Junksmith

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.

Oh good. I have those. Limestone just seems so imposing, I wasn't sure if I wanted to risk the bits. I'll give it a go. Thanks!

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.

Thanks for the advice Phil. Demos are the biggest draw I have for craft fairs and I'd hate to chase people away with that ring. I'll give it a try.

You ain't kiddin'. The horn rings a bit too much too, but not like that heel. I'm going to try and put a section of heavy rubber mat under it on the stand but I'm not optimistic. I guess I'll just keep aiming for center mass as often as possible.

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.

Great ideas guys, Thanks!

I FINALLY got around to making a bell from an 02 tank! It's not too fancy but I'll have pics soon. The question in my mind is what kind of finish, if any, to put on it. Rust wouldn't be the worst thing - though I'd have to accelerate the process - and I can always paint it, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this and any suggestions? Thanks! Joe

This one has a lot more tools and dirt in/on it these days but it comes in pretty handy. The wood box fits in the metal one beneath and sits on top of it when I'm working to keep everything where I need it. The top of the box has a number of holes bored into it to drop in hardies and hammers & tongs go on the bottom. It is heavy (and is only getting heavier). Maybe one day I'll add some wheels.

Hey Dave! Like you, I am taking lots of different hooks. Almost all varieties sold well last year and they're inexpensive and relatively easy to make. When you think about it, the bread and butter (or meat & potatoes if you prefer)for a lot of us is some variation of a hook! Other things that did well that I plan to make more of are hoof picks made from horseshoes, wall hooks made from horseshoes (lots of horse people in my area) and railroad spike knives. I did not expect to sell as many as I did. I made six and they all sold within the course of about 3 months at an average of $50 each. Since I've only been showing publicly for a year or so this may be an anomaly, but people snapped them up. I also made and sold two tomahawks made from spikes. It's been said repeatedly in this forum - and I tell my customers honestly - that spike knives are more of a collectors item than a decent knife. They just seem interested in the novelty of it. I do use high carbon spikes (marked HC on the head) and when I'm done I follow the heat treating procedures in the blueprint "Metallurgy for Blacksmiths". I'm convinced that while they will never be "great" knives, the process makes them as good as they can be. Just food for thought. Even if they don't sell as well this year, they are fun to make and cool to have lying around!

Very nice work. And 1 inch bar is very ambitious starting size. Good job!

All very nice. How did you get such clean rivets on those rose centers?

I made the candlestick for one present and sold the spike knives to buy a few more. I also made a few Christmas ornaments by arranging old carpenters cut nails into a star pattern and brazing them in the center. Down, dirty, and fast but they seem to be popular. No pictures on those yet. Merry Christmas All!

Dateline 12/20/09, Central Maryland. I suppose I should have "cowboyed up" and got something done on the anvil, but I'm not sure I could find it!:o

Chicks DIG roses! Much to the chagrin of my wife!

Good work. Ingenious tongs too.