Dave Hammer

Attaching files..... If you use the browse button to identify your file before you click on the "Attach this File" button, it will put a thumbnail of the picture in your post instead of a link to the picture....

I have made layered steel billets with highly refined wrought iron and old Nicholson files (most probably 1095). If you make knives and want them to be high performance, using wrought iron is probably not what you want to do (however, I've been told that carbon migrates during the process of making layered steel). If you want to have a dramatic etch on a project, wrought iron works very well. The following pictures show a dragon handle knife made by Dan Boone (Louisa, VA) from a billet I made with wrought iron and Nicholson files. This knife will never be used as a knife, but it is a beautiful work of art.

I use my propane forge inside my garage (near the door) without any problem. I check the carbon monoxide level by hanging a detector at head level on an electrical cord in the center of the garage. I do, however, have a 24 by 48 inch opening in the center of my garage for access to the attic. I always leave it open. The heat generated by the forge facilitates air movement from the garage into the attic (natural convection) and out the attic vents. In the summer time, my garage door is fully open. During cold weather, I usually have the garage door open about 4-6 inches. Unless there is active venting, I would consider it unsafe to run a gas forge anywhere near an unvented building door (courting disaster if running in the building). A detector will verify this. If I had a large shop, I would have exhaust fans drawing air from the building whenever I was using a gas forge.

If you Goggle for "mr heater regulator F273719", you will find 33 online sources for the regulator I mentioned. The lowest price will get one sent to you (including shipping) for $22.38. I have never had a positive experience when I went to a propane dealership to purchase something. I think they feel there is too much liability when they sell to non-professionals. I am sure they save lots of injuries because of their policies, but it sure is frustrating to those few of us that seemingly know a little bit about using the products they sell.

The brand of the regulator I mentioned is Mr. Heater F273719 Other info on the packaging.... Soft Nose P.O.L. x 9/16 Left Hand Male Thread High Pressure Range of 1-60 PSI 400,000 BRU Capacity UL Listed No gauge is included (one can be added, but you have to drill a small hole in the port). Note that the hose connection is NOT pipe thread. Your hose HAS to have the proper fitting. Your research needs to include the cost of the entire setup. The regulator is just part of the cost. The package also references Mr. Heater brand hoses for using this regulator with a smoker or weed burner (specific appliance ends). Those hoses will have the proper (regulator end) fitting. If you buy one of those hoses, you will probably need to have the other end replaced (welding supply places can do this). I just took the regulator with me and had a hose made up the length I needed. If you intend to frequently change the pressure at the regulator, it may be better to buy a regulator with a gauge and larger knob to change the pressure. This regulator has a small knob. Personally, I manage propane use by volume, using an ALCON JN1 needle valve (right at the top of my atmospheric burner(s)). I posted information concerning the full setup I use on another thread (Quick Connects) in this section of IforgeIron.

Tractor Supply Co (TSC) sells a 0-60 PSI regulator for a little over $20... CHATSWORTH TSC 20 COMMERCE ST CHATSWORTH GA 30705 (706) 695-2136

There are probably as many forge designs as there are blacksmiths who make their own. Many work well and most meet the needs of the designers. Take a look at the forge below. This design has all the suggestions that Phil K made and allows me to work on projects larger than the heated area and may meet your needs with a single burner forge. I weld channel on the ends of a pipe so I can use soft fire brick on the ends of my forge (cut them so they will fit and can easily slide in the channel. I use the channel (not just stacking them) because I work in limited space and need to move my forge around occasionally (I have it mounted on a pedestal with a round base so I can roll it out of the way when I'm not using it). I can open the forge as wide on the ends as I want to. I also cut a slot in the side of the forge (and weld on a shelf) as shown so I can, when I need to, put projects in from the side.... When I am just working with iron that will fit in the end of the forge, I put a soft fire brick on the shelf and slide it in (be sure to be able to slide the brick in far enough to cover the entire shelf... and more). Soft fire brick need to be considered consumables, because they occasionally need to be replaced. They can easily be cut with any type of handsaw. Cut the slot BEFORE you weld the channel on the ends. Drill small holes and use high-heat wire to hold the koawool in place.

