Mike Romo

Hey guys and gals. Looks like our craft has been profiled on one of the most popular photo blogs on the Internet. There’s no messing around when it comes to metal working (35 Photos) http://thechive.com/2015/05/01/metal-working-blacksmith/

I'd love to see the chair also. My dad was a barber for near 50 years. I have his two old chairs, one is a Koken the other make escapes me. I plan to move them into my living room soon. Heavy suckers!! Nothing like real craftsmanship and art for function in old barber chairs.

I received my copy a few days ago and have already read it once. If I had it to do over again--be a total newbie--this is the text I would recommend. I am now on my second reading with much more diligence and skipping back and forth to cover questions and find answers. Well done Steve and thanks again. I expect my copy to have many dog eared pages, sidebar notes, and highlighting as well as scrap paper inserts.

Thanks guys. Now to go back the line them up with the text from the thread.

Is there any news on the lost photos? Could or would someone who saved them please make a post with them? Thanks.

glad this thread got more input. Stormcrow, I'll watch the vid at home this weekend. Excited to see what others have done. Geoff, I think I am going to go with the commercial spring idea--I don't know enough about fabricating/substituting for the spring. Your anvil advice is spot on, and I have a couple of local scrapyards looking out for large diameter round or square stock for my anvil. arftist, would you mind posting the dimensions of your spring on your 75# hammer? Mine will be less than half that size and certainly no larger. I'd just like an idea of what I should start the conversation with at my local suspension shop. This project has me very excited, but as always, better to know more and do it right the first time than re-engineer because I got in a hurry. Thanks again friends. Mike

Thanks Geoff. Something to ponder for sure. Swede, I figured it was straightforward. Any idea how much spring my concept would need? Just a ballpark. Tup at 25-30 pounds max. Thanks

Geoff, the idea of a spring from mild steel is intriguing. Are you basically saying I should find some flat bar and build a leaf spring with perhaps a couple of extra leaves and use that? Maybe some 1/4" x 2" by 5 feet long or so? Tup weight close to 25-30 lbs and no more. I'd love to see a pic and some specs on this.

Thank you. That clears up a bunch. Any idea how to ask for the proper size of spring? Terminology or by weight?

I've decided I want to build my own power hammer. I have settled on the design very much like Stormcrow's Gunnhilda--really nice hammer. Mine will be much smaller, closer to 25#. My first real question is about the leaf springs. I see many build referencing "straightening the springs" or "straightening the spring package". What does this mean? How is it done? Sounds like a job for a suspension shop? What is the difference between straightened springs and curved springs? Thanks much folks.

Nice build. Tagging to follow.

This is a great thread. Build pics are fantastic. Please keep posting the intricate stuff like the trenches in the roller bearings. Nice truck, too. I learned to drive a standard on my dad's old '68 Chevy stepside, four speed with granny gear and a 305. Miss that truck.

More following and lurking.

Just following this thread.

Following this thread for more information and ideas....

Thanks everyone. In a nutshell, it is a bit better than mild steel for making drifts and such--more for practicing the skill of tool making and get some use out of them before they are distorted by hot steel. Tong material sounds like a bargain. Anyone know any place near Albuquerque to find sucker rod?

Micarta was made from old 5.11 tactical pants, cotton versions that I had worn out. I got the shredded idea from watching Walter Sorrells on YouTube.

Is it like 4140? What about the different grades of rods? Do they matter? What about contamination and how to mitgate? Thanks all

Bubble wrap and a gift bag. Cheap, fast, and resuable for the recipient. Plus the bubbles are fun to pop.

I learned this trick from my dad about 35 years or so ago. Used it many times. The uses of a Hi-Lift or Handyman jack are nearly endless. The most specific and yet brilliant use was a trick taught to me in fire department extrication class nearly 20 years ago. We used it to pop the door open on a wrecked car--base of jack against the window sill, lifting point against the roofline/top of window--jack and jack and jack and the door gets pushed down and out and will eventually roll off the Nader pin and pop open. Not bad to see a fifty dollar tool do what a $10,000 set of jaws of life can do. Ingenuity at its best. I miss my dad.

Thanks Tim and thingmaker. Definitely ideas to consider. My big problem, Tim, is that I can't seem to find a good and clear wiring diagram for a US 220V system. I have seen several, but the minute details seem to be absent and I don't want to take a chance on something bad happening. If anyone on here can provide a good source for a 220V oven I would be indebted. Thanks all.

Thank you gentlemen. Steve, you were right, I didn't understand the concepts very well thank you for the explanation. Tim, glad you chimed in. I see your name everywhere in heat treating oven talk. My next question is about plans for an oven wired for American electricity. I will have 110v at 20A dedicated and 220v at 50A as well in my garage. I would love to hear opinions on both and plans.

Alright!! That sounds good and explains much. I suspect I may build the oven with a standard controller and SSR pkg and work on my basic skills. If I decide to do stainless steel at some time, that may be the time to either build a new oven or upgrade the PID controller. I am not one to just leave a super hot oven running and not hang around. Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. Part 2 coming up soon.

Thank you Thomas. That makes some sense. Can you give examples of some common blade alloys that require soaking? Mostly so I will know what I may or may now want to deal with down the road. Not too sure what prima donna alloys might be. Moving this to Blade section since this seems to be more accutate for the question being asked

I have pored over home built heat treat oven plans from all over. 1st question: Can someone explain RAMP/SOAK and what might I need it for in the future. I ask because a PID controller with it runs about twice the price as one without it. Not sure I need it now, but may later on. Currently just starting to make file and rasp knives, leaf springs soon to come, then likely 1084. Down the road.....who knows... Thanks