JHCC

The first round of sealing was on the outside. If there’s still any leaking, I may run a bead of silicone around the inside corners.

I know: we are easily confused. I already sealed up the outside with some silicone, but I haven’t yet checked it out for leaks. If there are any, I may give this a try. Thanks!

Not to be confused with a dead friend's water heater, of course.

A rather violent-looking bowl -- perhaps "ET too brutish"?

Finally, a blade maker who wants to get into ornamental smithing! Usually, we have to twist people’s arms to get them to learn basic smithing techniques before they start trying to make swords!

Saw that on your Facebook page. Very impressive!

If you're looking for something on YouTube that is meditative and shows high levels of craftsmanship (although, alas, not in blacksmithing), check out the channel from the Corning Museum of Glass.

Another thing that would have been good to know a few hours ago!

Welded on diagonal braces (two each in all four corners) and a central support down the middle of the firebox: It is MUCH more solid (i.e., without wiggle-wiggle) now. I’ll probably add a shelf at some point per Frosty, but I think we’re good for now. Also siliconed the seams of the bosh. I decided to use the old air intake off the JABOD, both because it works well and also as a memento of that particular forge. (Note the drain valve for the bosh, salvaged off a friend’s dead hot water heater.)

I’m just trying to get this hobby off the ground....

We’ve come a long way since this disaster, haven’t we?

I’ve got some more of the stock I used for the tong rack, so I can make some beefy diagonal braces from that.

Point (and no offense) taken. I’ll post some more pictures after welding on more bracing.

The legs are high-carbon steel bed frame stock, so it’s stronger than it looks. I'll probably add some more to beef it up, but I’m not particularly worried. Thank you! The top of the bosh is at about 4’3” and I’m 6’2”, so no problem.

At this point, the welds in the tuyere are tight as a drum, and that’s what I’m most concerned about. I already chased a bunch of leaks down, and I think I’ve had enough. The tank has tons of structural integrity, so I’m just looking to make it watertight.

Good to know, but unfortunately, I’m working with a borrowed welder that has no gas bottle. I can see how the thinner wire with gas would be preferable, though. Fair enough!

Finished welding the bosh. A preliminary water test showed a lot of leaks, so I’m going to buy a tube of silicone tomorrow. Welded up a base: And here it is! Tong rack: Next step: take apart the old JABOD and figure out how to hook up the blower.

Nut coal is just fine, and should do well in that forge. Just remember that anthracite goes out pretty quickly if it doesn’t get enough air, so give the blower an extra crank as you take your piece out of the fire.

It’s a cold set (cold-cut top tool), not a set hammer. (Drawings from Stokes, J.B., “Basic blacksmithing: a training manual”, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 1992)

Another entry in the “Now You Tell Me” file.

Nice $3 cold set from the flea market.

Very nice. Note that the absence of a cutting step makes this a “Birmingham pattern” rather than a “London pattern” anvil.

My biggest problem has been how much it’s been moving around, and what fit nicely before welding gets out of whack mid-weld. I’m seeing the wisdom of welding clamps.

That one weld on the tank is actually the worst on the whole project: it seems like all the problems that could have cropped up on the others were saving themselves for this one. I think I’m going to have to weld over it a few times to get it acceptable. This project is the first time I’ve welded sheet, and it’s definitely a learning experience. Not sure, but that 10 pound roll of .035 flux-core was definitely a good investment!