Kozzy

Just pondering here. For some ground implements they used a high manganese steel...old school it was called "Hadfield steel". The surface work hardens quite easily so that might explain why the file skates even on annealed stock. Once you start to bite, it becomes hard and won't bite without extreme pressures no matter what the HT level.

But with a carbide blade, you have to take a reasonable bite...carbide likes a pretty big bite in metals or it will tend to dull surprisingly easily. It HATES small bites and effective rubbing rather than cutting. Taking a reasonable bite of .003 or so per tooth is often enough load on the low end saws that they will flex. In fact, they will sometimes (on the really cheap versions) flex enough under just their own weight that it can be a bit of an issue. Often the pivot mounts are the weak point. Yes, you can simply go slower but the cost for that is effective "rubbing" of the teeth to some extent so much lower blade life (and sometimes other problems like surface work hardening). You make do with your budget and tools you have, of course--that's SOP. But there are times when you can add simple bracing to the tool...such as to the stamped base on a small saw like this to help reduce the flex issues. The HP available is generally (but not always) enough to take the depth of cut that works if you can just chase down and eliminate most flex from the loads involved. Note that the photo above implies it has a cast base so I speaking in theoreticals here...many people have to make do with HF level tools and those can often be improved with a little addition of time and touch-up. Just as an example, with the O.Ps 66 tooth blade at 1500 RPM, even the lowest .0005" per tooth D.O.C., that saw to be running well for a carbide tooth blade should be moving through steel material at about 49.5" per minute. .0005" D.O.C. is way too low for carbide in general. It becomes clear why rigidity is important in this kind of saw.

There is often also a scale issue between the two. Though the metal is the same, the processing on HRS can leave scale that must be removed. CRS is descaled before rolling to size. For the average smith, the process of forging is re-scaling to some extent so it's generally not worth the extra expense for CRS unless you are forge welding the factory surfaces (which should be cleaned anyway before welding) In the last year or so, I've done some work with 2 different major steel mills who were trying some new wild ideas for descaling. Apparently descaling is one of their biggest frustrations and adds quite a bit of cost so they are willing to throw money at just about any possibility which may have some merit. The old chain flail systems just aren't cutting it for them.

Meant to say Nickel and not chrome in the above. Was working with T314 specs earlier and had chrome on the brain.

That style of saw is pushing it if you hit any hard spots. On a similar note, anything that work hardens like the chrome bearing steels that sometimes show up in damascus will magically become like sawing through rock with the slightest hesitation. Fine for dead soft low carbon steels. You can push them into harder stuff a bit but they aren't designed for that. Many brands also have too much flex in the mounts--they deflect as pressure is applied due to not being rigid enough which can cause severe problems like tooth breakage. Cheap blades DO NOT work in this kind of saw. You can sort of fudge them into cutting but they are so inferior that you might as well buy blades at the junk store. You need to throw some good money at a good blade to get reasonable results. Typically triple chip grind, zero to slightly negative rake (more negative in softer material). Personally I'd probably cut the more questionable stuff with an abrasive saw. I hate the things due to the heat and mess but they are reliable, blades are fairly cheap, and you can often pick one up for a song and a dance used (try pawn shops).

The buffalo is a nice unit but it's not set up well for casual smithing (way overkill for most people)--plus might be hiding some defects under the bricks or in that blower which could be major. The 400's have a bronze gear that is highly prone to wear--and they feel like they are working well until that gear totally fails so you actually have to open the "lid" and check the wear level before buying. Too much money the way that's set up but not ridiculously so. For less money you could do better and have some left over to buy other goodies. The smaller one is better for a starter forge..but still priced awfully high. We had 2 similar at the local museum sale in March here that no one bit on. The better of the two ended up being taken by someone for $ 30..and she was going to use it as a planter (Argh!) The other is still available to to be sold in next years sale and that'll go for low dollars. The numbers are just to show you what's available if you stretch your search--this is about 5-6 hours east of your location. And as others have said, the various JABOD or BBQ mods are a LOT cheaper and are perfectly serviceable.

Pass. That price is too high unless the jaw width is unusually large and the screwbox is virtually perfect. There are better out there if you have patience and keep your eyes open. Both of mine came from the Lewiston ID area so I know there are still some out there in Idaho. They do tend to run a bit more $ than places like the midwest but not as high as this offering for a vise that appears to just be middlin.

It's water under the bridge but you might also check the valve diagram to see if it's center open rather than center closed. With center closed, when the handle position goes into the neutral point, the cylinder cannot move. With center open valves, you can move the cylinder when it's in the neutral valve position though it's not always easy to do. That means if something goes awry---like a power outage or popping the breaker or whatever, with center closed valves you cannot physically move the cylinder to get your part (or hand in some worst case scenario) out. If it was a large hot part, it's pinched in there heating everything up while you try and chase a problem. If it's your hand (say for instance you had a cold forming brake die in there and your hand happened to get pinched), you can't move to chase the problem at all--you can only scream for help. Not a huge deal (until you need it) but one more little safety aspect that might be worth thinking about. Magnetic starters are nice too (required on bigger commercial stuff). Again, in a power outage it keeps things from starting back up and surprising you. Not a huge issue on a press like that but a big issue on rotating equipment like saws or drill presses. We get a lot of transient outages here--a couple of minutes at a time where it's just long enough to be worth walking away. Magnetic starters have saved me from my own stupidity many times.

