CBrann

I wonder how it is to forge the tools that fit in the jack hammers.... How do they figure out what the working end should be? I am guessing trial and error... but... Amazing work though!

If this is inappropriate, I apologize, but I feel like there is knowledge here that could benefit me, and I know the guys and girls here have varied knowledge they like to share so here goes... My father passed away last year, and I inherited some of his things. He had a .45-70 Springfield, model 1884, and now I have it. I would like to be able to clean it up, and do the maintenance on it, but have no idea where to start. I have looked for manuals.. but they are very expensive. I am just looking for some fairly straight forward "Do this .. or DON'T do that!! " I would like to be able to take it apart to oil/clean the inside workings, I doubt this rifle has seen the light of day for 25 years. I plan on taking it to a gunsmith to have it checked out, but I want at least a clue of what would be reasonable. To answer a couple of questions it is a model 1884 US Springfield. with a trap door. The stock has been cut down, and because of that I doubt this rifle has very much collectors value, but is very valuable to me. It has spent a lot of time in the deep Maine woods, and a lot of that wear and tear shows. It has the Buffington sight, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me how it works. Is it worthwhile to clean the brass up? I have been doing a lot of research online, and I plan to use only the regular cartridges specced for this rifle, after I get it checked out. I only target shoot and know about firearm safety, but I know he took a lot of game with this rifle. I welcome any information about the "care and feeding", and thanks for your time!! Cliff

Am I the only one who has had scale deposits from EZ weld that a file wont touch? Little nuggets that make an otherwise beautiful piece a bit ugly, and are usually hidden by the fire scale. I will admit I am so far from the best I should give all my toys away.. but .. I like this hobby.. Also this is a fascinating thread from the idea of "What is the flux really doing......?" Cliff

This is the time of year where I wish you could just reverse the polarity on an electric furnace, so it blows cold air instead of hot air.... doesn't work I know.. but its a good thought. ....

I can only imagine how you feel, but I think sharing helps. I have lost 5 people in the last year, 4 to cancer, and one to his own hand... you will always wonder why... You did some beautiful work that looks like it articulates your feelings.... Time, talk and family will help your healing may you find peace and comfort, Cliff

Wish I had more to offer than prayers, but mine are with you. Cliff

Dragons lair... found the friction tape dust on the bottom plate of the wall... I ASSUMED it came from the junctions. We have come a long way since then... I hope..

Get a licensed electrician... cheaper than a funeral.. or having him "fix" something that was done wrong.... I live in New England, and work on my house ... well the electrical system up here are a mix of new wire, 20 year old wire.. and other things. I have seen circuits that were knob and tube that were supposed to be replaced with romex or BX... well the parts you could see were replaced, the parts hidden in the walls were not.... Fore those who dont know knob and tube wiring is 2 "insulated" (gutta percha and cotton thread) run through ceramic tubes that fit in holes through studs and joists. Junctions are made by twisting the bare ends of the wires together to make them longer... after 50 years the "electrical tape" i think it was friction tape... falls off leaving hot bare ends in wall cavities... Imagine finding a bare end junction under fiberglass insulation in an attic... with your hand... We all have stories about finding hot wires .. or getting zapped.. but professionals are out there to keep us safe from our selves, and to get things right the first time my .02 cliff

Artfist... I thought I had seen 304L listed as a leaded steel for free machining ... thanks for the info, just not interested in poisoning myself or anyone else...accidentally... violates the rules of hospitality.... Thanks Cliff

I thought passivation involved heating stainless to red then quenching appropiatly. It was explained that heating and quenching was a process to manage the solid state solution to keep the chrome from forming carbides. Keeping the crome free (keeping it from bonding with carbon) keep the stainless ... welll.. stainless. Also... should I worry about leaded stainless alloys? 304L for example? I have made stainless silverware out of "mystery stainless" and polished it without passivation, because I didn't know I had to. Thanks Cliff

I am a pencil paper guy too... of chalk and wall or soapstone ans sheet metal.... that being said... if I wanted to do something really big, I would use ACAD or DynaCAD in 3D to make sure it would fit in the building... or throught the doors ...I also have been know to use it to calculate or generate the curves I want, plot them, and then make a jig that will make thousands all the same.... I like computers and gadgets, but they have their place... I kind of agree with the comment that the programs tend to emphasize the authors work not mine. I think CAD is good for drawing complicated machinery, bridges, buildings, large complicated repetitious objects. But then, thats just me.... Cliff

So what is the ultimate goal of making your piece thinner? What is it going to be? Since you say you have cut and shaped it already, and it needs to be thinner. Advice may be more accurate and helpful if we knew what you were making. I am a fan of forge and file, but forging tends to change all dimensions some get smaller while others get larger, the volume of steel will stay the same, the shape will change (excepting the small amount of fire scale that falls off every heat)

If the motor was good that would have been on my list of bits to get... .... as far as ratio of 15 to 117.. I have never been clear on gear ratios and whether is is diameter or circumfrence that is the important part of the equation... however a friend has a copy of the power transmission handbook that has the answer... if I can stay awake reading it long enough... it is very dry reading... it will tell you more about V belts and pulleys and belt tensions than you ever imagined existed ... what are your ideas for what to do with your booty?

