notownkid

11 hours ago, arkie said:

I think Steve Sells and Glenn really summed things up pretty well for you

They do  a heck of a job offering for FREE this site and for Nothing as do a number of other administrators around the world.

this is the only site I look at any  longer, can't stand FB and it's allowed language or stupidity.  Youtube gives as much bad info as good and no one to point out the difference.

I have had no trouble learning to get around this site.  I X it a number of times a day because of the world wide members in different time zones  and have for 3 1/2 yrs.  I'm not a Techy but have been dealing with computers since college in 1964. 

Not a site for instant gratification as it might take a while to find what you want to see, but you just might learn something else along the way.  As said 100s of times here looking for something or new to  the site get a comfy chair, pack a lunch and a drink and settle down for  some good reading. 

My personation of my tools comes by blood getting on them eventually.  I had a mechanic work for me once that when someone asked to borrow a tool he would pass them a rag and say be sure to wipe it off good as I got blood on it today.  They got over wanting it right then. He would smile at me and say "works better than saying no.  they don't ask a second time."

I'm proud of my tools but they will not win a contest in looks. If I made them too good looking someone would want to steal them. 

2 hours ago, SmoothBore said:

is if you force feed a lab rat a million times the normal "dose" of Sassafras bark, the rat will get cancer.

Poor Rat!    Isn't that cruelty to an animal?    If you fed something  a million P & Js long enough it would get something besides a stomach ache.  One of the biggest mistruths in the world, "we are from the federal government and we here to help."  Lord Help Us. 

Be careful using family names, as said above you  just might get successful and want to sell.  Your entire family will have their name hung on a business that may upon sale become a disaster.  Happened in my home town a few yrs. ago the sons are still suffering under it through no fault of theirs or their dad who had sold out.  The new owner finally changed the name after the agreed 5 yrs but damage done. 

Also as said let your idea simmer, know you need something now but haste makes waste.  Have to have something today stick your initials on it.  I used E5 on some items many yrs. ago and if a veteran you'll know what it means. 

Good luck on the name and the shop.

On ‎1‎/‎31‎/‎2017 at 3:28 PM, JHCC said:

Well, they're designed to support ~200 lbs.

Well Now I know why I can't play the Piano weigh more than 200 lbs.  That is a load off my mind or butt. 

As far as finding a decent post vise keep Thomas's strategy in mind, ask everyone, look everywhere leave no leaf unturned.  I have 4 now and 2 came from old Wood Workers shops closing down because of age, retirement or death.  Didn't pay much as most of the other people looking (mostly young woodworkers) had no idea what it was,  I certainly didn't tell, till after I bought.   

"Dixie Gun Works" is a super source for muzzle loader parts pieces and ideas, should be available on line.  Even if you just look.  Used it a lot in the past.

18 hours ago, JHCC said:

I have it on reliable authority that it's what happens while you're busy making other plans

as we all know Plans are cheap and are easy to make, now follow through can be a lot more difficult and costly to accomplish.  Reality is another entirely different ballgame, 

a lot of us have experienced the start stop start again thing, Life has a terrible way of getting the way of our desires, dreams etc.

25 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

"Don't touch that it's expensive

My Dad always told us "Look with your eyes not your hands"

Best advise you  will get you just did from Glenn and Frosty, esp adding your location and reading what is here amazing amount of shared info.  Enjoy the site and Blacksmithing in general. 

On ‎1‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 10:14 AM, Andrew Martin said:

According to the Oxford American Desk Dictionary

I'll bet the Oxford bunch never have used nor owned an anvil that would be "Vil"  My anvil is "Tinker" no not Bell, Named for the guy who owned it before I got it in an auction, his father had bought it new in about 1890 something it is still in the same town as then.

I learned swage as rage as well,  Really doesn't make a lot of difference in the end. 

This what I like about IFI all the input from far and wide Thanks folks!

We have been having a warmer winter than usual in Vermont so far, have had -15f a couple times and 12 days not above freezing but my  shop is closed for the winter anyways. Busy building a shop in the basement for this time of yr.  It was +30f this morning a heat wave!  We always pay in the end for good weather as much rain as snow this yr. so everywhere you  try to walk is ice.   

I was snowmobiling in Yellowstone in '93 and one morning it was "cold" the thermometer had NO Red showing out of the bulb at the bottom at all.  We were told it was -92F wind chill at the south gate (we were at the north gate) we decided to ride anyways and did 157 miles.  Nice day not a lot of traffic.   

Ask not what the value is to us but what the value is to you!  If you are looking to  sell then the buyer will decide regardless what you ask for it, if it is for you, what does your wife say it is worth?  I've never seen a Used Anvil Value Blue Book like a vehicle.  Where oh Where are you in the world today? that effects value as stated above. 

