easilyconfused

I'm with you frosty. We're barely hitting 30C (late 80's in F). Still getting frost warnings at night too. Things are barely growing on the farm though which sucks.

CBrann-
sounds like we have the same delema.... making what we like, not what sells.... Hopefully we both find things we like to make and people really love to have them too.... and they are happy to pay the price for them:o:D

In my limited experience I've noticed, as we are primarily a want, it's harder to sell something we make rather than having someone ask us to make something for them. That's just the name of the game though.

I've been looking up meat smoking info and they say conifers, with the resins, are dangerous to use to toxic to whatever. Other species of trees too. There's no real connection between sites for safe woods other than the standard ones you can buy at the markets. I'm wondering how many really are dangerous and how many are because someone else said so. Especially with so many people making their own charcoal.

There are a few lube blueprints under hofi's section.

The smoke may be an issue for the baby without proper ventilation. However, it shouldn't be the same as smoking is, as she wouldn't be directly inhaling the smoke in large amounts.

If she's in shape for it, then she should be okay with things other than the smoke. I would suggest talking to your doctor though.

HARDEN your punches by slowly bringing them to non-magnetic and quenching in warm oil. Plunge it straight down till fully submerged and do NOT swirl it around.Frosty

I got taught in a course you were to swirl them around in a figure 8 to prevent a gradient of heat (steam bubble in water) from developing and slowing the cooling process.:confused:

Around our area, there's always a few farm scrap yards to get stuff from. The owners buy up old machinery and you pull the part off you need.

Anyway we could get bigger photos?

That's very nice, especially on the diamond. You've come a long ways since you started posting so little time ago. You're grandpa would be proud.

We'd hate to see your apartment dissolve into the street:o

Especially since we've recently became the new caretakers.;)

Prices & Purchasing

Whattcha know, was looking at prices and low and behold a pic of starting the wrap too. Not sure how the guy stays in buisness at those prices!:o

Fullering/grinding 1 or two notches depending on if you want to save the original temper to hold the rod a bit helps. Make sure the wrap is tight. There is a certain way to wrap to hold better which is relatively clear in most pictures but I can't remember how to describe it.

Miscellaneous
This link shows a good example from multiple directions how to wrap them.

Straight shank, dropped shank, raised (or gooseneck shank) has much to do with the riders leg and stirrup length. A long legged rider on a smaller horse really needs a gooseneck type spur or he has to get out of position to use the spur. A short guy like me that generally rides bigger horses and likes a shorter stirrup to boot needs a dropped shank or the spur is continually in the horses side.

I've found that a straight shank, unless a short bumper style like used in english disciplines, tips too easily due to leverage but a downward bend, even a slight one, seems to let them roll a bit better without tipping, even when the rowel is in the same place. The curve seems to work with the angle you move with to use them. I don't jab with my spurs though, I let them tickle the horse with a slight heel raise, seems to work better for me. My main riding horse will let you jab him all day and not listen but the lightest roll has him responding.

As for rowel position, you can set it in the same position as a straight shank, but yes, it does depend on leg length, stirrup lenght and horse chest size as well as riding style, amount of leg control and effect you want and what you're doing too. Like many things, it's up to the person to decide what works best for them out of the ones that work best for others. :D

Got one little gaffer pounded out (~6"x1-1 1/4", photos when the camera is up and running). Just need a stainless steel wire brush to clean it up. Quick question, vinegar doesn't do anything for passivation, just cleans up the metal? I've got it soaking in it to aid in the wire brushing but I'm still confused after reading up on the passivation threads. I don't want to use the more dangerous acids as I'm in an apartment.

I use a ball peen hammer and a hardwood stump end up. The metal burns in as you go. Keep an eye out for dished metal shapes. Some people have used the bottoms of gas cylinders and such. Be careful if you are cutting the ends off!!!! if you do go that route. There are many "swages" out there if you look for them.;)

Does the WD40 bring out more of the temper colour? I seem to get paler colours using the heat and oil method.

For temperatures, you can either get a setable oven, heat resistant thermometer, thermal crayons that melt at a certain temp or watch for the colours. There are many sources for tempering colour charts. Most blacksmithing books contain one as well.

Very nice. I agree that they look more classy with the bent shank. Also easier to use than a straight one. I'm just a little lost as to how you split the rasp and forged it. Could you clarify? I have a few horseshoe rasps dying to get used for something to clean up some clutter.:D

that is true, but i have a 2 or 3 foot deep fire and i only have coals about 8 inches in. but, i replaced it with a brake drum forge which works great. but high pressure, and low speed works better, i got this from experience and hearsay.

I usually have around 4" charcoal under my metal and it will weld upto 1/2" rod using an old canadian forge&blower hand cranked blower. Too deep and you're too far from the heart of your fire and need more air to push it up to where your metal is. Look for the brightest yellow area and I aim for the top area of it as heat rises.


I'm curious though, and my physics is a little rusty, but how are you increasing pressure without increasing the speed? Are you meaning more air volume not pressure?

That's great! I think more kids need things like this in school, as much to give them a sense of accomplishment and drive as well as community and group spirit and to learn about team work.

Other than weight, is there a way to keep the vein down on the upright?

i like the hot rod idea ...you could get pin point distribution that way . I like that!

I was thinking and it may work better with some spiral grooves a little above the point to hold more flux.

I can't remember where I read it but another way is to heat up a pointed metal rod and dip it into your borax until a bunch melts ontoit and then use it to apply the melted borax to the piece. Supposedly much better control over where it's applied. Would work with a honey dipper type of flux dipper too.

Unless you're going to bother keeping it in a watertight container, going to the work of making it anhydrous is a waste of time as the borax will absorb humidity and you'll be back to square one. At least that's my understanding anyways so I haven't bothered and haven't had any problems.

I've only worked with Misc. stainless which sucks because I wish I knew so I could pass it on. Other than it being tough to beat I didn't have any issues with cracking. Mind you, I only was using 3/8. Not that much harder than other higher carbon steels of similar size for the stuff I had. I seem to have worse problem with cracking when I use bought known mild steel than unknown metals which are usually higher carbon steels.

She want's a ground stand and makes relatively large (couple feet across) for her garden and around an normal farm house type of decor. Doesn't need to be too fancy as most will be hidden. She's also hoping to sell them so I can't do too much to distract.