Daswulf

I've seen a bunch of videos and reports on the dangers. One that survived a slight second of not paying attention lost at least a bunch of his fingers or his hand. (Been a while since I watched on it). It was all enough to make me never want to try it. 

Similar enough could be done with some dremmel work, a torch, and sandpaper. 

Nice work. Is there reinforcement in it? Like at the neck mount ?

The guy was generous with his offer. Least an extra buck was in order lol. Said he was sick of loading up the stuff. Thats my kinda deal. Give me your rusty, give me your burden, I will lift it so you dont have to again. 

The drill augers screamed jellyfish tentacles so i was more than happy. 

Took the girls to the fleamarket sunday. While they got to mostly ridein the wagon most of the time, I had to pull it. Here are my finds. The girls got some toys tho they took an interest in some of the rusty junk that dad likes. $18 spent on the toys and pictured cost $8. And for most of the rusty old tools I gave the guy an extra dollar just because. He only asked $2. The skillet which is a lodge was $3. And the two little solid metal cans were $1. each. 

May his passing to Gods love and light be full of great experiences to reflect on. And let his family and friends reflect on him fondly. 

How can others avoid that odd placement of an injury? 

BMTU, great idea going to the locals. Hopefully you can learn something and make connections. 

Larry, have you started yet? Sounds like you have been collecting and waiting for the "right" setup. That delayed me for years. If it is just a camp fire with some sort of forced air, a sledgehammer as an anvil and a claw hammer, knowing what I know now I'd have started way sooner. 

Others reading thinking to use the idea might have fixed speed tools. Only wanted to add the ppe warning. 

By the way, you could add a disc facing up And down to use it either way. Used to do that on the old 5"/6" abrasive disc air grinder in auto body to get the back side of pinchwelds but also the outer panel. Just watch your finger placement on the tool. 

Good use of materials to get the job done. But be safe. 

Just to slap a little safety note on this: cutting and punching your own grit discs for a different purpose could result in an imbalanced wheel on a tool with high rpm. This could result in shattering or tearing which could cause the disc or pieces to go flying off at possible high rpm. Store bought discs for the intended purpose are designed for the tool and rated for certain rpm use. They carry their own risk  These are home made and as such should be considered higher risk. So Please wear proper PPE like atleast safety glasses, face shield and gloves. 

Other than the face,these wheels spinning at higher rpm will slice up your fingers like you wouldn't believe.  I know lol. Not fun continuing working with cuts and friction burns. For me that is usually with roloc disks when I get in a hurry and don't throw on my gloves. 

Not knocking the idea at all, it works,  just be safe and cautious. 

One I really like other than TechnicusJoe 's video on making them from rr spikes (if it is still up) is this one. Second and third style would be preferred. 

Excellent start!

In general most uses of s hooks are better with the finial loop out. But hey, it is a safety hook so things don't blow off in a breeze. 

My first s hooks were much worse looking with no finial to adorn them. Lol

Save some of your starting work so you can later look back at where you started. Keep up the good work. 

Still have my commodore 64. Didn't get it with its monitor tho. My parents got me a small color tv to use. At most I used it for some games. I was younger. 

Kind of afraid it might fry if I plug it in tho. It did spend some many years in my parents garage attic. Doubt I'd even remember how to boot it up lol.  

Nice robot Scott. Reminds me a little of the one from return to OZ. Tho it is a bit different. 

I've really wanted to combine metal and skuls and bone to make sort of unorthodox taxadermy kind of like dr seuss but different. I know it has been done but I still would like to give it a try.  Those false chompers would be neat in a sculpture.

14 hours ago, Scott NC said:

I lost my false teeth once and that cost me..

Imagine how the person that found them felt. 

I have a little collection of oil cans John. Nice find. 

Nice looking blower Shainarue.

Funny enough a battery powered Milwaukee 1/4" riveter I bought has a locator and an app to find it. Not like it ever leaves work. 

Tape measurers do frequently hide or transcend time and space to different places. 

Cant say how many little screws and custom made parts I've zinged into a different dimension while trying to clean them up on the wire wheel. 

My tools at work are very disciplined. At most I might misplace one rarely here and there but I just have to retrace my steps to find them. 

Things at my home shop tend to disappear more often.  

Some tools it pays to paint bright colors so they stand out against the grey and brown. 

3 hours ago, George N. M. said:

Some small mines may have continued using blasting powder because it was cheaper.

My area of southwestern PA had plenty of smaller coal mines. Supposedly my past relations worked in some locally and there are still some picks and shovels from them in the shop attic. 

I remember going out to a strip mine not far from my house and finding fossils in the shale.

