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...

DSW, I've been using Oxy/propane for a couple of years now. I use a small oxy bottle and 5 gl. propane tank. They ride on a purpose built roll around cart. I have a fuel saver and 5' hose whip for the torch. I LOVE IT!!! I use it for spot heating for forging, bending, heading rivets and applying wax finish. I have a fire brick table with loose bricks to use as sides to make two sides on the steel that I heat on, acts like an open top forge, keeping the heat were you want it. I learned that technique from Daniel Miller. My set up is an amalgamation of parts from O/A sets. I use a propane regulator and rose bud the rest (hose, torch body, tips) are for ace. Works fine! My fuel saver was from an ace setup. I don't use the candle because it isn't sized right for propane. I use a plumbers torch with a piazo lighter on it to start my fire. Welding tips are great for heating for bends and rivet heading. If you use a fly press, propane torch spot heat will be the way to go! For the size and style of work you do, that I've seen you don't need to go big... Keep it simple!

The CBA event in Hollister is also the Western States Conference which includes Oregon and Washington Blacksmiths. Plan ahead and plan to attned. It will be sooo worth it! Also for you so cal guys, Adams Forge in the LA area (http://www.adamsforge.org/Adams_Forge/WELCOME.html) is a great resource. As is Vista mentioned above. Happy forging!

Super Michael! Love the pig design! We sell pigs as pets.... I might have to make one of those for my partner!

Hi temp refractory in Portland is reasonable and great to deal with. I have bought bricks, kaowool and rigidizer from them. They sell on ebay too.... and its local to Oregon.

I'm going to step out on a limb here so don't bite me. Your questions should be how many amps will the motor draw (running amps) and whether or not it runs on 3 phase. Is this meter to be used for power cost/use tracking. Most meters I've worked with have a max amp rating. A quick search found many choices... Is the Nazel going in Adam's Forge?

Stovestoker, Rodger is not to big on computer use so give him a few days to respond or just call him...

Buy from Rodger Lorance he is super nice guy and his firepots are by far the best!

I have never tried to epoxy copper to wood. But I have used epoxy a bunch.... And copper. My first question is did the epoxy stick to the copper or the wood when it came off? Also, how tight did you clamp the 2 parts? Epoxy forms a bond by sticking to the 2 parts and itself. If all the epoxy is squeezed out by clamping to tight there will be nothing to hold the 2 parts together. If sanded to fine this will remove any "tooth" as well. Zebra wood it an oily wood so my surface prep would be to scuff sand the mating parts with 80 grit paper, then clean them with lacquer thinner and then with rubbing alcohol. A technique I have used in the past that works well is to dill holes in the thinner material ( in your case the copper) and use a counter sink bit to bevel the hole on the opposite side from the zebra wood. This will give the epoxy some volume and allow it to act as a rivet holding the copper to the wood. Hope this helps-

I don't worry about pre heating my tool before using. The water /graphite mix stays on just fine. My graphite is the super fine type and I don't need to use soap to break the water tension so the graphite stays suspended it the water. I use an acid brush to apply the mix. Usually after the first go round its hot anyway....

Get yourself some graphite and mix it with a bit of water to a runny batter consistancy. Using your favorite punch and drift set up, go ahead and punch a hole and drift it all without lube. Then do the exact same thing with the graphite lube. You will be surprised how easy the lube makes the work happen and how little the steel deforms. Also, the water mixed with the lube cools the tool so you don't overheat it. Graphite and water are way better than anything I have used because all it does is steam the water off when you use it. All the petro and coal based lubes burn and smoke nasty fumes. Let use know what you think!!!