Bayshore Forge

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 2:19 PM, MotoMike said:

ressurecting an old thread. approaching the time when I will try my had at making some hardys.

DSW - hardy seems to set fully on the shoulders.  the others appear that they will sit in the hardy against the tapper.  is this to make sure they don't move around?  As Bayshore Forge mentions the taper would tend to get stuck in the hardy.  what are the reasons/advantages/disadvantages of one way over the other?

 

Mike, 

I had very limited tooling and skills, so I made one that tapered up to “snug” however I’ve fortunately never had it get stuck. A tinky sideways tap and it loosens right up. 

Hope yours comes out great! 

Brent 

I was actually given a copy of US military blacksmithing manual that included a section on this specific forge. Unfortunately I think I may have gotten rid of it. Ill look closer tomorrow. I bet it can be found online with the right keywords to search though. 

Brent 

Update: I have been using TSC nut coal for basically two years now. The only other coal I've ever used is sourced from my local marina, randomly found along the rocks - no clue what type it is, but it smells different when burnt and behaves different from the anthracite from TSC.  

I have gone through over 20 bags of the nut coal, two different brands. One is pictured earlier in the thread, and the other is in a sealed plastic bag and called something like "miner's choice" or "Miner's Nut" (can't remember). 

I have found that using my forge set up the coal likes a kindling fire and the hair dryer on high to start, and then the hair dryer on low to sustain for hours. In a pinch of low coal I have been successful with turning the hairdryer off right before I pull the bar out, then back on right after I put it back in for another heart. I believe this uses a bit less coal, but I'll admit I usually leave the blower on low constantly. With a mature fire and the dryer on low, I have been forge welding up to half inch mild stock. I have never tried to forge weld anything thicker than 1/2, but I believe I probably could. My brother successfully melted/burnt a rail road spike by failing to pay attention. 

Coal is not easily available in my experience in Northern Michigan, so TSC anthracite has been my go to. 

Brent  

This thing looks pretty darn cool. What type of stock did you start with? 

Hey all, 

Hoping to start a thread where people can post their own renditions of tavern puzzles and the like. I personally have made what I've seen called the Iron Heart and also what I've seen called the Conestoga Playmate. Iron Heart picture included below. I don't currently have a good picture of the Conestoga, I'll upload one if I come across it. 

I keep these in my car and show them to people all the time, they always go over very well.  

Lets see some puzzles!! 

Brent 

On May 24, 2017 at 8:44 PM, Ranchmanben said:

Weird set of parallel jaw tongs made from 5/8" coil spring. 

I have never seen any like this before, although I am new to blacksmithing. Would it be possible to get a little explanation on how to make these? Measurements? 

It looks to me like they are adjustable scrolling tongs, but I'm interested to know if with a different shaped jaw it could work with a variety of flat/square stock sizes. 

Thanks! 

Heres a pic of the forge I promised, didn't get around to measurements, I will try next week. One thing I'd mention is there's not a overhang of sorts and it works very well. One negative is the bellows is on the far side and in the way of the smith working the opposite side, designer should have put it off the back instead. I also found it hard to get the piece laying horizontal in the fire. Not quite sure what could have been done to remedy this. 

Brent 

Any break throughs? This story is pretty neat and it's making me want to try to out sand in my forge, haha. 

Good luck,

Brent 

Today was my first day demonstrating, here's an update. 

It went really really well, we had 364 visitors from 11:00am to 5pm. I made a bunch of wall hooks, a few nails, a nail ring, and a tavern puzzle. Here's some pictures, the tavern puzzle isn't perfect, but I was trying to not take a ton of time. Yes we had four smiths counting myself there for the beginning when the pic was taken of the forge. 

Tavern puzzle was cool because it demo'd forge welding for the folks. 

Brent 

I am constantly astonished at the quantity  of quality thought I get whenever I post a question. Thank you guys so much, these answers should give me plenty to think about for AWHILE! Haha. 

Brent 

Hey all, 

so long story short I told a friend I'd make him something if he gave me a pile of scrap metal. He said he would be interested in a grapple hook. Initially I thought, SWEET! Now before I start I have some conflicting theories in my head.

