eric sprado

Brian: You're probably getting sick of all of our questions,but it is REALLY nice to have someone with your knowledge take time with us!!!!! If your hammers are tapered from both ends,and I see from your pictures that the handles are just sticking through the head and not wedged,the handles must be held in by just the lower half of the hammer head. Whew-is that a clear question?? Hope so.Thanks, Eric S..

There is a new vise grip available only at Harbor Freight to my knowledge!! What the heck? Anyway- they are a long handled plier with short jaw and they are the cats meow for grabbing something that got dropped in the forge!I bought a few pair for gifts. Can't find them on any USA Made sites...

I don't think current,past,or future administrations have much to do with it.. It is THE GENERAL CONSUMER !!!!! Remember when going to yard sales was a source of treasures? Now most of them are tables of plastic xxxx from Walmart!We get what we ask for. If we didn't demand xxxx it wouldn't pay for anyone to make it. Lead simpler lives. Buy well made things that will last.....

Brian: Are your hammer eyes punched straight through,tapered from one side,or do they have a waist in the middle(tapered from both ends)? thanks, Eric S.

I'm so sorry Fe-Wood. Thanks for sending the prayers my Mother in law's way while you were suffering so much yourself. Strength to you my friend and a prayer too. Eric Sprado

My mother in law,Margaret Davidson, passed on earlier this week. Thank all of you for your prayers!! She left with all three children and her only grandchild(my 6 year old Margaret Rose Sprado)and her husband at her side. Thanks again for all of your prayers. Eric Sprado

A prayer from me Steve!!Sounds like your dad has more than a fighting chance and maybe a few prayers might tip the scales!!! You folks sent a lot my Mother in Law's way this week. Margaret has refused all further medication and is getting ready for her end of this leg of the trip. All three kids are there and her hand is being held 24 hours a day. Thanks again to all of you..... Eric Sprado

6013 has it's place in my shop just because of its lack of penetration. I have an old axe head that was split right through the eye. Old friend who taught me welding tricks 40 years ago sewed it up with 6013 and you can't see where!!!! It,of course,is NOT to be used where penetration is required. Just a different rod for a different use.

Hey: I'm a Realtor and Auctioneer in the Eugene area and have a pretty fair knowledge of what is available here.My phone in town(Eugene) is 541 342 7566. Home,evenings, 541 964 3224. Email: spradoeric@gmail.com. The most successful artist blacksmith in the area,David Thompson, has retired and is NOT taking anymore outside jobs. He is just doing art stuff for himself. We have a Thursday night blacksmiths'"night out" every week. Be glad to introduce you around. You probably won't find what you want for under $1,000/month...unless your tastes are very simple. Let me know how big a house you need. There are some interesting industrial shops around that have small attached living quarters.....At any rate-say HI when you come through!!! Eric Sprado

When I served my shoeing apprenticeship near Fort Riley Kansas in the sixties our first handmade shoe was made of Baling wire!!! You twisted lots of wire together in the vice and started welding. After the shoe was made you left strands of wire hanging off one heel to show what you had done. In that spot we used white sand from the Kaw River for flux. I have used Twenty Mule Team Borax or Anhydrous Borax(whatever that means) for flux ever since I left home. Works for me.Frank's description of the process, as usual, was right on the money. All I need to do now is put the word arteeest in my head and try to use my ****** horseshoeing skills for something pretty!! Goodluck with your welding. Nobody said anything about RELAXING. Relaxing mind and body are essential to forge welding!!

Frosty: Tried to send you an email this evening but it said "person can't receive messages". So I'll just put it here. I saw on the prayer list today what you have been through!Thanks for being kind about my ranting post yesterday..... I put a post on Prayer List this evening. Any of you who can help-I'd appreciate it. I'm out here alone holding down the fort while my wife,her brothers and my little daughter,Maggie Rose, are with wife's mom,Margaret, for her last days. I am neither tough nor a hero and I was just simply beside myself last night.... thanks, Eric Sprado

My mother-in-law,Margaret Davidson, has been fighting cancer for seven years and is near her end on this Earth. She has come home to family and hospice care.I had no family for many years and the Davidsons took me in to theirs with full love. I am praying for safe and easy passage for her. Any who can join me in prayer will be appreciated. Thank you, Eric Sprado

I got this old stake anvil the other day. Neat little thing. Top forge welded to stake. Collar poorly welded to stake. The stand is as interesting as the anvil. Looks like it was made by a wheelwright.I'll probably donate to a museum somewhere after I look at it for a while. I'm going to try to post pictures,but as much as I love this site it is the WORST to try and post pictures on!

