Bud in PA

thanks to all who replied. I have an old stainless kitchen trash can that I intend to use similar to Irondragon's.

I have made my chimney as close to the Hofi  style as I could. 14" x14" side draft of 3/16 steel plate. 12" diameter air handling tube 10' high. I would like to put a cap of some sort on the chimney top, about 12" above the top of the chimney, will this cap restrict the flow of the chimney?

On a black powder forum that I belong to a lot of people recommend about a 50/50 mix of acetone and auto trans fluid. One smith who works on original guns uses it to loosen original screws.

I made a 14" x 14" by 4 ft. long that goes through the side of my shed . the chimney, galvanized air duct, it will be 2 ft. from the firepot and outside. I copied this setup from a picture of Hofi's setup. I don't know what material he used.

I believe I saw them on Amazon. My computer picked up a virus and I am working off of my phone.I can’t even find the nickle slot on this thing so finding web site and typing on it takes me forever

I have a coal furnace in my basement for auxiliary heat. I built a bin out of 5 pieces of 4 x 8 plywood and 2x4 ‘s holds about 4 tons and keeps the rain and snow out. The delivery truck dumps right into it and I cut doors in the front to shovel coal into a bucket. I also have a series of removable slats to. keep the coal from falling out when the door is opened.

I recently saw an advertisement on the web for a 2 burner gas forge for about $75 . Being on fixed(broken) income this is affordable. Anyone have experience with them? Replies are greatly appreciated,  thanks.

Anything but my wife complaining!

Just finished my shed. It is 8 x 12 as 100 sq. ft. is the maximum allowable size without permits or extra taxes. I bought a four ft. LED light from HF for $20 . I will have to shut it off when looking a the color.

Thanks All bigger it will be.

I just lost a maple tree.  It varies in diameter, should I pick the largest diameter section an 18 " diameter or the next useable one which is 12" diameter . My anvil is 93 # and the base is 9" x 7"?

How about some some thin sheet metal screwed to the floor.

How about covering the top with a piece of tin ?

Where is that path you wandered off of?  Beautiful!

If I couldn't weld I would bring it to a weld shop.

I don't feel so bad about paying $350 for a 93 lb. Hay Budden in good shape a few years back.  The only complaint I have is that I had to drive about 90 miles  to the Bronx, NYC to get it.

I burn coal for heat here in PA. I have been warned that the ashes contain heavy metals. I know that run off from the coal mines here in PA have killed streams, fish, and aquatic life. Mine goes into the garbage to be disposed in a regulated landfill. 

As I remember Harold Johnson of Cooper's Landing AK, used a M2 50 cal. barrel off of a fighter plane to make his 50 Alaskan. The throat was shot out so h cut it off  and mounted the rest on an 1886 Winchester.

I heat my house with a coal furnace, I b bought it new . It  has 2 blowers and 2 holes in the top sheet metal so you can hook up your hot air system. Both doors have handles attached, and it came with a handle for the shaker grate. I have a 4 ft. 5/16 dia. rod with a piece of flat 1/4 steel welded on the end . This rod looks like a T ,I also keep a pair of welding gloves to handle it.  

Just got back from the doc's.  He checked both hernias and said that from what he could find I can continue as before. I am getting the stone for the base delivered Monday, Tuesday the neighbor will be over with his machine to put the stone behind the garage so that I can start framing the shed  on Wednesday. I may not be able to move like I used to but at least I can still move.

Hey Das , yes it feels god to get started. old age has not been kind , I 've got more metal parts in my body than most new cars. the worst part is the Boss watches HGTV and tries to tell me how to build things. I didn't need to be building a shed at my age, would have preferred a complete shed.  Hopefully I will have it together sometime next week, if the doc lets me. Going to see him tomorrow. 

Finally it looks like I will be putting up a shop in the back yard. The Boss  bought an 8 x 12 foot shed kit. she was afraid that I would burn down the garage if I set up in it. The shape of the garage it would have been a home run. I am going to use a tin roof and spray the inside with a borax solution. The floor will be some used pressure treated decking covered with tin, the forge area will be covered with cement board. I am concerned with the chimney. I would like to use a Hofi style chimney because I don't want to cut a hole in the roof. I have found 12 x 60 inch length of galvanized  pipe at Lowes it is 28 gauge, and in my price range. would I have any problems using galvanized pipe outside of the building using the Hofi system?

I am going to have the same worries, my wife didn't want me to use half of the 20 x 20 garage. She was worried about fire. A fire in that garage would be a home run,. She bought me an 8 x 12 shed kit. Bad enough I am on the downside of the hill of life, now I've go to build a shed!  I have been giving this quite a bit of thought. Flooring will be used pressure treated decking, I all ready have it. Cement wall board above and around the forge. My chimney will be the Hofi style which will keep my roof water proof. Sheet metal, what ever scrap I can find to cover the floor. Most importantly a floor plan for my equipment that will allow a quick exit in case of emergency. Ventilation will be a couple of small windows.

Does anybody know where I can get a piece of 1 inch diameter 1095. I need to make a part for my flintlock?

Phoenix I imagine that you are not too far from Wild West city on  RT 206. They are in the Netcong-Stanhope area, they used to have a blacksmith there, also Watertloo Village. They should be able to point you in the right direction for steel suppliers both new and used.