CBrann

Clifton is my given name, Brann is my surname.... I carry both proudly.

Have you ever been doing a repetitive job, been most of the way through it and said " Hey it would be so much easier if we did the rest of them this way....." and promptly forgotten what the new easy was was ?? Also there is no object so expensive it cannot be used as a hammer...... some are ineffective... but lets not be picky... Has anybody else noticed what happens after a bunch of guys moving something heavy yell "RAMMING SPEED!!!" Just a few words of ... folly ... and I loved "If you smell something stupid burning .. let go..... " Cliff

digital may be easier to manipulate... but try holding a hard drive up to a light to check it like you would negatives or slides...

As for type of steel in the cable .. it would either be IPS or EIPS... improved plow steel or extra improved plow steel. .. yes the same stuff you use in plowing fields for farming... .5 to .95%.... I have found that the etching is beautiful, but a bit more subtle than on a regular damascus, with a higher nickel content.. did you strip any grease with a solvent to check for zinc coating/ galvanization? Most rigging they put out in weather has some ... but sometimes a good coat of grease is all they use.. good luck and post lots o pics Cliff

I am really enjoying watching this one.... there are several points, and they just go round and round. And I agree with all of them. I make tools .. because I am cheap, and just so I can say that I can... but I also buy tools and equipment because I don't need to re invent the wheel. When folks talk about making tools.. not once have I seen anyone make an electric motor from scratch... they either find purchase or recycle one... why .. because it will never be cost effective .. or even reasonably efficient to build a large horsepower electric motor from scratch. Same thing with hydraulic or pneumatic components... Is it more cost effective to build at home a 4 inch angle grinder.. or buy a decent one from the store? If you are in the moment that you need a tool now... and it is a surprise... just make it .. and use it often... if you are making 500 of something and a specialized tool would help.. make it.... I know that I don't want to spend time making drill bits .. or hack saw blades .. or files ... or any number of other consumable parts... I want to forge.. whatever strikes my fancy... That being said I spent a day making a hacksaw frame for myself.. because I could not find a frame at the Big Box store that would support the blade and stay reasonable true.... I have since sold 3 of them for $70.... some people liked the look and feel. Did it work better than the 20 commercial one .. I think so... was it worth my 6 hour of forging.. and finishing etc ... I think so I do get tired of making the tool.. to make the tool that I need... but ... I have learned many things that way.. Take it for what its worth Cliff

There is an Aubuchon's Hardware in Putnam that sells blacksmith coal. Nice coking, not too much clinker, about $11.99 per 40# bag,, by Blaschack coal. Either of the stores in ct can get it for you, call first to make sure they have it though.. good luck Cliff

I have some balls from a cement mill in Maine. My understanding is that they start at 4 inches.. and when they wear down to a little under 2 inches they are pulled and recycled. I was able to cut one with an abrasive wheel... took about an hour to cut across 1 2 inch ball. They don't grind well, the surface is incredibly hard, but it works nice as a round face hammer, after we welded it to a "stalk" and put it on a handle. Yes I did try to anneal one of the balls, I heated the whole thing up to orange, and plunked it in a bucket of ashes for a day.... still as a hard as anything.

Isn't there usually a layer of nickel under chrome plating? I say this because of something I read a couple of years ago, that nickel sticks to steel and chrome sticks to nickel better than chrome to steel. Just trying to clarify this fact, not speak gospel truth.

I want to ask... how many hands does it take to work and SDS hammer drill and iron together.... I know the hit ans spin.. or just hit... but... aren't they made to be used with 2 hands?... that leaves hot iron to skitter all over the place.... I am not being picky here... I am just trying to envision using that tool near an anvil or in a vice... mass versus grip... and having a tough time with it... Although I remember those guys in Sweden or Norway using pneumatic hammers and chisels to work heavy plate... I can see where an air chisel could make slitting .. or hot cutting sooo much easier... gonna follow this discussion for a while... Cliff

I get tired of listening to grinders.. and other power tools, I know that my hand tools are not as fast as power tools... but they also lack most of the noise too.... I like using files .. chisels ... planes ... I work iron and wood.... over power tools.. it is just more satisfying... that is not to say I eschew them... I just enjoy using them when I have the time... just a thought... Cliff

4.86 at 172 .. then a 5.73 at 106... parallelograms should not be squares or rectangles... .. the should be parallelograms...

