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primtechsmith

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Posts posted by primtechsmith

  1. I use a 260# JHM Competitor. It is a great anvil. I do have to admit my want for a European style anvil with a tapered heel. I have seen guys use that a lot and do a lot with it that I cannot do on my london pattern.

    One day I would like to use a 330# refflinghaus. I work in Mike's shop and see his big one used, and have spoken with Dick about this brand. I am under the opinion that this is the Rolls Royce of anvils and aspire to save up enough to get one some day!

    http://www.blksmth.com/330_lb_58_2.htm

    Peyton

  2. I have had(and still from time to time) have the same problem. I think these are the reasons it has happened to me...

    1. Too cold....already said above but still wanted to hit that one home.
    2. I did not shoulder the transition from stem to leaf evenly...which caused a cold shut that turned into a crack that...well you get the idea.
    3. forging the stem too thin at first. I think leaving a little bit more mass than needed at the tip of the stem creates more resistance to help lessen vibrations that can cause it to crack.
    4. Keeping everything level. Sometimes my left hand and right hand do not always cooperate. I try and keep the material as level as possible when forging out the stem. This will keep the leaf from taking any un-needed movements side to side that could cause fatigue.
    5. Too cold...I have a bad habit of this...
    6. I have also been told that the forging of the stem can cause vibrations that travel down the stem and stop at the leaf causing stress cracks to form that look like when you bend a paper clip or clothes hanger back and forth too much. To cut down on the vibration I will sometimes quench from the fire up to where I am forging to harden it some to cut back on the vibrations...not sure if it helps or if that is even true..

    The best thing I have found is to just work it hot and stop before it gets too cold. Also keeping my tapers nice and square help too cut down on excessive corrections while tapering...

    Hope this helps.

    :)
    Peyton

  3. Keep in mind that running two forges off one blower no matter the size will give you inconsistant airflow. If both are wide open and then one is cut down to half the rest of that air flow would redirect to the other active forge causing potentially stuff to burn potentially.

    I bet those would work on one though....buy both and have seperate air supply for each....

    :)
    Good luck.

    Peyton

  4. Feb 20th, 2010

    Where: Yesteryear School of Blacksmithing
    15421 FIVE FORKS RD. AMELIA VA 23002

    TIME: 9:30am - 4:30pm

    Demonstrator: FRED CRIST http://www.facristmetalsmith.com/sculpture24.html
    Topic: TBA

    LUNCH: Hot Dogs will be sold. "Dollar Dogs"
    Reminders:

    IRON IN THE HAT! and bring a chair!

    IRON IN THE HAT INCENTIVE!!!
    $10.00 = 10 Tickets
    $20.00 = 30 Tickets
    $30.00 = 40 Tickets
    $40.00 = 50 Tickets
    $50.00 = 75 Tickets
    ...if you look closely you can find an even better deal within what is listed... RSVP To: Peyton Anderson president@blacksmithguildofva.com or 434-390-6203
    !!!SHOW AND TELL!!!
    We are going to have a table at the meeting for anyone to bring any of their work to show off. This is a great opportunity for you to show off your skills and help others learn too!

  5. This has got me thinking...

    1. Sometimes I do measure for tapers etc. but it is measure the bar before and after the taper and subtract the two numbers for a rough taper length.

    2. Maybe I should make my measurements nd math more accurate and stick to that. I think that within itself would become a great excercise to make me better at the anvil. I find myself not at all pleased with my projects and I think it is mainly due to my lack of sticking to the original design and measurements. I always find myself saying it is close but not exactly what I had drawn/thought up.


    ...I think it would also help if my tape did not have the first 3 inches wasn't burnt up and hard to read due to me and a hot bar.... :P

    Peyton

  6. It always amazes me the amount of people that will constantly complain about things that are FREE and done with their best interests at heart. The level of personal sacrifice for this site both in time and money is too great for me to even want to begin to understand.

    I have been on this forum since 2005 and have met several great people who have shown and talked to me about doing some really great things. You have a place to have open discussions with people like Hofi, Aspery, Brazeal, and others to learn from them because of the work that Glenn, Andrew, and others pour into this thing...not because they have to, but because they WANT to for the good of this community of smiths, and the good of keeping the blacksmith traditions alive.

    IFI crew I have said this in the past and will say this again today, and in the future as well. Thank you for the work and dedication you put forth here with this forum to give everyone a place and opportunity to learn, experience, and share the great treasures of blacksmithing on all levels.

    To those complaining....it is down right rude to constantly complain when a guest in someone else's house. Instead of adding to the complaints why not become part of the solution. That or...leave.

    Sorry all for the rant...
    Peyton

  7. There are two ABANA affiliates that serve the state of Illinois. Here are some links to those:

    Upper Midwest Blacksmith Association:
    http://www.umbaonline.org/

    Illinois Valley Blacksmith Association
    http://www.illinoisblacksmith.org/

    Knowing nothing about that part of the US, someone with either of these guilds can be of help to steer you in the right direction.

