Sam Thompson

So, to sum up: They're quite good for a few things but not very good at anything.

How about moving to somewhere with a pleasanter climate?

Good control of tongs is a vital part of smithing. Vice grips are not tongs; it would be safer and easier to hold the work in your teeth than to use these vile contraptions. From the replies to my other rant(), it seems that few people use these things (I can't bring myself to refer to them as 'tools') for their intended purpose, they just 'do' for a variety of other tasks when the proper equipment isn't to hand. I shall not rest until every last pair has been recycled into something useful!

I was once told that drivers etc. of steam loco's would chew dried runner beans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner_bean). Has anyone else heard of this?

Makes you wonder how folks managed without it. Obviously this glorified office equipment has wormed its way into all aspects of life.

I'm going to have a go with some fresh Coke, just to see what flavour it comes out.

I assume it's for drawing down.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Blacksmiths-Anvil-50kg-Garden-Ornament-50yrs-/170501967524?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item27

What did the Coke taste like?

There's a village just outside Birmingham called Belbroughton where almost the only industry for about 150 years was scythe manufacture (Isaac Nash & Co.). The grindstones were water powered and started about 6ft diameter, they were used until they wore down to about 3ft; after that they paved the roads with them.

Has anyone ever discovered a use for these abominations? They don't work as: spanners, tongs, pliers, stillsons and nor are they much use as welding clamps. Why do people buy them? Why are they still sold?

I hate to disagree but vice grips/mole wrenches and the like are dangerous. They are not designed for forging: they grip only over a small area, allowing the stock to swivel uncontrollably; the jaws mark the work; they can spring open suddenly; it's difficult to adjust the position of the metal and the heat will soon make them useless for anything. Use them for their intended purposes of rounding off nuts and scraping your knuckles. Sorry, I've got a bit of a 'thing' about them!

I've used propane instead of acetylene for years. You can't weld with it, although it gets hot enough, the gases produced don't seem to shield the molten metal. It's fine for brazing, cutting and general heating and you don't have to keep expensive acetylene bottles. The only difference between acet & prop torches is the nozzle, which is cheap and easy to change. Beware, when buying a new torch that the inlet fittings match those available in your area. I bought one off e=bay once (only because it was cheap!) and couldn't even get a name for the threads, never mind finding a left hand-connector.

I use a pair with the sharp edges ground down to hold small work, especially things like 'Russian Rose' key rings; the bowed jaws give clearance for the flower while forging the leaf and protect the petals from the heat.

Start by learning how to make an accurate taper with no hammer marks, then a square point, then a round point.

Try dishing the stock along its length to counteract the tendency to bend more along the centre line. Put a short, one sided taper on the outside of the end of the bar, then just imagine you're making a scroll, only easier. Once the bend is far enough round you can grip a mandrel of the right dia (slightly larger than the finished piece, to allow for shrinkage as it cools) and continue to roll it up on the anvil face. Use a shortish, bright red heat.

Leather laces was the first improvement, replacing and remodelling the ironwork was next.

Well, I'm sorry to disturb an old thread but as it's mine I hope I'll be forgiven. The clogs have arrived. The lady at Walkely's (Sue) couldn't have been more helpful and explained how I should draw around my feet. The boots took a bit longer to arrive but were well worth the wait; it's like wearing a bit of the 19th century. With shoes like this we could rule an empire! I'll revive the thread again when they've had some wear.

Yes, Thanks, I haven't had a look inside the apron yet, it's possible that there's some adjustment on the clasp nut. The cross-slide screw works directly in the casting and will cost more in time and effort to fix than the lathe is worth (and lost motion isn't all that important). I've exchanged e-mails with Tony Griffiths and he didn't offer any literature; I think it's a fairly rare machine. It's identical to the Erlich in the pictures at the foot of this page: http://www.lathes.co.uk/ixl/index.html

I'll probably keep it. It's very original and, apart from some missing changewheels it's complete. There's quite a bit of play in the clasp-nut and a lot of lost motion in the cross-slide screw, but the ways are pretty good. I only bought it because it's so pretty. It might be a collector's item.

Looks like a novel way of hurting yourself!

I've just paid £50.00 (about $70.00) for this. It's an IXL, made by Erlich in the early twenties. There are some change-wheels missing but otherwise, like me, it's in excellent condition for it's age. Any comments or knowledge about these machines would be welcome.

It makes learning/practising expensive.

Has anyone seen a less informative pic? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BERNARD-LATHE-CHUCK-SOFT-JAWS-190-200-230MM-ELI-/390203211553?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item5ad9ec7f21

That looks handy!