Irondragon Forge ClayWorks

I would rent a trailer or truck to transport that anvil, if it was too heavy/large to fit into the Fiesta.

My comment would be, move that propane bottle and maybe cut a larger opening for your stock. Can't tell if there is an exhaust opening in the other end but it needs one.

You might benefit from this forum about traditional muzzleloading, Especially the gun builders sub-forum a lot of knowable folks there who are willing to share their knowledge. If the link doesn't work it's www dot muzzleloadingforum dot com http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/fusionbb.php

Not all knowledge comes from college. Something my grandfather told me in the early '60s which still applies today.

I once bought some expensive flap disk's and found in the fine print "made in China" so now I just get mine from HF and get just as much mileage from them.

I always listen to "experts" and learn from other's mistakes because I will never live long enough to make all of the mistakes on my own.

As I've said before. "An expert is someone who studies more and more about less and less, until they know everything about nothing".

A couple of pictures would help figuring out a fix.

Our shop started out life as a "bunny barn". At the time we were raising fancy show rabbits, but it became a chore so the bunnies had to go and the 10' X 30' was converted into the shop.

See, I told everyone, we can learn something new here every day...

Don't know about that. Without the blacksmith, the stone cutters would not have the tools to cut the stones.

Just thinking out loud here but wonder if for some reason the factory failed to weld the steel plate on it. Something like when most steel was going to the war time effort in WWII.

I thought she was wearing the sweater so whoever was wearing those house slippers wouldn't feel bad.

When my grandfather passed away, I wound up with all his tools and used them all the time even though they were "old". Then one day some miscreant broke into my van and stole all of them except for his 2lb cross peen hammer, which I still have and use. Another 60 years of use and the handle gave up last month. I re-handled it but it just doesn't feel the same. Every time I used that hammer, I felt connected to my grandfather and his wisdom and knowledge.

An expert is someone who studies more and more about less and less, until they know everything about nothing... Me.

Trailer hitch ball's as domed anvil hardies.

Good score on your first anvil. Quite an ingenious anvil stand, I love it however you will find it gives some when forging steel. I would suggest making a stand that is more solid, a tree stump or 4x4's banded together. Another suggestion for searching the forum is use google with a search like this ("iforgeiron" anvil stands) without the brackets, the search function of the forum leaves a lot to be desired.

Thought I was the only one to use them.

Einstein obviously forgot to calculate Mercury going into retrograde.

Yep, my poor choice of terms. Clean up the threads would be more appropriate.

I would carefully cut the weld and re-thread the stud.

I can almost assure you that the Mouse Hole will outlast you and I combined. Pictures... we love pictures,.

Spark testing still will not tell you what type of steel beyond carbon content. Found that out the hard way. Scroll up one post...

The search function on the forum lacks a lot. The best way to search is put iforgeiron in quotes like this "iforgeiron" then your search on Google. You will be surprised the number of threads that come up. Another thing that may surprise you is if you put your location in your profile, there may be quite a few Smiths that are within visiting distance to you. With Damascus the etching is usually done after shaping/machining.

Doubt you will find dryer hose that small. Just cut up a coffee can, wrap it around overlapping it and secure with radiator hose clamps, call it good.