Fe-Wood

I've been using my solid fuel forge more and more lately and I find a mixture of Coal and Coke works best for me. Depending on what I am doing, I go from 30% to 50% Coal mixed with the coke. I use a hand crank blower because I like that it shuts down while I'm out of the fire. I like to use around 30% coal for general forging. Its nice because I can revive the fire faster between heats and helps with the fire structure. If I will be longer between heats, I like to add more coal to the mix as it helps keep the fire going longer without air. I tend not to use water to help with coking and banking because I don't feel the need. I'm curious what others do-

Good answer Mike! Sorry we didn't see you at CBA Spring Conference...

I think your file size (image) is to big. try reducing file size by email a reduced image to yourself and upload from there. thats what I have to do....

These are the steps i would take in determining if the posts could be removed and I'm sure I'm forgetting something... 1) determine if beams are supporting a load Ie. Roof, walls. 2) determine if the beams are within the structural tolerance to support the span, live and dead loads. 3) if it looks like the posts can be removed after the above considerations, I would use two 12 or more ton bottle jacks to help remove the posts. 4) when setting up the bottle jacks cut the dummy post to be the equal to the distance from the floor to the bottom of the beam minus the hight of the jack and about 5-6" extra for the beams to settle and still be able to get the jacks out. Looks like you have a couple inches of separation between the beams and the bearing wall. look at what will happen when you put the beams on the load bearing support. where is that space going and what will it do. 5) after removing the load from a post. let the jack down slowly check for major sag in the floor above. Listen for cracking in the beam and most importantly watch listen to what is going on! Go slowly and deliberately. We don't want to read in the news about a guy whose shop caved in on him while trying to make more room by removing structural supports! From the pictures it looks as though there have been beams in those spots from the original construction-note the notches. The current beams are new but that doesn't mean they are not needed structurally. I mention having 2 bottle jacks so if one gets berried, you have another to use to get the first one out.

I think that should do what you need. The fuel cost might be a bit high... Each puff of smoke is probubly about $.50 worth of diesel....

Thanks guys! Bigfoot- I round the edges of my chisels too, actually they are just eased a bit. I also find that is keeping the tool rest and chisels polished a bit helps them slide better. I just run them on the buffing wheel for a second or two. The factory cast iron tool rest are awful because they wear so badly and don't slide very well. I find I have to sand them flat every few months. For bigger tool rests I use rounded tops as well. Frosty- Here are a couple progress picts. The copper is first time I have spun materials that are captured on both edges...THAT was fun! The second picture is the final glueup at full hight, about 13".

Thats a nice one! Good price too compaired to around this part of the world.

I'll drink to that! I've got a bit of Bronze I want spin but I'm chicken because of my failure rate wth brass....

Bentiron- This was possibly the easiest swarm retrieval ever. I used a honey supper because thats all I have. I took 4 frames out of the middle. I put a honey supper on top of a 4' ladder below the branch. I gave the branch a couple good shakes, more like a hard bump. All the bees feel in the supper. You want to make sure you get the queen! Otherwise the bees follow her. I left it that way for about 1/2 hr. until the bees had settled into the box a bit then put the frames back in and put the top on. The bottle on top is full of sugar water. I like to feed new hives to make life a little easier for them.

I want to know how you did it to. I'm guessing they were pressed into a plate then the bronze pressed over the relief of them. Couldn't get the detail otherwise. Nice work Randy-

If done right, resurfacing is fine. Price is a bit steep. If I needed it, I think the max I would go is about 400 and that is if it is in perfect shape. Ring and rebound should be excellent.

I've been working on some segmented urns over the last couple weeks and find myself needing yet more tools :) I had to make a tool rest and ended up using 1" round and hand hammering it into shape. I did an upset square corner and included the transition of round to flat in that section. I also needed a better cutting tool, bigger and more stable than the store bought crap. Then today I decided I needed a hooked cutter for tooling the inside of the urns. Anyway, here are a couple pictures for your amusement.

Sorry to hear that bentiron! Nothing worse than spending money on pests! I've had 2 swams in the last week myself!! They have landed in the same place on the same branch. I live above Latitude 39 so they are keepers!

Great video!!! Having had copper plumbing joints fail. I've always cleaned my copper to a compulsive level when joining and tinning. He seemed to get away with oxidation on his joints. I wonder what was mixed with the Borax? And what did he put on the outside of the bowl he tinned? I'm assuming the filler was a lower melting temp alloy of copper. Boy, I wish I spoke German or had a German friend to translate.....

Depending on the strength you need, I would go solder. The center of the top will likely be very thin and hard to weld. All quenching does for copper is cool it off faster. Same with Brass. If your form is metal, you can start working it as soon as you have heated it to a very dull red or when the flame hitting the brass has a metallic appearance. This happens after all the flammable (oil, dirt, etc.) have burned off. Good Luck

I didn't know there was enough pressure to run a die grinder.... You might be starting a trend mac- That crushed fire brick sure makes a nice heat, eh?

I prefer a high quality Poly urethane type of glue / sealer such as sikaflex. I feel they bond better than silicone and are paintable as well as come in many colors.

Ditto- Something that might make him as happy as you are....

Yes they are- makes honey harvest cleaner... Ya Clinton, The suit fits perfect... Thanks!!!!

I've got 2 hives. they are the best- Bees are. I made my hive bodies and assmbled premilled frames. Seemed the most cost effective for me. Here is a picture from last month, checking on them before heading off to John C. Campbell Folk School for a blacksmithing class with Daniel Miller....

Wow! thanks! I was having trouble figuring out what they were making. Clear as mud now :P

Very Cool. Any idea what they are making? And don't say a round disk.... :P

Nicely done MacB. I'm a big fan of line drawings and how they can suggest the hint of the overall form. It would be interesting to see how you would use the leave in the Deborah Butterfield fashion to fill in the form with out loosing the line. It could be an interesting exercise in volume, line and form. Looking forward to watching were you go with this....

Your work is always inspiring in it simple complexity Myloh! This piece is no exception! Would you share a view of the other side? Please?

Its 2 speed. 1800 and 900 RPM. My pleasure on the help... Hope to see pictures when you get up and running