I'm thinking spring steel because I'm scared mild might snap or bend uselessly if he ever used it for anything. So then I'm thinking harden it, but where to temper it so it doesn't break? The arch of the hooks?

Should the arches have a round cross section or should there be a rib on the top for support? 

HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY MADE ONE TO USE BEFORE? the shape cosmetically I'm confident I can produce, but I'm worried about function. 

Thanks for your time,

Brent 

PS NO he's not a ninja. He's a commercial fisherman so I guess he just likes all hooks and nets. 

I might be really late to the ball game here but what about simply burning out the middle? If you set on end and start a fire on the ground it could just burn the surrounding area. Just keep an eye on it and extinguish before its too close to where you want it finished? Might save some time. 

I'm not a woodworking though I've seen people burn stumps and I think this might work. 

Brent 

36 minutes ago, Rashelle said:

Carpenters, chisels, log dogs and smaller versions, peevy's, froes, different axes and hammers, chest hardware, etc. Black powder stuff: the word Thomas can't say xxxxx, worm for cannon or swivel gun, lin stock, stand, strikers for flint and steel, screw drivers, patch knife .... patch knife screw drivers, etc. Other demo stuff, strikers, spoons, colonial candle holders, swedish candle holders, forks, bbq stuff, bottle openers,J hooks, S hooks, Y hooks, different finials on all of the above with different twists, such as a leaf version. Etc. I even made for myself wile demoing at one of the places a set of L brackets for shelves, plant hangers are more good things, snails, seahorses, rings, bracelets, faces, wizard head thingies, gnomish things, etc.

This is quite possibly the staple gold mine paragraph for ideas if anyone ever gets bored. Only one paragraph but so much conveyed! 

Thanks,

Brent 

I believe either my county (Leelanau County) or the town of Glen haven was named the "most beautiful place" in either Michigan or the US, because the smith mentioned this and said it never used to be that busy. I'd hedge a bet for the county because Glen haven isn't crazy beautiful itself. 

EDIT: totally forgot to load new comments so this is offtopic now and kinda useless. Can't figure out how to delete. 

Thank you for the historic importance ideas, that would probably be the best! Now I just need to figure out what they would have made! 

Brent 

Thank you all for the time spent on thoughts and ideas! I really appreciate it! 

Sir Reynolds, I have not yet smithed there but the day I visited and was recruited I saw no less than 35 people between 4:45 and 5:00 (shop closes at 5). The smith on staff that day said he counted over 300 people and seemed astonished. 

And to those that read this in the future, keep those amazing thoughts coming! Love the ideas and help you guys so willingly provide 

Hey all,

I am fortunate enough to have been allowed to help out at a historic blacksmith shop somewhat nearby my house. The venue is historic reproduction, so it (to the best of my knowledge) is created after a blacksmith shop around the turn of the 20th century or just before. Half of the shop is seating for observers, and in a good day they say they have between 150-250 or so people visit for demos. 

My my question for ya'll is, what are interesting demos? The place is outfitted with an astonishing amount of tooling, anvils, floor mandrels, post vices, swage blocks, post drills, bench vices, grinding stone, etc. All hand powered, no electricity. 

NOTE: all items made are property of Glen Haven historical village and are offered to the visitors with the request of a small donation to the village. I will NOT profit from any of this other than experience. 

I was thinking Fredericks crosses, hooks, fire pokers, tavern puzzles (this may take too long), bottle openers. I'm open to any and all ideas! They seem to have endless square bar for metal stock in various small sizes under half or so inch. I saw some flat bar and maybe a bit of round bar. Horse shoes available too, no rr spikes that I spotted at first glance. 

Thank you for your time and thoughts,

Brent 

18 hours ago, Beatsy' s Forge said:

This is what I thought would be best for my smithy or at least something similar. I have pot dimensions and I think a side draft would be my best option size wise not huge but the one pictured is in my opinion perfect. What do you think about a brick table or castable I am unsure because bricks may shift or heave but castable may crack but can be patched pretty easily.

