Phil Dwyer

Hi Friends, Any of you good people have any old contact wheels you're not using any more and might be willing to sell? Maybe one's you've replaced or upgraded or upsized? I'm building Tracy Mickley's no-weld grinder to use in our high school blacksmithing classes (with appropriate safety training and measures). Guess I didn't quite realize there'd be over $500 in drive, tracking and contact wheel expenses. Already got a motor off eBay shipping in for about $150 (freight to these isles amid the Pacific is a itch.) Well thanks for your consideration and for such a great forum! Phil

For some of us who can not afford to purchase the preferred anvil(s) of our choice we have an even more basic type available: the second-hand or whatever we can hunt down type. It is both encouraging and discouraging to hear the tales of others' second-hand acquisitions. Hearing others' successes at scrounging anvils keeps you ever hopeful with your own efforts. On-the-other-hand, it can also be a bit discouraging when you yet again come up empty handed. So far I have found two people who threw anvils away, a fellow who collects them and won't part with any, a guy who had one stolen and a family who is hanging on to their departed Dad's farrier anvil. I found one I was able to borrow and another that I can borrow, but haven't been able to get the guy to part with it yet. I also bought one of the cheap Harbor Freight anvils. I've bought one off of eBay near my folks in NH (I'm in Hawaii) but I haven't figured out how to ship it economically yet. I bought a farrier's anvil off Craig's list in Maine (a two hour drive from my folks) and as it weighs just under 70 pounds I'm bringing it back as "luggage" on a plane. Anyway, I wish you luck with your pursuits. I know there are a lot of types, shapes and weights of anvils out there. For some of us, we use whatever we can get our hands on. You can do a lot of smithing with very little.

Anyone near Granbury Texas interested in this Grizzly belt grinder? (I can't make the commute from Hawaii to pick it up.) Grizzly G1015 Belt /Sander /Buffer - eBay

I used to cast a lot of silver and gold, some brass and occasionally copper and aluminum. We just used borax flux, which floats to the top, and in our case adhered to the crucibles as we poured, flung or sucked it into our molds. Copper, of course, was the "hardest" to work with only because it took so much darn heat to melt it.

Great idea Glen. How about the CBA's Spring Conference in Vista this April? I hope to be there. I bring a lot back on the plane, but that beast sure wouldn't get on. I'm in NH/NY right now. Hoping to get two blowers (from eBay), one small farrier's anvil (from Craig's List) and an electric motor (for Tracy Mickley's no weld belt grinder) all checked in as luggage. Wish me luck! But really, TRYING-IT would you be willing to consider the CBA Spring Conference? I bet they'd be glad to have you.

See the treadle hammer thread in the blacksmith forum: http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/treadle-hammer-build-pictures-4338/index6.html. He mentions 800 pounds there. I'm wondering what they cost. Yes, then there would be freight for some of us. But if you go with his marketing model all you have to do is organize a hammer-in or conference of some sort, host him at it, he takes orders and returns at a later date with everyone's product. Not a bad idea really. Just have to figure out break-even for the costs of having him at the event. I don't think we could pull an event off of that scale here in Hawaii, especially with all the extra trans-pacific complications. Buying plans would make much more sense logistically (from a distant consumer's point of view).

Thanks for all the news trying_it. Can we by plans from you? Do you build and sell them? What are our option for finding out more?

I sent a PM to trying-it too, but haven't heard back. Looks like that super duper treadle hammer might be a dead end for now. Too bad.

OK, I get the quality suppliers and quality brands are the best value in the long run. What I need help with are suggestions for what would be a good basic array or spread of various grits to start with. Thanks, Phil

Well, for better of worse, I "won" a motor on eBay for my weld-less belt grinder. Hope it specs out OK. It's nothing fancy, a Chicago Electric, 1.5 HP, 3470 RPM, 220/110 VAC (I'll be running it with 110 VAC). Hope it works out. Got it for 47 bucks. Might have to have it shipped to my folks in NH, where I'll be next week, so I can take it back to Hawaii with me. Already got a forge blower going there. Hope they let back on the plane! Wish me luck, Phil

Okay guys, I'm convinced. I ordered Tracy's plans. Already shopping around for a motor and steel. I'm not sure I'll be able to afford putting it together right now (even low cost can be too much for us poor dirt farmers) but I'll get started and see how long it takes. Any one got any suggestions or comments that might save me a few bucks or from making a few mistakes? For instance, I know the motor should be at least 1.5 HP, but what RPM should it be capable of? (I haven't got the plans yet, so just asking in case I find a good deal on one while waiting for them. Thanks, Phil

Does anyone know anythong about either of these belt grinder plans for sale on ebay? Custom Knife Belt Grinder Sander plans by Mack - eBay (item 250210357192 end time Feb-06-08 09:23:15 PST) Plans for Metal Wood Knife Belt Grinder Sander 2"x72" - eBay (item 250211195853 end time Feb-08-08 21:16:10 PST)

I went to the website. There is no information there about this product. I sent them an email, but haven't heard anything back. Whatzup?

Ed Avolio, Owner, 678-360-3521, GrayStar

What do you all think about this cast steel anvil? new 500 pound anvil cast steel - eBay (item 190194706493 end time Jan-30-08 02:27:05 PST) Thanks, Phil

How fast (blows per minute) can you get out of the Best Treadle Hammer? Their website actually doesn't have any info about it at all. How about your's Apprentice Man? Have you got it working effectively yet?

I know you all are into some amazing power hammers, but I need a non-electric solution. Where can I find info about foot powered hammers or other non-electric possibilities? Thanks, Phil

Hey folks! Looks like you might be right on regarding the challenges of heavy iron mailed in flat rate boxes. Of the two bundles of spikes shipped to us, one appeared a couple of days ago, the other is still in hinterland somewhere. If you could all turn three times and spit over your left shoulders into your forges and shout to the west winds...HONOLULU...maybe they'll still get here. Thanks, Phil

We got one of the boxes of spikes in at the school today. That was quick! The office gal phoned me to let me know it was there. She exclaimed, "It's really heavy!" We were so excited opening it up I forget if it came from John or Richard. I believe it was the one Richard sent. Nearly every spike was "gift wrapped" in newspaper. The tenth graders are pretty excited about making knives out of them. (Of course, at the beginning of class last fall, all the kids wanted to make knives and swords.) Little do they know that the 3/8th inch stock they made their hooks out of were a lot easier to hammer and shape than this next project will be. Ya, ya, we'll get them to do some honest "work" one way or another! Well thanks you guys! And for our next trick, John McLellan (of the CBA, California Blacksmith Association) will be visiting Hawaii with family in a few days. He says he'll pack 3 or 4 bags of coke along with him if I give them a ride to their hotel. Sounds like a deal to me. And us down to our last two bags of coke. Talk about timing. Phew.

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. We're on Oahu. Your right, fuel is a prob too. Tried kiawe (mesquite) charcoal. Fine for me, but too sparky for the kids. Propane forge would be easiest, but it's just not the same magic. We're in suburban setting so have settled on coke rather than coal. Presently there are often 4-6 kids trying to get their irons in our only forge's fire at the same time. They share two anvils and one post vise. We only have 45 minute sessions twice a week. Even at that, only half the group works at a time, thus 20 minutes or so is all a kid gets to heat and whack away.

Hi Friends, Any of you good folks know where we could buy some HC RR spikes for our high school blacksmithing class out here in Hawaii? Need about 30. Thanks, Phil