Dave Hammer

Most guilds will allow non-members to attend their meetings and (possibly) events without joining the guild. Talk with the president of the guild local to you and ask if there is some service you could perform for the guild to be able to forego the cost of dues or attendance fees.

If you want to be able to move the hammer occasionally to get it out of the way.... Just make your "hold it in place" capability easily removable. How about welding a five inch 3/4 inch rod on the outside corner of a piece of heavy 2 inch angle iron. Drill holes at the corners of the base and slide the rod into the hole. This will keep the hammer from moving. You would probably only need two of these. When you need to move the hammer, just pull the "keepers" and go to town. If dust or ??? gets in the holes, just blow it out with an air hose...

If you want to cut it hot, use a hot cut. If you want to cut it cold, use a zip-disk in an angle grinder.

You can buy a NEW 10 HP rotary converter from Anderson Converters (AZ). Google for them online. If you can find a used 10HP 3 Phase motor, you can add a panel sold by Anderson for $259 and have an inexpensive rotary. A used 10HP motor should be able to be found for much less than $450. I paid about $50 for the last one I bought. I wouldn't even think about using a single phase motor. Three phase motors have more torque, and you need it for the Nazel hammers to get started (whether or not you unload the compressor). The advice you are getting here is good advice. It's based on experience. Don't just smile and discount it. If you are not extremely mechanical inclined, and don't already have a means to move heavy equipment around, or something to safely hoist (and move) hundreds of pounds with a high overhead clearance shop, you are probably going to have to spend a lot more than the "dreaded" $13,000 you are thinking about. Incidently, if you are patient, you probably could find a working 2B for well under $13,000 anyway. You need to look though, it isn't likely someone is going to send a good deal your way out of the goodness of their heart (it has happened, but I wouldn't hold my breath). Then again, if you are mechanically gifted, have a means to move heavy equipment and parts around, have a high overhead clearance shop, and some machine shop equipment (and experience), you might end up with a working hammer for a couple dollars less than $13,000. How do I know these things....? Experience.

Axner (Ceramic supplies) has good prices for analo pyrometers. No cheap though.

Is this a large enough job to buy the torch and add it to the cost to the customer, or at least part of the cost? Rent the tanks. If it saves hours, it may even save the customer money.

That forge is large. Use a 0-60 PSI regulator. Replace your mig tips with .035 tips. Put needle valves on the top of every burner. Crank the regulator all the way down and manage the propane with the needle valves to a clean burn as hot as you want it. Replace the floor with thinner refractory (or kiln shelf) with thermal blanket under it. If your forge still doesn't get hot, add a burner, or make a smaller forge.

How about using a propane weed burner to heat sections you are currently working on. If you have a helper, I would expect it to work fine.

Don't think so....

Looks like a tooth off a trencher to me...

That's impressive.....

Yes, baking soda will work fine.... just not quite as fast (I have used it). FYI.... ACE hardware stores carry Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Also some grocery stores still carry it.

Tapered tips may work a LITTLE better, but other tips work fine also.

I agree with Clinton.... Take all you can get off the bridge. There should be lots of folks at conferences (especially Quad States) that will pay for just about any form of wrought iron.

Grant..... That was clever....

How many ways? How many fingers and toes does a gaggle of blacksmiths have? That and a hundred more ways :-)

If you want to make stakes that don't involve a 'TEE", you might hunt down some old jackhammer bits. The attached picture illustrates some of what I have made with them.... A little rust has creeped in on me, but they work pretty well. Good Luck....

Find a HUGE eye bolt and cut the top of the eye. Then straighten the loop flat and forge each end to the shapes you want. Finally, forge where the threads were to a taper and then fit into your hardy hole.... Look for an eye bolt at steel recycling yards. I have seen many of them made of stock up to two inches thick. That oughta work for ya....

Nice work!

I used bench grinders for 45 years..... Then I discovered belt grinders, which took me to a whole new level with metal grinding. Personally, I never use bench grinders anymore for anything other than polishing (and for that I have a variable speed DC unit). I even sharpen my drill bits with a belt grinder. If you have never used a belt grinder, find a friend who has one, try it, and I doubt you will spend any more on a bench grinder....

The easiest way to quiet a noisy blower is to replace it. In fact, I've found it is the only way to do it reasonably.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/tls/2241869320.html

IMHO, I think you have to have a way to control the air, also the propane. My experience was that the air pressure and propane volume need to be balanced (therefore adjustable) to get a good burn environment. I'm not sure you could get the forge started if you had too much air. I don't think the position of the blower (or a couple elbows), if it has the proper capability, makes any difference. It just has to maintain the pressure. Maybe the next time I go up to visit my daughter (Delaware), if you are working, I can stop by and look at your setup with you.

I would take the recommendation from the pump manufacturer....

Ask authorities what limitations, if any, there are if you wanted to build an artist's studio....