Beatsy,

I landed a volunteer position (ha ha) at a local recreation blacksmith shop that has a forge just about like this. It uses a large bellows on the far side for air instead of behind but otherwise it's almost the same thing. I'd be happy to take pictures and measurements if you wish. I'll be going there this Thursday. I may not be able to measure the firepot because it'll already be going when I arrive. It has a brick table though, and last I saw it it was not cracked at all. I'm pretty sure it has a clinker breaker and air gate out the side also. 

Best wishes,

Brent 

34 minutes ago, Frosty said:

You don't want directions to where to learn what you want to know eh? Is your time is sooo much more valuable than ours then? What you are asking can't be answered how YOU want it answered, the answers are what they are. Take them or leave them, YOUR call.

However I'm a talky guy, like a challenge and have a little time to spend. Right now you have TWO major beginner problems. #1 You are dead set on building YOUR idea of the perfect equipment with no idea of what adequate is. We've all been there, I'd direct you to articles that do a wonderful job of explaining this human trait in lay psych terms but you don't want to be directed to educational reading. Your #2 problem is you have FAR TOO MUCH material to build with. And like the first problem, you don't have any idea of what it's for in conjunction to blacksmithing.

That's a nice picture of a brick coal forge and side draft hood. Why not copy it and build one? If you're building with brick forget all the castable refractories and furnace grout, it's USELESS, in fact a liability in that kind of forge.

Don't know how to build it? Home Depot, Lowes, etc. sells inexpensive books on doing your own masonry. Have a library card?

If you REALLY don't want to be directed to educational reading, please explain to us how you expect to LEARN from US. You still have to read the answers Why should ANY of us write them AGAIN?

I hate to break this to you but you're not special, every one of us had to start somewhere and I doubt very strongly many if any had all the . . . stuff you have to play with.

If you don't want me to recommend reading then please just ignore me.

Learn from our mistakes or have at it, just don't whine about uninformed questions not being answered to YOUR liking. Your call,

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty,

If you enjoy leading people to information, I'm here for the "leading"! I'll read just about anything. 

Brent 

On June 19, 2016 at 11:06 PM, Black Frog said:

"LAKESIDE" is the overstamp name...

Thanks for the pics!

Thank you, 

any idea on the production year of this anvil? 

Brent 

Could you explain what is in this tank that took off all the rust? Some sort of chemical? 

Here's some useful charts from the war departments technical manual from 1942. Obtained a copy from a friend of a WWII veteran that it was issued to I believe. 

Hope this helps someone in a least a little way!

Brent  

This is the hardest thing I've read in ages. Beautiful smile. I'll be praying for your daughter also. 

Brent 

13 minutes ago, Donniev said:

This is my first, made from 1045. Unfortunately it gets jammed in the Hardy hole, and as my use of it has increased somewhat recently, it's irritated me enough that it's going to be the first thing I throw in the fire next time I light up, gonna fix it. Did you drive it down into the hole to get it to fit? I didn't, I just tapered it down until it fit snugly. We'll learn as we go, right?

I like that one! Much cleaner than mine so far. Yea what I did was upset, taper Hardy end, chisel, set it in Hardy and whack it full throttle for a whole heat, then pull out and start the blade taper. 

9 minutes ago, jeremy k said:

What size is your hardy hole? - couple heats maybe for the upsetting - only upset when full heat.

I upsetted when it was still a 4 ft crowbar at full heat as it wasn't the size and shape I needed for the Hardy, but it was the thickest tool (or similar style) steel I had. I only upsetted one heat once it was in Hardy hole. 

5 minutes ago, DSW said:

here's mine.

 

^ im jealous of that one 

Hey all,

I have been stalling about making proper tools, and decided to try a hot cut Hardy tonight. This was made from one of the largest crow bars I've ever seen with just a chisel, a 3 lb cross pien from HF, and a 180# Trenton. I had to upset it for a good 20 min to get to be larger than the size of my Hardy hoIe. I so wish I had a striker, as the tapering took so many blows from my 3lb hammer. I would love to see all your hot cut hardies as a comparison! 

Any and all advice or comments are welcome. 

Brent 

Thank you Glen! 

Charles I just wanted to let you know that you saved the day by bringing these pictures back!! 

Brent