forgemaster

One of the best setups I have seen was the little 3cwt hammer we had at the tech college in Newcastle. It was arranged so as the pedal was actually in a trench in front of the hammer, when the hammer was running in holdup idle,(ie with the ram sitting at the top of its stoke waiting to start striking) the pedal was about 1" proud of the floor. That was a 3cwt massey clear space, I think that the masseys are arranged so as the pedal is flat to the floor when the hammer is hitting flat out. They dont have a real lot of travel from idle to flat out. Just measured the pedal travel on my 5cwt massey clear space, the travel from not work (low pressure holdup) to flat out is about 2 1/4 inches of pedal movement (that is measured at the very end of the foot pedal, I don't have a pedal that goes all the way round the hammer). I've attached a photo showing one of our apprentices using the 5, you can see where the pedal comes to, its comfortable to forge all day with your heel resting on the base plate of the hammer and using your toe/ball of your foot to control the hammer. Phil

Believe me it takes a bit of pushing to get moonys pedal to move, but he's used to it. I like it with a bit less pressure required, but thats me.

Ok I was going to stay out of this, but I'll chime in anyway. Every term at TAFE we would have an exam, it always included Formula test, until we could all recite it by rote. It would include questions such as the following, and it ran to 4 pages Length of material for a common link, length of material for a standard link, length of material for a pear shaped link, Hook size for a given chain size, formula for calculating the safe lift of a chain, Length of stock to forge rectangle or square to round, length of stock to forge round to rectangle or square, formula to calculate the amount of angle material to make an internal flanged angle ring, formula for calculating a sphere, the formula for calculating the weight of a solid ring, how do you calculate length of stock needed for a forging from a given weight, formula to calculate the amount of square material to forge a solid ring, the formula for calculating the weight of a hexagonal forging. Other exam questions may be describe how to forge a flatter, provide dimensions of your flatter use illustrations, give a list of tools needed, method or the procedure you would use to forge your flatter, choice of steel used, heat treatment, calculation of stock needed. Then after our written exam we would have a practical test, something such as we would each have to forge 2 off 3 ball stanchions, marks were deducted for the 2 not being a matching pair, lack of straightness, folds, galls, non adherance to dimensions on the drawing, excess scale marks, taking too long to finish the job etc, We were also required for part of our TAFE day to attend a class of oxy welding, (in 1st year) and electric arc welding (2nd year) and we also had part of the day taken up with a class on Drawing (technical) involving 3rd angle projection, sketching, isometric projection, dimensioning, etc. I'll scan one of the old test papers I have and post it up. Phil We had to attend TAFE one day a week for the 1st 3 years of our apprenticeship, we were paid for this day at TAFE, When we finished our apprenticeship and providing we had passed the TAFE course as well we would be awarded one of these and sent on our merry way, to either stay working where we were now as a full trademan, or to go off into the wider world, to there create mayhem.

Horan Steel in NSW has 6mm square, so if they can get it I reckon other places in Aust should be able to get it, it will probably depend on demand in your area as to whether they will get it in. You can get a bowl shape in your piece of wood by using an angle grinder and standing the disc up straight to use the dia of the disc to hollow out your bowl shape, I've done it with a steel bowl tool (ladle tool really) rough stepped out the hollow using a lathe tool then ground off all the ridges with a 4" angle grinder using the disc on edge. Borax from the shop is OK, we used to cook it first and then smash/grind it up again(called fused borax) but lots of people dont, they just use it straight from the pack, we normally used to use sand anyway instead of borax. You can make a hammer by yourself no worries, just depends on how strong you are, how many heats you want to make it in, and how good you are at striking with a hand hammer. You can get coke from NSW that much I know, but its probably further than Farmweld so its no advantage. You could always make your own charcoal, or use a gas furnace if getting coke is a hassle. Hope this answered some of your questions. Phil

Got nothing planned Moon. So yes end of October is the time to journey to the Moons. Phil

