MotoMike

Don't feel bad. I have my third set almost done, but there are two ruined sets in between the second and the third. I've decided I need yet another tool, so I'll make it tomorrow. If all goes well tomorrow, I will have a Monkey Tool in my arsenal. I love that name. HA.

A cautionary tale. was cutting some blanks for a project from 1x3/8 flat stock. had my gas forge warming up while using my angle grinder with a cut off wheel. When I finished cutting I looked at my forge and saw the dragon breath had thousands of sparkys in it. Quite pretty. At first I wondered if something had broken down in the forge, but then realized that my cutting had put invisible particles in the air. even with a breeze going through the shop, it must have suspended and mixed it throughout the shop. took it about 3 or 4 minutes to go away. So I thought this is a good lesson on leaving your respirator on for a while after using the angle grinder. I also wondered if the "Safety Discussion" section would be better positioned near the top of the forum topics.

ThomasPowers, thanks for the cautionary warning on spike knives. I have used them for making ornamental crosses and plan on making some hooks and letter openers with them. I do want to make knives some day, but so far my skill set is not there and I'd planned on using a better steel when I do.

Thanks JHCC - I acquired some 2 inch round stock that I thought I'd make a soft hammer with. but then I didn't have tongs big enough, so I tried using the tong video from JLP which required splitting a piece of 1x3/8 flat stock and found I didn't have a chisel up to it, so made this one. I'll be on the lookout for some torsion or sway bars when I next visit the scrap yard. Seems like every time I turn around I need a new tool. And I love that. Wish I was ambidextrous though...

Left hip done 5 years ago. Birmingham appliance. Right hip now suggesting it is due. Started hobby smithing about 6 months ago. doesn't bother my replaced hip at all.

JHCC - Thanks. I don't think a raising hammer is in my future, but good to know the clips are good for tools. they have enough size to be hammer eye drifts, have you done that? think they would hold up? Good idea on the T cross sections. I'll grab a couple next time I get by the source. ThomasPowers - Thanks Thomas. It did get quite hard. M

Wulf the HTS app says to use water. It was hardened in water. glad I had the bevel mostly shaped with the hammer, it skated the file after hardening. then used a stone to finish it up. I don't know how it is holding up, as it is hot off the forge tonight. It seems rugged.

Rail anchor clips. I have recently found that I have a virtually unlimited supply of these so want to find a use for them. of the rail scrap I can get for free, it is the only thing that has the ability to be hardened. Not sure of the steel, as I could not find any data sheets on them and have seen people claim them to be 1050,1060 and 1070. So I treated it like 1050. It seems like it was harder to forge than the 1060, but I don't know. there was a bit of effort to straighten them out. I also found rail anchor clips that instead of a rectangular cross section, are a T cross section. didn't get any of them as I don't know what I'd do with them. here is the first hot cut chisel from the Cave Man Forge.

latest hook is hot off the forge.

Thanks guys. very helpful as always.

@Irondragon Forge & Clay I wondered the same thing. He told me that it is the wrong color code for A10 and was collected drops from a project that was 1018. I sparked it compared to 1060 (the only known steel I have) and is was definitely more towards the mild steel side, but a bit more carbony than my regular mild steel stock. Thanks guys

did not want to turn these down, but not sure what I can do with it. Ideas are welcome. one is 2 1/4 diameter weighing 5 pounds and the other is 2 in in diameter weighing 4 pounds. he told me it is 1018 cold rolled. can they be made into good hammers? Axes, hardies, etc?

Josh, is that hammer head one you made or an old one you cleaned up? The one image looks like it was dug up from the ground.

Look great Shawn

made an adjustable scrolling jig

welcome Galen. Love to see some pics. Mike

It looks good to me. Your take on a Reil burner. Is that an adapter between the pipe and the reducer? a coupler for a flare? Is the coupler contoured inside or just threaded on. what is your reducer and pipe size? As a qualifier, I know enough to be dangerous.

Attended the UMBA Winter event February 25, 2018. well attended and a super shop. no one left hungry. Met a lot of great people and learned a lot.

Very nice. well done.

she looks nice. are you going to smooth the jaws?

I'm glad this one came up. recent editions are rather pricey. looked at editions from 49, 55, 65 which could be had quite reasonably. would one be missing much by getting a 55 edition? also there is a Machinery's Handbook tool box guide and floor or field guide( I don't remember for sure) which are abridged to make them more user friendly as the full monty is rather hefty. are those abridged editions worth it? As to the books section on the site. Glen probably my advance age, but not finding them. looked a few times.

Thanks Jennifer, I've refined it a bit since then, it now sits on the shoulders. I've used it several times and it seems to be holding up well.

Guessing the Klein must have a rubber handle, the Vaughn does not. I'd had mine unaltered for years largely unused before I took up the trade. I think they go for $30 or so. It didn't take much to round one head, don't think even one flap disc.

I have a short handled 2 pound sledge I use on mine. I made my mark from an old chisel.

I have a Vaughn Lineman's hammer, a 36 ouncer, that I used a flap disc to round off one of the heads. It is probably my favorite hammer. I wait to see how the pros weigh in on this one.