teenylittlemetalguy

Wow, that sounds impressive!  It would be a good trick to have in the old toolbox.

 Phyre forge told me he cut the sides off of a larger postvise to make a 2" one and uses it daily. I  could really see it being useful.  

For sure! Brazing in general is amazing stuff and usually much easier than people think.

Exactly the same here.  I know I will have a couple artists in the group that it will really help. It's like blacksmith hot glue...

That is the one that made me rethink using mine for brazing small items. You could get a Meco Midget for about the same price and for little stuff that Meco is very nice as it weighs next to nothing. 

In the forge. 

I am very happy to be working with

Colter Fike to bring you two full weekend classes!

Both weekends are focusing on skill building for beginners/intermediate by working through fun small projects. Below are just a few of the topics we will be covering:

Shrink and stretch: Often misunderstood skills that you can use to your advantage.

Project will be Spoon making (without the need for a swage block)

Symmetry: Lay out with volume changes the easy way.

Learn to create balanced designs with minimal math.

Hammer swing tune up: Efficient hammering, no sweat!

Brazing for the blacksmith: A valuable and underused metal fastening technique.

90 Degrees in Alaska: Fast, easy and accurate square corners!

Tapers: The secret to graceful lines to your projects.

Bringing it all together: Sunday we will combine new skills on a project.

Weekend #1 April 10-11

Weekend #2 May 1-2

Classes at ; 2520 N. Meadow Lakes Loop. Wasilla Ak

Payments and sign up can be done Monday through Friday 8:30AM to 3PM at

Fike Industrial Construction  Wasilla, Alaska 99623

11 hours ago, Leather Bill said:

For occasional small jobs,a B tank and acetylene tip is quick and cost effective. 

I have a little B tank of acetylene that I have used as sparingly as possible over the years. I think it will probably go away now that I see the power of oxy/propane. 

4 minutes ago, Leather Bill said:

heating tips that look like acetylene welding tips( but have recess same as cutting tips) are available and are exellent for brazing and pinpoint spot heating. 

Yeah, victor makes one with different tip sizes you can change out and it fits my torch, they are pretty spendy though so I will likely outfit my other small torch for brazing. 

19 hours ago, Frosty said:

You've never tried my torch Tristan? My #2 brazing tip will melt a 3/8" rivet in a few seconds and it weighs a fraction what the cutting head weighs.

Never had the chance. I am sure a brazing tip would be better. If I had a big brazing tip I would use it. 

For the price I'm pretty happy with the performance I have. 

On 3/11/2021 at 2:50 PM, ThomasPowers said:

That's why it's unlikely.

Thank you! I feel a lot better about it all.

On 3/11/2021 at 11:56 AM, JHCC said:

 

3/8" is about the size of rivet I had in mind (give or take a bit), so that's good to know.

Sorry it took me all day. The torch comes with a. N8 rosebud tip. Really surprised me with the speed. It took a cold 5/8" round bar up to a nice bending range in about 30 seconds.  And the heated area was only about 1-1/4" wide. It's going to be super handy for me.

I would be really careful about triple checking any accessories before  buying them. It's all a giant cluster of misinformation out there. 

Thanks the info on the flashback arrestors. I will read up some more on that.

17 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Well tannic acid forms a blue/black metal tannate. Could the palm sap contain that?  I've used black tea for that purpose before.

I was going to suggest the same thing. I have used tannins to stain steel a dark purple on purpose.  A quick search shows me that Palm trees do contain Tannins. 

I may have to try black tea next time. how was the finish with black tea, did it rub off easily?

On 3/10/2021 at 10:32 AM, JHCC said:

Thanks! I'm planning to get a 0-3-GPN and maybe a 2-3-GPN as well; Cyberweld has them for $14.50 each.

I asked them what flashback arrestor they'd recommend to go with the Medalist, since the included torch has already has built-in check valves. I'll let you know when/if they answer.

I would really appreciate that JHCC. 

I think the real answer for what head to use is going to depend on the size of your work. The heat area is pretty small with a cutting torch. I used the 1-3-GPN for 3/8 rivet and it was plenty fast enough for me, I wouldn't pay for a tiny rosebud to do something like that.  If you are looking to isolate heat on a bend then a rosebud is going to do much better for you. There is one in the kit I have not even used yet. Let me try it in the morning and let you know how good it is on larger stock. 

On 3/4/2021 at 10:03 AM, JHCC said:

 

1. Which additional cutting tips did you get? 
2. Did you purchase flashback arrestors?

 

Happy to help!

It was honestly a major PITA to figure out which series of tips go with that torch. I called Victor and even they got it wrong. Surprisingly my local welding shop did have a couple sizes of them in stock. 1-3-GPN came with it which I think is for 3/4". I bought 0-3-GPN for 1/2" and 2-3-GPN, which I think was good for 1" I am planning on getting a few more so I can cut up to 4".  locally they are under $18 each, I see china models for $11 on line. I think am going to stick with the higher dollar ones. 

