sing_j_

I just realized I had never done one of these, uh I live in the heart of Montana born and raised. I work for my father as a drill hand we go for that clear gold, water, first time I did blacksmithing I was 14 and made a s hook and have always wanted to smith ever sense. Just turned 20 a few weeks ago and one day about 6 months ago rolled out of bed and decided I was finally going to build a forge and start blacksmithing. I've been smithing for about 3 months now off and on whenever I have coal to burn not a whole lot around my neck of the woods. Looking forward to growing and watching others skill grow on here. Anybody on here from Montana shoot me a message , more then willing to be an extra set of hands, frankly surprised that's not my middle name haha,

Happy smithing and forge on.

Could one take like brass filings or powders, same with bronze and copper, and take the piece to the proper heat and sprinkle the powder in? I've never played with this way of coating, I've wanted to just curious is all.

Dang wasn't expecting this thread to blow up haha some of the posts got me thinking this isn't my bread and butter, part of me wants it to be but I'm only 20 so I may not be thinking everything through, my beard and butter is a drill hand for the family business. Yet this art, trade, skill, craft, whatever you call it I admire it, and I'm gonna freeze my butt off this winter cause we all are going to find out how much I really admire it cause frankly I've just got some smithing fever. I greatly appreciate all the story's and comments on here. I haven't been able to smith do to a shortage of coal and yet I know my knowledge has gone up thanks to all of you taking time to answer my questions. I look forward to seeing what other people have to say on here.

Thomas I found that thread and if I would have even known about it I probably wouldnt have even made this thread haha. I don't have to worry about a gas forge, even though I have thought about making a little soup can one just for the heck of it, I run an open coal forge. the forge sits outside, so the shop doesnt fill with that wonderful smoke, and the anvil sits inside. And jmc its -7 right now it was about -28 last night and I can't remember where in Montana someone said it was -35 at 8:30 a.m. (today) and with wind chill it felt like -54.

So for some of us winter has or just is setting in now. Does anybody smith in below freezing temperatures or below zero degrees? What do you do to combat the cold, not for yourself one just adds layers, for the metal and not losing the heat even faster. I think I read on hear or somewhere at least that a guy had a litte blow torch and just ran it across the section of his anvil where he was going to work so he wouldn't lose his heat as soon as it hit the anvil.

ok then. Vaughn thank you very much this has been very helpful. And will certainly look into it. I tried the transmisson fluid and its a little bit looser but not by much though. so I think I'm gonna give diesel a try and if that doesnt work well I'll give electrolysis a try in the summer when its not colder then the south pole in montana  <_<

Ok thank you Vaughn. I may try it out on some smaller tools to get an idea before I just hop right on in on something bigger. I read somewhere to not do it with stainless steel cause do the chromium. What about galvanized pieces and other coatings on steel? The only reason why I bring that up is cause the fan blades look galvanized but the frame the blades are riveted on is painted.

For the future sing_j_ I have had pretty good luck with diesel freeing up old blowers. Leave it in there and come back in a couple of days.

I've already tossed the ole girl in the tranny fluid if this doesn't work then I'll try the diesel trick. Would gasoline work as well? I've cleaned smaller parts covered in grease with gas so I'm just curious if diesel works better?

not really, I poured it in and it leaked like crazy out the fan shaft, Putting it in a bucket with oil might have worked better.

Thank you Toad! I'll start the cleaning it out and the 3-day process tomorrow. I'll report back and fill you all in.

nope, Cleaned fit out twice using over cleaner, wait overnight then spray out with water. then soaked for 3 days in transmission fluid. It was moving but very grindy at the start,, much smoother now.

taod, you just tossed it in a 5 gallon bucket threw in tranny fluid and let her sit?

I just started in Lewistown, I'm currently out of coal until who knows when. I beleive theres a bladesmith by Roy and I can not confirm nor deny that. Also I think my neighbor is a bladesmith in Lewistown. Theres a blacksmith shop in Big Timber and theres an old time Blacksmith out at Giltedge that's starting to retire. I don't know if theres any closer to Great Falls, especially during this glorious weather we are having. And you might try contacting the NRBA(Northen Rockies Blacksmith Association) and seeing if they know of anyone near you. Heres their link http://www.hallowellco.com/nrba.htm

Vaughn, does doing electrolysis change the structure of steel at all?

njan, ive been spraying the bushings down with penetrating oil today and its made a difference, its easier to start but you still have to put some effort into it. and with letting it soak in any of those just toss the gear end into a 5 gallon bucket fill her up and let it sit for a few days?

toad, did you take the bushings and the gears out to soak them? I've been using some good ole penetrating oil today where the bushings are and she's slowly but surely starting to move free. It's still a little hard to get started though and once its moving though it moves.

The #40 I've got is super tight I was able to get into the the gear box and surprisingly they were very clean. A few patches of rust about half the size of a dime here and there. So I was a little confused why it's still tight and was curious what others thoughts were on here. I'm wondering if there's rust on the shaft in between the handle and the first gear or rust in between the shaft that the fan is on that's causing it to be so tight.

Thank you frosty!
Once the blower I've got is can be ran smoothly this bit of information will be very helpful.

so what about if you live in one of the wonderful cold weather states, just use a lightweight oil?

so beside the fan being welded down. Did it slip right off for you or did it give you a little greif?

I also wanted to say I'm extremely grateful for this website. I'm 20 and just started blacksmithing a few months ago and love it and this site is extremely helpful from everyone new a sold to the trade.

The blower I'm currently using is a leaf blower on steroids. It pumps out more air then I'll ever need. I found that the Champion and knew its life wasn't quite over yet so I nabbed it. I just wanted to see what everybody's thoughts were and if anyone knew how to take one apart.

I just purchased a Champion blower that was seized, supposedly it was in working order just a couple of years ago. I paid $20 dollars for it.(figured I was willing to gamble $20 dollars) First question was this a good purchase?(the stand is not with it, and its seized, shes got all the surface rust any human being would want, I also was not able to take pictures, maybe tomorrow I'll put some up.) Second question, is this blower able to be unseized? If so what is the process to get to the gears to unseize them?