stevomiller

I believe he’s saying to place the burner aiming on a tangent wher the point of intersection of line and arc is at 2 o’clock. This would make the flame still shoot up towards the ceiling, and it would follow the arc around the inner wall, vs just shooting it straight across the forge or aiming it downwards towards the floor. Mikey did I understand you correct?

Chris,not having insulation on the bottom of your forge is causing a lot of heat to be lost, a 1” hard brick is a heat sink and pulling a lot of your heat to outside the forge. If it’s insulated underneath, yes you will still have to heat that brick but the heat will stay in the forge working as thermal mass to even temps out inside. Think of this, you wouldn’t lay down on cold concrete and just put a blanket on top of you, you would still be very cold. Put a mattress and blankets under you and you conserve your heat and now you are warm. The others will explain the baffles. I’d get that in order then take a look at your burne and work to tune it up before trying any different burner.

Is the floor of your forge insulated? As in is there ceramic wool under it, or is it just refractory or fire brick? Its difficult to tell from the pics, but it appears that it’s not?

Again try dilute FC, and a couple coats of carnuba car wax. Make sure the wax doesn’t have any polishes in it aka rubbing compound as it will take off the little etching you got. Thats a great keep sake you made her, I applaud you and the sentiment!

That’s a tough one. If all the wire are the same composition all you get is a very minor etch due to carbon loss/migration at the weld line. You might be able to sneak up on the etch using weak ferric chloride, clean off the oxides, repeat to try and get a bit of topography, that’s about the only way to get it to last. Once you can get topography you can make a concentrated coffee etch/stain, or something similar then polish the high points. Then a coat or carnuba or the clear coat to fix it. In the future try and mix alloys and carbon levels to get more variance. Nickel will stay brighter, higher carbon etch more, manganese can be darker

Yes sir they’re top quality. Unbrako have an even higher tensile of 190,000psi. We used other versions of their fasteners in high stress areas of a robot we used to make years ago. They are one of the best fastener makers out there.

That type of bolt from Unbrako has a material spec of 190,000 psi tensile strength, and they are heat treated to RC 38-43. With numbers like that I believe it might be 4340, or a modified version. That said, it’s very good material for tooling, it will be able to get harder than 4140 and be more impact resistant at a given hardness. Your bolt is the metric equivalent to a grade 8 bolt, made to exceed grade 8 specs. Other lesser grade 8 bolts (all grade 8 bolts are good quality) are made of 4140, 5140 and other high strength alloy steels.

I think it’s a love child of a dog head hammer and an extended custom set hammer. Stuff like that happens sometimes in my shop when there isn’t proper supervision. Thats why it’s so important to constantly use your tools so they are too tired for these type of shenanigans!

Very nice and interesting anvil. It appears to be a variation on the Yorkshire pattern, but I’ve never seen one with the hardy hole IN the round horn, plus the dual pritchel holes. Really cool, I’d hang onto that one forever just because of its uniqueness even if it somehow (I don’t know how) it didn’t serve my needs anymore.

It is beautiful for sure. If you’re happy with it and the price paid, then it was worth it. Color me jelly, Steve

Frosty, firstly, sorry for wrongly putting you in the “group not recommending rail anvils”. However, what folks want to do with something will dictate form. We can both have differing opinions on wht is ideal for what work will be done. I respect your opinion, based on your needs, experience and desires, it appears the inverse is not true. However, we both agree on mounting rail vertically to get the most efficiency from rail: in this orientation both of our opinions on the top caps surface condition are moot. If a person needs or wants a true flat working surface and cleaner edges, and what they have is rail to start with, then I say mill away. Doing bladesmithing and tool making is one time an anvils edges and a true top can be very useful for the work at hand. Two separate radii for edges as well can be useful. I don’t believe I’m passing on poor information. You’re quite right that most Chinese anvils aren’t going to have great quality control. However I did post one up in “show me your anvil”, Jeremy did as well, and two other smiths have henceforth purchased them. They are a two horn Italian/French type pattern. I might not be the smartest gent, but what I have is steel, it is not cast iron. It has a nice horn, a 3/4” hardy hole, and a pritchel hole. A one inch 52100 bearing dropped from 16” rebound OVER 90%. It is only 66lbs, but I’ll take it EVERY day over a piece of horizontal mounted rail. I posted pics and would gladly share the EBay link if our site allowed such things. If you wish I will PM you a link. Again asking me where I’ve seen one as if I’m either ignorant or down right deceitful sets a a particular tone to our conversation and perhaps what your opinions of me are. Lastly, your question about speaking directly to me, well, you quoting me directly and questioning how I thought something could be good was my clue. I’m not sure how else to take that. Honestly, I’m not much into this part of online conversations. Id really rather just share a beer and meal with you, and then some time at the forge. I’m pretty sure we’d have much greater alignment of thoughts and interests than this dialogue would seem to show. Best Steve

