Michael Cochran

I know I’ve heard other places it’s often a better quality steel but I got the answer I expected. Ocrossley, unless yours is actually good steel your practice is only going to be so effective. Piloting a plane is far from the same a submarine so you cannot expect to learn how to pilot a sub by flying a plane no matter how hard you try. I would suggest getting alloys you can identify and practice on that so that you’re aware of how that steel reacts to the hammer.

Why are you using rebar for kitchen knives? I cannot find any reference as yet showing that #14 rebar is suitable for knives. I know as a general how it’s best to stay away from rebar for anything more than what it’s meant for or for handles for PW billets.

Someone’s almost as bad as I am. “Did someone say FREE?!” I had a leaf spring set (not free ) follow me home today. Now I just have to figure out exactly how to mount it and if I need the straight piece for my scrap hammer build. (I also plan to build an elaborate cage around the spring in case of catastrophic failure.) I almost forgot the picture.

I like the drill analogy. I might have to use that next time.

You could always sleeve your hardy hole making it smaller or even weld square tubing to the bottom of your forged hardy tools if you can. The sleeve route might be the easier one.

The little experience I have welding cable I did as Thomas says. I did a couple welding heats with nothing but tight twists and it made it fairly solid. I did go back and weld it with the hammer to consolidate it the rest of the way. The twist did give good initial welds that helped. Something else I did, may not work for everyone, I turned the piece as I hammered it so that each gamer blow was pushing the twist down tighter. Imagine holding the cable in you hands you see the twist going on a clockwise direction (maybe counterclockwise) down the length. As your hammering turn the cable as if it were a screw and you were removing it from a piece of wood. If that’s not clear please tell me and I’ll get some cable when I get to the shop the next time and demonstrate what I mean.

I wish I could find one tree with lovely figuring like that, just one would set me up for a while.

We actually just piled raw coal up. There was no wood or any other filler fuel added.

Steevo I actually wondered about that when seeing the metal dust piling up under the saw as I used it for a little bit. I’ll definitely try to remember to get some the next time I’m at the store. I have a good spot just for that kind of thing in my top drawer of my filing cabinet in the shop.

You’re probably right, curly apple might be a little much.

Some curly apple scales would look pretty good on those tongs. I think I’m gonna have to make myself a couple pairs of those. Did you weld the fold or did you just fold it?

You’re welcome, John. Real tree, yes, at this point the only support for the saw are the two screws from the table. I’m wondering about adding more support but for now I’m going to use it as is and see if anything actually has to be done.

Here you go, JHCC. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/53269-portaband-table/

At the request of JHCC here is a little bit of information on my portaband table I built today. The base is a RR tie plate turned upside down (I plan to build a stand to fit the track space allowing me to swap out tools like my belt grinder) and the uprights are 1 5/8” 16 gauge square and 1 5/8x3” rectangle. The uprights are about 9.25” tall with a .25” piece of plate on top for the table. The table is 7x5”. I used the bandsaw to cut the blade path then I widened it with a cut off disc on my angle grinder. I welded the table down the outside and spot welded it several times on the inside. In order to find my hole placement I took the factory foot off, turned it upside down, and run a pencil around in circles around the inside of the hole. I did get one hole just a little off but it wasn’t enough to give me too much trouble. Right now for my trigger holder I have an old cold cut tied to the plate on one side and run through the handle back through the plate. If I had heavier tube and heavier plate I’d used it instead but I used what I have “in stock”. If anyone has questions feel free to ask.

So far today I have fabricobled a mount for my portaband so I can use both hands on the material and I can see what I’m doing. I won’t miss trying to cut a split cross or for blank while bear hugging my portaband.

Headed to turn in a bill for pressure washing a cedar fence the last two days (temps in the 50-55F range) when my wife and I spot something in the road. I was 15 feet away and I recognize the logo. I need new glasses but colors and shapes ring bells in my head and I can tell some things from a distance.

Make sure you tell them what you plan on doing with it when you tak to a supplier. I found one near me that sells me "seconds" for next to nothing. Some of the bends are less than ideal but lets face it a little bend is nothing we can't deal with.

I wouldn't waste the time to build it out of plastic if I was to do it. I also believe, as Earnest points out, under normal use you shouldn't be directing enough of the blasting media at the walls to make too much of a problem. You might could prolong the life of the viewing area by using Pyrex glass. I don't know how abrasion resistant it is but I know it is some very durable stuff. I cannot vouch for the southwestern US but I know the "sand" I saw in Iraq and Kuwait was very powder like. It was pervasive but it was manageable for the most part.

I have seen a number of DIY solutions online and thought about making one myself. If I were to do it I'd use a metal drum on its side or get some thicker sheet steel and weld up the rectangular box myself. I have never used one so I don't know much about them other than what I've seen in videos or on tv but I do know it could be useful. I think you'd definitely want to hook up something to help pull the dust out of the air in the box. If you use a shop vac get the best filter setup you can for it to minimize particles blown into your air. A respirator could be a very good idea still. If you decide to do this please make sure to post pictures and a log of any major problems you have.

Your name has to be on a list at the airports by now.

What kind of locking system are you talking about? There are several options that could work well. Just curious what you're thinking of.

That's probably what I'd do. Frame it and show it off to all who came for a visit.

That'll do it every time.

Depending on what you're planning on putting in the drawer 16" might be a little small. If you organize it properly it could probably be fine I have a 5 drawer filing cabinet in my shop with movable dividers and I don't use the dividers except in the drawer with my cans of stain and spray paint.

Charles, I had a 21+ speed (don't remember exactly as that was 10+ years ago) and I bought a speedometer for it just for fun. I averaged about 40mph on the flats but could change the gears and could really get moving if I tried hard enough. I had no issue with going 40 since I found the right gear where I had minimal effort to maintain it. I miss that old bike sometimes and thought about getting another one but I don't live where it's safe to ride to work now. The highway I travel for work is a 55 zone for roughly 10 miles and the hills and the blind curves could easily get me killed. On top of that the guy I give a ride home in the evenings probably doesn't want to ride 8 miles on the handlebars. Ryan, my favorite 4lb forging hammer was a roadside find. My wife and I were coming home from town and we were slowing down for a stop sign when I saw it. She jumped out of the truck before I could even say anything because she saw it too. We are always watching for roadside treasures. You look long enough you never know what you'll find.