AR. Hillbilly

Welcome from just across the border in Arkansas. I'm also a beginner but I must say you've found the right place. These fellers have helped me a bunch in my short time here. Frosty is right about the obsessive tool collection. I've also aquired obsessive scrap metal collecting. I find I drive slower these days and always have my eyes open for somthing to smoosh on the anvil. I belong to an antique tractor club not all that far from you that has a good blacksmith shop with demonstrations during the spring and fall shows. The next one will be in Sept if you're interested.

That's a real beauty. I'm very happy for you.

Awesome story and thanks for sharing. I know an older gent near Jasper Ar that bought a brand spankin new 830 John Deere (a big old 2 cylinder diesel) in Pratt Ks and drove it home to Arkansas. He still has it today and in quite good condition.

Those are some nice tractors. I really like the AO. I collect Orange tractors but have a love for all old tractors. Can't wait for pics of the anvil. I think it will be worth the wait.

Will do guys. I'm out of coal again so it may be a bit before I can get back with results. Thank you very much.

​I agree 100%. You guys are a great help. Sorry for the dumb questions but I really want to learn about the hardening process and different types of steel. I don't want to buy expensive steel just yet until I get some more experience. So far all I'm doing is learning steps and most everything I do is practice. I appreciate all the help very much. I hope to some day have the experience to help others as y'all have been helpin me. Thanks. Can I re-heat the pieces I already tapered or should I use the others I haven't heated yet?

​ ​That could be. I did grind on them some while I was waiting on the fire to get hot. The shift rails seemed to be more of a yellowish color and much more sparklie. I ground on a piece of 3/8" mild steel and it seemed a more orange color and darker and less sparklie. I didn't grind hard or deep so possibly the case hardening could have caused the difference. I'm sure both pieces were well over 400 deg when I quenched them. I took them to a dull red and let them cool just a bit before I quenched.

​Advice taken and appreciated.

Nobody I live west of Eureka Springs on the White river near Beaver lake. Go Hogs. I worked in Marietta Georgia in the late 90's. Guys I heated a couple of the shift rails tonight and tapered them. I quenched one in water and the other in motor oil. Both would bend like mild steel just like Thomas said. They went in a scrap bucket for later use but not for tools.

​Francis I want/need to learn how to spark test. I've read and watched videos but I can't see the videos good enough to see what's going on. I have some 5/8" mild steel I'll grind and then grind on one of these and take note of the difference. I come across an abundance of old tractor parts so I need to learn this stuff. I know I won't learn everything over night but my hope is to learn something every night.

​I'll give that a try. I'd like to know what oil to start with and what temp should the oil/water be at. I just keep a bucket of water near the anvil at room/shop temp right now. I haven't used oil yet.

Will Do Thomas. One of the shift rails has several detents in it and I'll start with it and do as you say. Thanks.

I just tore an old tractor transmisson apart for parts and ended up with four 5/8" by 9" long shift rails. I stuck one in a vice and got after it with a hack saw. It wouldn't hardly scratch it. I'm looking for ideas to use these? I also have a 1 3/4" shaft 17 inches long I hope to make hammers from someday. How can I tell what kind of steel it's made of. Making tools is my biggest interest.

Again thanks for the welcomes and advice. Frosty I did as you say and added a profile pic of my other hobby also. I can use all the help I can get. I'm surprised at how much help I've already recieved. I was told of this forum by a couple guys on a welding forum I frequent. Those guys have been a huge inspiration and help. I hope to return the favor someday. I was hoping to have a pic of a large pile of coal but That hasn't happened yet.

Thanks for the replies y'all. I've been swingin a hammer for 30 years as a carpenter/log home builder. I fear I've probably created some bad habits which may be hard to work out. I know well the side effects of using a "too big a hammer". I only swing a manly man hammer when its needed. I already have arm and elbow problems from a heavy hammer and don't wish to make it any worse. Back to the subject I think I'll dress the face on my cross pein and keep looking at junk places. I'm not lookin for a magic hammer I just want to know what works well. what doesn't and why. I find the information y'all share very valuable.

Hey y'all I'm looking for a forging hammer. I'm a beginer. I have a German style cross pein and I've been using a large ball pien. I would like to buy a specific forging hammer. I don't know what to look for and where. I don't want to spend a fortune but I want quality and usefull. I have a piece of 1 3/4" axle shaft I plan to make some hammers from someday but I'm not ready for that yet. I look on ebay often but I must admit I don't know what to look for at this time. I have a decent selection of shop hammers but nothing but the heavy cross pein or the large ball pein seem to work well. One more dumb question. Why does a hammer made just for forging need to be hardened? I hope I'm not beatin a dead horse with this and I appreciate all advice given.

Thank you for the pics. That just made my day. Like others I just can't stop looking.

I made my first tongs last night. I made them out of some old 1/2" rebar. I found this rebar in an old dump. I don't know how old it is but it looked different than modern rebar. It seemed to work easier than the rebar I've been messing with. I did cheat and used a file on the pivot area to keep things flat and so they would pivot easy. I built them off of a video I have saved. I had a hard time keeping the first and second step square to each other. I had to put one in a vise and twist it a bit to get it square. They could be much better but they turned out better than I thought they would. I plan to do this again but I want to know what steel is best. I was wondering if cold rolled from the steel yard would work well??? I'll try to show pics as soon as I learn how. I also made a bending jig for some coat hooks I've been making. I don't know if the jig is cheating but it helps me make them faster and better. One more question. How long should I leave the rivit stick out on each side before I pean it?

Thanks for the welcomes. Thomas I live west of Eureka Spgs.

Thanks for sending me over here Arkie. This my first day off in quite a while. My wife is makin me rest today so I've spent a lot of time on here reading. I've hardly scratched the surface. I appreciate all the help you've given me to get started at this.

Hey Y'all I'm a new guy from Arkansas. I recently built a coal forge and I'm just getting started. I've been to several demonstrations and a few blacksmith meetings. I work as a carpenter of 30 years. I have some welding experience. I have 2 anvils and a leg vice. I have a shop full of welding equipment and mechanic tools. It's not working so well to add Blacksmith tools in the mix. I plan to build a small blacksmith shop this coming winter. Until then I'll get by working out front of my shop. I have met a few members of the BOA and hope to join soon. I'm looking forewards to some good learnin. So far I've made coat hooks and fire tools for the forge. My plan is to make Christmas presents for the older folk in the family and see where this leads. I collect amd restore old tractors and so I come across some shafts and such I plan on using for this. I also made a hardy hot cut from an old tractor spindle which seems to work ok. All the scrap yards in this area seem to be closing and the ones left don't sell to the public. If anyone in the area of North West Arkansas has any leads on scrap I'd appreciate it. I feel very fortunate to have some experienced Blacksmiths in the area who have already been of much help. I don't know where this will lead but it's a ride I plan to take and make the most of.