LarryFahnoe

Nice to see the railing in situ John, I was having trouble visualizing how you would use it earlier. Very unique & creative, should suit an artistic sort just nicely! How does the hand feel as it moves over the two overlaps?

--Larry

The subtlety of the over/under and asymmetry are quite nice. Well done John!

--Larry

Our (wife's and mine) hands get cracks in the winter as well. While not a means of prevention, super glue works well to close the cracks up. I find that if I spread the crack open, drip in a little cyanoacrylate & then leave it alone for 15-20 min it does a good job. Generally speaking, less is more when it comes to super glue, so a thin coating around the cracked area rather than thick is helpful. Done right it seems to heal up well and certainly beats the discomfort of the original crack! I believe super glue was used during Viet Nam as a field expedient wound closure.

--Larry

Aric, just another person's perspective on navigating the complexities of health insurance. I'm in Minnesota and have been self employed periodically though now mostly retired. I have found Minnesota's healthcare marketplace (ACA exchange) to be quite helpful if for no other reason than to be able to easily compare plans side by side. I've purchased our health insurance through the exchange for several years now.

Good luck with your decisions, kudos to you for thinking about how you can combine your passion with your livelihood!

--Larry

Gewoon, that sure sounds familiar! While not very efficient in terms of time and materials, the thoughts and things learned along the way will certainly make your next attempts that much better!

--Larry

Delightful Scott!

--Larry

On the one occasion I had a striker helping me, it was in a class & I was having enough trouble concentrating on what I was trying to do that I'm sure I frustrated the striker to the point of wanting to hit me, whether I nodded my head or not! 

--Larry

I noticed the sale posting as well George, but it got swept away before I could reply. [deleted] The thing that struck me as I looked at the large number of photos of the shop is that things appeared to have been in use relatively recently, as though the owner passed suddenly. The sad note to my mind (that probably strikes a chord with many of us) is that he or she did not have the opportunity to direct the disposition of their treasures. On the other hand I guess I'd rather go with my hammer in my hand, but that's a thought for another day...

--Larry

Thanks Jennifer, helpful insight as always. After reading your descriptions I thought to check http://vintagemachinery.org/ and they have a couple of catalog excerpts covering the shears from 1930 and 1953. 

--Larry

Welcome to Jennifer's shear showroom! Years ago I picked up an Edwards 5A which looks to be the same as what you're calling the alligator...yes Larry, A is for Alligator... A Whitney 3x3x1/4 angle came home with me as well on that trip. Neither has gotten used as the bandsaws are available, but I've held on to both as they're neat. Heavy buggers though! I wouldn't like to move those 10s around very often!

I was not aware of the Parrot jaw version, what was the intended purpose of the two styles?

--Larry

Naw, just a new twist on the notion of a serrated edge David!  Someday I hope that I could do as well, particularly in a demonstration!! But the perfectionist in me certainly understands being bummed about the wavy edge, good that you've got an idea of how to salvage it.

--Larry

Now you're going to have to train yourself not to rely upon your headlamp! Looking GREAT Jennifer!

--Larry

John, that auxiliary support bar is a very clever idea! I find the phase of getting set up for the bend is often a challenge & this would help. A combination of an adjustable stock stand and a magnetic level has been helpful on this end; the level to help spot and correct drooping stock...

--Larry

I like the chimney cap Alex!

Guessing that you are having a fairly typical winter. Here in Minneapolis, Minnesota we have essentially no snow and very unusual warm temperatures. About 85% of Minnesota has no snow on the ground. In October we got 2.7" of snow which did not last long, then the total for November AND December was only 2.6", all of which melted soon. We are 15.1" below normal snowfall for the winter in Minneapolis. Our temp today is just below 32F. So your pictures of a proper snowy winter are certainly appreciated! On the other hand, I can't say that I miss shoveling...

--Larry

Your stair railings are so graceful Alex, well done!! I would be certain that your client is just thrilled to have them.

--Larry

Love the little video Jennifer, way to go!

& she said "let there be LIGHT!"

--Larry

I think you've got a good idea SSS. You can make it as complicated or simple as you like: tokens, coins, fancy gift certificates, or coupons. Your family is going to know that you're just getting starting on your interest in smithing, so your coupon or whatever is expressing the honest intent to make them something that is still a little beyond your grasp. It works two ways though: while it expresses your intent to make & give, it is also a symbol that's out there that you will have to honor. Give the token with the same weight that you give your word. Having given the tokens you will be inspired to hold yourself accountable to make good on your intention. However you choose to do it, just do your best and your family will appreciate what you've done.

--Larry

A great story Randy & a far cry from playing with tiny puddles of mercury as a little kid! (yes, I know better now...)

--Larry

Really a delightful candle holder Jim! Minimalist yet very "live" and expressive. Well done sir.

--Larry

Yikes! Sounds as though "mad as a hatter" ought to be expanded upon to include those that maintain the lights! Curious Randy, trying to visualize the mechanism, was the rotor floating on the mercury?

Although I didn't serve, I have visited the USCG LORAN station on Attu at the end of the Aleutian chain...an extremely remote and fascinating place to visit. I was fortunate to be able to go on one of the last trips run by a company providing trips for bird watchers & tramped about for a week amongst the remains of the remains of the US WWII sites. I did not make it over to the other side of the island where there were remains of the Japanese operations. An image that sticks in my mind is the shallows of the bay which were littered with all manner of stuff...apparently a handy dumping "ground" as shipments of war material were arriving so quickly that at times the only thing that could be done was to bulldoze excess into the sea. 

--Larry

A lot of pride shows in everything you do Jennifer. Even something that you may feel is toward the janky side is probably pretty decent. Your facility is a work of art and a labor of love, well done.

--Larry

Well that beats our gas stove taking about 10 min for about 6C to come to a boil!

--Larry

Thanks guys! Very interesting to see your data on bringing a quart of water to a boil George. I've thought that the induction forge idea was pretty neat, but haven't gone down that route, but an induction stove might just be something that is both neat and practical! Will add induction cooking to the (ever growing) list of things to learn about!

--Larry

I appreciate the thoughts on safety and air quality. Although I do try to be safety conscious, reminders such as these are always worthwhile.

The topic of induction cooktops is intriguing to me though. We've used a gas oven/stove for decades & are concerned about their future availability when it comes time to replace what we have. I'm aware that the high end makers are coupling electric ovens with gas cooktops because the electric oven can be designed to provide a more accurate and even heat as would be valuable for baking. We don't have any aluminum stovetop pans, just classic cast iron and copper clad Revere ware. I would guess that the copper cladding is not thick enough to cause trouble for an induction cooktop, but since George and John are talking about their experiences I'm interested in what they may know.

--Larry

Makes sense, thanks. I don't use mine all that often, but find it a remarkable tool. Sometime back I stumbled upon a Diacro #2 which I think will be a nice compliment to the Hossfeld #2, but the Di-Acro has turned into a challenging restoration project... https://www.fahnoetech.com/this-old-bender/ Who knows how long it will take to complete! 

--Larry