Steamboat

Hans, you're very welcome. I was glad to help you out. I've always enjoyed playing with logo designs. The ones above that Hans said he may use with his castings consist of three different alchemy (or alchemical) symbols: iron, copper, and tin. We came up with about a dozen different logo designs, but I think that Hans and I both liked the ones below the best. Just for fun, I included a couple of possible ideas for using them on business cards, although that is entirely up to Hans. Al (Steamboat)

Looks like a tangential-entry burner, which I think could create a swirled flame around a crucible lowered into the furnace. Hard to say about value and condition. Shipping would make it cost prohibitive for me, but someone might be interested in it as a rebuild project. Good luck with the sale. Al (Steamboat)

Really superb work and attention to detail, as always! Al (Steamboat)

The concept of a workstation/workbench with interchangeable accessories, rather than a single-purpose "dedicated" workstation, may have been a fairly common adaptation encouraged by the need or desire for more economical use of physical or economic resources, and perhaps also by the lack of adequate available space to accommodate multiple workstations, the latter situation being a hugely important factor in some of my own tool designs. When winter drives certain activities indoors, space often comes at a premium. Equipped with the anvil shown in Lou’s original post photos, the workstation certainly could have been used for peening scythes or other blade-type tools. Equipped with a nail-header, as Lou said it “originally” came with (and the existing wooden tray that JHCC mentioned), it could have been used for that phase of the nail-making process. Other types of stake anvils made for inserting in stumps/posts could have added other functions to the repertoire of possibilities. This thread in general, plus a comment by Thomas about the potential for problems in interpretation, has prompted me to recall some interpretation issues that I’ve run across in the past when I’ve been investigating or excavating historic sites. That might be a subject suited to a thread of its own, however, so I’ll give it some thought before rambling on about it here. By the way, it looks like the historical reenactor in the video may have forgotten to remove her wristwatch, unless it’s actually a bracelet that just happens to look like a Timex. Al (Steamboat)

There are some IFI forum members who are involved in casting, so I think it would still be helpful if you could supply some additional photos and your location information. It doesn't hurt to post inquiries on more than one forum. Actually, depending on your location and other factors about the equipment, I might even have some interest in it myself. Al (Steamboat)

First of all, where are you located? It would also help to see a few more photos taken from different angles, as well as photos of any additional data plates or other text/markings on the unit. Al (Steamboat)

You're becoming very adept at casting, Hans! Nice job! As to earworms, one of the most famous is found in "A Literary Nightmare," a short story by Mark Twain. You might find it an amusing read...or not...bwahaha... Al (Steamboat)

Knots, what kind of equipment will you be running with your compressed air? Some equipment types are much fussier than others when it comes to air quality. As an example of a simple setup for cleaning and drying my compressed air, I am currently using three modular units to process the air for my plasma cutter. These are mounted on a bracket that is attached to my plasma cutter cart, and include: a general-purpose filter. a coalescing filter. a dryer that uses silica gel desiccant beads. The two filter units help remove dust, water, oil, etc., while the dryer unit absorbs water vapor. The coalescing filter and desiccant dryer units are typically sold as a "cleaner/dryer" pair. The filter units have drains for purging liquids that collect in them, and they contain small replaceable filter cartridges. My coalescing filter unit has a flow-resistance indicator on top that shows when the filter cartridge becomes dirty enough to require changing. Supplying clean, dry air to a plasma cutter will help extend the life of consumables like electrodes and nozzles, and spray-painting equipment also likes clean, dry air. There is an outlet screen in the dryer unit to prevent particles of the silica gel beads from being transported downstream, although for what I would call "micro polishing" of the air, one could install an additional general-purpose filter after the dryer unit to catch any microscopic bits of the silica gel that might have gotten through the screen. Generally speaking, the more you filter and process the air, the more flow resistance you will tend to have, but for many operations it's worth working the compressor a bit harder in order to get the high-quality air that many applications want. Whatever equipment you are using, it's a good idea to have a pressure gauge (and for some equipment a flow gauge) AFTER the filter and dryer units, so that you know what pressure (or flow) you are actually getting at the equipment while it's in operation. In the case of my plasma cutter, there is a built-in pressure gauge in the plasma cutter chassis, so that I can monitor the pressure during operation. The desiccant beads that I use are an "indicating" type of silica gel. The beads change from blue to pink as they absorb water. The manufacturer of the dryer should be able to tell you what size/type of desiccant is recommended for their particular dryer unit. The dryers are often sold with one or two small "starter" bags of desiccant beads that you could match and probably find much cheaper from some third-party source. If you buy a bulk quantity of silica gel desiccant beads, the price goes way down per unit of weight! The last batch I bought was large enough to fill a five-gallon bucket. I don't recall the price or weight offhand, but it was cheap enough that I usually just replace the used desiccant beads with new beads when the color has changed. That doesn't mean that I throw away the used beads; I put them in a separate jug for possible later rejuvenation by heat. Check with the desiccant manufacturer to see what recommendations they might have for rejuvenating the desiccant, since the beads and/or the color indicator additive can be damaged if done improperly, and there can be some limitations on rejuvenation cycles. As to other ways of drying air, as mentioned by Latticino, there are refrigeration units, which are often used in commercial/industrial high-duty-cycle operations. There are also self-regenerating desiccant dryer units. However, for my small home shop neither of those would be within my budget, not to mention taking up valuable space, and I think that the filter-and-desiccant approach is working quite well for me. I don't mind changing the desiccant once in a while...it only take a couple of minutes. Oh, and don't forget that your compressor has an inlet dust filter of some kind, which should be maintained properly to make your compressor last longer, and at the same time, it will make your downstream filters (which tend to be more expensive) last a LOT longer. Al (Steamboat)