I like using quick-connects for the convenience. I'm going to provide a little more information than you asked for because of safety considerations. The most critical (to me) consideration is to be sure the quick-connects have Nitrile seals (propane safe). Inexpensive quick-connects intended for air line use generallly are not safe for use with propane. Following that, it is important to use a safe set of procedures when you light and shut down your forge. Quick-connects can be dangerous if you are not careful with their use. I use quick-connects at the forge end of my hose.... with a high pressure regulator at the tank end of the hose. All my fittings are straight-through connections. I never leave a hose charged with propane when the forge is not burning. I do, however, want the hose charged with propane before I start the forge, so I use a shutoff (ball valve) at the forge end of the hose (prior to the quick-connect). Starting my forge.... My propane tank valve is ALWAYS closed when my forge is not in use. 1. Connect the quick-connect. 2. Shut the ball valve at forge end of hose. 3. Open propane tank valve (charges hose with propane). 4. Crack the ball valve a LITTLE bit while I light the forge. 5. Open the ball valve all the way. I use a needle valve on the end of my burner (it needs to be propane-appropriate also). This allows me to pro-actively control the use of propane by volume (as opposed to pressure). The regulator stays cranked-in high enough to get the maximum intensity flame I want (I generally just have the regulator set at its highest flow capability). Before I start the forge, I usually turn the needle valve down a little. After the burner is lit, I adjust the needle valve to the flame I want. The regulator is there just so I don't have propane spewing out at tank pressure if the hose should fail. Shutting down the forge.... I ALWAYS shut off the propane at the tank end of the hose (close the tank valve) with the forge still burning so the hose gets purged. Leave the ball valve at the forge end open. Any quick-connects with Nitrile seals can be used. I use Parker Hydraulic fittings. They can be purchased online (Google for them)... or from a business that assembles hydraulic hoses. Prices vary a LOT, so shop around a bit. Parker part numbers I use.... Female 1/4 inch NPT threads Parker BST-N2 Parker BST-2 Male 1/4 inch NPT threads Parker BST-2M Parker BST-M2M If you use a needle valve, be sure it also is safe for propane use. I use ALCON Corp, part number JN1 needle valves. I'm sure there are other safe ones out there, but these work for me. JN1 valves have 1/8 inch NPT female threads. They sell larger sizes also. This picture shows a 0-30 PSI regulator. I like using a 0-60 regulator to get the pressures I occasionally want (available at TSC stores). Good Luck....

Glenn... It's pretty clear (at least, I believe) that this is not the original anvil/sowblock configuration for the hammer. This sowblock actually looks like it was made from the top of another similar anvil (or just milled out of a large block of steel). I could verify it, but I don't think the sowblock is cast iron. I don't have any information about what happened, but it looks like the original anvil may have been broken, remilled to have a male dovetail on it's top, then this sowblock made from the top of another anvil, then added. In any case, it's good, because this sowblock probably weighs 700 pounds or more and adds to the mass of the anvil tower. The production environment this hammer was used in obviously used the large dies because one had "settled" into the top of this sowblock a little. Sometime in the future, I would like to get the dovetail and top of the sowblock cleaned up a bit. If, when I modify these or make new dies, I have issues getting the hitting surfaces parallel, it will be sooner rather than later.

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone! Kerry.... My 15HP converter brought the hammer up easily. I put a compressor unloader on it, but didn't need to use it... (at least not yet, maybe when it's cold out). John N.... The base for the hammer is steel plate (which just sits on bare ground (rock dust)), so the base of the anvil is even a little higher than the floor. The hammer frame is mounted on "C" channel. I will be building a platform to stand on when I forge. The first video is very benign because I still have work to do on the hammer. I will be posting forging videos later.... Monstermetal.... Yes... I think it's kind of an addiction once you start...

I do hear that "making a living" gets in the way... Nice work..

I have occasionally posted about a Nazel 3B I've been working on. Although there is still a lot of work I need to do to before I should be hitting hot iron with it, this morning I decided to power it up to see it run for the first time. After some manual oiling (cylinders and bearings) and a temporary electrical hookup, I put power to it. If you are curious, you can find a short clip on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7C0Wnii5NI I need to modify these dies to a more friendly (to me) size, test and hook up the oiler, put the treadle on and build a platform to make the dies a comfortable working height.

Humble looking anvil, but if that's wrought iron, it would be a cheap recycle into other objects if you could cut it up. On second thought... we don't kick out ugly dogs, do we? It might serve a purpose being an example of how not to treat an anvil....

Thomas... Shouldn't you be saying WHEN you win the lottery?

It's probably the best buy available for a utility hammer. If you search for comments on these forums, you will find lots of positive comments about John's hammers. The 50# hammer is a relatively new offering and, in my humble opinion, is a great hammer.

