Dave Parker

Prayers for your family OTW from Tampa

Jerry, Although, I do not always respond to the requests on the board, I do say the prayers. My request last year took my father from death's door and gave us another year and counting. Dad was legally dead long enough that when he came back with stories of angels and heaven, the entire ICU hit their knees. I/we will keep Garrett on our prayer list update us often. Thanks Dave

Laxbograt, The Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA) meets every weekend (almost year around) somewhere in Fla. You are close enough to drive to the SW chapter. If you can make it, you can watch your project from start to finish. Here is our website: http://www.blacksmithing.org/ and here is the location for the next meeting: SW 24 - Bethany Allen-Ford and Patrick Ford’s forge, 5352 Wauchula Road, Myakka, FL 34251 (941) 322-2422 I drive down to visit the Ford's forge when I can, great folks and if you ask nicely, I am betting someone would make what you need as a demo. If you cannot make it to a meeting, contact me and I will find someone willing to make your project. Dave

Prayers on the way from Tampa, good luck Doc.

When I come accross things like this I first ask myself is do i need it now? If the answer is yes, then I make a deal. it is not always worth the time to hunt down another one. If the answer is no, I make an offer and let them know that if it doesn't sell to call me (check back every few weeks). That usually works but you do miss an occasional tool. I have made offers once a week for a few months before some of these hard headed Florida fleamarket kings cracked. I hope that helps.

You did great; you missed (thankfully) the shoes sticking out of the carpet roll. Oh and the motorcycles were both vintage Hondas. Somewhere under all that stuff was a metal saw and a torch. For some strange reason no one tailgated me on the way back from Bama. That is really strange for Florida drivers.

I am glad you mentioned the meeting Trez, the last time I checked the FABA site, there was no meet scheduled until Feb. I would not have known we had one, see you there.

Nice work Trez, I have been meaning to make one myself. Bring the knife to the next meeting so we can drool over it. BTW, a blank would be a hit in the iron in the hat (I hope I win <VBG>. See you soon. Dave

Here is my 2008 Colorado on a buying run. Try and fiqure out what is in the back.

Opiy, keep looking. I went from a small RR anvil to three nice antiques in less than a year. Buy low and trade up. Most people do not realize that you can use sites like craigslook to search a wider area then Craigslist. I found this in seconds. Be prepared to drive a bit to get a good anvil, we still have plenty in Florida. The key to success is determination. It might also help to post what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay. Plenty of us have equipment and pass through Bama often. Good luck, Dave Fisher Anvil Location: Alabama, Montgomery Posted on: Sunday - December 11, 2011 08:15 Expires: Saturday - December 31, 2011 08:15 Price: $200 $200.00 CASH Danny 256-375-0690

We should all be blessed with children that value our time and hobbies. He is a very lucky man and she is a very skilled daughter.

There are still a few flea markets where I routinely find tongs, hammers, anvils (always damaged) and pedal powered grinders. I have never seen swages, forges or other large equipment. I saw one cut off hardie a few months back, they wanted $35 for it, I passed. One thing that helps me find new tools is wearing a Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA) shirt while shopping the flea markets. On occasion, a dealer will stop me to ask if I can id a tool and before the conversation ends, I own some new metal. It doesn't seem to matter if my tool identification was successful, the shirt was an excuse to single me out. Another advantage is recognition, since I go regularly, the dealers will hold things until I pass by. I am betting that leaving a forged key chain attached to a "I buy XXX and XXX business card" would help cover you in tools and equipment. I am not going to try it as I have limited space and a wallet to match but someone help yourself to the idea and let us know how it works out.

Очень импрессивная работа Very impressive work

Prayers sent for Bill, family and friends.

Prayers on the way from Tampa.

Hi Paddy, check your email. Dave

Prayers for you and your family coming at ya from Tampa, Fla. Get well soon.

Thank you all, He has made progress, he is off dialysis, has opened his eyes and responded to simple commands. If he is still doing well they will remove the ventilator tomorrow and he can start the months of therapy needed to get him home. Thanks for the prayers and please keep them coming. Dave

Hi Everyone, My father (David, Sr) just had emergency surgery (spleen removed), he is knocking at deaths door. I am asking everyone to pray for his recovery and if that is not Gods will, please pray for strength for our family. He is in his late seventies, has survived three combat tours, and numerous medical issues. I am confidant that he is saved and well aware that he has lived more, harder and faster than most people have. If anyone deserves a rest, it is him. No matter which way this goes, he will get a thrill knowing that so many people took a few seconds to pray for him and our family. Thanks, in advance, and God bless you all for caring. Dave

It looks like a hay to me, I have one just like it, same marking. You dun good, real good.

Nice job, Enjoy it and happy smithing

Impressive, I would suggest a small hole on the open side to drop a pin into, just an additional safety measure. It looks solid enough that there should be no side-to-side movement but I would still add a small pin just to make sure. Then again, I am paranoid. Dave

Very nice, I am a tad concerned about your little helper you made your the forge. Depending on what you are going to hold, it could cause the forge to lean and possibly flip. Maybe you should add a drop down leg for the odd occasion that you are working with heavy stock.

When I first got the bug, I could not wait until I had a “real anvil”. I used small RR anvils and a friend gave me a HF 55 pound ASO. To make the ASO more serviceable, I took a 30-pound steel brick, welded a bolt head roughly the size of the hardy hole on the bottom. Then I added two-inch flanges on the sides and snapped the brick on top of the ASO. Between the flanges and the bolt head in the hardy, it made a passable 80-pound anvil, it stayed in place and by snapping, the brick off the top I could use the hardy hole. I have several large anvils now but I still find myself reaching for the ASO and the top brick when I just need to do something small. The bottom of the brick serves as a cutting plate, a weight to hold things down or a prop to hold things up. I guess that was a long-winded way of saying, be inventive and resourceful. Use what you have until you have something better.

Just my 2 cents. If you need the tool, the price is not high. If you want the tool and do not need it right now, then you can afford to look around a little longer. Size, availability and need determine if I pick them up or skip the deal. I buy them here in Florida and resale or trade them to other smiths. I have paid as little as $30 and as much as $110. To me the deal depends on all the contributing factors, what else is involved, is there a few other items that I need, are they included? Do I have a buyer for any of it or am I going to have to store it until I find one? I have over paid for items just because I wanted them and waited until the market would let me brake even. Business is only one aspect of our craft, sometimes you just want what you see. If I buy several tools then I divide the cost, meaning that if I bought a forge, an anvil and a post vise for $300. I overpaid for the vice but got a screaming deal on the anvil and forge. Buy the vise and a cheaper one will magically appear, need the vise to finish a project and you will never find one for sale. If I did not have one, then I would grab it. I’m betting if most of us counted our tools, scrap and other equipment, we are all dangerously close to having more than we can use or even need. Stay in this and one day you will look around and discover that you also have more than you need. At that point donate some to a new smith and let them get bitten by the bug.