HWHII

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!

I’m still a little confused as to how this will all work. The RFC-23A pedal with the rheostat has two cords one for the amp adjustment and one for the contactor. The one with the amp adjustment will have to connect to the welder. The other will have to connect to the HF box to control the gas and HF. How does the contactor then connect to the welder to start the flow of electricity? Also what HF box can you connect the old style contactor to? I suppose you could change the plug over to the 14 pin since it’s just for the contactor. Where does the kit you mentioned fit in?

 

I have looked at this before and came to the conclusion that by the time you buy the welder, HF box, pedal, torch, and regulator it was just more economical to buy a complete used TIG setup. If Aluminum welding is not required you can find a new 200 amp inverter Stick/TIG machine for close to the same money. I’m of the opinion if you need more than scratch start with a gas cooled torch buy a TIG and sell the Dialarc.

 

 

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.

None of the add on high frequency boxes I have scene will allow remote control of a Dialarc. The Dialarc uses the RFCS-23A remote control and is not compatible with the 14 pin connector. I don’t think there is any way to connect a Dialarc to a high frequency box and have it function like a normal TIG machine.

The advantage of a wet torch is they are smaller for the same amperage and usually have a higher duty cycle. I uses the gas cooled TL26V from CK Worldwide for my dry setup. It is a little smaller then most other gas cooled torches and has 100% duty cycle at 200 amps.

http://www.ckworldwide.com/trim-line.htm

 

 

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.

Looks a bit different 3 years later compared to page 3 B) I really think you guys should come borrow some tools and make me some room :blink: Had local news WSB in yesterday to spotlight my work for the ACC show.

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.

Yes sir, 309L stainless filler is what I have. I believe I will pick up some Nickel 99 tomorrow--that sounds like a good idea. What does a "light" preheat mean to fill in hammer dings? I don't give up easily, as it's not about the $, it's about me learning to to do something beneficial and putting an anvil back into service!! Thanks for understanding that...(:

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?

Ric, I just went back to look at the H frame section in my book and it has another copy date on that section of 2000. I can't remember when I bought it so it had to be around 2000.  :rolleyes:

Ric, Mine has a print date of  22 August 1994. What is the print date on yours? I beleive I bought mine from Norm Larson.