If you go to the Blacksmith Discussion area and click on this same title you will find my pictures.....Whew

I got this old stake anvil the other day. Neat little thing. Top forge welded to stake. Collar poorly welded to stake. The stand is as interesting as the anvil. Looks like it was made by a wheelwright.I'll probably donate to a museum somewhere after I look at it for a while. I'm going to try to post pictures,but as much as I love this site it is the WORST to try and post pictures on!

Okay : You guys win----I'm giving up posting here!!!!!!!!I tried to edit and remove two accidental posts. On "EDIT" I expected a simple "DELETE" Posting button??? I know I'm not a computer geek but I am a fairly educated user......... Goodby

Sorry for the ranting in previous sentence from last night.We brought a close relative home from hospital to die and I was trying to get a little escape by going to the computer. Didn't work.Guess I'm human after all.....

Don't you folks be terrified by INSULIN.. Eat right and still do the best you can,but be aware that insulin,if you wind up having to go on it, is a LOT more natural product than the medications they put us on. The first woman who they used it on way back when was a little girl with a death sentence of TYPE 1 Diabetes. They gave her plain pig insulin (only thing they had) and she lived to eighty. Diabetes is not a death sentence. It is, however, a WAKEUP call to eat right.
None of us need Big Gulps(yuck) or fast food. SHOP on the OUTSIDE aisles of the grocery store!!!!!Think about that one. Good food is on outside aisles,middle aisles have pre-prepared xxxx... The most criminal aisle is the childrens cereal aisle!!! 99% of the cereal is so high in sugar it's terrifying. Cereal companys should be fined,tarred and feathered for what they are doing to kids in order to make a buck(or millions of bucks).

I am fair at forge welding from my years of making horseshoes. I want to try my hand at "cable damascus". There is lots of used, laden,cable around but I'm wondering where to buy clean cable chunks so I have at least a fighting chance....

Just one more reply from me-about the design of the chambers. They were designed and built by Mercedes. We don't drive them... That's all from me on this thread. Let's get back to blacksmithing....

I have to add my own suggestion here. Donate them to the Holocaust Museum! That way they would be preserved,but in the proper context..

I'd rather endanger a punch than my health by breathing anti seize or moly paste fumes!!!!!!YUCK When I do lots of punching I keep a bucket of warm water with a cup of soap flakes in it.. Like Grant said-we're not quenching here-just cooling. I'm not a bonafide blacksmith but I punched a lot of holes in jumper and polo horseshoes over the years for drive caulks. Both H13 and S7 held up well for me..

Larry: In support of your remark about what it takes to get a shop like that. I read somewhere that somebody once said(I"m sure a zillion times)to Itzhak Perlman "I would give ANYTHING and Everything to play like that". His reply: "I have"....

I'm in Eugene area. Lots of iron smackers here.A few,like David Thompson,even make a living. Anyway-feel free to stop by and say hi. I'd be glad to introduce you around. Eric Sprado

Aaron: This question has come up before. Here is site that,if you search around,has a VERY comprehensive article on chimney building....http://www.beautifuliron.com/forge.htm

Bryce: Love your shop,but,WHY IS THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER LYING ON THE GROUND LOOKING EMPTY!!!!!!Sorry-my shop is wood floor so I'm kinda fire extinguisher conscious...

Larry: I'm a Realtor in Eugene and there is a beautiful piece of rural property out of town here with a giant shop. I lust after it every time I go by.
Lots of iron smackers around. Just 30 minutes from from Dave Thompson's shop..... I understand where you've been though... I ranched a good share of my life in NE Nevada. Got in a fight with BLM and FHA. Wound up sleeping under bridge in my car in Eugene,crippled up and studying for my real estate license in 1992.... Eric Sprado

When I was shoeing(for 25 years) I'd go through a rasp in a couple of days in Summer when hoofs were hard. They lasted a long time for next uses-clinching,hot rasping. Point being there must be LOTS of shoers in your area with LOTS of used rasps. If you can't find any I'll send you some if you pay for flat rate shipping box. I'll see if they fit in flat rate box.