Junksmith

Once I cut the convex bottom out of an old gas cylinder to use as a dishing swage. It bounced around and rang like crazy until I turned it upside down and poured lead into the bottom. Much quieter and more stable now!

And a fine shovel it is. That's the kind of thing our heritage is all about: Using what's around to make the stuff we need to make even more stuff! That's half the fun if you ask me.

Here it is! All clayed in and ready to go... I hope. I'll fire it up this weekend and report on shrinkage, cracks, etc. I've also attached a pic of the smaller forge I made with the remaining refractory. Cross your fingers!

For my money I would go with option 3 but add a hearth to make your fire and projects easier to manage. I've attached a photo I found online, but essentially drop that pot into a steel tabletop. The hole should be big enough that the pot can drop in and hang by its flange. That's what I'm doing next time.

Well, I used Frosty's forge clay recipe and clayed it in this weekend. I'm pretty sure the mixture was a little too wet but I tamped it down and scored it per his directions so I hope it will be OK. It looked dry the next day but it will be at least a week before I'll even have time to build a fire in it. I'll start with a small fire or two to make sure it's cured and let you guys know what happens. One plus: In trying to get the consistency right I mixed up WAY too much refractory so I went ahead and built another forge! Just a cylinder cut in half longways with a pipe going up the center. Very down & dirty, but it should make about a 12" long fire and be handier for knives. I'll take pics of that one too once I light her up.

If bridges were still built like that we would be IN DEMAND!
Nice pics George.

Clay it is then! I'll go look up Frosty's recipe!

And thank you Thomas. I should have listened to you the first time but I like to get as many ideas as I can before I start. I didn't realize that the clay would not be permanently stuck to the pan. Firebricks are good too. Lighter. Even with the clay though, it will still be lighter than my main forge.

Thanks to both of you. Yance, I'm glad to hear the bearing race works for you. I was considering that as well. The original grate burned out and the previous owner replaced it with a flat steel plate with holes in it. I've got a slice of steel pipe that I could tack weld to that plate - or just let it stand free. My only beef with clay is that it covers the blower mounting bolts that may have to be removed for maintenance at some point. My main forge is a car wheel type with a shallow steel ducks nest and I've used it for 3 years now without a problem so that's familiar enough. The lever forge is so much lighter and I won't have to carry a champion 400 blower with it for demos. As I get farther into this, I'm definitely seeing the value of a smaller, lighter traveling outfit setup (smaller anvil & vise). It will be well worth the extra pumping and coal to save my back a little. Thanks again guys.

Last weekend I bought a rivet forge identical to the one pictured (this one is from e-bay. I haven't taken my own pics yet) for $125. It needs minor repair and I think I can handle that. What concerns me is this: I have since heard some folks rail against these forges as practically useless. I know they're not top of the line but I am planning to use it mainly for demos - maybe once a month - so I'm thinking this is a nice portable alternative for light work. Does that sound reasonable?

Also, is it worth claying in for such limited usage?

Thanks in advance.
Joe

If it is a crack I would suggest that you NOT weld or braze it back...it will just make it worse and most likely crack again. Drill a hole, 1/8", at the end of the crack, using some 1/8" x 1" straps and bolt these across the crack.(I used 1/4" x 1" bolts) I have repaired a couple of cast forges in this manner with excellent results. My first forge had a crack from the tuyre to the outer edge had been "repaired" with both nickle rod and brazing, both cracked out with the first fire I lit. I used the above remidy and never had another problem with it. A good friend of mine now owns that forge.

The "fire shield" is nice to have, keeps the handle from burning! Good luck with the restoration and enjoy it, it's a nice forge and people enjoy watching them work at demos.

I just use a hand-held hot cutter (or anything with a blade I guess - maybe an old hatchet?) and hammer repeated vertical lines. Seems to make a nice woodsy texture. Then I hit it with a brass brush as it's cooling to bring out highlights.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm jealous!

I heat many items to blue with a propane torch and dip them in a mix of motor oil, linseed oil, and mineral spirits (equal parts). You can wire multiple pieces together and heat them together then dip. Let it cool and wipe off the excess.Obviously this darkens your colors, but in most cases I like it and it provides a lasting indoor finish.

Limestone should not present a problem using ordinary masonery bits

This all got me to wondering. I have some friends who want a handrail mounted to the wall beside their outdoor stairs and basically everything is solid limestone (the steps, the side wall etc.) Can you drill into that? I'm afraid to go into the mortar because it's so old (200+ years) I think it would just tear away. I'd normally suck it up and sink mounting posts into the ground, but like I said it's all limestone.

I make little souvenir ones out of 1/4" square. Most of my little demo pieces start with 4 & 1/2" inches (I keep a pile in my toolbox). I hit each end about 1/8" over the edge of the anvil then bend it in a u-shape around the horn. It takes a little doing to get the curve even. Then to finish it off I dimple it a few times with a small, dull rectangular chisel. I'm sure I've made a couple hundred by now and I can finally do them in 1 heat if I'm really moving. I used to just give them away to kids as I was working, but people seem more than willing to spend $3 on a piece that took me 5 minutes to make. If I drill a hole and add a key ring at the top, they'll pay $4. Not a fortune, but for the time invested it's not bad. I guess I don't have to tell you that they're not for use on horses
I'm attaching a pic of some early efforts for reference. They were made with longer stock and dimpled with a sharper chisel, but you get the idea.

Of course it is. I'm sure it's nothing someone else hasn't thought of. Besides, we're here to share ideas anyway. Thanks for the compliment. Have at it!

So I was reading the post for mason jar lanterns when it was first put up and the idea struck me to seek other "found items" to use as candle holders. The old glass insulators that graced the power lines of yesteryear seem to complement iron very nicely when turned upside down and wrapped. There are so many different types that you can get pretty creative depending on the shape you start out with. I haven't sold any yet, but here are a couple of first tries. Getting the iron to fit the glass is tricky, but most of them have a groove around them (originally intended for wire) that fits 1/4 inch stock pretty well. You can still find these things around, but it kills me to think how many potential products I destroyed with my BB gun as a kid!

To echo everyone else, thank you for the idea! I made 2 in time for my last show and they flew off the shelf at $10 each. Now to streamline the process and raise the price!

Many items I heat to black with a weed burner torch and dip them in a mix of equal parts motor oil, linseed oil, and paint thinner. Wipe off the excess and you've got a finish that prevents rust in most sheltered environments and the color won't change since it is a characteristic of the metal now. It doesn't work for everything of course, but with a big enough torch you can treat a dozen small items at a time.

Make some brackets holding the feet down, and design them so you can tighten them up as needed. It is surprising how much ring that will take away. The rubber mat is still a good idea.
Phil

This looks identical to my anvil which is also about 160LB. I don't hold it they way you are too often! Nice anvil but the heal rings like the dickens.

I have no plans to giveup my homemade anvil, but at 250 pounds it is getting a little cumbersome to take to demos. After much searching and fruitless bidding I finally located this Hay-Budden farriers anvil. It is 160 pounds (a veritable featherweight) and interesting in that it has an unusually large horn and long heel. I've never been one to stand on ceremony, but it's also nice to have a more traditional looking anvil for demos. Now to build a stand!

It seems only right for this pic to be a sepia tone.

Hang in there Frostillicus. You're too important to us.

Yep... Bank it around the fire.