IanR

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.

Add me to the list of dreamers, what a fantastic setup. I like the fact that you can access the forge from all sides and that blower, what an awesome fire it produces.

Thanks for the link Kyboy, that is truly a thing of beauty. It's great watching craftsmen at work:cool:

A big thanks to everyone for your answers and images,we have another similar fireplace, so sometime in the future I will be making another one. I will be able to put your ideas into practice for that and also any other projects requiring the same.

Thanks again
Ian Ross

G'Day Cliff welcome aboard, there's lots of ideas and answers here if your looking for something to make.

Ian Ross

I have just finished making a new firescreen for our open fire, which has a arched opening. I made the frames of the screens (two hinged halves) to match the opening by forging the curve on the horn of the anvil, using 32mmx5mm flat bar. This was a fairly difficult task, is there a easier or better way to make large curves that flow nicely? I haven't got a photo but I can take one tomorrow if anyone wants to see it.

Nice poker, I have made one from 12mm square (1/2"), they are definitely a "mans" fire poker.

Great work Dick and Michael. How are the gumnuts attached Michael?

Welcome aboard Keith, I haven't done any knife making, but there is plenty of guys here who have and I think you'll find a heap of info.

Ian Ross

Thanks Glenn, I must confess the idea for the artwork comes from Lorelei Sims' book, she has a similar face on her forge. Thanks for tip about the drum, I'll give it a go, but my first priority is to install a damper, instead of turning off the motor all the time.( I'm using more coke than a power station at the moment):D

Thanks Bully , I haven't got a separate shed yet so everything has to be stored in the corner of the garage when not in use. The blower is an electric one it's a German made EBM-Papst centrifugal blower and runs through 50mm square tube. There about $ 260 to buy but I was lucky and mine came from a disused promotional balloon that belonged to a friend. It has a capacitor fitted to it as well, which I think is designed to make the motor slow down gradually when it's turned off, I may be wrong, those who are more electrically minded might correct me. The dog is actually a black Pug, but does the same things, sleeps and eats, follows me around like a shadow. Good luck with your shed cleaning, might have to take a truck with you.:)

Nice items Bully, especially the dogs head. I had been using a pair of vice grip pliers because I found the flat mouth tongs I had for ages wouldn't hold items properly and they would move from side to side. Solution? reforge the tongs, they now are very usable, but until I can perfect the art of tong making, the vice grips still come in handy. I know what you mean about the best place for the dog, our fella coped a hot coal recently. My forge at the moment is on wheels and as the photo shows he now sleeps behind it.;)

Great table Tom, looks pretty sound and the vice looks like a quality one

Nice work Mike, do you do the chisel work hot or cold?

Welcome aboard lanchie 76, I see you seem to have sourced most of what you want, here's another link for firebricks if you need it.
Dry Press Firebricks (Darley Refractory Bricks)


Ian Ross