CIRON

I contacted the store the Sunday I was in emerg. They removed the metal later in the week after I had re contacted them again and they took it seriously. My shop is 12x30 and well ventilated. I have done the exact process many times and had just done it 2 weeks prior with same torches setup and exact same conditions but I used 1/4" round from my normal supplier without any issues. The only variant was the metal this time. I dont keep any cleaners in my bs shop all cleaners are at the house garage 100 or so feet away so there is no way for me to have contaminated it. I know about galvanized metal and fumes. The product was labeled weldsafe and says so right on it so I wasn't expecting to get poisoned from it. Not sure if it's readable but you can see they rack I got it from and in the other image the light brighter metal beside the snipe is it prior to me using it. What concerns me is how light it looks, normally the metal I use is blue grey.

2.5 Weeks ago I had an incident in my shop that I wasn't expecting. It was a Friday night and I was out and I had picked up some 3/16 "Weldable" round bar. I normally get all my metal from a metal supply place in town but because i didn't get there in time i picked some up at this other store for small project i was going to do for a client. (On, Canada) I got home around 8pm and started to work with metal, It was small stock so i just used the torches to heat up, I did the first rough pretty quick then moved onto the second one. at about 8:30 i began to feel super dizzy, slower than normal and i noticed that my breath was short and now coughing. I shut down for the night and turned the fan off and closed the window which i had opened. By 10ish i was eating freezes i had in the fridge one after another because my throat burned and the coughing was intense by this time. I stupidly went to bed instead of the hospital because i thought maybe i just got some dust in my airways. Saturday i was in bed and Sunday morning i went to emerg as it was so bad it hurt t breath and swallow. At emerg my xrays showed inflammation and poison control got called as they believed i may had inhaled phosgene gas created from the heat of the torch and a possible cleaning chem that was on the metal. Pumped with steroids and puffers i was sent home because i had made it alive past the 12hr danger window. I don't keep any cleaners or paints in my metal shop and believe that possibly someone at the store was cleaning the rack and overshot onto the metal. Ammonia or chlorine based cleaner. 2.5 weeks later and i am finally moving around and feeling a bit better. It was the worst nauseousness i have ever had in my life and it lasted the full 2 and a half weeks every min of the day. After doing some research and learning how lethal this scenario was and how lucky i was to have only inhaled enough to make me severely sick and not dead. 500ppm can kill a man instantly so learn from my lesson and be safe guys. I have a question maybe some of you can help solve 1) We are trying to find out if this was a metal issue or a topcoat chemical. I have attached a photo and you can really see the redness in the metal as well as what looks like silver and black and orange on the new snipe hinges dots here and there on the 2 snipe hinges i was making. Obviously the old one is the original i was re creating. I have made these before and not had the metal ever go red like that before nor had ever seen that happen. Does anyone know what would make the metal go red? I was to eliminate anything else as the culprit before taking legal action. I know you guys work lots with metal so i am trying to pick your brains. 2) What is a good way to clean my equipment to make sure its not contaminated too?

Thanks a lot for the info guys. Once it burned for about 3 - 5 mins there was no more smoke and was going out like it should. I used wood chips to start it too so possibly another reason for extra flame. Some days I put my hand to the pipe and she is really sucking then the odd time she is not. I sealed up any outside holes to make sure it was sealed up but I guess if it has no where to pull air from them it has no reason to push it out the pipe either. It was my first attempt and I was able to get the smoke settled after a bit so maybe I will light it and step outside till she is good and hot. Yeah all I could thinking about is all those men and women who died from breathing coal dust in the mines and got me a little nervous. I do have some coke I could try too but I believe it sparks a lot and need more of a constant flow. JeepinJoe, sounds like we have more than firepots in common if your into jeeps lol. I believe the woman had said that the man had purchased the blower and firepot as a package. This is the flyer for it.

Hi all, it's been awhile setting up the shop but I have it all done for the most part. Main Room, built the bench and started laying it out to put the forge in. Put in Chimney The Chimney is actually another 3 feet taller than in this photo. Bricking Process - Red Clay Bricks (Left overs) also used changeable kiln firebrick in the front closest to the heat so if they crack or break I can replace them. The Firepot was from an original blacksmith shop near a town I grew up in. It was the same place that I got the blower. The pot had some cracks in the outside rim so I made some side braces and bolted it down. I also ran a bead of weld around the corners to stop anything from getting underneath. So its not welded to the pot just the table has the weld All Setup getting ready for testing Video of first lighting - A bit of smoking issue Underneath All Completed now So as you can see in the video she was a little smoky. It was extremely windy outside but I wanted to see if the wind does effect it in worst case scenario. When I cracked the window it began to suck no problem. This coal was all right from the bag too and never burnt so there was a lot of flame. Normally it is about half that so I partially think it was too much new coal all at once. This is my first "Indoor" forge so I am open to any suggestions on how to make it flow better. I really don't want to breath that every time I use it .. It's 8" pipe outside and 7" at the top of the forge. Thanks Ciron

The anvil is 159 pounds I believe was what it came out too and based on my research. I'll pm you back about image. C.