Opportunity knocks: Now you get to make a little woodworking scribing knife...or three. There are several styles if you do an internet search, with handles that allow really good control. They'd be a great forging project to add to your list. You'll still probably cut yourself like the dickens if you slip but you'll have the right tool in your hand when it happens :-) Glad you didn't cut yourself more deeply in that area. Lots of important stuff around that area in a wrist. Here's one forged version from a quick search:

Others have given good advice on the cylinder. What I wanted to add is the joy of a good quality blade vs the nightmares of a crap quality blade. Don't be tempted by low prices--it's worth a little extra to get a good Starrett, Lenox or other top brand here. "No name" in Chinese is definitely out. I personally prefer variable tooth pitch but with blades, everyone is going to have a different opinion. Get a pack of cheap dollar store toothbrushes (or similar) and a good rare earth magnet and make yourself a blade wiper to go on the outboard end. Heat and form the toothbrush handle as needed, stick in place with good magnet. Even with coolant flushing, I find that a very light wipe (barely touching) of any long stringy bits that get caught in the blade teeth makes a huge difference in frustration and the ability to walk away from the machine without worrying about the blade binding.

Ayup, tinner's stake. There were many more brands than Pexto but searching Pexto usually comes up with the best links and photos. Though most were designed to be used in a stake plate, it's not uncommon to see them inserted into a stump or even a hodgepodge holder. There are a couple of Tinner's videos online that show guys doing old school tin work on site and using hodgepodge stake holders. You often work sitting down for site work so break out your comfy chair. Now you just need the other 50 stakes in a set :-) In reality, most Tinners only use two or three different stakes and can make amazing things with very simple tools. Unfortunately, that particular stake is not the most sought after style so doesn't have high value. It has some, though. COuldn't think of the actual name for that stake so had to look it up. It seems to be referred to as a "coppersmith's square stake" (or squaring stake). The shape does not look like most of the PEXTO stakes due to the extra chamfers. Probably another brand or possibly a bit older than most online stake photos.

Water tray helps immensely. That's the one "feature" that I'd recommend at least considering even though it complicates the build a lot. No matter what supports you use, they will tend to get chewed up rather quickly. Because of that I'd say the cheapest flat bar on edge that you can get your hands on is the way to go. If you can shear sheet into strips, even better and cheaper. But it also depends on the nature of the work you will be doing--5' x 10' is a bit different than 2' x 3' which is a lot different than if you are cutting very small bits into smaller bits and need even more support. Can you give some feedback on how you anticipate using this? Oh...and possibly add a provision for side skirts. I was piercing some 5/8" plate the other day and the blow back before the pierce is pretty nasty stuff to have flying sideways. It would have been nice in my case to have a bit of a "guard" to sort of catch that instead of it shooting off into everything in the shop.

I assume that you're making the kind of drink holders that are sort of a spring shape on top with a spike leg that pokes into the dirt as can be had commercially in a bit of a crappy lightweight version. While you are at it, you can make something similar with only about 1 loop on the "spring" end. Those can sell as flower stakes which hold a tall blooming stalk upright. They work great for big bloom flowers that tend to fall over from the weight. Just an idea to add to your concrete can project. Not much money in them and they usually have to be painted pretty colors but they are fast to make and can add a buck here and there to your wallet...plus make good "cheap" items for people if you ever decide to set up a sale booth at a fair or something. You can up the ante` by attaching leaves or doing a decorative scroll end at the top and such.

You can get by with a cheap wire feed for the small stuff but I would suggest you spend a lot of time practicing with it before you go at something important. With those cheap-o welders, there is a learning curve to finding out what works well and what doesn't. Once you dial it in (both the settings AND your methods), they can do an ok job. Personally, I prefer to use shielding gas instead of flux-cored wire so getting a cheap-o that has the gas option is worth it in my opinion. But...your money will be better spent on a bit better [name brand] welder...Even though you might toss a lot more money at it, not only will it produce FAR better welds, it will hold a lot of its value so in the long run actually costs no more than a reasonable cheap version and sometimes less (those cheap ones have little resale value and sometimes short life-spans).

I'm not sure that is going to be a horseshoe. When you zoom in, it seems a bit "light" for a shoe, except maybe for a pretty small horse. However, I don't make shoes for a living so it's just wild opinion. What seems odd to me is the hardy tool in the anvil. It's beat to heck and a bit of a weird shape when you zoom in. There is a quite good hardy cut-off tool on the block so I have to assume the one in the anvil is some sort of forming tool...that's been well used. The end of the hammer handle below his hand seems pretty chewed up for some reason (again, in a zoom). The polish from use is about where his hand sits which shows that he tends to choke up on the hammer a bit. Handle is also running pretty long and thin for the apparent head size. Horse poster on the wall is probably a calendar..the kind with the months on a separate sheet at the bottom as guessed due to the change to much more "white" paper. Where are you deciding the stand is stone? Looks to me like there are some nails (heads of nails) in it when looking closely.