I am sure I will be yelled at by someone here for not getting the flashbacks yet.  But I do plan on getting the ones that mount on the regulator once I figure out what part # I need. 

I got a Victor Medalist 250 Propane kit last Xmas. Mainly for extending my cutting range beyond what my little plasma can do. I keep thinking up projects that need 1" plate or bigger.  I had to purchase more cutting tips than comes in the kit to expand the range, but they are not crazy expensive.  I am completely sold on it for rivets, worth the money just for that alone.  I have been using the cutting head for brazing and while it works fine, it is heavy and clunky. The smallest tip turned way down is too much heat for brazing sheet in a nice controlled manner.  Victor makes a propane "welding" style tip for the cutting body, but it is expensive plus there are more tips needed.  If you just want to cut, rivet and braze 1/4" or larger stock then  I would recommend the Medalist 250. 

I have a smaller Meco Midget torch I am getting small brazing tips for when I need to braze sheet as it will be more economical than the victor head and tips.  

that looks like fun!  Do you have to paint them all as well?

On 2/16/2021 at 2:50 PM, Frosty said:

What brand oxy prop torch did you buy Tristan? Does it have the thumb on/off valve on the handle?

Jerry, regular 2 pc Victor cutting torch. I wanted to get "welding" tips for it as it is clunky to braze with the cutting head and way to hot for small stuff. They make one for oxy propane that replaces the cutting head and lets you use different size tips. It is expensive though. I did just learn that they make propane tips for my Meco Midget (which totally rocks btw) I am very excited to get the tips soon. It would let you control the gas with one hand as the valves are above the handle.  

I sure like Steve's hook, seems like a perfect solution to me. 

I just got an oxy propane as well, different style though and really like it. Best thing ever invented for rivets.

I wonder if you will have room to make a hanging point in the gap between handle and head?

22 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Emmert would use the bounce back from hitting the anvil to produce a fast stutter tap ending with two distinct taps on the horn--a recognizable "shave and a hair cut 2 bits"   He was in his 90's when he taught it to me at the Studebaker blacksmith shop.  Yup *those* Studebakers!

Thank you Thomas, I will give that a try. 

21 hours ago, Nodebt said:

  Well, I did.  I had to use a claw hammer as my junk is packed away and my new to me anvil is sitting on the basement floor waiting to be moved cross country.   I guess it's the thought that counts.  It's the first time I ever hit a real anvil actually.  It's hard to lose a friend.

Scott.

Seldon would have approved, Scott. Good luck with the move. 

Yeah, Frosty he was such a good guy it really hurts. Give Deb a squeeze from us. 

Thank you all! 

1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

I rung the peal that Emmert Studebaker taught me 25+ years ago on my 410# Trenton: Fair winds and clear skies Seldon!

I wouldn't mind hearing the details on that if you don't mind. 

Thank you all!

Our fellow Smith and friend Seldon Jones passed away this weekend after a prolonged recovery from an auto crash. A Proud Alaskan Native and active tribal member.  Seldon was tall and slender with a long black braid, he was a kind, enthusiastic person. Everyone was his "brother" or "sister" and he treated them like it.  I am sure I now have many brothers and sisters out there that I have never met.  He lived in many other places than Alaska, so you may know him from Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri and more. 

Personally he was a big help for me starting out in blacksmithing. He would walk to my place and we would forge all day long, followed by a meal and sitting in the driveway talking about our plans for next time.  I would personally appreciate it if you would give him Three rings on your anvil to send him on his way.

Till we meet again Brother, Godspeed.   

1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

Make Frosty leave his Moose outside though!

Oh he can bring it in my shop, will will keep it nice and warm...until it is wrapped for the freezer...

I would love that! My shop is always open to you.  

Quick change bandsaw angle adjustment!

Made a small Cam lock handle a while back and finally put it to work this morning. Wish I thought of this years ago. Put a scribe mark at 90 and 45 so I can quickly change. It was a real pain before, involving tools and measurements each time. 

16 hours ago, twigg said:

One last practical consideration for anyone thinking about building a 2-brick forge: you need a way to either take the strain off the hose or keep the forge from rolling over.

I tend to put them in from the bottom, off center. protects the hose as well. 

I made a couple this morning before work and found a T that perfectly illustrates why I totally ignore the mold lines. You can see the mold mark is not in the middle. I don't know how they manage to make them like this, but I see it in many of the cheap box store brand fittings. 

To drill this T it was screwed onto a pipe which is mounted in the lathe and center drilled, so I know it is in the center of the pipe and why I think it is best to find the middle of your tube and then attach the T to drill it out. 

On 1/17/2021 at 2:11 PM, twigg said:

Tristan, and I think I missed the point when I shaped the belly last night. 

Tapered is how I did it.  Nice and smooth.