What is it for? And how does one use it? Looks great, I just can't seem to envision how to use it.....

My understanding is that they don't shoe minis.....

I love you new space! it looks fantastic I am a rigger, and fairly experienced with overhead lifting. It looks like you used sash cord to lift you hammer. The style and manner of you lifting are good, like Bob said a bigger beam would be better, but you know that now.... spread you lift over at least 3 ceiling joists... more is better and chain or steel wire rope to a shackle are best for the point you are lifting to. even a heavy synthetic rope is better than a natural fiber... continuous fibers and higher load capacity I have seen way too many pictures of a small miscalculation causing 70 to 90,000 lbs to fail Here is a pic of a "miscalculation" good luck and I can't wait to see you new work! Cliff

What did it start out being?

Beautiful work! please tell me more about the pins.. I like the star in the rivets it is a nice touch

If they don't have to work as keys ... cast pewter... with 2 part plaster mold... then surface treatment with nitric acid for aging/ blackening...... .

Couple of questions... how old a house? Where is the house? Any idea what the main industry was at the time the house was built? On the top tool does the hole go all the way to the point? Both tools look though they have had serious hard striking usage, but have a thick coat of rust. I am guessing and its a WAG at that, but a leather hole punch and a round nose punch for decorating good luck finding out what they are, Cliff Frosty, It doesn't look like any fid I have ever seen.. looks like it has been driven too hard for that.. and the end looks closed.. which would not work for a fid... not that I am any kind of expert....

So what are the chances you will be that generous again? Not digital??? we are never far from an 18th century society, with no electricity and no running water .. we regress pretty quickly... and at this point it would be **** hard to find fresh water that doesn't come from a tap... and where would you find the way to heat it?? I have issues with seriously thoughtless people....

As long as the Queen doesn't stick you with it all is fine... Nice work!

So your saying that if I came to visit..and if you are driving us somewhere .. I should bring my rosary and blindfold? ... I gotta meet you someday....

I have used on of those spool guns a lot.. . on a good day it was a pain .. on a bad day... I went and did other things ... but if you grind the tip flat that seemed to help, and running a lot of gas and slightly higher wire speed to keep the arc away from the tip!! helped a lot... my biggest issue was the wire popping on the initial arc, if you have the gun far enough away that the wire doesn't fuse to the tip, holding a good arc is relatively easy... good luck... aluminium welding will test your patience.. oh and if you need to run another bead over one already laid, brush the black soot off first, it will make your life better...

I don't imagine there is a huge number of parts... or very complicated... just trying to be prepared. I want to think that the lock work... is all pinned or screwed together.. like a lock set in a door... everything is "contained" or "retained" there is nothing held in place by the stock.... Have you ever taken apart a 4 barrel carburetor? They do go sproing.... which is why I lay a sheet on the floor and take them apart there... Yes I know there is little in common with a rifle made in 1885 and a mid 60's carb.. but tear down is still tear down and if you don't klnow what you re doing it pays to look and think ahead... because eventually I am going to want to rebuild or reassemble everything.... If I could find a manual ... for free or cheap I would read it... and I have found one of the books listed but only the first 3 and last 3 chapters are available online.. the book is about $50... I understand economics... but I don't need 2/3 of the info in the book about every other model and variation .... ever made... again Thanks Cliff

As far as removing the lock, there are 2 screws.... which I would remove as usual.. and then the lock and trigger assembly come out as one piece? I don't want to take this apart and have it fly apart, because I have no idea how to do it....but I am very curious how the whole thing works, and want to take good care of it... I am not expecting miracles, but advice is appreciated.. thanks Cliff

I do plan on shooting this rifle, with the 405 and black powder equivalent. To my untutored inspection, the screws have been worked many times, and there is a little boogering, but not unreasonable amount for the age. The action and trapdoor seem to function well with very little slop. As I said before, I would like to learn basic car and feeding for this gun, so perhaps it can make it to another generation. I don't plan on hand loading, but you never know. Thanks for your time, as always. Here are some pics: