Chuck Hughes

First: Hell-o Mr. Tanner and yes you do have a FINE collection of anvils down at your shop and you should have an informed opinion about some of the best. Tat2dgrizz, I own one of the Hoffman double horn anvils and have been using it for over a year now. I think it is great. I started with a used anvil about nine years ago and it was a good starter for the price. The english pattern I strted with had some dings and cuts on the step but what was most trubbling was the "sway back" on the face. It really caused a lot of frustration while I used it and has hard to keep the forgings straight and true. Since I have switched to the Hoffman (new double horn) the face is wider and good and flat with plenty of "hammer bounce." I am totally satisfied. In addition you may wish to check the anvil stands Jymm also sells they make standing at the anvil so much more workable than the stump I had in the past. The best advice I have read here yet is "look them over" and talk to some of the owners and get plenty of feed back before you choose.

I am in NE Ohio. I have a pedestal blower manufactured by Canedy Otto in Chicago Heights Ill. Works like a new one but it is pricey. Firm $250. Chuck Hughes C&C Ironworks - Home

Rcs7 Suggestion: Try next photos with a colored back ground (other than white) for your iron work pictures. I just got the tip lately and it helped out to improve the look of my work. Chuck C&C Ironworks - Home

Here is an article from SOFA Quad Stae Round Up Robb Gunter demoed there in 2007 and made a hammer head and gave the forula for his SUPER QUENCH. I have not used it but some are convinced it works beter than anything else. R O B B G U N T E R Tijeras, New Mexico Robb Gunter began blacksmithing in 1980, under the instruction of Rolando DeLeon in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As he learned more about blacksmithing from Francis Whitaker and others he began to introduce the idea of forging metals as a viable method of producing parts at Sandia Labs. Over numerous concerns he proved to management that forging parts produced, in some cases, superior quality parts and was in fact a cost effective way of doing it. From 1986 to 1993 Robb was the Resident Blacksmith for Sandia Laboratories. During his tenure there he developed the Super Quench for mild and low carbon steels. He taught at numerous regional conferences, recuperative forge building workshops and at threeABANA conferences. In 1986 Robb founded the Forgery School of Blacksmithing and taught classes for beginning and intermediate smiths. In 1993 he left Sandia Labs to devote more time to teaching and pursuing architectural commissions. The school can accommodate 12 students at a time. Robb, and his sons Chad and Brad, now conduct regular basic, intermediate and specialty classes. They also forge and sell many specialty tools and supplies for the blacksmith under the "G3 Tool" name. Robb Gunter Architectural Metals now forges commissioned work such as tools, chandeliers, gates, door hardware, furniture, and railings. Robb demonstrated metallurgy for the blacksmith with identification and forging of junkyard steel. Here is his and his two sons blacksmith school web G3 Blacksmithing Here is the formula for the super quench I am sure you can keep it in those five gallon buckets (got the lids?) Robb Gunter's "Super Quench" 5 gal water 5 lb Salt 32 oz Dawn (blue) dishwashing liquid (28 oz if it says "concentrated" on the label) 8oz Shaklee Basic I* or 7oz UNSCENTED Jet-Dry or other surfactant (like Simple Green) of appropriate quantity for 5 gal mix (wetting agents) The Jet-Dry (or whatever you use for a rinse agent) does something chemically to the surface of the steel. It allows the salt in the mix to start attacking it as soon as it hits the air - make sure you have a LOT of clear water to rinse in ready at hand. These surfacants are wetting agents. They break down the surface tension of water allowing it to make contact with a material. We've all dipped a cold piece of metal in water and seen a bubble-like "skin" form with dry metal under it. This is surface tension trapping a layer of air, it makes a fair heat shield. In a quench, steam will form a similar surface "skin" and prevent full contact with the water, insulating the steel from a proper chill. Wetting agents prevent the "skin" from forming. Detergents do a somewhat similar job, they're emulsifiers allowing oils and water to mix. This prevents any oily residues from the fire from forming a "heat shield" surface layer. The salt in the water raises the specific heat of the water and draws the heat from the steel faster. Stir it up to get it moving before you quench. Don't quench anything with more than 45- 50 points of carbon. Will harden mild steel to Rockwell 42-45 (in spite of common wisdom that says you can't harden mild steel). It's color coded - when you've exhausted the usefulness of the quench, it'll shift color from blue to green. ____________________________________ Shaklee.com - Official Site - Creating Healthier Lives Great job the ax lookin good. Good luck with it. Chuck Hughes C&C Ironworks - Home

