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Fantastic. What did you order for valving? Northern tool will ship to American Samoa? That is pretty good.

I'm dirt around the forge works. Cement with a light color in the bench/finish area and machine shop area. Welding area is cement as well. I call cement and concrete the same thing though from what people tell me it's different.

I think there is a lot of things that get done that are not by the book. It's one of the most amazing things about working metals by hand or blacksmithing. It's a very archaic process yet the results can be quite amazing. The human factor plays in all over it and while in Industry the accountability is linked to the process, at each individual shop every smith has their own take on any facet and if the item looks decent and functions as intended the "home" smith won't ever see a real difference unless there is a failure. So, the simple answer is there is a " BEST practice" but many do whatever they want as it's what they do and have done the process a hundred times with good success.

great work on some good old fashioned smithing.

Alloys are particularly susceptible to heat shock so should be treated accordingly. Ideally, its best to heat all high carbon or alloy steels this way as what percentage actually suffers a problem for the blacksmith is probably fairly small but knowing it can be a problem is key.

Yes, few days ago. Read 3/4 all ready. Good addition to the others.

Yes. Ideally heat shock can happen to any of the higher carbon steels and alloys. the outer skin expanding way faster than the inner colder core. Just lay it on the side of the forge while working on something else.

Had a few old SAABs with 350K + and my 2000 Audi A4 1.8T had 460K when I sold it to a friend of mine and was still getting 30mpg every tank full. I didn't start to use synthetics until the Audis. Now that is all I use. Thomas, I think American made cars are getting much better than they used to be as for mileage.

Just about all the old blacksmithing journals had articles submitted for publication by smiths with ideas and each one I think made that very same statement. I personally have given up on trying to make anyone see or think differently. One of the largest factors in this and I think I have pointed it out before. I can be asked pretty much right there on the spot how to forge something or how to make an item happen... With little, if any fanfare as long as there is a minimal amount of tooling (forge, anvil, hammer, vise) I simply make it. If someone gets something from this or not is outside of my control. One simply presents the information to a group or individual and then it takes on a life of it's own. Agree or disagree I no longer really care as once it's seen in action it all speaks for itself. People will take away exactly what they are supposed to. Talent and hard work go hand in hand for some. Understanding of talent, knowledge and application coming together is ideal for most. as a note. A hammer has no bounce when the metal is soft. As the metal hardens up (cools) is when rebound comes more and more into play. If done correctly a heat can last for minutes if forged quickly at the higher heat and then burnishing applied as the item cools./

LOL. I like it.. The truck is the current plow truck so it has a life outside of being a truck.. It's lately been my full-time ride.. did I mention is a cab and chassis. I bought it that way for 3500 and it has the heavy springs in the back and the extra perches. 7.3L diesel. I agree with rental. It can really make sense when or unless one has ample excess cash flow.

I was thinking along the lines of a convertible truck trailer unit. the trailer would mount on the truck or be able to be pulled like a trailer. this way one could get decent toll rates and decent mileage or pull it as a trailer when wanted. Full aluminum and all it would need is a bed, toilet/shower, and kitchenette setup. WE are not in each others lap kind of people but love to be "Nexyou".

it will become self-apparent as things unfold. The only thing stopping me from Rving is the filling of the fuel tank, well that and 6mpg. I get 18mpg in the 2001 F350 4x4 extended cab long bed. Seems like a perfect candidate for conversion of sorts.

I've met the gentleman. Was a pleasure talking with him about hammering and striking and methods. Funny how things work for each person.

Nothing new other than a picture of the last stop progress though I might do a redesign as the throat depth is not enough.

A comealong winch will work though slower than the electric brotheren.