Ron Hicks

Don Thanks for showing- that is a Humdinger of an anvil. Looks heavy & like the wooden slack tub. You need to take some more pictures of the smithy for us:D I assume you all use Bellows ? Good Stuff Don Thanks Ron

Im not doing any life critical applications & thought a Blacksmith made his tools. I found a little about rivets in an old book The rivet Im talking about is a Cup , Spherical, or Snap head rivet & the top tool is call a Snap. The head size Im:confused: for width of head for a 3/8 shank = 9/16 dia. ? & hight the dia. of shank = 3/8 ? They talk about Unwin's Rule ?? Not sure was it WW2 a riveted ship or sub. sunk and that was what brought about Arc Welding ? Ron

I may get a book or two on Cupola Furnaces & Sand Casting. I found a few things on Casting & Swage Blocks Some may like You Can Cast Iron Marshall Machine Works Ltd. SwageBlocks.com Special anvils for repousse, artist blacksmiths and armorers Blacksmith Tools

I want to make the bottom & top tools for rounding rivet heads. Are they called "Rivet Snap" ? Is there like a standard rule of thumb for the dia. of the dome for the shank size? Say like for a rivet made from 3/8 rd. bar? Whats the proper way to use the tools ? Thanks Ron

Sam tell us about the little tongs

How about a Cupola Furnace and make your own? I bet you could get all kinds of scrap cheap or free to melt. [url=http://lindsaybks.com/bks3/chcup/index.html]Lindsay: Chastin's Cupola Furnaces[/url] Just think about everything you could make I would like to try it someday myself. Ron

For sure Don those young boys want to bulk up and get some hair on their chest - The ol breakin bar is just the thing for them:D

I want to Thank Everyone who has replied -you all have gave me some good info. and it is helping. I also want to Thank the Blacksmith that called me last night to help me with Forge Welding. Not sure If I should mention his name but you helped me think about what I was doing wrong Thank You Very Much ! I think Im having some luck finally its all about the fire. Ill tell what I have learned so far 1 - You have got to learn what your Coal will do in your Forge. I was digging out the fire pot every time for a nickel size cliker. All I was doing was breaking up my coke into fine bits and choking off the air with fines. Today I built my fire like every one has told me and left it alone. I just pulled coke in on top when needed & banked wet coal on the sides of the coke. I kept a even flow of air in the fire also- I wasnt cranking it up and letting it die down just nice and even. I have had this fire pot for years and until today I did not have a clue what it would do. I bet I was wasting a good 1/3 of my coal by over cleaning the fire, I had to remove the fines to get air . I ran it for a good 3 hrs. and made 7 forge welds with out cleaning the fire, my 1st & 7th wasnt to great but 2-6 was fine. Getting back to the fire pot , by not over working the fire the pot could do its job . I bet I only hand a hand full of ash come out of the dump and the clinker was one chunk the size of a small pancake. #2 A few mention watch for a spark in the fire- I was doing this & it works but If its not hot inside it wont weld. After talking to the Blacksmith last night and doing the steps like he suggested- Bring it to red to orange wire brush flux put back in fire-yellow wire brush flux back in fire- watch for first spak pull and tap together flux back in fire- next spark pull light hammer when cool a bit & hammer out. Wire Brush helps Flux helps but another thing was happening at the same time- it was giving me something to do. Pulling it out to Wire Brush & Flux it was letting the outside cool some and helping the heat to even out. I need a lot more pratice Thanks everyone and thanks for the call last night Ron:D

All we have is Chert rock here in NW Arkansas & when you do any post hole diggin got to use a Breakin Bar. I dont know what blue slate is but would say this old bar would turn it to dust right quick. The Chert rock Im talking about is hard stuff most people call it Flint rock. The Breakin Bar I have is old made by a Blacksmith in Pea Ridge Arkansas. Made from an a Wagon axel . Its about 1 squareX 5 ft. long - with like a chisel point and a round tappered point on the other. Its heavy and will make a man of you right quick. I would say what you have will make a good bar - this old bar I dont think is hardened it is not real sharp. I think if it were to sharpe it would get stuck easy. It has a slight bend in one end , I think it helps . Ron

