includes an active Ghost!  Seen by many in the last 75 yrs. 

    Want info like this you need to search under the surface in the dirt and dust of Old Archives.  Most of this has been  chucked into the dust pan  of time. 

    on a side note I've spent yrs. stopping  at old farms and shops when I see them while traveling and asked to see what was still inside to photo and/or ask about what anyone knew about  shops or Barns in general.  For yrs. people would welcome me or tolerated me  and usually let me do it, in the last 5 yrs. a lot of "No" or "go away before I call the police".  I usually say here is my card call the police ask them to do a search on me still  I get "go  away".  So a lot more info and history is being lost. Changing times.  A friend and class mate asked recently "Do you  live in the past" and I replied I live with the past as much as I can to preserve it for the future. Same thing he says, sorry it  isn't. 

  12. 8 hours ago, Lou L said:

     It would be nice to see Dale win one of the big prizes again.  It appears he has a knack for that!

    OH OH you let out my secret will be lucky if they sell me any tickets this year.  I've found a couple pictures of the drill press JLP, I was told it was operating when the guy I got it from cleaned out the owners cabinet shop after he had gone to a nursing home. 

    14 10 27_2323-1.JPG

    14 10 27_2322-1.JPG

  13. I wasn't going to get in on this conversation but had to add my  2 cents worth.  Race Tracks in the states RACE Counter Clock Wise, England and many of her early Colonies Clock Wise from what I've seen.  US Standard Bred Trotters & Pacers are "Warmed up" before racing a couple times and that is done Clock wise so when you swing the horse counter it knows its race time. 

    We were trained to  always approach a horse from it's left side "Near" always speak to  the horse before touching always harness, saddle, doctor it from that side.  Now when harnessing you are on both sides to get everything correct esp. when "Putting To" the vehicle. 

    With a team/pair we if they came to  us as a pair we kept them the way  they came as we had them to sell and fooling around with a good going pair wasn't a smart idea.  But if they weren't going well the first thing we did was swap sides worked sometimes and others not.  Often one horse just didn't get along with the other one esp. if it was lazy.  The old saying "two willing horses, one willing to pull the load and the other willing to let him." Matching up  another horse worked sometimes others it didn't.  Horses esp. ones with a little age are a accumulation of their past, how they have been used, (not all trainers can train) who trained them, their whole baggage.  Many horses ruined by humans passed through our sales barn.  We saved some, some we couldn't. 

    Are they right or left hoofed?  Never seen one throw a baseball or write a letter.  Some have trouble with one lead or the other some seem smoother going one way of a ring not noticed outside the ring.  Dressage Horses are certainly ambidextrous from training.  Putting a pair together using L & R hoofed horses never a consideration or concern we had trouble putting Mares & Gelding together for fancy driving but work  teams worked OK usually. 

    This is my experience from 55+ yrs and a few hundred horses, I asked my wife about the L & R as her family had many horses Hackneys to Quarter Horses over 3 generations and she laughed at the question! 

     

  14. I have a large number of bits many similar in design as this one and used some with the last of our horses.  Value? other than the new ones I bought for certain horses most came to me at $0 to $20.  Mexican?  In my area it wouldn't add anything to the value.   

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