IanR

Dale , I'm about 95% sure, but maybe not the Friday, depends on work. Cheers Ian

Brian, Just wanted to say thank you for your posts, they are always informative and well presented. It's through contributions by people like yourself that make this site such a wonderful resource for those of us still learning the craft. I'm reasonably confident with my scrolls but have yet to try collars, I have a couple of projects that I would like to use them in and your information will help me. Regards Ian Ross

The whole setup looks fantastic Locky you must be very pleased. A lot of thought and hard work has gone into the project, thanks for sharing the photos and diagrams with us Cheers Ian Ross

Looks great Rosco, very neat work, you can hardly see the welds and the Celtic design in the middle is very uniform, how did you shape the curves ? Ian Ross

Welcome aboard Ema, lots of things to see and do here and plenty of info in past threads. If you go to your profile you can edit it to let us know where on the planet your from:) Cheers Ian Ross

Thomas, thank you to you and Glenn for your pointers, I guess I will pay more attention to what I am posting next time

You already have some great answers there , but I'll throw my 2 cents worth in. Until I build my new forge I'll still be using my brake drum forge, it has served me well for 3 or 4 years now. I got it for free from a wreckers, it is a truck brake drum, about 11'' across and about 5'' deep it had bad rivet scores in it so it was pretty unsaleable as a brake drum. the only problem I find is that I don't have an area around it where I can have coke ready to rake in or the ability to build a high "bee hive'' shaped fire without the coals spilling over the sides. I found the main problem with making your own forge is finding a suitable blower especially if you live in town you don't want something that is going to upset the neighbors;)

Very nice work, love those scrolls:)

What a great acquisition, as you say any tongs that are a configuration not suited to you can be reshaped to suit. They look like they are in good condition and you're doing a great job cleaning them up. Ian Ross

Thanks for the comments guys,I have two more fireplaces, one the same the other rectangular, I'm going to try to come up with my own designs for those. Cheers Ian Ross

Thanks guys, its only a simple idea but it works well for me. Apprentice man I made all the other tools but not the hammers,the two cross peins were made by a blacksmith in Queensland Aus. who had to wind down his business because of ill health

Dale, thanks for posting the info, unless something unforeseen happens I'll be there. Cheers mate Ian Ross

Until I get a permanent forge built, I'm currently using a portable one I built, so I don't have a lovely hearth to put those tools on that you are using on your current project like hammers (that always seem to fall off the anvil), tongs and fire tools, so I built a rack to put them on. I made it fairly high so I don't have to bend over so far and I,m not accidentally grabbing something by the hot end and it also serves as a place to hang my powerboard. I have it set up between the forge and the anvil so I can grab and return things as I'm passing. Ian Ross P.S The shed in the background is the chook house, they may have to find new lodgings as I am eyeing it off as new smithy.;)

Here is a photo of our fireplace doors I made, the idea came from Givens Metalcrafts, who produce some amazing work. They are assembled using both arc welding and rivetting, using 12mmx12mm, 30mmx5mm, 40mmx 5mm and 6mm round for the hinge pins and boxwood for the latch handle. Ian Ross

That's not a bad idea ptree. I have found a distributor in Australia. just waiting for them to email me a list of retailers . Cheers Ian Ross P.S Glad to hear you escaped serious injury. I've had 48 years to get used to one eye, I would imagine loosing an eye in later life would be difficult to deal with.:(

Still trying to pick my jaw off the floor:o .Were they ships ballast or something? Cheers Ian Ross

G'day all' Just an update on this thread, the price of the bagged coke I mentioned in an earlier post has doubled and is now uneconomical. I made some inquiries at Illawarra Coke and was able to get some there this month. My ute was playing up so I took the family station wagon with a shovel and some chaff bags and was able to get 1/4 tonne. their current price is $255 a tonne plus GST. I hope this helps anyone in NSW looking for coke. Cheers Ian Ross

I'm already blind in one eye ,from a virus when I was 3 years old, so wearing safety glasses is a no brainer for me. I use band tinted polycarbonate, the dark band at the top helps reduce some of the glare from the fire. I do like the sound of the Pryamax goggles, I must see if I can track some down over here.

Willy, well done on picking up those drops, it amazing what you can make with offcuts I'm constantly emptying out my scrap bucket to look for something. Thanks for the tips, but I don't like my chances with the local steel merchant and scrap dealers are all in the city, any savings would be lost in fuel costs. I'm pretty much on track to get the steel in the next few weeks, I need long lengths of 3/4" square to go with the 4 legs I have already completed, these will be the top and bottom rails of the side panels. The panels will feature leaves and branches, using 3/8" round. I have managed to save money on the base as I will be using an old steel base which is in good condition and just needs wire brushing Cheers Ian Ross

Looks fine to me Bob, well done:cool:

Well done with the project Willy, it's turned out real nice, those flowers look great. My major project, my daughters day bed, has come to a halt at the moment:(, trying to get some money together for steel. I'll post some photos as soon as things get moving again.

That is a very nice anvil indeed Brian, probably well worth the money you paid for it. My find is a little smaller but I was very happy to find it. For some time I have wanted a 4lb sledge hammer, but was wasn't willing to pay the $50 plus they are asking for them over here in Oz. On the weekend we went for a drive down the coast to investigate a coke supply company and went past a second hand shop, always worth a look, and came across outside a large rusty ball pein hammer head. The bloke wanted $3 for it, how could I refuse? I took it home cleaned up the faces, beveled the main face and hit it with wire wheel and bunged a new handle in. I got a new hammer with the weight I wanted, right on 4 lbs.

Irnsrgn, thanks for your answers and great photos, gives me an idea for a hammer for when I attempt to make one.

Hey that looks great, just go to show the list of blacksmithing ideas are endless.