beth

Yes it's all cool since the flood although I think most people lost a Lot of kit at that time.. and stuff that was saved all got full of silt and river crap etc.. the anvil and hammer remain, but the hammer needs a total overhaul. Jake seems to get along great with his hand crank forge his own home made fuel and a hand hammer, so I don't think he's in a tearing hurry to have that thing in pieces  The carving axe I posted was made in that way.

Yes it's quite a job to get to Galena - I don't know when I'll next get there - sooner the better! Thanks for the offer frosty! 

Now don't go taking it personally Frosty  he's probably just not much on the forums recently, these things are cyclical - well, they are for me.... 

Yes your right - I always thought it's magic and I still do. I managed a few smaller ones a while back and I'll try again. It's all change this end, but I intend to get busy as soon as I've moved workshop. Here's one of the sculptures I've been working on.. no heat used except a Mig welder! 

It's even harder making money from sculpture !!

Jk Jake did it really not me  I was just his workshop slave.. the welding was cool as you know I'm always impressed by this, but he does it in such a cool way - makes the charcoal each day and finds any old bit of iron from out of the bushes or something, so there are many inconsistencies in the process. Plus he's done all this with a hand hammer which is a lot of work ..  I never did get the hang of making tools, I'm an artist who uses a forge that's all ...! 

Interesting job and a brilliantly informative reply John! Long time since I read your posts! Hope your well  

Hey frosty  yes I'm always in contact with Jake - Ive even been a couple of times to galena and last time I went we made a very cool wood carving axe. I'll let him know he is missed! 

JK Yes I read that the photos had gone  I loved this thread! 

I can't remember how to add a photo or I'd show you this marvellous axe .... 

Thar ya go! 

JK there were some really good detailed photos on the thread - it IS a shame ... 

JK I will  ! The little thumper is about to be moved - I'm relocating - and although it has paid for itself a while ago it has been neglected ... Glad your busy - I'm browsing the forum I might come across some of your pieces! Good to hear you  

Hi JK ! Long time no chat I got the email reminder that this thread was activated - have not been actually ve to n here for ages.. yes it was a Most fascinating thread - it was probably a bit abstract for some ...! Jake is good, we are in much contact! oddly after a couple of years of all kinds of other things, sculptures mainly, I am back to my forge, so I thought I'd check in here and say hello. Hope everything is good with you? I'm guessing you never did get that Prince (RIP) job....?  

owen what a brilliant week! i really love your attitude towards this course, difficult but absolutely do - able.  and with the right encouragement and guidance so much can be achieved :) im very happy that a group of virtual beginners can learn all that, and produce something so good in only a week! good teachers like yourself are of HUGE value! nice one! really interesting thread - you are going to be inundated..... :)

good luck to you toby! what a frendly energised intro post -  i dont reckon you need any special advice - just give it a go, and get yourself next to as many people as you can, who can show you some stuff :) you can collect up bits of tools as you go - you dont need to spend much. as for the adhd and autism, you will meet your own personal difficulties like we all do, but i have some very close friends who have the autistic way of looking at the world - and they are some of the most broad minded interesting determined and open people i have met. and yes, i too make friends in the oddest of places :) go for it toby!!! :)

what fascinating information!

arftist - i bet your uncles and grandfather had some hair raising tales to tell from their days in this work! 

dog nose those crosses are really something - very beautiful - some of them are so soft looking - i particularly like this one

also the hill of crosses - amazing, i love a place where we can go mad with piling things up, and nobody says "thats enough". places that mean things to people. i expect it is a very powerful place to be. thanks for that!

thats a really good looking grate. i like how you've made that! its chunky and appealing, and i also like your no messing approach, it does not need messing with..

dog thats lovely! i particularly like the split arms - and the large rivets look great  -  the whole thing is really unusual :) nice one!

sorry intrex i missed those - yes - i dont mean ordinary sunnies! but you got that bit now :) mine are also proper welding shades but i can manage with them for the forge and other work like andrew said - in good light they are fine for normal tasks.

i always use my ox ace glasses when forging for the same reason you said - i never use anything else :) 

sometimes its just vibrations that cause this, like "white finger" from chainsaw etc... keep an eye on it though - might be unrelated..

aus - the butterflys look excellent -  i absolutely Love that idea :) bet you made that little girls day!  such a simple idea, but a brilliant one . nice work ! :)

teeny man thats ace :) she will so touched when she is old enough to know how long things take, and how busy dads can be. and it IS funny how time flies, esspecially when you have a new person to mark the time so clearly! :)

rashelle - anything that has to be done Smudge Free isnt worth our time ;)

vaughn - PLeeease braid your beard, that would be to fantastic for words....

yeah i agree - that  is so lovely for your friend! i love the design its brilliant! the hooks look really good, i love the texture on the back, its a total one off, looks really elegant! the fact that the mans ashes are with it is perfect :) id be extremely pleased if i walked past a bench like that chuck, that someone had bothered with something out of the ordinary.. nice one!

the photo opportunities in that place!!! what a wonderful space, even without the tools... fantastic photos humphrey :) i want to go in there too.... hope you find out the info you want.

it looks beautiful :)

i love the words in your description too - where else would you get "bull horn and heart of holly oak" its so poetic!

i use a 25kg anyang, and am really delighted with it - have had it for bout 5 years, and have just serviced it for the first time, have had it entirely in bits, with the email help from james usa anyang dealer on this forum - its all really straightforward to service and get to, and im telling you all, the customer support from james and his father is supernaturally good! i have never known anything like it :) james has talked me through every detail of stripping the hammer down, and im not even a customer.! all you americanians (and anyone else) who are thinking about which hammer to buy, and worrying about after sales service/support - this hammer is great, and these are your guys!!!