Tell me this: Must you be old to be grumpy about things like poor customer service? It would be one thing if I was a pain in the butt and demand that everything be brought to me on a velvet pillow. There is not much I want, help me find item X in your store, help me replace item X I bought from your store, its not like I go to the auto parts store for kitchen cabinets, and throw a fit when they don't have them. Cliff

... It is amazing the people that get into customer service, and are not interested in it. also remember that the young people of today were told "Go to college, become a rocket scientist, there will be plenty of jobs when you get out....!" So now they have rocket scientist diplomas, the student loans to go with them, and no job because the bottom dropped out and they have no experience. So now they work wherever for whatever.... feeling more than slightly misled... and though that is not an excuse.. it is a sort of explanation. I still go to the local place and ask Have you got a.... and many times they either have one, or know where I can get one instead of getting the answer "I am in plumbing, not hardawre, let me see if I can find someone to help you...." and then watch the tumble weeds go by... I learned that customer service is not my best thing when I sold lobster retail. The signs out front only had prices for lobster on them, the name on the front of the building ended with "lobster company", I can't tell you the number of times I was asked do you have clams, shrimp, mussels, crab etc, and upon finding that we only sold lobster leave... why is it people want to buy everything but what I have for sale? after dealing with that 20 times a day, anyone who sells things for a living might be a little raw around the edges...... but thats just me.... what do I know? Cliff

Beautiful clean lines, looks like a pleasure to use. How much does the head weigh? I notice there is no notch for pulling nails. I always thought that was a poor feature and idea. Why would you want to put that much torsion on the handle right at the base of the socket? Is the top face flush with the top of the socket? If you have ever nailed at the top of a wall and ceiling or in the corner of 2 walls you would know why I ask. Cliff

I am in Connecticut, and just moved last week from my house to a town house. My busiest moving day it was over 95F... high humidity... I looked like I had been hosed down.... after dark I cooled off and dried out.. before I took a shower I was crispy with salt... I also work outside with my forge, and have taken it on laps around a tree to stay in the shade.... savage amusement sometimes but I love it.. Why is it this hot so early? What kind of summer is it going to be? Cliff

For a handle.. I might look at Zebra wood, just to keep the linear pattern going.. just a thought.. Really impressive! please post pics of the finished piece.

Why would you brand your wife/girlfrind/husband/ boyfriend?? Then other people know they are yours.. .and will bring her back if they find them "lost"... that being the case .. It seems to me that if you need to brand your wife/ girlfriend/ husband/ boyfriend... that might not be... the wisest use of your time... Oh .. and I have burned myself enough times with hot iron and steel.. it seems to take a while for that "seared pork chop" smell to go away... I assume branding has a similar smell..

I have seen it used in lighthouses to make the bearing for the lens assembly. The whole rotating lens rides on/ in a large tub or mercury.. and there were vents for the fumes... And I am talking about several thousand pounds of Fresnel glass and brass from a 100 and something year old light house. The only updates were electric lamps and electric motors to spin the lens. Still amazes me that 150 year old engineering and optics can only be updated with a better electric lamp and motor.. the optics and construction can't be improved.. the buildings... well they can use conservation.. The thread about mercury and its uses reminded me of this.. Cliff

Do the iron in a ranchers fire turn into sparklers if they are left too long?

Love it!!

Forge to form.. file to fit. Dad was fan of that one.

Here is the long and short of it. I am downsizing from a house to an apartment. Its a good thing. But, I cant take all my blacksmith gear and stock and iron pile with me. I have a half wheel barrow of railroad spikes, bought from a scrapper, about 7 feet of hydraulic piston, other odd bits and pieces of iron and steel I also have some lumber 6 or 8 5 foot maple 2 by 4s, a small pile of apple strips about 1/2" thick, some hornbeam 2" by 2" by about 5'.. and other stuff. Why do I list it here, because I would rather see this stuff go to someone who knows and loves it as soon as anything else. I live in Eastern Connecticut USA, I have about 2 weeks to finish packing before I leave so that is my time frame. My apologies if this is inappropriate, I'll take it down, or whatever, just trying to help myself and someone else at the same time. Cliff

a smith of both words and iron.. . amazing how many people that has happened to... well done, Cliff