You might want to put a deflector at one of the openings into the can to create a swirling vortex. That throws the fines toward the outside via centrifugal force and can improve separation. It's a bit more complicated in that the inlet and outlet are usually at slightly different levels plus some other things...but a little internet fu in searching will give you better ideas on how to handle it.

3 minutes with lots of variation tends to be good for those. What we do at the museum is use the cheap electronic photo frames and put the vid on a memory stick. You don't have to worry about anyone wrecking something costly or important like your good Ipad..nor about someone monkeying with it by "swiping" or playing around with settings. The vids automatically loop simply by having only a single file on the drive. Of course, you have to make sure you get the right photo frame that will play vids. You do need an external power source, though. More than 3 minutes and if you want someone to see something specific so you can explain, the wait time for the loop is too long and feels like f o r e v e r. Shorter and you haven't captured a potential customer quite enough yet. Addendum--if you can de-clutter the background in your vids, it makes a huge difference in legibility.

Look for something called a "butcher block brush". Typically they run about 19 bucks but instead of wire bristles, have extremely stiff small flat "bars" as bristles and will whack off heavy scale quite well. Sorry for the huge photo but it shows how the bristles are different. I see on the giant internet sales site that they have prices varying from about $ 12 to over $ 30 us for different versions. Paying a little more probably gets you your money back in better life.

One other thing you might check into is to do a search on "tangential tool holder". They are a bit of a different tool holder for smaller equipment like yours in which the bit sharpening is ultra simple---one flat surface on a standard square tool bit and you get the proper relief angles automatically. Some people swear by them. Definitely less fiddly than trying to grind all the faces on a tool bit accurately. And yes, I know that many people like that kind of work but I prefer the actual turning to fiddling with bits. I use carbide insert tooling because I use my lathe commercially and it works out better on may levels for me that way but for people who use HSS bits, tangential tools (some people are calling them diamond tools now) can be a super easy solution to turning.

Although I hate to play analyst in a post, my guess is that the stress is giving him some feelings that he wants to "run away" (metaphorically) and he's expressing those in this move notion. Being overwhelmed because you simply can't do anything to change the actual situation makes you seek outside change to somehow get back a little control in your life. I had a bit of the same thing when my wife was suffering from cancer and other problems a few years ago...started looking at vacation spots, longed for fishing trips...anything to feel "normal" in life again. Help your Dad through the stress...if it's available where he is, he should really try a support group (even if he insists that he doesn't want to). Family isn't the same because you can't tell them the stuff (feelings) that are normal in these situations but will cause hurt feelings. These are tough times. No matter how prepared you make yourself, it will still weigh heavily on your family. Be sure and take care of yourselves too.

For anything other than an interesting yard ornament, your money would be better spent elsewhere. Better will come along at the right price if you have some patience and follow the TPAAAT system (look it up on this site) Or...that would definitely make an interesting hood ornament on that Mad Max vehicle you are building out back....

Paying more for better quality tools is generally less expensive in the long run than buying cheap. Sandpaper and drill bits are prime examples but it applies to most of what you buy. Sometimes it's better to do without (or make do with what you have) while you save up for the improved quality version. Cheap air tools are another prime example. They are sure appealing by price but the life and reliability are really iffy...and they generally can't be rebuilt properly when they do fail. Oh..and keep a separate set of junk tools for people who borrow or to take to job sites where tools sometimes may walk away. That's where the crappy stuff is actually of benefit.

As others have said, gable end fan...and preferably oversized. Those can be pretty easily throttled with a standard "dimmer" because they drag the air over the motors so aren't likely to overheat. I see one on the big internet site that does 1280 Cfm which would be about an air change about every 2-3 minutes (less when throttled) Price with the speed control and an auto thermostat is less than $ 150 (including frame with louvres). Only 1/20 HP so it's not going to kill you on your electric bill or power needs. Smaller available also but it's better to have too much than too little.

The price is remarkable assuming it hasn't been damaged. Not a lot I can think of that would be smithing related with it though. Handy once in a while to have a granite plate when marking stuff for machining or checking flatness where you need to be accurate. Obviously, good for it's original intent which is usually inspection with that level of plate. Might be good for lapping and such but it's like using a Ferrari as a tractor. Personally, I'd pass unless you know it's still got a good surface and might be able to be resold to a machine shop that needs such a thing.

Deasil is a variation of "sun-wise" in several of the old languages that got mashed together, widdershins meaning basically "opposite" or reverse. It did come from sundials rather than clocks...or simply the general travel of the sun from the northern hemisphere where its arc was always seen primarily looking toward the South.