They both blow really good but the Canada blower has no wood on the handle and its feels a little stiffer but it is a smaller gear set in it. The Royal keeps going after i let go for awhile. Anyone know if you can use lucas in it? I know they take a heavy oil but it would help coat the gears a bit better. Ciron

Mine doesn't have any markings at all near the slope. I checked it over with a flash light last night. Thanks for all your input. It sucks because i love to know the history behind my tools.

Hi Rashelle, I have a jeep too but its lifted pretty high. I would love to see your setup.

Thanks Guys for the info, Now that you mention it Frozenforge I can see the Q EN on the first line and DU Y on second. I will have to take a closer look now that i know what to look for.

I gathered a few items while up at the cottage. First was the vice then i picked up this early 1900's Royal Western Chief sitting in the corner of an old shop. I happen to also find the old fire pot there too in another room. I was super lucky because the shop was closed and the lady saw us pull in and opened the doors for us on her holiday. It spins really nice and blows really strong for being that old. I found the flyer for it online. The firepot looks like the one on the flyer too. A few weeks before i got the one above i found this Canada Blower & Forge Co. from Kitchener Ont. I thought about selling it but then decided to hold onto it and set it up on my portable forge. Chris

I live in Oshawa / Bowmanville area and got my coal in Hamilton, I believe its the guys mentioned above. The guy was really nice was $140 for 4 - 50lb bags and a 35lb bag of coke. If anyone is in the area of Oshawa shoot me a message. Would like to know some other blacksmiths in the area too.. Maybe we can do a bigger order at same time to save some travel costs. Frank = 905.545.2311

Picked this one up last week while up at the cottage. I am finding blacksmith items a lot in vintage antique shops. Problem is around Toronto area they jack up the prices on them. This one wasn't too bad paid just over $100 Can for it. I can't get a good desktop one for that so i didn't think that was too bad. I have seen them posted as high as 500 on kijiji. This shop was out in the back country so they didn't jack it up. I am not sure the date or make as i did not see any markings on it. Any help identifying would be awesome!! This makes me sad to see this one below. I saw it at an old mill near where i live in a garden! Chris

So i guess i am addicted now, i have 3 anvils (the one below the broken one is my H.Boker). I feel like i need to rescue them like this one. I think i can still use the horn and top for the rougher work. I have no idea the make of it so if anyone knows. I think i can make out a DU on it. It has small holes on both sides.

Hehe, that's so true about it still being modern then. I'm working my way down to the time scale the more I learn. Found this last night, may help as its close enough can drive from here no problem. http://www.tuckerspottery.com/tkps/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=171&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Very nice! looks awesome.

Hi frosty, thanks for the post. I only use the hard brick to temp seal the holes on either end of my forge as i have a pass through propane forge (attached image below) Inside is soft brick. I have a few different projects on the go so the only thing i really need is the refractory cement part for the smelter and hoping to find a bigger bag then the little 710ml ones i have found so far. It would be nice to have a few extra soft bricks though to have around. No worries i call around too as well as post up here. That way i cover all my bases. I have been staying away from technology as much as possible (Retired IT Director). I went so far the other way i am into the 1800's hehe (see volunteer position image). My Propane forge. I also have a barrel forge i made for more traditional at home, and a traditional shop i work at on and off as i volunteer at a museum from the 1800's This image is the smelter i am making, I have everything already to go once i get the cement.

Did you find any cement? i am looking for refractory cement to use in my foundry too. I am Mitchell's corners in Durham Region, Ontario too. Canadian Tire sells brick now if you need something quick. I use those to seal up the one end of my propane forge as they are cheap and easily replaced but it would be nice to have some real brick. Anyone know where to get the cement in a bag vs the expensive little tiny buckets i am finding or some real bricks. Thanks Chris

H Boker 82, picked up today. Sandblasted it to clean it up a little but that's it. Anyone know what the 82 is? I have to weigh this to see the weight as the guy i purchased it from didn't even know what an anvil was for guessing 150ish. I am new to here, from Ontario, Canada, TO / Durham Region. Here it is: Thanks Chris