keykeeper

I have a knife like that in my kitchen arsenal, it is the most used of all of them. 'Cept mine isn't near that purty.

He will appreciate them, I'm sure.

Wondered where you were, hadn't seen that familiar turtle avatar lately. WELCOME BACK!

In that blueprint you cited, the bricks are, as Thomas said, used to contain the fire. Quite common for using charcoal, as with charcoal, a deeper fire is commonly used. A few bricks would make a coal forge into a charcoal forge fairly easy.

I have seen some designs of gas forges that used bricks stacked as the shell, as well as contained in a metal frame. Some folks like them loose, as it allows changes to the configuration of the interior of the forge without a lot of re-designing and building. Use of bricks in a forge, whether coal, charcoal or gassers, is only limited by imagination, purpose, and pocketbook (as some types of firebrick are much more expensive than other types.)

Just to clear up what I posted, the wikipedia links are for the wiki available on the web and accessible to anyone that wants to edit or delete information. I have heard nasty rumors that a lot of misinformation is spread using this medium.

Perhaps links from Webster's dictionary, or a more accredited site is what I was trying to get at. Sorry for any confusion this may cause.

On another note, I wish more people would post on the wiki available here at IFI. Will be a great resource for anyone interested in blacksmithing!! (or those just learning!)

Ice Czar,

Not trying to attack your posts, as the advanced information on combustion and the like are helpful to the original thrust of the thread. Just consider that for link purposes, wikipedia can be changed by anyone, thus, there may some inaccuracies in the definitions. Links to a more solid platform of definitions may be in order.

A lot of people around here swear by the Rocky boots insulated with Thinsulate. They have rubber soles, don't know how that would hold up, though. Usually of pretty good quality.

Just my .02 worth.

Steal (a deal)

Looks good, Sam. How are you controlling the air flow-air gate, rheostat or damper? Couldn't tell on the pics.

I like the firepot and ash dump setup. So when are we going to see the SS marked firepot castings on the market? I'd buy it, if available.

Forge on, brother!

aaron

Bruce,

Not sure of the going rate, but anything less than $75 should be a steal, I would think. IF you don't have room for it, I would give it a home for ya!

Maybe some of the veterans here will know more on it.

aaron c.

I think we are all missing the real culprit here--the cat! Everyone knows cats will take over any space they so see fit, in any fashion they see fit.

Killers, I tell ya, bloodthirsty, scheming, workspace taking killers!

Tame the feline down, teach it to weld/forge/etc. then do us a blueprint on it!
That would be cool.:cool:

You sure thats the same anvil?

Well done Doc. That's one fine tool you've resurrected there.

By the way, very nice pics of the process!!

I like it, Hillbilly. The way the handle worked out is unique. Keep on going, it's coming along fine. Heck, I would stop there!

Kilt, Kilt, Kilt

Most are usually a higher carbon steel, not sure which one. Some of the more experienced guys on here will know.

Use it like any other steel, should make strong forgings.

I've got a few in the resource barrel, curious to see some of the suggestions for use myself.

aaron c.

On the Second day of Christmas my true love gave to me.......

(in my best singing voice)

TWO CHAMPION BLOWERS,

And an anvil that weighed more than me.

Smoke is a by-product. Unburned gases, etc.

The three mentioned parts combine to create what we called in the fire service the "fire tetrahedron" or something like that. Remove any of the 3 required components from the equation, and the flame disappears. Thus the importance to firefighters.

My advice is to leave the phosphorus alone, save the fireworks for the professionals.

my $.02, for what it's worth

aaron

I'll give you $20 for it, sight unseen. Where are you located? If you are close, would love to have it.

As Jmercier said, electroetching is safe. Do a search on it on google. There are some methods that use a resist, which keeps the etchant from etching unintended parts. There is also a pretty safe acid paste available that may work. I have a family member that used to etch glass with it. Search etching, chemical etching etc.

have fun

aaron c

The Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique is NOT a fantasy folks!