Sometimes you are just better off without a client.  I found over the years the more demands a client has, the more extra work they want from you, the more changes they want the less likely they will buy from you.  It is apparent the "client" has decided you are not being "fair" to him he has lost sight of reality in the job, wish him well with another contractor and let them loose their shirts. 

Better to lose a "client" than your shirt.

where did you start your Math education?  Same thing with your Blacksmithing education have to take classes.  Learn a lot right here but takes time to look.   

I have some really nice up close pic's of the shop I took 3 yrs ago.  I had to cut short my visit as there was a hurricane headed our way and I had to get back south to our CT farm for the storm.  It ended up destroying a great deal of Vermont but not the museum area. 

Seems to be a problem getting the "attach files section here" to talk with my entire collection of pictures.  I'm sure it's my malfunction and my set up here.  Always wanted to put out a book on old shops but getting more unlikely every day with the cost of publishing vs chances of selling enough to repay the expense.  Maybe I'll do one in draft to leave for the next generation to do deal with.  I have noted that a lot of the new generation have little to no interest in history.  They don't know what they are missing.  I'll keep looking. 

Great Story.  Any chance of Pictures of the shop, love pic's of old farm shops and how they were set up.  Good Hunting, don't upset her with $ offers most likely it is worth more to her to  have it stay in the family would be to  me.

I feel the same way when I see Pictures from your side of the pond.  I'm trying to scrounge pictures from Historical societies,  museums where ever I can.  If I can find them I have some from Shelburne Mus. in Vermont of an original shop moved to the Museum's grounds yrs. ago in working condition.  Can't find them today but look up Shelburne Mus. Vermont USA should pop up. 

Good luck with restoration wish I was closer. 

picture #1 is from the restoration of Sanborn Mill farm in New Hampshire,  Chimney replaced during restoration for safety and or insurance as it is open to the public at times.  there is a new blacksmith training shop on the property as well 5 forges if I remember right.

pictures #2-4 are from Brown's Forge in Connecticut ( also open to the public Sundays in Aug.)which was from about 1880?(operated into the 1950s)  or so built for 2 brothers and these forges are back to back but one chimney has been taken down for safety reasons.  Every blacksmith had their own ideas about chimney/forge designs I'm sure and it reflects in what we see in the old shops.  I like these as they are all native materials , field stone and brinks made locally. 

Have wanted to do a stone forge but  it takes more stone laying experience than I have, all I can do barely is make a pile of stone in  no useful design. 

3 hours ago, the iron dwarf said:

Vice is the English spelling

we have an American word spelt like that but nothing to do with clamping anything.  Vice Squad!

don't let your wife see that you'll soon have a ring in your nose.  Worked good on teenagers till they got their rights. 

I spent the better part of 40 yrs moving steel   As a New Car Dealer and later in the Auto Parts business. Moved a lot of metal down the road.   Along the way did a hitch in Army as a Heavy Equip mechanic, grew up in a livery stable where at 10 started assisting an old guy in the outdoor forge making carriage parts then went to the family dairy farm.(Army put an end to that gramp sold the farm while all us younger guys were in the Service)   Did 30 yr as a Vol. Firefighter including 8 as a chief, drove oil truck and TT unit hauling #2 fuel and Gas from Boston into VT.  Had my own small horse farm for 30 yrs.   25 yrs. Competitive shooter locally, regionally  and nationally smallbore and highpower ranging from matches at 50' to 1,000 yrds. After shoulder operations  just shoot Trap for pleasure. 

Now retired moved back to my hometown onto a small farm that we bought 25 yrs ago. (the only thing growing is Me growing Older)  Have new retirement blacksmith shop I plan on finishing up in the spring.  I do Historic research on Barns, Farming, Blacksmith shops, Stables, Logging & Railroads.  Also Hunt and Fish and swear at the winter weather (that keeps me busy 3 months a yr anyways)  I try to accomplish something  everyday even if it just getting out of bed! 

Be in charge of your life while you can.  There are all sorts of family members just waiting to tell you what to do or what they are going to do to you.  Enjoy what time you have left 1 yr, or 50 yrs it all passes tooooooo Fasttttttt. 

Charles I figured I'm doing good if I can get the 2 ends within  sight of each other. 

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 9:08 AM, RobertThoreson said:

So I moved a year ago from our family farm to the city.

mistake #1 moved to city  #2 shared backyard.  good luck pacifying the downstairs people to say nothing of neighbors with a smoking, noisy Tepee.  They want to have friends over for a BBQ in the yard and there is a Tepee out there!

What if the shoe was on the other foot and someone wanted to move it  into  your share backyard and you had 0 interest or understanding of Blacksmithing?

Best of Luck.   

My favorite place, great location to bring the wife as All The north Conway NH shopping, malls , outlets are just a few miles away. 

Tons of room.  Should be super.  Looking forward to it. 

very  nice