Daswulf

Thanks Aus. I just got back from a weekend trip to Rochester NewYork with my friend for her dads wedding. He loved it, and participating in the fun, good food and drinks was a great tip. Pretty neat side story. Makita is a well known brand of tools.

I know it's good for killing weeds.

Last year a friend mentioned this to me. So I gave it a try. I wish I could remember the temperature I baked it at, doubt it was over 300 degrees for a few hours. Anyway I used an aluminum cake pan. Result was a hard brick of borax. I was able to break it up in smaller chunks then ran it through a junky meat grinder to get it back to a powder. Acted the same afterwards for me. If you want to try yourself use a junk pan.

But they Can drive up to an ATM and use the brail on them.

Very nice Aus. Very fluid curves.

Careful, it could go Super BraiNova

That has to be about the best one I've heard in a while!

Thanks Freddy. I'm always looking forward to seeing what others are making as well. With all the info I got here and some ideas on how to make the letters different, I'm anxious to try some more.

Absolutely beautiful Joel. Love the design and execution. excellent!

Notownkid , on the talk. Sad on her, keep it going As far as interest in antiques, I think most people put the value mostly at what memories it brings back or the knowledge of a good antique. The people that remember the old days is dying off and being replaced with the entertainment generation. Early electronics and games and such. I see it all the time. A lot of the market really seems to be the reclaiming of childhood experiences and memories. Then you have the knowledgable on historic value or those like me that love the quality in usable antiques since they don't make em like they used to. Many different factors to it. That's all aside from what some antique book that someone gets ahold of said something is worth.

Notownkid, I've seen that in the antiques market as well. Could be many reasons for it. I remember going to antique stores and auctions with my parents as a kid and the market was way bigger then. Seems to have really declined a lot yet generally the ones trying to hang onto the old prices just can't sell and at auctions the same antiques are bringing considerably less. You make a great point.

Thanks Frosty. It is a lot of good info as always. Great minds here on IFI. Rebar has a lot of forging uses. Just not in critical forged items like important tools, knives, etc. funny enough, a friend broke a dent pick tool I made from rebar today at work. It had served me well for 2 years. Guess he didn't know its limitations. Now we know. It's been a great tool so I'll have to remake it with some better steel.

Might just be in an anvil rich location here in southwestern Pennsylvania but just looking on Craigslist the other day for fun I saw several Nice anvils for around $3. U.S. a pound. Then I often do see the absurd for way too much too. I still think I lucked out on mine for just under $2. Lb. and under $1.lb. but yeah. People that don't know better find one in an anvil and they think they can make big bucks on it. There will always be the people that are ignorant or fishing for the fool. Or even the people buying and selling playing the market.

Just engrave the blade with "I love you to pieces" Buzzkill you are very right. I would bet that more plain old kitchen knives are used in crime then "zombie" knives.

Nice work. Love the idea.

Here in southwest Pennsylvania there are less large wells but many a mine shaft or air vent. In my early teens some friends and I were walking some train tracks along a creek. We saw what looked like a big old concrete bridge platform end between the tracks and the creek. I ran up onto it and noticed the leaf covered ground felt spongy and springy. I was in terror to find that the only think keeping me from falling down a giant mine shaft was some rusty chainlink fence that they had covering the hole. We ended up dropping rocks down a rusted out hole on the edge of the fence and it took quite a bit for the rocks to hit water. Scary thought that it easily could have been the end of me.

Thomas, those are good points. Just made me realize if I'd have done the steps differently I could have done better. And the storyboard idea is a good one. Hah, yeah now recreate natures beautiful imperfections in new steel. Good story. Lou, thanks. Good ideas. Thanks, feel free to use the idea I'm sure I'm not the first one to do it.

Lol. A lot of times, yes. sometimes I'm the perfect man for that job. If I ever end up a fraction as good as some of the guys/ gals here I think I could call that a success. That's why I'm here, to learn.

SmoothBore, thank you for the info, and I agree. I wanted to change the spacing but this one was how she wanted it. I will use better spacing on any future letters. Mtnstream, I can see what you mean about the L. I wanted to remake the A entirely as I didn't like it but she insisted I keep it. I wanted to make it match the v better and I botched the cross part. I appreciate the ideas.

Well I was originally going to try letters made out of wrenches but customer gave me mostly free reign. Wrenches were fighting me as I need to make tongs to handle them. I mentioned rebar and showed an example. She loved it. The finished project was her idea I wasn't happy with several parts and positions but hey, she's paying the bill. And liked it. This is a gift for her dad in a wedding coming up. Any advise on letters? I know a few things I'd have done different. But opinions and better experience is always welcome. First photo is final product which she was happy with and wanted. Second photo was her layout.

Charles, another reason I don't trust doctors. But glad you two are making ground if I'm reading it right. Haven't stopped the prayers.

I believe you in that sfDuck. Good thing I still have my day job. can't hurt to try. Also I believe it's good to diversify.

I'd go for Mattos idea. I have two and use them both for different tasks. But have preference to one. As Thomas said they are both excellent anvils. I know I wouldn't give either up myself. After some forging on them for a year you'll probably figure out what you want to do.

Loctite would be good too. I remember there being a lot of hood ornament theft going on in my youth.

Searching "Norris England anvil" I found an old post but the pictures were missing and they didn't come up with much info on it that I saw just that it's a Norrisez, and it mentioned the overlaid oversized N on the name. Looks like it still has a nice face on the sweet spot.