My google foo is weak today but I found some images on worthpoint. Also called a blast needle? Basically a long tapering copper rod with typically an oval shaped handle on the end. Copper being used as to prevent any sparks which would be bad thing around blasting powder. 

Here is an explanation of its use.

"The mining needle was used when a miner had to blast a coal vein to break the coal from the vein. A hole is drilled into the vein of coal. Blasting powder is rolled in a piece of newspaper sort of like a roll of coins that you take to the bank. This roll of powder is pushed into the hole in the coal using the wooden tamping tool. Then the metal needle is pushed into the hole and penerates the blasting powder roll. The miner mixes some dirt and water together to make a hand full of mud. The hole in the coal is filled with the mud using the wooden tamping tool to push the mud in to the hole until the hole is filled. The metal needle is now pulled from the hole leaving a small hole all the way to the blasting powder. A "squib" is placed in the hole and lit. The miner now has about 5 minutes to get to safety before the blast occurs"

Yeah they might. I was kind of put off at the price while I was there but thinking as to what copper costs lately, I might go snag them and a pry bar they had if they are still there. 

Went to a thrift sort of store (owner goes to auctions and they sell the stuff in a store). Hadn't been there in a while. They ended up having these rock drill rods. Longer two were $5. Each and shorter one was $3. They are 1" hex and the longest is 52". Looked like good stock to me. Perfect for hardy and other tools.  They had two of the copper rod mining dynamite poking sticks at $10 ea. Listed as fire pokers. I left them for now but did inform them on what they really are. I have one and the tamper but haven't found a use or desire to mess with them other than wall hanging antiques. 

Where are you located Cheeto? Location is a big factor in anvil prices. Also what does the face look like and how is the ring and rebound?

The rooster doesnt really need arms. They have their spurs. Honestly it is just a play on the name that an old friend mentioned years ago. Daswulf would probably work as well. Wolves as much as I like them seem to be played out. Look up armed rooster and about nothing. It is a play on the name where nothing else is and it could be fun stylized. How about a stylized heraldic or coat of arms style rooster clutching a hammer and anvil?

I am just toying with the idea and a wolf doing the same sounds good to me. I just thought maybe the play on the name may work better. 

What a fun sculpture. If you can cast that you are unlimited. I thought it was welded at first. 

Planned on staying away from guns in a logo. 

I could and have stuck with my name but I was thinking something different for my forge/"Studio name"

 I feel it is memorable. I appreciate the positive and negative sides to it. Honestly it puts me back to doing nothing and being no one but I think I will use it. I was more on the studio or metalwork aspect. And with the feedback i am guessing "studio" is fitting enough.  Now to find someone who can draw well to make an armed rooster. ,"with a sword and some armor"

You could try using lump charcoal and go really easy on the air(you probably have read not to use the formed briquettes). Anthracite coal can work but it is not ideal and takes more air to keep going.  

One thing I notice is that you dont have pass through holes in the fencing of the grill to get the stock lower in the fire. Those will help. 

Also build up the fire if need be. 

On my brake rotor forge the bottom outer edges just build up with ash or fuel so I've never felt the need to fill that in. It never seemed to be an issue. 

I dont have a clinker breaker but use a few different tools to maintain the fire. One is a curved poker to poke down in the holes in the tuyere if it seems to be getting plugged up. Another is a angled end poker to work the fire and pull out any clinker. The other is a larger long handled spoon to add fuel and for general poking around the fire. It is also good for cleaning out the forge pot when needed. 

Fire maintenance is important with a solid fuel forge like this.  Every once in a while youll need to keep some hot coals going and clear out the clinkers then build the fire back up. 

What size holes are in the tuyere? Too small and they get plugged up faster. You just want them small enough to keep the fuel from falling down and out.  That may vary depending on what size the fuel is. 

Also what size is the inside of the rotor? I find that around 8-9" dia. And around 2-3" deep work well.  

I've toyed around with a shop name for a while and have come up with too close to someone else or other conflicting things. 

I've come to the idea that a friend sort of gave me years ago that is a play on my last name (Armbruster) which is Armed Rooster. So (since I am more on the artist side in metal work) my thought was (Armed Rooster Studio)

My question is what would sound or fit better, Armed Rooster Studio,or Armed Rooster Iron Works? Metal work"s" ? Or something else?

I have thought long and hard about it and tho I have just been going with (Aric Armbruster Artist, Blacksmith) for now, kinda boring and a long name to spew out or remember, I am looking for a shop name and something catchy to use. Logo, touchmark and such will come after. 

Is 'Studio' realistic for forging, fabrication and metal sculpture? I kinda like the ring but want to be true to my work in the name or term.