Grumpy Biker, if someone could buy a piece of raw rail for say no more than $1 a lb, or pay the price you quoted for yours fully shaped, I’d probably say “sure”. Especially if they’d been looking for a reasonable priced used commercial anvil with no success. Again, it’s the crazy price folks want for rail, and what many unsuspecting noobies end up forking over for it. Best, Steve

I can’t argue with your reasoning, and agree your method is the heart and soul of the art and craft of smithing. Your results speak volumes to your skill and dedication! My comment was really just about how one can still stay true to “forged to shape” and charge hopefully a living wage on a custom piece, not really that you personally should do it. I hope that came across, sometimes I don’t communicate as clearly as I’d hope to. Ultimately you are doing what is right for your soul and your artistic well being :-) To that I say “carry on in good spirit and good health!”

Didn’t say it was a good, or bad thing: that would depend on its intended use and the end users perspective. I’m really not quite getting why your response was so, mmm, emphatic and carried the tone that perhaps I was daft. I’m pretty sure my post clearly tried to guide the OP away from spending money on this thing: it’s nutty, spend less and buy a block of steel, buy one of the smaller STEEL Chinese anvils, or use your cash to buy really BIG block and have it modded to their needs. Do we ALL not try and sway noobies from RR track if there is ANY chance for them to get something else (except some cast iron ASO)? Especially if mounted horizontally due to lack of mass and rigidity? Using the bottom flange or web makes it even less efficient, and if the object worked wide or odd shaped using the web isn’t an option. My comment clearly states that they had put some time into this thing, so that ridiculous price wasn’t just for a beat up piece of rail, it was dressed, and some of that dumb price is for that work. If one did white work, or smaller smithing projects they wanted to forge to shape and do less stock removal to true items up, a flat unscarred surface is, even unhardened, is better better than the scarred, crowned, work hardened original face. Im hoping this clearly states my thoughts and opinions. Sorry my opinions convey I’m an Dunning and Kruger salesman. Be blessed, hope your sinus headache clears quickly. Steve

Che it will keep them put, they will combine also as they burn into a bigger piece of fuel, it won’t stay those little fines. Also I feel it helps with driving out the impurities as it steams etc before and during initial burn. I can’t prove it tho. Just make sure it’s not too wet, and that as you collapse the fire into itself you are pushing in CLEAN DRY coke, not green (raw) coal. That way your fire will burn hotter, stay cleaner, etc. I’ve never used a side blast so must defer to others as far as how that might effect things. Just like the coyote above me, I used bottom blast with clinker breaker and hand cranked blower.

Yep as stated I’d with water so it’s like thick oatmeal. I like to first seine out any bigger pieces. If I don’t have coke from a previous fire I put those lumps in with the paper an kindling I start the fire with. I often use a closed fire, so once I’ve done as Stash recommends with moving the banks inward, I start also plastering the “oatmeal” on top of the fire like an igloo. You have to crank the air up then, and poke a hole in the top for steam and smoke/contaminants to escape. Once it starts burning and coking you keep pushing the sides and top in, while adding new oatmeal to the outside to keep the external dimensions somewhat constant. If it’s packed too tight it won’t burn proper so stick your poker in there and lever it gently to make gaps between the formed coke so it can burn an you can insert your workpiece. Sorry if I’m not describing this in an easy way to understand, if you watch someone do it in person, then do it once yourself you would totally understand. Actually when I’d get coal that was all chunks or nut, I’d sift the fines out to a different tub to use for this, and if there wasn’t any I’d use an old axle with hub or my hammer to make rice.

Yes as Rockstar stated, torque will move as the inverse of RPM (for a given starting HP/Torque input at a given RPM). Using direct gears, cogs and roller chain, pulleys and belts, whatever: increase point of us RPM, torque will go down by the inverse of the ratio. Slow the RPM at point of use, and torque increases by the inverse of the ratio. Example: Double point of use RPM (2x1) gives you 1/2 the torque. Halve the point of use RPM (1/2) gives you 2x1 the torque. All this is assuming no frictional losses in the transmission, which is impossible. Different methods of power transfer (pulleys and belts, gear to gear, sprockets with roller chain) all have some frictional power loss, and they are all different from each other.

