Fe-Wood

I second Mark Krause, AKA the hammer whisperer. When it comes to Nazel's He IS the MAN!

I use the crap saws from yard sales and flee markets for wood scrapers already. Don't know if anyone knows how to hand sharpen saws these days... I use to know a guy in San Rafael, Ca. who hand sharpened saws. I had him sharpen an old box saw I have before he retired. Saw is from 1700's. He did a great job! Great tip on Mcmaster carr-

Great ideas here guys! Old saw blades is a good source. I see them at yard sales... John, Your right about the copper as a butter. I'd forgotten about that....DAH use a magnet ... Why didn't I think of that.... I'm interested in finding a source for material that is about 1/32" (or slightly less) thick. I've done some online searches and 410 stainless is of interest but the min. order from the site I was looking at is $300.00... Anvil, Nice looking Spatula!! Sweet curve of the blade-

I want to make some spatulas, I like the old ones that are thin, about 28 g. and flexible. I have a couple that we use all the time. One says it plated with Chromium and looks to be Brass as the base metal. The other seems to be made the same but has no markings on it. I'm a little concerned about using Copper because it is soft and can react with the food. Although it looks great! Brass could be a possibility as could Bronze or some kind of non-rusting spring steel. What do you use? Thanks for any ideas!

I'm thinking the top may flex a little and the legs could twist like a spring when working the press hard. My table weighs somewhere around 150-200 pounds with a 275 pound fly press on it and it moves quit a bit (twists and flexes) if not bolted to the wall. I made my base from 1.5"x3.5"x1/8" wall tube. I would use it and see how it works out. It may be just fine the way it is.

Welcome to the world of fly pressalogy!! I use mine all the time! Great tools! I agree, your stand is nice but it may be a bit on the light side. I have mine set on an old type setting table that I attach to the wall to keep it from shifting as I use the press. I use a 1" thick steel bolster plate that Is attached with "T" nuts and counter sunk allen bolts so the whole surface is open. The bolster plate has threaded holes for strippers to be bolted to and bottom tooling to bolt to. It also has a 1' hole drilled in line with the top shaft. Repurposed 1" bolts are great for shafts. I found some grade 8 at the scrap yard. The heads can be used for a number of tooling blanks. I use 4140 for fullering and such. I made a few slitters from H-13 but find they tend to "drive" if not ground perfectly on both side. Slot punches work best for me. Spend the time to make good tooling and I wouldn't make tooling just to make it. I would make what you need for the task at hand. As you learn more about how the press works, you likely will adjust how you make your tooling.

Jukejoint- Definitely spend the time to make a cup tool for the factory rivet head. It helps so much. The way I make some of mine is use old cold punches. I cut them flat across one end, drill out the center with a drill close to the same size as the rivet and then heat the punch end with a torch and set a sacrificial rivet head into the drilled hole. This will give you a perfect fit. I also grind away most of the surrounding material at about 45 degrees, forming a slope away from the rivet depression. I do this so the post will fit in tight places and not mar the work piece. I make the rivet set so it will fit in my vice and land on the cross piece (were the screw is) to add to the stability. I set mine cold up to about 5/16" factory made steel. They are soft. I used to use a ball pean until recently I started useing a farriers rounding hammer. It doesn't slide off the rivet when pounding as easily as a ball pean. So I would suggest using the biggest rounding hammer that will easily fit in the space to initially set the rivet. Then use a ball pean to work the edges down. I use this method to rivet my pans together by myself and I only have 2 hands.... Good luck and show pictures!

Thanks Guys!

A pan I delivered yesterday. Not the coolest but the most recent- Rail Road spike handle....

timgunn1962, I'd never heard of D bits like that. Thanks for showing them to me! I have been thinking I should pin the top bricks together somehow. The mortar and clamps will only do so much.

I used HT Super 32 from Hitemp Ceramics as a mortar between the bricks. I will be coating the inside of the forge with a layer of the super 32 as well. I made this forge to be simple to rebuild (no welds will have to be redone) because all bricks fail over time.

A few friends helped with design and engineering. About $150.00 later and 15 hours time, here is what I have! Enjoy!

Coming to Blacksmithing from a wood working background, it has taken a long time for me to go from a cut and paste mentality to an isolate and distribute mentality.

All the tools you guys have mentioned are great. They save lots of time and get the job done way faster than working simply by hand. For me, the best and most simple to modify tool has been the portaband bandsaw. I was at a demo with Darrell Nelson and he had one set up in holder with an Aluminum Table screwed in place of the guide and clamped in his vice. The best part was the foot switch. I made one up a couple years ago and use it ALL the time as a table top bandsaw. I clamp mine in a post vice so it is nice and tall. Makes it easy to see the line. They are great for trimming small parts and things you might otherwise use a zip wheel for. Speaking of foot switches, I have one on my drill press. Way handy!

Definitely price hex vs. round. 655 everdur is what you want. I'm saving money to place an order too... Have many items I want to make in Bronze...