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I Forge Iron

bigb

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Everything posted by bigb

  1. I'm planning to make a fullering tool and I am thinking of making the hardie like this so I can drive a wedge to firm it up. I understand some hardie tools you want to be able to install and remove quickly but that would not be the case with a fullering tool. What do you think? (Idea and picture credit to Black Bear Forge)
  2. Yes I know all about you guys and your chilis My cousin in Los Lunas raises them and word has it he is pretty stingy with them. Every time I go thru Hatch I load up. Thanks!
  3. I have welders and angle grinders, and literally tons of steel. Is there a good write up on how to make a swing arm fuller? Thanks for the chimney tip, hadn't thought about that. My first chili I made in a trough after I had shaped it, I put it in and angle iron trough and used a hand chisel to crease it, only 2 creases but I was real happy with how it came out. I now have a large bucket tooth that I use to open the crosses, I welded it to a solid plate so it points up. It's about 5" across, comes to a wedge point and is very hard.
  4. Thomas, I do not have a fuller. My first chili took forever but it came out great. I am a little better equipped now and yes I did learn to leave the pipe long. Someone told me to make it square first then put the creases in it and round it out.
  5. Sounds like a good idea, I need some new ideas.
  6. I like the 1/2" size but I made several sizes so folks can choose, 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4". The 3/8" can give me more trouble if not careful as they distort so easily if they're not hot enough. I'm also going to make some 3/8" copper ones.
  7. Updating to report I was able to finish making 74 crosses for our New Mexico reunion. The reunion got postponed to Labor Day so I took advantage of the extra time and worked on other projects first. I ended up using the cross peen hammer only while the steel was still orange hot and only had to dress it twice for the whole production. All cleaned up and protected with museum wax. Next on to some Mesquite cutting boards and maybe some fiddlehead ferns. May try some chili peppers too, but they do take me forever.
  8. That was a good read, thanks. I'm going to try a couple of options and will post the results.
  9. I've had good success with a brass brush adding some color to my work, has anyone used a copper brush and how did it work out?
  10. Thanks everyone, I am doing the texturing hot but maybe stretched the working time out too long and it cooled. Good idea on making a texture hammer Frazer, I certainly have plenty of hammers to spare, Farmall that's a great idea
  11. I am making some textured crosses with this old Bell System Stanley hammer I picked up somewhere, it was already sharp like a chisel and works great for the texture I want but it starts to deform quickly after just one cross. Should I be cooling it in the quench bucket as I am using it? Or just keep dressing it? I have several cross pein hammers I could sharpen in case it's a matter of the Stanley being too soft, one of them is a new Peddinghaus but not sure I want to be grinding on that one. Or if it's just the way it's going to be I'll keep dressing the Stanley, it's not a big deal I have a grinder right in the work space. Pics below of the Stanley, a finished cross (brushed with brass brush and waxed) and the Peddinghaus Thanks in advance
  12. We had a Beetle in the desert and no problems with heat till the GF moved to Vermont and brought the Beetle. I remember after one drive down the cold highway spending several hours plugging every drafty hole I could find.
  13. Thanks for the info, I didn't know (or forgot) that Mr. Mankel made forges. I have one of his anvils and real happy with it. Frosty no I did not speak to "Flaco", just Googled. Without an area code it could be anywhere although a Western state would be more likely. I Googled it again but this time I put "Horseshoeing" in front of the phone number and came up with more info, he is from San Jose, CA and George is spot on with the date: (Click on the pic for more info)
  14. Vell it Bugs me a Veetle bit but not as much as some Volks. The number now belongs to a Skinny Gonzales who runs a brush and tree removal service in Phoenix. Thought is was a pretty cool pic. Until the propane leaks.
  15. Not sure if this has ever been posted on here, maybe someone knows who it is/was?
  16. Thomas my plan is to weld the two pieces to a large coupling nut then thread in an eye. I don't have enough length to make it in 1 piece anyway so I need to use 2 pcs welded together.
  17. Not enough undeveloped space on my city lot for all that. What I really wish is that this Covid didn't happen and I could take my steel to one of the open forges and get guidance, there were always a bunch of experienced people willing to help. They've all been canceled though, until this horrible mess is over. I'll probably end up waiting a bit right now as we are expecting record heat the rest of the week.
  18. My original plan was a complete arch to suspend an O2 cylinder bell but also considering less than that, so that it is somewhat pointed at the top like a church window (see pic), which would be easier and might look better. I do have a heavy steel table that I can attach various jigs to, I also have a receiver hitch mount for my 6" vise so I can use a truck for stability if I need to. I have a thick piece of plate 36" diameter that I will weld the finished structure to, then drill the plate and bolt it to a concrete foundation in the ground. I am thinking about blowing some holes in the plate for the 1-1/4" rebar legs to sit in before welding for more strength.
  19. I have some 1-1/4" rebar that I would like to bend a couple of 90s at the ends so I can weld them together into an arch but I'm not sure if it will even be possible with what I have, a gas 1 burner forge, a coal fired barrel forge and a 1-1/4" hand EMT bender. I also have a large OA setup. My concern is that I won't be able to heat enough length, or keep it heated long enough length to make a smooth radius. My other option is to find someone with a hydraulic bender and pay them to do it, or just give the idea up altogether and make the arch square. Anyone have suggestions? What about making a long narrow temporary coal forge in the dirt or from fire brick in order to heat enough length?
  20. Thanks for the ideas, Frazier that's a great idea on the spade bits, I think I may try some cabinet door pulls with the mason bits. Neil, I may sharpen a few but I just retired and won't really be needing them anymore, been accumulating for a few years. anvil, tool are a good idea, I may make some drift punches which I seem to use on a regular basis, Thomas I have been thinking about some Ocotillo and I just may try that. We missed our annual trip through your town this year due to the pandemic, hoping soon though. Family reunion in Trementina was postponed and may happen in the fall, friends in Santa Fe told us the whole town was mostly closed up. Really threw a wrench into my retirement travel plans
  21. I have a lot of worn out spade bits, masonry bits (5/16" X 4") and a pile of worn out hole saws. Any ideas what to make? So far all I can think of are flowers or leaves, or plants out of the spade bits. There's more hole saws than in the pic, about twice that many, they range from 1-3/8" to 4-1/8".
  22. I finished my shorts rack Sunday but the site has been so slow I haven't been able to post. I used 6x6 sidewalk drain cut with a torch and welded together with 2x2 angle and a piece of 3/16" on the bottom. All from scrap I had laying around. As to how have I built my pile I visit the scrap yard regularly plus they have special hours every other Saturday where we can go wandering before they start up the equipment. Also some came from other metal workers who had weekend get togethers and yard sales, and a lot came from just asking people "do you want that?"
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