When I purchased my anvil, I didn't even know about the technique, but in retrospect that was what I did to acquire it.

I put the word out to a few friends. One friend, an antique dealer, tells me a guy was trying to sell him an anvil. Turns out the fella was a cousin to another friend of mine. I tell my friend to have his cousin get in touch with me. Two weeks later, I run into the anvil owner at a swap meet. I explain my need to him, and the next week he shows up at my workplace with the anvil to let me see it. He seemed pained when he told me he had to have $XX bucks for it. I was even more pained to hesitate and say "Well, I hope it's worth it, but I'll take it." Yeah right.

The anvil was a "painted lady" as they are called, had a coat of black paint with primer underneath with white highlighting on the raised lettering on the side. He was gonna use it as a decoration on the hearth of his fireplace! Thus the paint scheme.

When I got it home, I immediately set out to remove the paint and check it out for cracks, filler, etc. THERE WAS NONE TO BE FOUND. With the exception of some dings in the face here and there, I think I made a great purchase.

Here it is:


The technique works, folks. It just takes time. The beauty of my application of the TPAAAT is that the anvil came to me, I didn't have to waste fuel searching, and the fella even drove it over to my workplace parking lot so I could unload it into my truck. It's a beautiful thing.....sniff. Gotta go, I get tears in my eyes just thinking of that day.

aaron c.

Sure do Glenn. We used them in the fire service. They are called P.A.S.S. alarms. We activated them whenever we made interior attack on a structure fire. If a man goes down, the P.A.S.S. will activate after a short time of non movement. It emits a loud, piercing alarm so others can find you. of course, to work for what we want, there would have to be someone to hear the alarm and know what it is.

I think they have systems now that are even more sophisticated, but I'm not up on the technology.

There may be similar systems for elderly folks who live alone, that automatically dial 911 upon triggering. Those would be good for our kind of needs.

aaron c.

If it was cast steel, that would have been a bargain.

Okay, I'll let everyone in on a trick of mine for searching on eBay. I may be shunned by the tool hoarders and collectors for revealing this.

Never search for the item you want, instead, search for items that the seller doesn't know what they are selling.

Try search terms like, for example:

Unusual Hammer, Hammer ?, weird plier, smithing tool, unique tool, unique hammer, strange hammer, mystery tool, strange tool, unknown type tool, odd tool, odd hammer, etc.

You will be surprised what you come back with, usually several of the returned results will be blacksmithing related, as many sellers are just not educated on the item when they sell it.

However, take this advice to the bank: Many times, the tools will be exactly what you think, and of good quality. However, there will always be a percentage of "antique" and "vintage" tools that will be unusable from previous use and damage. They will end up as "wallhangers" after the buyer figures out they just won't cut it anymore as a user. Test the edges of any cutting tool for hardness and temper. Many old tools have been annealed from use without cooling, or came from a burned out barn or shed and cleaned up. They will be damaged with use if not re-hardened and tempered.

I say this from experience, your mileage may vary.

aaron c.

Looks like a cleanout hole for the hardy hole above it, since the hardy hole probably doesn't go all the way through. Just a guess, though.

aaron c.

The pipe I picked up is all black iron, no galvanized.

I should have put that in the revious post, Thomas Dean. But a reminder never hurts anyone when it comes to safety.

aaron c.

Just got these today walking from work to the parking lot. Nice plumber at a construction site near there was threading 1/2 inch pipe with a power threading machine. Had a whole drop bucket full of various lengths and sizes. One question later, I had a coffee can full to take home. Nice guy, hope he's there tomorrow, too.

Looks like it's time to try one of those Bill Epps style smokin' hot peppers!

Or maybe a small burner for a gas forge, as some are already threaded.

aaron c.

(Note: all the pipe is black iron, no galvanized in the lot)

Go to home page, and follow the links there on getting started. Tons of info for you there.

Welcome aboard!!