Thomas, what are your thoughts about using something like a silicone-pad-type pre-heater wrapped around the outside of the tank and used in conjunction with a thermostat? An aluminum tank like Mike's should transfer/distribute the heat more evenly than a steel tank. Have you ever looked into using one of those heaters? I've used them on a couple of automotive oil pans for fairly low-temperature cutoff, like around 80F, but I think that they are capable of higher temperatures when sized accordingly. However, I have not yet investigated this kind of heater for use on a quench tank, and I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I thought it might be worth researching at some point in the future. Al (Steamboat)

I think we're on the same wavelength, Thomas. By the way, when I said "real" physical tools, I was just differentiating between physical tools and the software apps (which might include some software tools among the entertainment stuff) that could be found on a smartphone. I wasn't suggesting that the eggbeater drill was a toy tool, just in case you might have interpreted it that way. I also used to dismantle things whenever possible when I was a kid, and after a while I got so I could start putting them back together again. And yes, it's harder to do that today with so much digital and microprocessor stuff, not to mention the continuing reduction of removable fasteners in favor of molded/welded/riveted assemblies that are not meant to be taken apart, but simply replaced as a unit or tossed in a recycle bin. Al (Steamboat)

I think that tools make great gifts for kids! Generally speaking, I would rather see kids spend more time using what I call "real" (physical) tools and less time glued to their smartphones. I'm not anti-smartphone, per se (I've used them since the first 'brick' analog phones came out), but I'd like to see more kids doing more in the way of building, designing, fixing, and modifying tangible things, which would provide a broad range of learning experiences and a greater appreciation for the whole spectrum of human endeavor, IMHO. Al (Steamboat)

If you can get three-phase power installed for a reasonable fee, that would be my first choice, as Thomas suggested, but as Morgan mentioned, a rotary converter is a good option if you can't get 3-phase power into your shop. I built a rotary phase converter to run the three-phase motors on my my vertical mill, lathe, and a couple of other pieces of equipment. I bought a kit that included the start and run capacitors, relays, contactor, connectors, terminal blocks, etc., and bought a new idler motor to work with the kit. That was over ten years ago, and I can't remember all the specs, but it did save some money as compared to a ready-made rotary converter. It's heavy, probably about 275 pounds, so I mounted it on a dedicated hand truck to move it around. Or, as Salem mentioned, you could probably switch to a single-phase drive motor for the hammer, but they are less efficient, and you'd have to make sure that it's fully compatible with the equipment. If you decide to use a single-phase motor, or a three-phase rotary converter kit, or a ready-made three-phase rotary converter, be sure to contact the manufacturer before ordering it and provide full information on your entire setup and how the motor (or converter) will be used, so that you end up with something that works perfectly with your equipment. They will almost certainly have a number of questions for you. By the way, is there a readable data plate on the existing motor, and do you know if it is the original motor? Al (Steamboat)

