John in Oly, WA

In the second pic, I can make out what looks like "TEN" under the "PETER" and "ENGLAND" under the ten. And under all that, the weight - 1    2    11. And between the 2 and the 11 of the weight, it almost looks like a "GHT" of WROUGHT, maybe?

Thanks Gote! I'll be looking for some steel tube next time I'm at my metal supplier. For the size I need, I'd think 1/4" wall thickness would be plenty sufficient.

1 hour ago, Michael said:

 You will always expand the tool collection beyond any capacity to store it.

Corollary - You can never build a shop too big.

Interesting about the headstones and natural gas introduction.

The pyramids, IIRC, had a smooth outer layer of that was stripped off as well. Helps though that they're in a desert environment.

I knew a guy in Special Forces - he kept tampons in his bug out bag. Said they were good for plugging bullet holes. Just an FYI.

I sprayed my forge with high temp paint - it hasn't burned off and the forge hasn't rusted. But I also keep it in my shop when I'm not using it.

Thanks for all the info everyone. Time for some more data gathering and head scratching on the vacuum chamber.

Geez Thomas, it sounds like from your MatSci class, everything falls apart (Well, I guess everything does. Except the pyramids; they seem to be hanging in there, but look what they're made of). Just have to make sure that things fall apart in the safest way.

On the 4340 drive shaft part, I'm pondering putting it in my heat treat oven to anneal it so I can cut it into smaller pieces to work - it sounds like a long process. Or just put it in the forge and hot cut it. But I don't have a hot cut - would have to chisel it apart. Want to make a hardie hot cut out of the forked end.

Well, I'm just using one of those inexpensive vacuum pumps (1 Stage 4 CFM 1/3HP Rotary Vane Deep Vacuum Pump HVAC AC Air tool Kit R134 R410a) to stabilize wood, remove bubbles from silicone rubber molds and investment casts. On this vacuum gauge, my last test was to approx. 29.1 inHg. Not sure I really need that much, but was just testing the latest chamber.

Thanks Frosty. I haven't found one yet, but my thinking, obvious of course, was if it could handle the pressure outward, it could handle the pressure inward. Not so?

So far, I've tried stainless stockpots - crumpled them. Was pondering an old propane tank with the top cut off. Was thinking I might have to go with a very large piece of steel pipe, 1/4" wall thickness, maybe 8 - 10" dia.

Thanks for the heads up Kevin. It does look like it's coated with something. I'll look into scraping/stripping it off and see how much work is involved in removing it.

On closer inspection, it has 4340 stamped in the shaft. 

From a bit of searching, it looks workable for making tools from.

I'll have to see what the local metal supplier charges for 1/4" round to see if what I bought was worth it or not. Thinking of making a couple of hammer racks to mount on my anvil stand with the 1/4" widget metal.

Probably old news to everyone but me, but I was browsing the local Goodwill store looking for a pressure cooker to use as a vacuum chamber and came across this for $6.99. Measured out, it's 20 feet of 1/4" round stock. Equivalent amount at the box stores would cost over $20. I know, who buys metal at the big box stores, but anyway another possible source of material to forge - Goodwill and thrift stores.

Also state government surplus sales stores can be a source of material. Just bought an outer axle shaft for $5 - about 1 1/4" x 14" of ??? 4140? or some medium carbon steel, and a crow bar for $3. Washington State's surplus store is selling an awful lot of elk and deer antlers right now - knife handles maybe? Unfortunately, they've been in an auction format and going for some pretty high prices.

Wow! An impressive feat!

Thanks for posting.

1 hour ago, zadvorney said:

One can never have enough tools. 

I heartily agree!

Nice set of videos on your tire hammer project!

After watching them, I'm thinking "Oh boy! Another tool to build!" Forge press, belt grinder, heat treat oven, future tire hammer, salt baths, vise pedestal, press dies, vacuum chamber, 3D printer. I may never get back to forging.

Interesting guard plate shape.

Second knife, huh? Very nice! You set a high bar for new blademakers, I like it.

Very pretty pattern! That etch came out nice, as did the shaping.

Like to see it with the handle on it - maybe zebra wood.

Thanks Bobasaurus, I'll look into that.

 I bought the fire brick from Seattle Pottery. Fairly local to me so shipping wasn't too terrible. Look in your area for a pottery supply.

Nice job on the tongs! They look a lot like the Brazeal "ultimate" tongs.

I started a pair a while ago myself. Got the toothy bit side made, then got side tracked making a belt grinder and heat treat oven. Yours are inspiration to get back and finish 'em.

Yes, thanks! I didn't know such tools existed - too cool!

Love your shop set up with the belts everywhere.

Thanks Latticino. Just don't look too closely at the welds or my sheet metal work. I don't have a brake, so I was bending the sheet off the edge of my table saw.

In the initial oxidizing burn, I was a bit concerned as it reached the higher temps. At one point I watched the display go from 1798f to 1820f, back to 1805f, to 1792f, 1788f, 1796f, 1802f, then continue progressing upward again. it was set to reach 1945f and it bounced around from low 1940s to 1958f and back before signaling "complete" and returning to idle. I was beginning to wonder if my thermocouple was not functioning as well as it could be. I have no experience using thermocouples though, so I'll keep watching it and see how it does. It was also a "canned" cone fire to 04, so I need to look at the program and see if there were any built in plateaus that might explain it.

The next firing, I'll set my own program to hit a critical temp and hold for a period of time to test the temp stability.

You are correct, aside from heat treating blades, melting bronze, brass, aluminum, maybe venture into silver. The element is the Kanthal A-1 wire, but I don't see me casting iron or steel in the foreseeable future.

If you hammer in the bevel, rather than grind it, you might be able to curve it back the other way somewhat.

I finally finished my heat treat oven. Took a few months to pull all the research together, do a lot of head scratching to figure out the electrical circuits and other details, and then acquire all the parts and pieces and put them all together in the right order. Fired it up yesterday on it's initial oxidizing run. Took it to 1950F. My thoughts are to use it to melt metal for casting, as a burn out oven for the molds for casting, fire smaller ceramics in it, as well as heat treating blades. All in all, an interesting project.

I finished my heat treat oven. Don't know where to post pics of it. Heat Treating, general discussion? It's more of a project, so I guess I'll try Member Projects.

Buzzkill's advice on the Harbor Freight taps and dies is spot on! Go buy some real taps - they cut well, start well, AND are actually the size they say they are, unlike the Harbor Freight variety. Don't get me wrong though, I love Harbor Freight - for some things, other things, not so much. Just like blacksmithing and a lot of other things in life, you gotta do your research.

P.S. That "TON OF EGOS"? ARE the valuable resources of IFI.