Jeff Mack

I've dished some much smaller copper bowl shapes, and I did need to anneal. Copper work hardens slower than some other metals, but it still needs to be anealed if you are going to bend it very far. My project fit into my enameling kiln, so I used it to heat the piece, and quenched in water, then used warm jewelers pickle to clean off the scale. I'm not sure I'd have a good plan for an object the size you are working. Maybe a big kiln, or bonfire?

Woodtick, what holds the back of the top die in place? And, thanks for posting pics. A guillotine tool is on my project list. Jeff

Awesome! Thanks!

Thanks irnsrgn. That looks great. Need to find someone to mill groves for me.

Irnsrgn, could you post pics of yours?

I've seen the plans on the ABANA site, but they aren't very clear to me (what holds the back of the dies?), and the early write up in Anvil mag on the smithing magician, but they appear to show 2 differend styles on the top of the page, and give a little more detail about only one of them below. Anyone know of plans that are more clear, or more step by step? I put the links to the plans I mentioned below. ABANA Plans: http://www.abana.org/downloads/education/guillotine.pdf The Smithin Magician plans: Metalsmith V16.4 The Smithin' Magician by Jerry Hoffmann Thanks! Jeff

I second that. It was great to meet everyone. I'll try to start making it to meetings. Jeff

Thanks Irnsrgn. I caught the where, was just wanting to confirm the when.

Is there a meeting this Fri? I've been a member for 2/3 of a year, and keep forgetting obout the meetings. Jeff

I've allways worked it cold, with frequest anealing. Doesn't seem to flare until it gets to melting temp in my experience. While technically brass is a copper + zinc alloy, and bronze is copper + tin, there are a lot of commercail bronzes that really either brass, or have other alloy elements. Some forge great, some don't. The copper/tin stuff and copper with just a little zinc seem to forge ok. I've been told that some copper alloys (brass, bronze, gunmetal, etc...) have been alloyed with some nasty stuff health wise, even worse than zinc. You might want to confirm the alloy before you heat it. J

I've fold forged some thinner bronze. One note, most "commercial bronze" is really brass with a lower amount of zinc. It doesn't work harden quite as fast as yellow brass, but it still work hardens pretty quick.

Here in Omaha, a stones throw from the interstate, a mountain lion attacked it's reflection in a window on the first floor of my office building. And, the edge of the city is miles from here. He made it pretty far in town following a creek.

Yep. Great book. The sales geek in me (day job) saw that there was a standard for the shape, and just wanted to be able to say, :this is a 15mm #5 sweep gouge, or something like that, with some certanty I was correct. And, just darn curious how they determine that kind of thing, Jeff

Thanks Ron. Here is a link that says a little about the Schefield list: The Sheffield List - Articles at Woodcraft Thanks, Jeff

Thanks all! I also found a reference to a "Shefield List" standard. Not sure how it works, but it appears to be how a lot of makers mark wheir tools. Hoping to find an actual rule in a reference somewhere, so if someone asks for something specific, what I make is what they wanted. Jeff

I wanted to start forging some wood carving gouges. Looking at commercially made ones, there is a measurement called sweep that has somwthing to do with the depth of the curve on their edge. Anyone know how to measure these? What makes a number 3 gouge a number 3? Thanks! Jeff

My laywer and accountant. :)

The silver would make a mess of the aluminum. I know nothing about casting ammo, so take this all with that in mind. I have no idea if this will create safe ammo. There are several places that sell sand casting kits. They include a casting flask (holds the sand), casting sand (has a binder to help it hold forms), a crucible and tongs (I replaced mine quickly, as the one in the kit is junk) and instructions. With a good casting reference, and a model (a cast round in the same caliber maybe?) I'd think you could cast duplicates. Not positive though, as all metal shrinks a little when it solidifies. I've cast bronze with a higher melt temp than silver that way. Other than that, lost wax casting is used for casting silver, but you need a bunch of gear, and the mold is destroyed every cast. Jeff

Very nice. Did I see you on the Vikings NA forum? Bet they would like that piece over there as well. Jeff

I wonder why they make their broad axe with a double bevel. Arn't they usually a single bevel?

Dang! Makes me hurt just watching that.

That is cool! Jeff

Got my first full size gas forge up and running over the weekend. I followed the design on Larry Zoeller's page pretty close. Next is a welding forge. Based on color temp, I think this one could do it, but I've seen some that added a layer of castable refractory over the kaowool to take the increase in heat, and reduce the volume inside to make a single burner not have to work so hard. I think I'm going to try to find some metal pipe the same size, and weld on the burner holder. Never done building toys. Jeff

there is a ton of info, including a forum and plans, at: The Armour Archive