You can do them fairly sucessfully with a 5cwt massey, we used to. Now we use a 450 ton press and a manipulator, 5 pushes with the press with a set of taper tools, cut the chisel blade right on the end with the oxy and put it on the ground, next day you grind them up and heat treat them. 99% of these moils will be as chisels, not a lot are sharpened as points. When new these moils will cost about $3500.00 or more each. Big bucks for a piece of steel with a chisel on one end and some machined flats on the other. Phil

This is a photo of our 200ton davy press as it was installed at BHP Newcastle steelworks, if you need I can take some dimensions so as you can scale to your size. Phil

Been wondering when you guys will get sick of the one legged stance, gotta get a little tiring standing on one leg all day. I recall posting something about this some years ago, but no-one seemed interested then. May have been a conversation I had with the naked anvil, I'll see if I can find it. Phil

1 heat, if I had to take 2 I would think of giving the game away and become a florist or something else easy and clean. And guys note I said "I' if anyone else wants to take more heats thats fine with me (unless they are working for me). Phil

Remind me when it get closer androo, and I'll make it down. Maybe even bring the 1cwt?

Hey all Ironfest is getting closer, looking forward to it. Moonie is saying he may not attend, something about not having many oxford scholars to rub together at the moment. Phil

March 16th OK thanks androo I'll be there. Seeing as its the 20th now.

yes hans he is fairly small.

How did you reclaim the edge, by reforging it or by welding it up. If you welded it, what sort of electrode/wire did you use. If it was just a MS wire, you are'nt going to get much hardness anyway. Not forgetting that a maul has a fair heat bank behind it to retain a fair bit of heat, as you are trying for a quick quench.

That sho is a right purty lil hammer you got there coln.

Woody you can say thanks for that to one man. "Now just don't you worry about that, by jolly gingos by krikey. I'm off to Kingaroy". It all stems right from the king of Queensland, and some of his immortal words.

Its up to you Androo, if you want to be a froggy smith, thats cool or you can play with us. By the way did you see the french world war 2 rifle advertised on Ebay the other day, it said, rifle mint condition, never been fired, only been dropped once. Thought it was a pretty good buy. What would a napoleonic smith make anyway handles for white flags? Phil

Hi All in this wonderful land of milk and honey known as Oz, this years ironfest is on the ANZAC day weekend, it will be a 3 day event. The usual suspects will be in attendance, we are going to be taking the little massey again. If you are looking at booking accom, I'd do it soon, as the place is filling up, almost all the cabins at the lithgow holiday park are gone. If you are wanting to attend, and need some details, you can post here and I'll help in any way I can. We are looking at lobbing into town on the Thursday, to set up, cause it will start on the Friday. I think I will be coming home on the Monday, after we pack up Sunday and that way I get a decent sleep. Phil post split off so it makes a little more sense, now if only you post some dates?

Radial arm profile cutting machine, is what they are called.

Can we get this pinned please guys, 40000 + views, 644 replies, been running since 17/7/08, but its not pinned? Dont forget there is that other attraction at Moonies this weekend, starts with Corr________ee, I'll see who ever is going there on Friday some time, call the Moon for info. Phil In case you have not noticed its OVER, Finished, passed, expired. The pinned topics are current. when the next one is being talked about it will be pinned as well

How'd it go aanndroo, photos? report? Sorry I did'nt make it, went sailing instead.

Too hot to go to Oberon, too close to Corroborre, I've got club sailing champs on Saturday and are'nt you going to be standing in the sun as well, have fun androo and don't let jimmy tell too many porky pies.

Yeh Matt I'v e still got to get that hammer, so much going on, really need to find a crane company up near Dayboro, I am probably going to fly up hire a medium rigid, go and get it put it on some type of transport skid and then drop it off at a transport company to linehaul it to Newy, I had a guy lined up to load it and transport it but he keeps on getting other backloads and it puts my hammer down the list.

I have a 3cwt BK anvil that was used to make the shoes for Captain Thunderbolts (Fred Ward) horse. I brought it years ago from a guy named Herbie Bugg who was a blacksmith in Wingham, Mary Ann Bugg was his great grandma, and he came by it when he inherited the Cobb and Co stop depot that was in Wingham NSW. Google Mary Ann Bugg if you're sceptical. Phil

So who is starting to count the days till hammered, oh thats right we have got the corroborree to get through yet.