Black Maple Forge

Did you use a suitable leather? Some leathers stretch an amazing amount over time---I once bought a cheap belt that I had to re punch the holes in 4 separate times before it stopped stretching.

Most leather belts for forges I have seen are sewn rather than riveted. less of a problem cutting them loose and taking up slack and resewing.

Well, the belt I'm using came with it, and loosened quickly. I'm really not sure of the quality of the leather.

I just acquired a fairly new portable forge that is belt driven, but I can't seem to upload any pictures, sorry! Anyway, where is the best place to go to buy replacement belts, should that I need one? Does anyone know?

Also, my belt seems to have loosened some since I riveted it. Should I try to remove the rivets and re-rivet, or is there a way to shrink the leather some (I don't need much) without causing cracking?

Thanks!

Hello again. I was wondering if anyone here can tell me a short history of the side draft (not blast) forge design (for curiosity more than anything). I have been looking all over to see if I could find the earliest instance of this sort of forge, with little luck.

I thought a good place to start my search is the medieval (I know, very vague term) era, but it seems to me that most medieval forges have full hoods of masonry. I cannot find a date for the beginning of the use of side draft forges.

Any help?

Thanks!

Hi everyone. I don't use it for hunting (just target practise), but it has the potential! Thanks for the kind comments!
I do make my own bolts and heads, and also sell them on Ebay in packs of 6.

Hello! I haven't been on the site in a while (because of school and work), so I thought I'd share one of my (and my brother's) newest pieces.

This is a pinlock crossbow with a wooden prod, drawn in the early style/ crusader style of sitting on the ground with both feet against the prod, and drawing it back with your arms and back.

The stock is oak, the prod is hickory, and the tickler (switch) and pin are mild steel. The prod is bound to the stock with braided hemp, and draws at about 135 pounds at 10 inches.

What do you think?

ok ive got some questions . did you forge the barrel by wraping and forge welding? did you thread the breach ? the chamber is it part of the breach plug? any construction photos? looks good how does it work fireing it? how many grains of powder do you use to fire it and how do you hold it with a cross stick?fun looking project!

You're very brave making it in steel.
The original Tannenberg gonne is bronze as are most of the replicas I've seen and fired. Bronze will flex a bit instead of exploding.
You DID proof your gonne first, right? I'd hate to see anyone on this board get hurt for no good reason...

Looks interesting, got photos of you firing it?
I found this on the Tannernburg gonne http://www.musketeer.ch/blackpowder/handgonne.html

Well, I have not been on the site for a while, so I thought I should post something. What better to post about than the new Mediaeval-style Gonne I got done making not too long ago?

I based it off of the Tannenburg handgonne design, with a few minor alterations. This kind of hand cannon has a powder chamber (a section where the barrel is much smaller-where the powder explodes); which, so I hear, makes the gonne much safer and accurate. The powder chamber is 3/8"(~9.525mm), and the barrel in 3/4"(~19.05).

I am thinking of naming it Hlud-Lieg {Loud-Fire}.

Please tell me what you think!

A simple spark test can tell you the carbon content of the steel. Also, be careful if it is painted black. Heavy metal poisoning is not fun.

It looks good. I like the design on the scabbard a lot, too. :D

Hmm. Since I'm looking for cheaper welders , I thought I'd check out Lowes. They have Propane-Oxygen torches there for a good price.

Any opinions on this kind of thing, or should I just save up for a really nice one? :unsure:

A friend of mine just got a 110v CH welder for Christmas. It says it's 70 amp. Came with 1/16" rods. We finally got it to weld some light sheetmetal. But IMHO it's junk!! Save your money and buy a real welder.

Save your $$!! I believe you will be sorry that you purchased this one. I did a search on 'miller welder' for your area and pulled up several machines under $350.00. There were a couple of AC/DC machines for less than $375.00 and you can burn a 5/32 E-7018 with one of those. There were a couple of Hobart machines listed in this group also, they are great machines too. If you don't like Miller than do a seach on Lincoln welder and see what pops up. You will be much happier with most any of those listed. Good luck and let us know what you get!

Try this one: <http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/tls/1564638500.html>.

They don't give too much info, but I could always call and find out.

Hello! I was searching for welders on Craigslist, just to see what I could find, and I found a Campbell Hausfeld 110v arc welder for CHEAP ! http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/tls/1564638500.html.

My question is, has anyone had any experience with this kind of welder? Is this kind of welder a good/reliable one?

Thanks for all replies! :D

hey guys it just mild steel. its in 20 foot pieces.

if i can get enough buyers, i have an uncle that can get me 3/8 round, or 3/8 square for .25 cents a foot. if you ask me thats a really good price. best ive found w/o buying a whole bundle myself. i can get other sizes too. im not sure on the prices, but i can get them. if you neeed a particular size, just tell me, and ill tell you.

I've used it. It works fine. It does throw more "forge fleas" than some other brands, and less than some. If you're used to coal or coke there are some differences, if you're use to real charcoal you won't have any problems. If you're just starting you can learn fine on it then if you change to coal or coke sometime later you'll have to learn fire management all over again.

ron

I would just call it a "charcoal burning forge". :rolleyes:

Texas was just the first supplier that I could think of. Pops looks like a good supplier.

Just my opinion but I think that Black Maple would find using Corby fasteners a more pleasant experience than what he is using.

Thanks, all. I really appreciate the comments!:D

I got done making this knife for my brother's birthday. I made it from an old file. The only flaw is a small split in the handle.:mad:
The blade is (I think) really pretty:rolleyes:. It has a textured back, too. What do you all think?

Not bad for your first crossbow, have you shot it yet? if so how was it? did you make your own bullets (arrows) or are you buying them?

welder19

The bow should be placed so that there is no string pressure down against the stock---the string should ride about the thickness of a 3x5 card above the wood.

The nut is *not* supposed to be supported by the bolt through it, that's just to keep it from falling out when you turn it upside down. The nut runs in a "bearing race" so that you can have quite strong loads on it without the danger of the pin through it bending or binding. Is yours set up that way?

You may want the tiller longer and closer to the stock. Also remember that the stock of a crossbow was not placed against the shoulder like the stock of a rifle is today.

And most importantly *EVERY* state I have lived in that allowed crossbows for shooting deer in season required a positive safety and so that bow would not be legal to hunt with and the laws are quite draconian on the subject!

(built my first crossbow around 1985 using the plans in "The Crossbow: Its Military and Sporting History, Construction and Use" (ISBN: 160239010X / 1-60239-010-X) Payne-Gallwey, Ralph---who was a curator at the British Museum when he wrote it...)

The string needs serving wraps on both the notch loop and in the middle. Serving wraps are used on bow strings to keep the rubbing from wearing out the string.

Well, after spending a bit of time working on it, my brother and I put together this medieval (styled) crossbow. It has a recurve 150lb prod.

It was a pain making the nut/tumbler and tickler meet correctly:mad:. This one has a steel nut, but for the next one, we'll probably use delrin. I hear it is a suitable horn substitute.

The pictures are mostly self explanatory. What do you think?:cool: