HWHII

I got to try my new hammer yesterday at our AABA Southern Arizona open forge yesterday. Tried it on a pattern welded billet. I really like this hammer! :D Here are some photos. open forge 3-2-13.zip

130 lb Lakeside and a 385lb Peter Wright is a close second.

So for some time now I have been wanting to step up to a bigger or a more balanced hammer. After reading the thread, Why use a rounding hammer, and watching the Hofi hammering techniques and trying a Hofi Hammer I decided to go with a Brian Brazeal style rounding hammer. I had a few choices I guess on who to buy this hammer from and I chose to get one from Dave Custer and Chase Saxton. After watching there video on striking and following Dave's posts and admiring all his work. I decided to put my money were my mouth was and support these young smiths efforts and I am not disapointed. This is in my opinion is a beautiful hammer. It has wonderful craftsmanship. The facsets all around the hammer are even and uniformed and the finish grind and polish is near perfect. All I might do is shape the handle a bit for my hand. A big thank you to you Brian Brazeal! You are a wonderful instructor! Your work shows through in the craftmanship of these young blacksmiths.

Congradulations! Looks like a great location.

:lol: Thanks for the laugh!

Just a reminder. Open forge this Saturday 3-2-13 9 am till noon at Holy Hammer Ironworks. See you there!

It was explained to me by the tech that the the 3 pin connector kit wires into the Dial Arc and has a female 14 pin connector on one end. For some time Miller made the old style foot pedals with the rheostat with a 14 pin connector. I agree with you about just buying a new machine, but if you can pick up these items from surplus at a good price it is a option.

I was looking back through this thread today and notice I have not updated my shop photos. This my new shop I have been in for 2 years now.

You can hook this box up but you wil not be able to control the amperage remotely and you would have to turn the panel remote switch on and of manually to control the high frequency. How ever there is another option. Miller makes a Dial Arc remote kit for a 3 pin connector and you would have to find a older style foot pedal with a rheostat in the pedal. The new pedals have a potentiometer in them. I called Miller tech support and these kits are still available they only have 60 in stock and when they are gone thats it. The cost is $60. I have seen the older style foot pedals on Ebay go for as little as $150. They still make the new ones for $450. Tech support will help you hook it up.

If you buy a high frequency box it has a internal solenoid to turn your shielding gas on and of. It also has a 14 pin conector for a remote foot or hand amperage control. Also I suggest a 200 amp air cool torch for it. You could hook up a water cooler and a water cooled torch but you would have to run the cooler with out a solenoid and a separate 110 v circuit. I run this same set up on my Trail Blazer minus the water cooler and it works great. To answer your question on torches. The main advantage is the torches duty cycle and amperage rating.

Welcome, Ken!

Chuck, your forge is very nice! What can you tell me about it? Did you make it yourself?

For those of you in the southwest this might be a demo you all will want to see. For those of you not familar with Richard Bent. Mark Aspery studied with him earlier in his carrer. Demo: March 23 and 24 New Venue: Pioneer Living History Museum Don’t Miss Renowned British Artist Blacksmith Richard Bent The demonstration will begin with Richard arriving at the forging station as a blacksmith unloaded, equipped with only a hammer and a pair of hands. As the demonstration progresses he will make tools as they are needed and explain their use. This promises to be an entertaining, vigorous, noisy and energetic event. Richard is an award winning Fellow of London’s Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths. He is noted for his commissioned pieces of art found in both public and private collections in the United Kingdom. His work can be viewed at www.redanvilstudio.co.uk The demonstration is being held in the blacksmith shop at Pioneer Village Living History Museum starting at 9:00 am. Registration opens at 8:00 am. • Admission to Pioneer is covered in the attendance fee. • The attendance fee of $20 ($25 for nonmembers) covers both days or 1 day. • A special lunch is being offered by the Chuck Wagon Restaurant on the grounds for a cost of $7.00 per person. • Camping is available for a fee and there is a KOA next door. • Tailgating is OK, bring your stuff. Directions to Pioneer Living History Museum 3901 W. Pioneer Road Phoenix, AZ 85086 Take I 17 North from Phoenix To exit 225 (Pioneer Rd.) Go west and follow the signs. Remember Iron In the Hat Thanks to all of you who have participated in Iron In The Hat. By purchasing tickets and donating items, you help support AABA events and projects. Items for donation can be a tool, piece of art, something you don’t utilize in your shop, a great book, t-shirt, hat… something an AABA member would enjoy. Thanks for your continued support.

Way to go! ;)

I guess this is why you cut your handle short on a striking hammer. :blink:

By the look of your welds you should do fine welding up your fire pot. Use the advise Samcrow gave you and have some fun

I agree with what jmcccustomknives has said here. I have two different size tanks in my shop and and two different size rose buds also. If I run the larger rose bud on the smaller tank I too have the same problem. You did not mention this, but if this is happening after you have been heating for a while your tip will over heat if you are holding it to close to your work and cause a blow out and back fire. I have had this happen also.

By a light pre heat like I mean 150 degrees or higher to run the moisture out of it. Depending on the humidity and dew point where you are at. When you put heat to a heavy piece of metal, moisture will form on the surface. When the tempeture gets to 150 to 200 degrees the surface it hot enough to keep the moisture from forming and this is what sometimes causes porosity in welds.

I have repaired several anvils now and using TIG. It is the welding process I have always used for anvil repair. I like the control and the ability to build up areas and control the heat imput as I go. I always preheat to at least 300 dergrees. If by missle rod you mean 309L stainless filler, this what I use for a build up on areas like yours, but first I like to put a pass of Nickle 99 down first then the stainless to build it up. I like the 309 choice because it is a recommended filler for tool steel repair and carbon steel to stainless welding along with 312 filler rod. It also is fairly hard ,as welded and but not so hard it might crack while hammering on it. It is although susceptible to hammer dings. Alot of people have there opinions on what you should do or shouldn't do, but I have had very good success with this procedure and no complantants. If I am doing small touch up to fill in hammer dings I will use a E70S-2 filler and a light preheat on the face. By the way I also have a Peter Wright anvil which was in the same shape as the one your looking at and it welded up just fine and gets used alot. According to my Anvils of America book mine is from the Civil War time era. I paid $125 for it and am glad to have it! ;)

Just go for it! Just weld it up and learn. You can't do hurt anything a grinder can't fix. You might even suprise yourself.

Interesting reading on the milk zinc thread. The know doubt that metal fume fever is bad news and I have suffer through it several time in my carrer before finding out what was actually happing. Pehaps it is mind over matter. All I can say from my personal experience it seemed to help me. Like slices of raw potatoe and a wet wash cloth over your eyes for arc flash. Perhaps this could be the start of another thread on home remedies for blacksmiths.

A very good friend of mine who is a succesful artist put to me this way with scuplture. Lets say you have a piece that took you 6 weeks to complete. You also feel you value your time and your goal for your studio income is $100,000 a year. Your piece should be worth $11,500.

I have done alot of welding of galvanized items over the years. If you do get the fever one of the best way's to off set the effects is to drink a lot of milk. As strange as it might sound it does work and has been used by welders for many years.

I would have said exactly what chyanarrek said but he beat me to it. :rolleyes:

I like the one made with a hinged end. By the way I tried to order a chamfering vise from Blacksmiths Depot last October and they were back ordered and she did not know if they would be able to get any more. I wonder if it is a item Grant Sarver use to make for them?