Kevin, nice texture and finish detailing on the cross. Peppie, your owl opener is a real eye-opener. Ben, your first hardie tool looks good. Should work well. Vaughn, those are nice mounting hooks. I might borrow the dimpled-corner idea, but I would use them for mounting-screw countersinks on some shelf brackets. JHCC, be sure to show us the result after you've sharpened your blacksmith's knife. The shape looks good. Das, that's a nice collection of crawly critters for Halloween. I'm always impressed by your creations. Jennifer, we also have a lot of those big black-and-yellow garden spiders. They're really very pretty, although it can be a bit disconcerting to stroll through our yard at night and walk into one of their two-foot webs, especially if the web happens to be about face height. Snuffy, that's a cool idea for a bottle opener, and unusual (at least I haven't seen one before). Aus, that's a great selection of pokers. Al (Steamboat)

Looks good, Mike. It should be a versatile size for most work, and it's nice that it's portable. If it's an aluminum tank, I think that a strong neodymium magnet on a rod might work well for retrieving any accidentally-dropped magnetically-attracted ferrous objects, since the magnet would not want to stick to the tank. Al (Steamboat)

I run out of steam sometimes..... I remember when every respectable carpenter had a brace-and-bit and a Yankee screwdriver. Now I think that most of them (the tools, that is) are collecting dust and rust in barns and basements, although I did see quite a load of cleaned and oiled ones stacked on the shelves at my favorite used-tool store when I was up there about a week ago. However, they weren't exactly flying out the door. On the other hand, small hand-crank drills may be coming back into vogue, since their supply was almost completely sold out. Somewhere in some neglected box or bin in our basement or garage I may still have some of the above-mentioned ancient mechanisms. Rockstar, I'm glad the link about the screwdriver was helpful. Al (Steamboat)

When I did my first car engine overhaul (the venerable 235-inch six in a 1953 Chev) at age 13 back in the 1960s, I remember lapping the valves with compound for hours, since I didn't own any electric valve or seat grinding tools and couldn't afford to have it done out of my lawn mowing money. I still have the manual valve-lapping tool somewhere that would rotate the valves back and forth as you cranked the handle. It did produce a good seal, though, and the engine ran great afterwards, so I quickly sold that car to move on to the next car project, which involved an upgraded three-angle valve job. I still like a lot of the old iron from those days. I'm a big fan of Ford/Mercury flathead V8s, despite their idiosyncrasies, and my current restoration project, a 1954 Dodge M37 military cargo truck, has some surprises that one might not expect in engines of that vintage, such as the original forged high-carbon steel crankshaft and hardened alloy exhaust valve seats. We seem to have strayed off topic a bit. Getting back to Rockstar's original topic, I think that he brings attention to the fact that dealing with something that "seems" to be as simple as an electrical terminal screw can be more complex and demanding than one might think, and worthy of some careful thought and research to avoid potentially dangerous or destructive outcomes. Al (Steamboat)

That's an interesting suggestion, Frozenforge. It does seem reasonable that some valve grinding compound could help the grip, most particularly when using a tapered-blade screwdriver. A lot of new tapered-blade screwdrivers come from the factory with a roughened blade for a better grip in the slot, which seems closely related to what you suggested. And even when using a properly-sized hollow-ground screwdriver, perhaps a bit of grit might improve the grip when the slot in a screw has been rounded off a bit from usage. Of course, I think we'd all agree that valve grinding compound (or any other grit-bearing substance) should NOT be used on screws where some stray grit could cause problems, such as screws used for electrical connections, applications where the torque is critical, mechanisms that must be kept very clean, etc. Al (Steamboat)

Rockstar, check out this video of a Wiha #2 Xeno driver. I think it fits the bill for the comb-bit that you mentioned. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5sff2x I like Wiha tools, but they don't give them away. Being kind of a tool junkie, I've picked up a myriad of gadgets over the years and I might even have one or two of the self-centering screwdrivers with a spring-loaded sleeve that you described. I'll have to take a look around and see if I can find them. Al (Steamboat)

