HWHII

I bought propane yesterday for $2.79 a gallon here in Tucson.

Bear58, Thursday Tucsons Craigslist has a nice 140 lb Peter Wright anvil. Asking $450 price is a bit high, I think it could be had for $250.

So the dowel pin/rivet holes are drilled in advance and act as a spacing  guide ??

Yes!

Giving it some more thought, some new people who might need a little more info. So here is a photo of the master blanks. Also a photo of my little bandsaw and stand. I started with this one for 1/2" stock. I still use it for 3/8" and 1/4" which make great pendants and ear rings. As far as size goes, I like the arms and top 1/3 of the overall length to the center of the opening. The opening I try to get it the same as the dimond on the square stock. I could give you the exact size but what fun would that be. Everyone is different you can't make 2 alike. They can be used in so many things.

Vapremac this one is not, but I guess it could be.

John it is a feed screw. When I set up to do these I cut a 100 or more at a time. Eddie, I have a master blank for each size. The jig to the left of the saw blade is the stop. It is also use by turning 90 degrees to the blade to make the final cut. The master is placed into the bottom of a cut to make a certain length cut then removed. Every cross blank requires 3 cuts a 1" bar requires 8" cut which is the longest. I had used pry bars to push the bars through before. The feed screw allows a little faster feed and a lot less effort.

I make a lot of open center crosses. This is my set up for making the blanks. I make them in 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1 inch solid square stock. This set up works for all sizes.

Here is a set up I use for off setting flat bar. The dowl pin is for alining the dies, also I punch the holes for the rivet at the intersection.

More times than I care to admit in my life, blacksmithing has gotten me through some tough mental times. It also have opened more doors and windows of opportunity than anything else's in my life. The friends and people I have met all accross the country are some the best people in my life! It has been a true blessing to me since the first forge I lit and first time I picked up a hammer to hit the hot iron!

Nice Jim! Although I would prefer a apple fritter and a cup of coffee. Welded up 11 hydraulic press frames for me then. Sunny and 73 here on that day, 77 today, low 80's tomorrow just saying!

First off you have to realize, hoarding is a form of mental illness. Then remember your might be talking to a crazy person. Then tell yourself the only person crazier than a crazy person is one who will argue or haggle with one!

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, FROSTY!

Greetings HW , Thank you for the tip on using the treadle hammer for a can crusher . I will add that to my list of 1257 other things that i can do on the hammer . Spend a day in my shop and I ll bet you will dust it off and use it. Stomp on and make beautiful things Jim

No problem Jim! I still use it from time to time, especially when I need some quick. I am actually thinking of taking it up north this year along with my 25 lb Little Giant for my new shop.

Galvanizing, powder coating will not penetrate. If I have a part like this I will apply a product called Penatrol in the problem areas after they have been galvanized, or powder coated. It is a paint additive but also is a excellent sealer and rust inhibitor. It can be found at Home Depot in the paint area. There is a sound alike product. Make sure you get Penatrol, the other is not the same and will not work. Not sure if it is available in the UK?

When I first started out, the treadle hammer is the first piece of equipment I made and could afford. I used it a lot for the first couple of years. Now I have 3 power hammers, fly press, and a hydraulic press and now it just sits and looks pretty. It does get used at open forges I host. When my boys were young they loved to use it for a can crusher.

I use a Ellis 6000 2 1/2"x60" belt grinder. Great machine. I do a lot of fab work and this is the best machine for me. I have finished a few knifes on it and performed ok. A KMG style grinder is on my wish list for 2014!

The ones referenced in that lengthy procedure I do not typically even try to sell.  They take so long to make (compared to the simpler designs) that I have never bothered to display them.  The market for $80.00-$100.00 bottle openers is small, if it exists at all.  They take about an hour and a half to make and there is no way to get that sort of money out of them.  All the extra ones of those designs I have made to date have all been given away.  I just made another one today simply because they are so much fun to make and because I am still working on perfecting the curvature of the business end.  I think I have that part down now, for that design anyway.

When I first started out I was really fixed on how much per hr. Now it's more about what do I need to survive, how much do I really need to make in a day, and am I statisfied on the price I sold that for. I would rather make some money on the things I make than none at all. I love being self employed. If I waited for the big priced jobs, I would be broke all the time.

HWHII   really like your chile openers . Are they painted ? enamelled ? Is the opener head formed by slitting or wrapping and welding?
    cheers

The patina is 3 coats of red machinist lay out die with a clear coat of laquer. The openers on theses are bent and welded. You could slit and drift them, but I like them this way as I texture the round stock to make it look more like a stem of a chilie pepper.

These are some red chilie pepper bottle openers I make.

Yes in Cave Creek.

I used the yellow pages for years and it worked for awhile but now I agree with you it's dead. My web site has worked. Google works also about $50 a month for key word searches in your area, which will put your company and web site on first page. Truly like others have said, time in your business = word of mouth and client list with returning customers.

Split crosses, Christmas nails, railroad spike bottle openers, fire pokers, steak turners for starters.

I applaud you men for the effort you put forth. You should not feel alone with people's lack of participation. Talking with some around the country and here in AZ we have experienced them same lack of inthuiasum. We have over 200 members in our association and we average maybe 40 to attend a demonstration we sponsor every 2 months. Even when we have had high quality world class demonstrators, like Adrian Legg and Mark Aspery in September and November. The admission was $10 and $20 for a whole day demo. What a deal and we still could not get the people out. I truly don' understand it. Personally I'm not a blade smith but if I were I would be wanting to learn from you two. You don't even have to go anywhere or spend a dime.

Keep on doing what your doing, and you will keep on getting what you got!

After spending some time watching some British smiths laitly and practicing I have become more comfortable not using any flux at all.