Wroughton

heavier wall is friendlier when the goal is to forge a taper. Not so when collapsing the wall when twisting. I like me some tubing. You can also, of course, make square from pipe if you so desire.

I definitely wanted to mention Titanium but I was trying to keep it to a 4 lane hwy instead of a cloverleaf. I didn't forget CP 1 either. Mostly because I didn't know there was such an animal. Now, the friday research detour is underway. Hah, should have taken an open book test. It's commercially pure Ti.

It's complicated. But no. I don't think you need "spring steel" for tongs. And there are alloys that will not harden when they quench. However, you will probably feel woozy after looking at what prices you'll pay for such stock. Hadfield manganese is a work hardening alloy that would fit the bill. A little tough to forge but fairly forgiving. 304 stainless might be a better test.

I'm having picture withdrawal. Can you show us that lil guy again?

And that's when it hits the acid bath and a little magnification. However, I didn't need it for the original picture. I do have some bridge material that I have to test that I've wondered about for a while. You've inspired me to take a look.

Wow! Saucy smiths are we! I can indeed spot the "grain". No Xray eyes needed. After a short amount (a ton or two), you learn to spot the difference between a directional blemish that may suggest wrought fibres and the real thing. Not all wrought is exposed by a spark test. Acid etch end "grain" and sides.

It's wrought. I believe I can see the grain.

Barry, I don't have the parts list to compare to. For bending flat stock the hard way? Or for the angle iron dies? I'll see if I can find them. I have all my extra parts carefully filed away in the "bucket".

Yup, you were growing up, but not shutting up. Ideas and questions make our simple brothers and sisters nervous and generally uneasy. Keep wondering. "Wonderlust"?

We, who have forged with so little, for so long, can forge anything from absolutely nothing at all. My take. Mother Teresa gets credit for the original usually, but it was a fellow named Konstantin Josef Jirecek that penned it first. “We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.”

Well......ok. I guess I have more insulation sitting around than ash. I have rolled things up well enough that they were still quite warm the next day. Think a couple layers of insulation and duct tape. More insulation equals higher R rating so I'd argue you can keep your ash. For small items I wrap and then brick up in the appropriate sized gas forge for more insulation. Furthermore, I'd need a dumpster of ash to take care of the last vise I fixed. To weld the vise I TIG welded with nickel stick rod for cast iron after I took the flux off. Bronze would probably be that much more forgiving and less prone to cracking. I'll try it on the next cast fix.

The reins on some are over 8 ft long.

I went to see a collection of XL blacksmith tools this weekend. Here's a few pictures. Anyone seen a swage like this before? I was wondering if it was for making huge J bolts. There's an extra large swage block and pattern also. I was so addled by all the piles I didn't get a picture of the actual swage, just the pattern.

I'm a Smaug. Dress accordingly lest ye be flambéed.

Studebaker axle first, then some random goodies with small rail cart axle in WI