I first saw this twist on a small project at a guild meeting in PA several years ago. I have made dozens of them since. It is not difficult and can be used as an element of many projects. I am including a progression picture and several projects I used it on. Study the progression picture. It is desirable to upset the ends of the bar before you start making the twist. If you don't, the ends will appear to be smaller. See the small (bend) sculpture to see what I mean. It is important to make the grooves very deep. If you don't, the cubes will not pop out as well. The deeper the grooves are, the more the cubes will pop out. The hand-drawn picture shows how to cut. After the cross cuts are made, heat the bar EVENLY and twist. If the metal bends into an arc when you twist it, lay it on a piece of wood and hit it with a leather or wooden hammer to straighten it. When I started making them, I used a hacksaw to make the cross cuts. Then I started using a zip disk on an angle grinder (be very careful). The handle is on a fire place tool.

I hope there is a lot of value in "all the tooling and other blacksmith gear associated with them" Someone bought a working 4B on eBay a short while ago for under 6K. Bob Bergman had a 2B for sale last year for 12.5K. I don't remember if it was a 1 or 2 piece. Nazel hammers that work are out there if you are patient.

You will be able to buy running hammers for a lot less than he is asking. Just be patient..... I don't claim to be an expert on pricing (talk to Bob Bergman at Postville Blacksmith), but I wouldn't buy the 2B (too many problems)...... The broken 4B, as you described it, probably shouldn't cost more than $4,000. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Tire Rims... If your tire rims are wrought iron (and most are), the refinement (finess of grain) may vary a lot. I have tire rims that are poor grade wrought, and rims that are of the highest grade wrought. I like to use poorer grades (stronger grain) to make small objects (key fobs.... etc), then etch them to show the grain. I have used better grades of wrought with high carbon steel (nicholson files) to make layered steel and have had good results. You are extremely fortunate to have that stock, and you bought it at an amazing price. If you haven't forged with wrought iron before, you have both challanges and treats ahead. Forge it HOT.... Lower grades of wrought will crumble if forged at too low a temperature. I made the wrought iron key fobs. I forged a layered steel billet (wrought and files), then a good friend of mine (Dan Boone) forged the dragon.

Kerry and Mike... Wish I could have been there when it came in... I will see it sometime in July.

Steve G. (SGensh) is just one of my good friends I was able to visit with at Tipton this past weekend. It was truely an awesome conference. There were several great demonstrations, as well as a learner's area, going on in unison. There is a very well organized IBA effort that makes Tipton great year after year. They normally have their conference the first weekend in June. This year it was later because of a date conflict with the national ABANA conference. Plan to go next year if you can. I am, as Steve suggested, providing some pictures. Incidently, these types of hammers are successfully converted to air usage. Kurt Fehrenbach has a shop close to Tipton that I visit every time I go out there. He has a 600# Bement (sp?) of similar design to Chambersburg utilities, he uses every day in his shop. He also has a 1500# outside (not set up) for show. Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! The pictures are of the boiler, the 200# Chambersburg steam hammer (and my son), Kurt at the hammer, Larry Marek (provided the hammer and boiler), Larry being the hammerman (controlling the blows), Clifton Ralph and Steve Parker working on the vise. Finally, the fruits of the labor demonstrated Saturday. There were several others on the crew in support of the boiler and hammer also. Sunday AM they drew out the rest of the two sides and demonstated one method that could be used to make the screw for the vice. It was warm (well, a little hot) at the conference (not as hot as Memphis though). Great crowd, about a hundred more than average attendance.... a well deserved tribute to all the demonstrators and those who plan and execute the IBA conference. Mark your calendar for next year's fun.

I have used two tanks on a manifold with good results. If I were to use a LOT of propane over time, I would get a large (larger than 100#) and have it filled by a service company. I have started to use a 100# tank at home just so I'm not changing tanks so often, but as implied, they can be a challenge to manage yourself. If you have a pickup, it is possible, but keep in mind.... they are heavy when full, and some filling stations will only fill them if they are secured standing up (which you may not have a rack for). As noted, small tanks are much more convenient if you travel to demonstrate and take your own gear. The medium sized tanks (maybe 30" tall) would be a good compromise. Any size larger than a BBQ size will have to be taken to a filling station (you can't just exchange them at Walmart, Home Depot or Lowe's) if they aren't filled by a service provider.

Probably not practical for you, but if you want it perfect, you might need a roller.

Kerry... I'm glad it all worked out. I'll miss the delivery, but I will come to see your shop (and the hammer) some Monday during July.

I would consider that a large forge. It is likely you may need a larger (than BBQ size) tank to move enough propane without freezing up. I'd still try a small tank before I bought a large one though (if I already had a small one).