woodtick

I get alot of charcoal from the stove in the way that JohnW already suggested. When there is a deep bed of coals in the stove, I'll take out a scoop full and give 'em a good spraying with a water spray bottle.

The only reason there is to be at the forge every day is if you're a full time smith and it's your day job. If you're a hobbiest or part timer like me you can spend weeks away from the forge and still be a blacksmith at heart. Even the old time country smiths had to take time off to make hay, cut firewood, plant gardens, make babies, etc, etc.

All that comes up from your link Glen is a small jpeg. to small to see.

On the forge I'm using now I have a hair dryer for a blower with a dimmer switch for air control. It's just a rivet type forge so the hair dryer works pretty well, but I just acquired a Champion hand crank in excellent condition. I take it that a hand crank is a better blower by design, but would it be better enough to make up for the pretty much hands free air supply that I have now?

When mounting a hand crank blower to a forge, for convenience, which hand do you set it up for? for example I'm right handed so I'm thinking I should be cranking the handle with my right hand so I can leave go of the handle and just pick up the hammer.

I have galvinized fittings on my forge, and no problems. As suggested be well ventilated for the first couple of fires.

Thanks guys, Alex Bealer made it sound alot easier. LOL

I was reading through Alex Bealers book "The Art Of Blacksmithing", and I came across a small section on inlaying glass and thought that would be perfect for a project I'm working on but the small section in the book didn't go into much detail
Has any of you done this? I'm looking for any advice, tips or tricks to help shorten the learning curve and to keep from ruining the whole project.

Thanks

I just acquired a Champion hand crank blower in excellent working condition. At a good price too! FREE! There is no model no# or even a patent no# but it was made for a portable forge.
I'm cleaning it up and giving it a coat of paint and was wondering what the original color would have been?

I cant get them either.

Jeff, the top die is held in place with a piece of plate steel(scrap from the side material) welded in place.

I've finally made a guillotine tool, I'm pretty excited about it because it's my first one and I made it myself.
I want to make a set of dies for fullering candle holders from 1 inch pipe but I'm not sure of the shape. (Heck I don't even know how to ask the question properly)

Also if you live in an area with a good "heavy trucking" industry try Truck Repair Centres, especially the ones with spring shops. As bruce mentioned, they'll have a bin for "drops" and a dumpster out for scraps.

A helpfull hint#
Alot of times the boys that works in these shops will have a coffee fund set-up so one of them can make a coffee run to Starbucks or wherever at breaktime. Make a point of throwing a couple of bucks in the can whenever you stop in for something and get to know the workers themselves. You'll be amazed at what good pieces "just happens to fall" behind a machine and not be found until the next time you're there.

"Good to have another Canadian join, even if you are an Easterner."

I resemble that remark, LOL

Welcome e_mike from N.S.

Welcome duey
From another Canuck.

Thanks for the replies guys, it was just one of them simple things that I couldn't put my finger on the answer.

I kinda wish it was a gadget that tells me why my truck won't start. lol

I see references to them, but I can't figure out what they're for!

Can someone tell me what metal gauges equate to in actual thicknesses?

And when getting into the thinner stuff, what are some of the different uses for different gauges. For example what gauge metal would a vehicle exhaust pipe be?

I still just use a length of rail for an anvil, and what more natural way to fasten a piece of track to a stump than a plate that fits the rail and RR spikes that fit the plate.

I just have a little addition built on the end of my garage for my forge, but I leveled the foor off with a real fine slate gravel over the native soil. Every so often I sift ashes from the forge and charcoal dust over it, that combination mixed with the natural dampness from the ground and constant walking in a small area made the floor pack down smooth and hard. It packed down good enough that I can sweep it.

The steel is not annealed yet.

The guy that gave me the pieces picked them up as leftovers from a job. He didn't have the paperwork to know the ##### of the steel, he just said that "it was a tool steel and it was hard enough that it could not be machined without annealling." (his exact words).
They are painted lime green on the ends, but I guess that don't mean too much since different companies have their own system of marking.
If it's any good for making knives, I have no idea!

The pieces are 2 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1

A buddy of mine who works in a welding/machine shop gave me 2 small pcs of tool steel like the one in the picture that I want to use to make some kitchen knives.



My problem is how to handle these small pieces before they're drawed to a workable length that can be handled with tongs.
The easy solution that I could come up with was getting some flat bar or rod welded to them for handles.
But what about annealing, if I get the handles welded on after it is annealed will the electic welding ruin the annealling process,
or if I get them welded on before will the heat from annealing weaken the welded joints?

Anybody have any ideas to throw at me!

Thanks bruce!,
The reason I wasn't thinking of the heel chalks too much is because most of the new shoes sold here have extra long iron at the heels to be cut off or bent up for chalks. And if not I figured they would be welded the same as the toes. again thanks.

What steps are taken in preparing the chalks and shoes for forge welding the chalks on?
When I say "preparing" I particularly mean is there any special scarfing for the welded joints?
And I'm also thinking of heavy draft horse shoes with bar iron for toe chalks.

I use a home built rivet type forge with a hair dryer for a blower and a dimmer switch to control air supply. Not much cost involved to set up. I don't forge steady, but I do use it between 1 to 3 afternoons a week and so far it has been going for three years.

I make my charcoal in a 45 gal barrel. I get an average of 2 1/2 - 5 gallon bucketfuls of good charcoal to a burn. I try to stick to hardwood because I find softwood gets flaky and dustier than I like.