JHCC

Thanks!

Wait a second — you’re putting pressurized oxygen into your blast?!?!? No wonder it’s burning up!

Hmm. Can we get some pictures of your current setup, with captions?

Das, You are also burning soft cold, while Ryan is burning anthracite. That might be making a difference. Furthermore, you have the speed control on your blower to regulate the blast quite delicately, but I don’t remember what Ryan is using right now

Thanks for the update; sounds like things are moving in the right direction. Well, there’s your problem: TOO THIN and TOO MANY HOLES. Remember, all other things being equal, MORE AIR = MORE HEAT. For a forge this size, you don’t need more than a single 3/4” hole or four 3/16” holes. Any more than that, and the fire gets too hot. With such a thin plate, there’s not enough mass to prevent overheating and burning out. The solution is simple: either replace your grate with a couple of heavy bolts welded across, or get a thicker plate (3/8” or more) with hole(s) as described above.

Michael, could you do a separate thread with dimensions and details, please?

Or unless you’re looking for a way to end the friendship.

Ash can be stained to a nice dark color with vinegar that’s had rusty nails left to soak in it. I’ve used the vinegar from de-rusting a wrought iron hammer head.

Having now visited @Stitch‘s shop and seen his power hammer, I can confirm that it is a sweet machine: hard-hitting, and almost silent until the dies make contact. Definitely going back again, if he’ll have me.

The only people that you will ever convince are the ones who are open to learning, and we certainly don’t encourage openness by acting superior and snobbish. Sometimes, the best you can do is throw out a tidbit (something like, “… pattern-welded steel, sometimes incorrectly called Damascus steel…”) and see if they rise to the bait. If they do, great; then you can talk history and metallurgy. If they don’t and you go ahead and firehose them with your superior knowledge anyway, the only opinion you will have changed will be theirs of you, and not for the better.

Random thought: I have some pieces of galvanized pipe that need the plating removed before they can be welded. I wonder if using them as sacrificial electrodes will take some or all of the zinc off….

For the same reason that we don’t make cold chisels from RR spikes: the material is unsuitable, and the effort put in will be wasted. I agree with @Gergely about Osage orange for both looks and function. I disagree with @C-1ToolSteel, though: flamed maple (aka curly maple or tiger maple) would be a hair on the brittle side, and the busy grain pattern would distract from the Damascus pattern. A more subtle grain pattern will let the steel stand out by comparison.

Varied by manufacturer, but typically circa 1830.

True; most decorative chrome plated items first get a coat of nickel for color, and then one of chrome to make it shiny.

“Dishitoutagus” it is.

Okay, lbs wins Understatement of the Day. That’s a lovely little hammer, Mark, and kudos to you for creative use of materials.

Finished up the RR bolt dishing hammer. (Also did some work on a project that will be revealed in its fullness in due course.)

Many tropical hardwoods also contain volatile resins that protect the tree from insect attack. Some of these can cause severe irritation and allergic reactions in humans, so wear a decent dust mask as well as those gloves.

Here you go: http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-identification-guide/ Without knowing the species, it’s impossible to say whether or not this wood would benefit from kiln drying. Some species can become quite brittle, while others become stronger and less prone to warpage.

That’s okay: others are learning from it, even if he isn’t.

This reminds me of a classic story: An explorer and his guide are going through the jungle. Suddenly, they start hearing faint but steady drumbeats. The explorer says, “I say, old chap, should we be worried about those drumbeats?” The guide replies, “Drums no problem. Drums stop: big problem.” They go on for a while, and the drumbeats gradually get louder and louder. The explorer is getting rather nervous and says, “Look here, old bean, you say that we shouldn’t be worried about those drumbeats, but they are growing in intensity. Are you certain that this is truly a matter of no concern?“ The guide replies, “Drums no problem. Drums stop: big problem.” They continue on, and the drumbeats get louder, faster, and more intense. The explorer is now quite agitated and says, “Look here, old mangle-wurzle, these drumbeats are really most disturbing. Are you — beyond the merest shadow of a doubt — utterly convinced of their innocuousness?” The guide replies, “Drums no problem. Drums stop: big problem.” The explorer says, “So you keep saying, my dear old gumboot, but you have neglected one vital piece of information: when the drums stop, WHAT HAPPENS?!?” The guide stops in the middle of the path, turns to the explorer, and with a look mingling profound sadness and utter despair, replies, “Drums stop: guitar solo.”

Considering I’ve made fewer than half a dozen knives, I’m nowhere near thinking about swords! I’m thinking hardy tools and hammers for the big ones, and chisels and punches for the little. Addendum: also picked up a stack of back issues of the “Blacksmith’s Gazette” and some heat-resistant all-wool gloves from @Stitch, whom I finally got to meet this afternoon.

Now I’m thinking about using airbags to make bellows....

Use your clinker as aggregate: kill two disposal birds with one stone.

The tool rental counter at the local big-box hardware store gave me seven worn-out jackhammer bits for a buck each. (Size 13 boot for scale)