FlyingXS

I've been noticing lately references to the use of oxy acetylene torches for localised heating. E.g localised heat for bending, heating tenons and rivets prior to penning over. So I'm now considering if it would be a worthwhile investment? How many of you use them and what for? Is it something more particular to industrial smiths over hobby smiths?

I'd love to make a few if there were some plans about. I imagine if you got it a bit off it wouldn't work.

So this is what I'm going to try out. It will knock down into three main parts, two wooden A frame ends and a steel centre piece. I have some z shaped cross bracing that will have a saddle on the wood and pass through a hole in the steel. Hopefully it will hinge for dpackdown and bolt in and stay put when assembled. There is going to be a bracket in the centre which will sleeve a removable post for the stake anvil. A seperate small plate with a hole will go under the foot of the leg vise. Also thinking to add a few eyes to the legs for some hold down stakes. Between the steel rails, I plan on adding some racks for hammers, tongs and chisels.

Wow you have put a lot of thought and effort into this. As a transportable smithy it looks fantastic. For use in demo situations I have a few concerns. Isn't the audiences view limited and obstructed? Yes they can see your working in there but not really see what/how your working? it would be more difficult for the audience to be engaged as there is physical barriers closing you off from them. Being on the ground in front with a simple rope barrier has an appeal and less of a psychological effect than walls even partially open. I mention this as I used to design and build trade show/exhibition stands for a living and may have a different perspective.

Other than sticking them around the side of your anvil stump how do you guys store your Hardie shanked bottom tools? i'm starting to amass a few and getting sick of finding them lying around the floor.

Get a bottle of Lanotec, in the non aerosol pack hand squeeze type like window cleaner. I use it in the smithy and on the machinery. It is based on Lonolin which is wool fat. Depending how long your away from the forge you can build it up to the needed thickness, doesn't seem to bother the hot metal when you come back to using it but can be removed with any solvent, petrol, thinners etc.

Thomas is your saw horse something like the wooden stand in the background here? Do you have a photo?

The show is early November. I like the idea of those folding vice stands! That's the kind of stuff I was thinking of. A few tent pegs in the feet would be the go. Fixed my blower this morning and made a light weight rest for long rods then I got to making a few camp tripods and toasting forks to take to sell

This is a show us what you got thread. I have been asked to fill in at a local community fair for another smith who has double booked himself. So I need to come up with a portable smithy to do demos and a table display of items to sell. As always photos of your kit and set up are great for ideas. I have a small 50kg anvil, a 3" leg vice (need of stand ideas), and a hand cranked forge which I can use. I'm thinking small light and portable, am I wrong? space is a 3x3m marquee. I think that translates to 10'x10'

Some great info, thanks guys, and even better with photos.

I've had no luck finding a local supplier of rivets for a project I'm building. So I guess l'lol have to make them as well. the rivets are half inch shank and I have 3 but need 20+. So I found a ball bearing with a matching size to the rivet head and made a forming tool. Now I tried a few things but had no luck in holding the stock without slipping whilst trying to peen and form a head. How do you guys mak you rivets and what do you use?

Just in case your interested here is the matrixes for I assume making flatters and top stages.

What is the name for this type of mechanical arrangement power hammer? Eccentric wheel at top driving a horse shoe leaf Spring and tup linked in between.

I thought set hamers had "sharp" edges and flatters were crowned or radius edged so not to leave marks. Apparently not the case from what you guys are saying? These are top tools for hand use. Around 2" at a guess square on the face. I also picked up a bunch of upsetting matrices for making them.

I acquired a few flatter heads yesterday and although quite rusted and a little pitted I think they probably have never been used. my question is how flat should a flatter be? When dressing the face do you just round of the edges or slightly crown the whole face, or just crown the outer 1/3 leaving a flat centre?

This is a really cool lock. I wish there was an open assembly photo cos I'm not smart enough to figure out how the mechanism goes together and work.

Thanks guys, look forward to seeing what you have come up with. I have my two presses at home now, and need to make a stand for each of them and start trying them out. Just have to get my new second hand mig going and get these wrought iron gates out of the shop so I get start playing,

Wow a whole forum for presses and only one person has any tooling to show?...

Thanks for sharing. Those are some quite unique designs.

Hopefully I will be able to transport my presses home this weekend from where that are being stored for me. I'd like to see what tooling sets you have made for yours photos essential, and the work made. My plans are to make a slitting chisels and drifts for doing mortices on the round, square & diamond, also a set for hammer eyes, a flatter. Possibly a mould for fireplace shovel pans. I'm sure there are many other tools, operations, and ideas I haven't even considered so please share.

You can forge yourself a new hammer, try making a new anvil.

Don't know the fella sorry. Vann, but you get everywhere for a kiwi.

J.W.S. that the sort of thing I wanted to SEE, no photos then it didn't happen. Ausfire, I'm down south in VIC. Any issues with cooking with "Coke" not the liquid or white powder.

Guys I'd like to see what mods you have done to your forge and how you cook on it or boil a Billy for tea or coffee. shows us the pics

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I'll have to come back and reread them after breakfast and see if I can absorb it all a bit better.