Jim C.

JWB: "I like to sit in my shop" -- really nice work. Thanks for putting that together. I like to sit in my shop too. Sometimes I sits and thinks. Sometimes I just sits. Jim C.

Do any of you have a Boss Power Hammer? These were made in Dubuque, IA in the early 1900's and other places later on. The hammer has a large cast "anvil" and a steel tube pipe frame with the main shaft, clutch, pitman, etc. mounted to plates on top of the tubes. Where do you find the size / weight? Good hammers? Any other data would be appreciated. Jim Carothers, Saltfork Craftsmen ABA, Oklahoma.

Smithing Community Friends: Mr. Royce Mercer passed away Friday about noon. Please remember Mrs. Mercer (Angie) and the family in your prayers. With Respect. Jim C.

Folks please add my friend and mentor / Saltfork Craftsmen member Royce G. Mercer to your prayer lists. At this time he is in a local Oklahoma hospital in ICU. If you would like to send a personal card of ecouragement to Royce and his family, drop me an E-mail for the USPS address. With Respect, Jim C. (frontiershopAtwildblueDOTnet)

Scrapman: Thanks for the link. Mr. Simmons is truely a great man.

Do any of you know if Philip Simmons, Charleston NC, blacksmith about 95 years old is still alive? Thanks, Jim C.

Think about a treadle hammer and all the top and bottom tools you can use with it as well as the basic flat or drawing dies. You can use these same type of tools with your air hammer. I think I would make either the bottom anvil or the top cylinder / hammer vertically adjustable. Using plate shims under the bottom anvil to raise it or lower it seems like a pretty simple plan. My 2 cents worth. Jim C.

Disasemble the pen and put the parts in your dishwasher -- prefferably when the DG is not home. Jim c.

Thanks for the information all. Kristopher -- nice work at your site. Jim C.

See the ABANA magazine "Hammer's Blow" Vol. 13, #4, Fall 2005 for more thoughts on Art & Design. It seems that Mark Aspery (page 13 of the magazine) has been thinking much as I have about our teaching the Mechanics of Smithing and not teaching enough about the Mechanics of Design / Art. The subject of Mechanics of Design and Drawing is also very well covered in Chapter 10 of Geroge Dixon's book about Francis Whitaker (A Blacksmith's Craft - The Legacy of Francis Whitaker - Vol. 1) ISBN 0-9707664-7-5. Quoting Clay Spencer about the George Dixson book: "If you could only have one blacksmithing book, this would be the book." In my opinion, Clay is right; it's a really good book. Jim C.

Question for the group: Fireplace Screens: What is a good screen material to use? Any special tips as to how to attach the screen to the frame? And finally, where is a good place to get the screen material. Thanks for your time and help with my simple question. Jim C.

Ironscot: You make some good points in the above posts. Most of us beginners start with learning the mechanics of smithing -- forge it, bend it, punch it, weld it, etc., and we spend a lot of time making tools. Many of us do not have any art trainging at all. I am hoping that one or more members of the Saltfork Craftsmen ABA will be able to teach some basic art classes at our 2006 meetings. Thanks for your well taken points. Jim C. President Saltfork Craftsmen ABA

Blacksmithtech: As stated by others, machine finishing your anvil face is not a good idea. As originally made by PW, the face is not absolutely square, level, etc. with the base of the anvil. Neither is the base flat and level. If your machine shop buddy simply puts the anvil on the Blanchard magnetic base and grinds the top flat, you will loose most of the hard top plate (or all of it) in some places and only a little in others. I doubt that the original top was over 3/8" thick and surely some of it has been ground off or worked down in the past. Further you likely won't have much top plate thickness left to tie into if you start rebuilding it with welding rod after the grinding. If you are dead set on having a flat shiny top, do the welding per Robb Gunter's instructions before grinding. If you want photos and welding procedure notes, get my e-mail from Glenn or from the Saltfork Craftsmen web site (ABANA affiliate). Jim C.

Gerald: The smith at the Cowboy Hall of Fame / Chuck Wagon Cook Off last May made 100's of rings for the kids from 8d (2-1/2" long) flat concrete nails. He used a special pair of tongs having one jaw as a round mandrel on the end. The mandrel was about 9/16" in diameter. The second jaw gripped the nail as it was formed around the mandrel. The concrete nails do not have the sharp end like a horse shoe nail, but the heads are similar. Jim C.

Dan L. You can buy wrought iron from one of the Saltfork Craftsmen ABA members here in Oklahoma. If you are interested drop me a note. You can get my e-mail address from the ABANA / Affiliates site at Saltfork Craftsmen ABA or through FrontierShop.com. Jim Carothers