Thanks Thomas Not sure I brought it up but working in a coal fire and only way to see the flux is to dig it out and lose heat. Only way I have had any luck is get a good fire going with lots of coke. Pull all burning coke from pot clean out fines & clinkers. Fill pot back with burning coke and pile green coal on sides and back. put work back and get on the blower till it a good orange and slow down blower but keep cranking till sparks come from fire. If I go to slow my coke all burns out under my work Just some stuff to look at- Check this guy out it looks like hes really pouring the air to the coal YouTube - The Marsi Chandelier Part 2 - Hot Forging & Forge Welding good stuff I found looking for forge welding YouTube - Forge Welding - 1904

Ok before I started asking ? I was getting a few Forge Welds I also was watching the fire for sparks like you say and getting welds. So I have an idea how slow to heat say I take a 1/2 in rd. bar & bend back on itself to come up to heat how long should it take?

Im not Forge Welding Billets Im Forge Welding Mild Steel Im not Forge Welding Tool Steel Im Forge Welding Mild Steel Forge Welding MILD Steel When you bring it out of the fire it will be sparking or it will not weld right? Cause I havent gotten a weld with out sparks I havent gotten a weld with just a few sparks But I have welded with a good amount of sparks It seems every one has told me no sparks Im not making a knife and not welding billets MILD STEEL Coal is the fule BIG Fire Crank Blower Now Im not making a knife or sword but I just watched a Japanise guy forge welding a sword and it was sparking.

I found this & thought some might like to see Steam & Engine of Australia - Photo Album Emerald Winterfest 2003

Here you go guys let them know what you think Discovery Channel :: Mythbusters: Message Boards

Ya gota be kiddin me they gona let you have all that for 4 spike knives? how much # do you thinks there??? Ron

More Free Books Craft publications

Rich VERY NICE ! Ron

I moved it back beside the fire pot I may make a Half Hood. With it so close I pile coal in the hood with a big fire. I just want more room

This is the Coal I have 1/2 ton of it http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/attachments/f11/1856d1172685968-oklahoma-coal-ok_coal1.jpg This is my Fire Pot a Champion Whirlwind 9 X 11 I end up with loads a tiny coke in the bottom of the pot. I dont think Im being stingy with the coal and would say I use about a 5 gal. bucket full at a time. When it cokes its a mass that needs breaking up.Ive been shoving a slice down the sides of the pot and prying to coke over in to the fire.

Good stuff Sven You bet I like it Ron

How about If I made like a Half Hood with the 12in. pipe? I think Half Hood was what the old forge had on it when new. Centaur Forge has 2 Half Hoods - when they say 30 in. Half Hood is that how high the front of the hood is?Centaur Forge-Centaur 30" Half Hood Thanks Ron

Sorry to keep asking about things When I first put together my forge I used Kitty Litter clay mixed with water to make a bed to sit the fire pot in and raise it to the level of the drop down on the forge body. Bad idea the cat litter when dry is crumbly and is impossible to keep from getting in the fire. Also I made my hood to sit in the forge on the edge of the fire pot. It worked like a Hoover Vac. I had fire in the hood all the time and seemed that side of the fire pot stayed hotter all the time + It took up to much room in this little forge. Heres a pic. of it before reworking it- I reworked the Coal Forge and moved my hood over 7 inches and raised it up .I made a stand for it and looks like its sitting on the outer rim of the forge body. I removed all kitty clay and dry set bricks under the pot to rasie it up. Its only sucking about 1/2 the smoke now. I have 12 in. pipe on it and is about 3 1/2 feet above the roof peak. I was wondering If a Shroud type of thing on the front of the hood would make it work? How far should it stick out? I was thinking like center of fire and tapper back to the hood at the bottom?? I really dont want to sit it back in the forge it takes up to much room. Any Ideas ? Thanks Ron