You made a good point regarding a precise blade-to-slot fit. I wrote and published an article several years ago in an automotive restoration magazine about the advantages of hollow-ground screwdrivers over tapered-blade screwdrivers and how to fit hollow-ground screwdrivers to slotted-head (aka, slotted-drive) screws. Since the portion of the hollow-ground blade that fits into the slot is parallel to the sides of the slot and not tapered, there is no tendency for 'cam-out' or other damage to the screw slot as long as the screwdriver is held in alignment with the screw, and the width and thickness of the blade are appropriate for the geometry of the slot. I never use an ordinary tapered-blade screwdriver on a slotted-head screw except in an emergency. Gunsmithing catalogs usually have interchangeable-bit hollow-ground screwdriver sets that contain many different blade widths and thicknesses. The last time I checked, Brownells had a set that included 58 different hollow-ground screwdriver bits/blades. If you have a complete set, you can "almost" always find a nice close match between a blade and a screw slot without having to custom grind the blade. That said, there might be some exceptions among watchmakers, who seem to argue the relative merits of tapered vs. hollow-ground screwdrivers, possibly in part because of the difficulty of finding or making hollow-ground blades to precisely fit such tiny screws, but I'm no horologist/watchmaker, so I'll let them battle it out among themselves. For my own purposes at least, a properly-fitted hollow-ground blade beats a tapered blade, hands down. Al (Steamboat)

Sounds like it was a fun and educational experiment. I might eventually try something similar, since we have literally tons of free wood to work with and a large wide-open space to do it in, as well as some heavy equipment to move soil, etc. However, there are several projects in the to-do list that are ahead of it, so it might be a while. Al (Steamboat)

I spent a number of years writing computer hardware, software, and programming manuals that were based on engineers' notes. I found that there was no direct correlation between their grammatical prowess and their ability to communicate effectively. There were a few engineers whose spelling was horrific and couldn't construct a proper sentence, but the content and their thought processes came across clearly. Conversely, there were those who demonstrated perfect grammar, syntax, etc., but could not organize their thoughts, which led to many personal interviews so that I could figure out what the heck they were trying to say. One of the better communicators among them, who recognized his own grammatical shortcomings, used to joke, "I always wanted to be an engineer and now I are one." I haven't had any trouble figuring out what CRS is saying (and I've read many of his posts). Al (Steamboat)

Ted, that stand really looks solid! Nice neat job, too! Just a thought: One thing you might consider would be to alter the tool rack(s) so that the hammer heads would be parallel to the sides of the stand instead of perpendicular, and maybe the hammers could be placed between the stand itself and the first bar. Granted, it would not hold as many hammers that way, but if you're using a limited number of hammers for a specific project, it could still be adequate for that, and it would let you stand/work a few inches closer to the anvil. Al (Steamboat)

Interesting idea. That could help secure it in terms of horizontal movement. Used in conjunction with a couple of mounting bolts it could be quite solid. I'll give it some thought. Al (Steamboat)

You've probably already found this source, but Google Books has free ebooks for The American Blacksmith from 1901 through 1921. Al (Steamboat)

Glad you liked the vise, Kozzy. I'm guessing that your vise might look like this one: https://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/18363-foot-vise/ I suspect that the manufacturer might be the same or related somehow. In any case, the removable plate on your vise is an improvement over the integral calking area on my vise. Rusted bolts in old cast-iron items are often a challenge that can try one's patience. One thing that helps is that most of these old bolts/pins/screws tend to be relatively soft steel and can be often drilled and peeled a bit more easily than higher-strength fasteners. Are the fasteners holding the removable calking plate on your vise screwed into blind holes or do the holes go all the way through (the latter being a little easier to deal with)? I try not to resort to Heli-Coil inserts except when other methods fail, but as long as there is plenty of meat to the matrix around a hole, they do offer a good solution that in some cases is stronger than the original, especially when used in softer metal matrices like aluminum. Al (Steamboat) Thanks, Ben. The vise was a good find, and considering that I bought it from a dealer who specializes in antique tools and farm gear, I thought it was priced very reasonably. I've already found it to be a useful tool, and not just for blacksmithing. By the way, great job on your latest hammer! Al (Steamboat)