    Also Mark and Mindy Gardner are wonderful people. They have demonstrated for us, and also teach a class here for us every year. Here is a link to their site:
    http://www.floodplainforge.com/

    Hope this helps...I am sure others will have some better resources for you.
    Good luck
    Peyton

  8. Hi all,
    I am going to do a few things at the demo that I have found useful:
    1. my version of a leaf key fob
    2. simple wall hook
    3. benefit of a jig in production work
    4. a better finished hand forged chain
    5. flower blooms, and petals from plate steel
    6. gonna forge an anvil!
    7. if time permits a few other things to do with common flat bar

    It should be a lot of fun. I will try and tell a few bad jokes and stories on how I came about these things too...

    Hope to see you there.
    Peyton

  9. ~NEXT MEETING~
    January 16th, 2010

    Where: Yesteryear School of Blacksmithing
    15421 FIVE FORKS RD. AMELIA VA 23002
    TIME: 9:30am - 4:30pm
    Demonstrator: Peyton Anderson
    Topic: Lots of small projects, tips, tricks, and hopefully fun new things to make!
    LUNCH: Hot Dogs will be sold

    Reminders:
    IRON IN THE HAT! and bring a chair!

    IRON IN THE HAT INCENTIVE!!!
    $10.00 = 10 Tickets
    $20.00 = 30 Tickets
    $30.00 = 40 Tickets
    $40.00 = 50 Tickets
    $50.00 = 75 Tickets
    ...if you look closely you can find an even better deal within what is listed... RSVP To: Peyton Anderson president@blacksmithguildofva.com or 434-390-6203
    !!!SHOW AND TELL!!!
    We are going to have a table at the meeting for anyone to bring any of their work to show off. This is a great opportunity for you to show off your skills and help others learn too!

  10. There is also archaeological evidence that possibly in some crucifixions that the nails were driven through the heel bone. There is an artifact out there in Israel (If I remember correctly...was mentioned in my archaeology class) in the collection of a doctor specializing in this type of punishment with the heel bone of an individual still with the nail through it. It is thought to sow that the feet were nailed to the sides of the cross.

    The nail was bent over and unable to be removed, so it was thought to be the reason why they found it like that upon excavation. I would imagine that there were several nails reused…gruesome business, but cool to have some artifacts to help us guess how it went down…

    They went further to state that in this location of the heel where the nail passed through had no major blood vessels, but large clusters of nerves. Meaning the extended pain and suffering for the individual without undue blood loss.

    …just like anything a lot of this is trying to see the full picture of the puzzle with several pieces missing. There are a whole lot of ideas out there on it, and I am sure even more ways of doing it, nail sizes, etc…

    Peyton

  11. I see the need for only a cross or straight pien. To me...the direction of the pien does not matter much because by moving my hammering arm and my tong arm I can achieve any needed angle.

    Plus I have a prejudice against straight pien hammers. Mike can tell you...I hate the looks of them. To me they are the dumbest looking thing ever handled. I totally respect their use and value of a straight pien and those that use them...I just can't get over the look of one. HA!

    I use a 2 pound Tom Clark cross pien. I have picked up a lot of hammers made by just about everyone...and this is the best hammer that I have ever picked up.

    my .02
    Peyton

    PS: No offense to those with straight pien hammers...it is something I am trying to deal with. I need to have a better sense of equality for all piens! :)

  12. There are a lot of schools out there and their class set up and prices seem to vary somewhat.

    320 for 12 hours sounds a little high to me, but I have no idea what that means. It could be high due to being able to have you and you alone in there. I don't know..

    The New England School is a great place. Mr. Glaser does a wonderful job with flexible class scheduling and good classes. I have never been there, but I have heard a lot of positive things about the place.

    The school I run down here in Virginia runs a student at about 100 bucks a day. That is however many hours you want to work within that range too. We have had classes go on for 12+ hours a day. The instructors we have had so far have been willing to hang out with the students willing to burn the midnight oil. We do have some one day beginner classes for 25, and 75 bucks too...this is to not hit the pickets of those still trying out this hobby...

    I think the factors that also come into play with taking classes is lodging, eating, and distance. We are lucky here with the school being at the owners farm where people are welcome to camp out during a class to cut some cost.

    I would say New England would be a good place along with your local ABANA affiliate. Though their meeting just passed there are other things you will gain from it like the newsletter, and people to ask for help.

    Good luck!
    Peyton

  13. Seeing Brian Brazeal and Mark Aspery demo and teach for us in the past couple of months I have seen a lot of tooling...and got thinking about why we do certain things certain ways....

    Maybe we could get a discussion going on when, why, and how we all go about differentiating our tooling from being handled and hand held...

    Possibly some reasoning behind our decisions could come out too on why...

    :)
    Peyton

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