Al, thanks so much for the quick response and explanation. As stated, I’ve never seen one of these vises in person, only pics, and the end stop has never been present. It’s driven me mad trying figure out what the heck the teeth were for! Anyways, that would be a great feature to have, I’d encourage you to pursue your thoughts of fabricating a replacement. I’d really love to own one of these vises, maybe someday. Side notes for anyone designing using shoulder bolts, in fixtures, tools or equipment. Some or many of you might know this already, as we have many accomplished fabricators on this site, but it doesn’t hurt to state this anyways. Many folks miss when designing around them (especially when used as a stub axle vs this vise where the two sides of the yoke prevent cantilevered force): design so that you have enough thickness in base material to counterbore (above the threads) for at least 1/2 the shoulder diameter in depth. Make this counterbore at most .002” larger than the shoulder diameter. This removes shear load from the bolt threads and also prevents the bolt from bending at the relief cut where shoulder meets the smaller diameter threads. On something supported outboard, like the yoke on this vise, or a clevis, the counterbore can be just enough to true the surface/make it perpendicular to the threads, so that contact of the shoulder is complete. Otherwise it puts extreme load, again, on the relief cut between the shoulder and threads. When I was a MFG engineer I often had equipment/fixturing on my production lines that was designed by others, or purchased through vendors, that didn’t follow these rules. We constantly woul deal with either the shoulder bolts coming loose, bending, or flat out breaking. When I repaired or redesigned them I always followed the above and the problems stopped. Best Steve

Really nice restoration, and attention to details concerning NOT damaging the pivot mechanism. Using the shims inside the yoke to limit play, and leaving the head on the bolt both actually increase the durability. If designing new vice from scratch the pivot would be a good place to use a shoulder bolt, it would prevent collapsing the yoke and it would provide a smooth bearing surface for the pivot. I have a question for all you, I’ve always been fascinated with this type vise but have never used one. What is the purpose of the linear teeth on the inside surface of the fixed vice body? Most of this type vise have them but not all.

It is nutty, but at least they are machining the top flat and radiusing the two edges to two different radii. BUT, it’s still RR track with limited mass under the working surface. A 66lb, 30kg, Hardened steel Italian/French sorta patterned anvil can be had off of the auction site shipped for $140. Has a round and trapezoid horns, pritchel and hardy holes, and more mass under the sweet spot. If you don’t need a bigger anvil and won’t/can’t wait to find a used one near you it’s a better deal than that nonsense above. As I said, they spent time cleaning up, and you are paying for it. But since it doesn’t have a horn or hardy go buy a big block of steel and be miles ahead for way less $$$. Or, spend that full amount and get a ginormous steal block that’s been flame or plasma cut to your specs. Two cents from the guy rumored to have absolutely no sense, advice from me is perhaps worth what you have paid for it ;-)

Beautiful work Jen, and they definitely look like originals, you captured so many details. I’m alwys impressed with your work! As far as pricing, I think one of the few ways to get close to getting fair money for your time is to use as many mechanical expediencies as possible: dies, preforms, fly and hydraulic presses, power hammer. Of course if you had to buy all that equipment brand new your shop would almost need to run 24/7 to get ROI and then start cashing in. If a smith can inheret, scrou g, build or buy cheaply second hand then the payoff would be sooner. However some customers won’t be happy if all the work isn’t hand worked at the anvil, I don’t know how you balance that. I guess find a wealthy patron!

DHarris, it’s hard for me to tell for sure on my tablet, but it appears to has a “U” bent or “hairpin” style spring. I don’t know how many new vises we’re equipped with them, but I’ve seen a lot of shop repaired vises with them.

Thanks again,, you painted a picture that I could totally see and understand. I feel like if I had to use it I’d have a good chance getting it right straight out of the gate!

Hey Bill, did you get a chance to examine and use the Rhino anvils he distributes? If so what are your honest opinions?the price is definitely less than other American made steel anvils. Thanks Steve

Jen thank you for the explanation on working with anthracite, not much information out there on using it. I kind of thought it wouldn’t seal the fire, cook off the crud and coke up, but just didn’t know. I’m sorry I’m not following the delineation between fire pit and fire pot. Deeper fire even my silly mind understands tho! ;-). I imagine hard anthracite varies in composition just like bituminous and some must work better than others. Pr3ssure, a motor large enough for those leaf blowers will kill a rheostat ASAP. I’m pretty sure you need a triac or similar, and honestly it’s easier to either choke the inlet or outlet, or if all els fails put a wye in the outlet to divert some air.Hope you can get that free coal and that it’s good fuel, free is always nice and makes for a happy day.