Tyler Murch

Betcha don't have a vise like mine:D

Man is this thing great for holding plate while cutting.
10" jaw. estimated weight 175 pounds. Maker: The J.D. Randall Co. Cin. O.
No, it's not a fly press.
I'd sell it for $1,000. right now yyf
As you can see, it's in really good condition, and those threads are sharp.
It came from an industrial ironworks in my city that went out of bus in the 80's.

The top of the screw terminates in 1-1/8" square, and I use this old forged wrought iron wrench to turn it.

I heard that an acetylene cylinder laid on its side can blow the top off. Is that true?

Why does christopher cross make sense?

I heard that a Swiss smith named Christoph Freiderich came up with the method of making a cross like this one that I made.

That's right Aaron, no art classes. A lot of people don't see it at first glance, and some people don't see it even at second glance. The fact that some people can see it, and some people can't see it is a good thing if you ask me. I'm not sure what I'm going to sell it for yet. Probabably less than $1,000. though. Know someone who's interested?

The alien one is funny. Cool stuff. Thank ya.

Thanks guys, and welcome flop. The gas torch looks impressive. No, never seen any of the NM work. Got any pics?
I'm scheming my next sculpture. It's going to be a piece of a guitar.

Thank you Mike. I like Picasso, and I've never heard of David Smith, so I'll have to look at the book. School? ah, I shudder at the thought. I do a lot of reading though.

Hey guys. Thanks for the feedback. I heard a few things that really pleased me because they were what I was trying for, but didn't say anything about. In other words, people picked up on what I was aiming for. Thank you for the suggestions, I see where all of you are coming from, but no thanks.

Glad you guys like it. About the stand, I'm thinking about making and selling it with a makeshift stand and then later making a final stand to suit the location and what the person who owns it wants, depending on how they want to look at it or where they want to put it.

Well, I've got a new interest in large torch cut sculpture in plate. This is the result of that. It's a sort of abstract, implied female figure cut out of 1" plate. I still need to come up with a stand for it so that it will be held so that one can view it from both sides. I have a few ideas in mind and I want the base to be a different color. Perhaps stainless, aluminum, or red rusted iron. I will try to sell this through a local art gallery.

What do you think?
Ty

1050 is a very shallow hardening steel. Each time the steel is normalized, the grain becomes finer, and the finer the grain is, the shallower hardening the steel is. Perhaps you are getting only a very very shallow hardening and are taking it off from polishing. Try one normalization, maybe two. Three is overkill. Also, when going into the quench, go at the lowest temp you can manage while still being fully austenized. Less heat going into the quench means that less heat must be removed in the quench.... 1050 must be quenched very quickly in order to harden.

Wrought iron is made in a bloomery furnace. After smelting the ore, you are left with a bloom. The bloom is then consolidated by forging down some, then welding. Then it is further refined by folding, welding, and drawing out- this process is repeated until one is satisfied with the quality of the wrought iron.
Here are some links
The Rockbridge Bloomery
Lee Sauder -- http://www.leesauder.com/maxpages/Home
You can also find information on Don Fogg's Bladesmith's Forum under the Bloomers and Buttons section.

This is what I do for tong rivets and rivets in a lot of other things. The general rule of thumb for length is leave 1-1/2 times the diameter of the rivet stock to make the head. So for example, with 1/2" stock, leave 3/4". So for 1/2", use a piece of 3/4" plate with a hole in it. Insert the straight rivet stock into the pieces to be riveted. Place the work on the 3/4" plate, the rivet stock going through the hole. Head the top, or at least get it started, then flip the work over, setting it on the anvil this time, and head the other side. The advantage with this method is that both heads on the rivet can be made in one heat. I'm writing and illustrating an article on this method that will be in the Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild newsletter.

My friend and I, myself swinging, forging a 36 pound hammer from 4" sq. We got it slit and partially drifted, but did not have enough power to drift it the entire way. It is made to order for a patron, and I am now in the process of milling the eye.

That's a beauty Karl.

Martin, I'd really like to help you. This type of thing, building forges from the ground up to heat large pieces of steel, and forging large pieces by hand is one of my many cups of tea. My phone number is listed under location on all my posts. Call any time. We could even do it at my shop, or yours, or somebody elses, whatever works out.

So you're a member of the Bealer Guild? Another local member of the guild named Michael Dillon has a 750 pound air hammer. No sweat.

If you want to forge it by hand with sledges, let me know. I would love to help. I've done some large forging with sledges. Have you thought about making it in halves, top and bottom, and electric welding together? That is how Peddinghaus makes their larger anvils.

If he has big paws, Hammer would be an excellent name.

. . .if someone asks you for your ID, and you wonder "inside diameter???".

just wandering but would the hardness of the water make a difference in a quench?

Yes. Tap water is usually no good. Don't get me wrong, I'll use tap water to quench a center punch or a cold chisel, but I would not use it for something like an ax or hammer. Use distilled water or rain water.

Tom Tongs are 8650. Not 5160.

Georgia red clay will work in a pinch, and what about fireplace cement?

Frosty, what does Al oxide look like?

Salami, You're not really supposed to grind aluminum because the dust can be extremely flammable mixed w/ iron oxide dust.

But you know me, I do it anyway!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I live on the edge.....

chestnut BURL