!00 lbs $70.00 Ambridge Pa. I get it for $60.00 here in the US. (Ohio)

djhammerd Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Oakton, VA Posts: 206 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- part of the post by djhammered. If you are determined to have metal doors, make them "swinging" in some way, with a design that allows you to replace the door and hinges. Anything that contains the door (like a track), will eventually burn and warp (as will the door) and you will have binding.: Here is some text and pictures of my solution to "SWINGING FORGE DOORS" Three pieces of metal a few nails and some refactory blanket. 1. section of pipe (I used 1/2" inside diam. x 1 1/2" long 2. section flat stock cut to size of forge opening ( I used 1/4" x 2") 3. section of 3/16" round stock approx 4" long, bent at 90 degrees. Weld the 3/8" round to one end of the 1/4" plate, weld a few nails (the head of the nails) (to what will be the inside of the door (flat 1/4" x your size) Then insert the other end of the bent 3/8" round into the piece of pipe. Locate a spot on the outside of your forge where you can weld the pipe and the door will swing away from the opening of the forge and back to close off the opening. Weld the piece of pipe there. To finish, cut a piece of refactory blanket somewhat larger than the door and press it over the nails that you welded to the back (inside) of the 1/4" plate. Heat the nails with a propane or oxy torch and bend the nails over to secure the blanket (careful, try not to heat the blanket with the torch much, concentrate the heat on the nails. I made three doors on the front of my forge, one on the left , the right, and one that swings up toward the top. This allows me to control the amount of opening I need without opening the whole forge at once. I just take the end of my tongs or the piece that I am forging and swing open or closed the door (or doors) as needed. No sliding doors getting "hung up." Works well for me. Hope this helped. Charles J Hughes C&C Ironworks Blacksmithing and Metal Works by Commission C&C Ironworks - Home Hughescchd1@zoominternet.net 5646 Tulane Ave. Austintown, Ohio 44515

$495.00 is the price he qouted me. If I remember I paid over $700.00 for the one I bought from N C Forge w/ no blower. If that makes any difference. Chuck

I went to the site but did not see anything about gas forges. __________________ Reb Jymm dosen't have his forges listed on his web site. Email him or give him a call. Guaranteed you will get a response. He loves talking about his forges or anything blacksmith related.

Charles J Hughes C&C Ironworks: I have used several types of gas (propane) forges in the past few years. Forges that were home made single burners, three burner forges from N C Forge, forges that were atmospheric design, burners of all number, type and design placed in all different directions searching for the seemingly illusive flame curl. I was willing to try any type of forge that would be dependable and get HOT enough, quickly, to forge weld and not cause me the "down time" I had been spending fixing and tuning the forges I already owned. Almost a year ago now I happened into Hoffman"s Forge Hoffmans Forge -. This was not the first time I had been there but this day I would actually have an opportunity to try one of Jymm Hoffman"s gas forges. Let me tell you I thought to myself " this is surely an UGLY looking forge ." When Jymm described how it was made and how well it worked I said "Can't be....... Too simple........ I was being sold a bill of goods here." Well I tried it. I worked with it for several days doing some forging there at Hoffman's Forge. Now there is one in my shop. Lined and put in service last year (March as I recall) and it is still in use without a need for relining or burner adjustment or burner change since. Now some (as I did) think. "Too simple......,can't possibly work." Contact Jymm and ask the response he got from an engineer in New York State who's jaw dropped when he witnessed one of these forges in action. If heating and smashing the end of a piece of 1 1/2" plumbing pipe (actually forged to a gauged sized opening) then connecting it to additional pieces of pipe, adding a ball valve and placing an electric blower into the open end of pipe, then welding it into holes cut in the side of a twenty pound propane tank seems simple. IT IS. Parts rather cheap in comparison to the forges I had been trying to get to work. I might add. In a previous listing on this thread someone mentioned a burner for over $150.00. I can buy a lot of 1 1/2" pipe for $150.00. By the way anyone looking for some used gas forges? I have a few for sale....................... Any takers? Included a pic of that "ugly forge" I am using. Now I understand the phrase "It is so ugly it's beautiful." Chuck Hughes C&C Ironworks - Home

Mine doesn't freeze. Sticking hot iron in it keeps it nice and wet

The OH, PA Blacksmiths were there and we watched the Colonial Heavy Weights Demo all day:o. Great STEW:D, Iron in the Hat, Tailgating, Weather, and Friendship. Not forgetting to mention the Tanner ANVIL Collection;). What a great Shop and a wonderful reason to be in Virginia. Thanks to all the hosts and everyone that made it work so well.:)

Here is a little "Yard Art" fo ya Chuck:D

Three weeks??????????? Your doing great! I can even tell it's a fork without you saying so. If it didn't even look like a fork, I would say give it up but you "DID GOOD." Have Fun be Proud. If anyone says they don't like it ask them what they made today. Fork It "So much Iron so Little Time"

Question..... Ever hear anyone complain because they bought a GOOD tool? If you ever decide to buy a GOOD Belt Grinder check out :Multitool belt and disc grinder attachment at Van Sant Enterprises, Inc. I own one and would not be without it. Highly pleased with the tool.