ironcreations

I have a Torch-mate. what would you like to know?.. and yes its worth the money, What i did was buy there smaller machine a 4x4, never even set it up before i modified it to a 4x8 machine. I just extended the table size, I also have a water table under it to catch the dust. it is a software change in the Cad program that makes it any size you want, I use it every day. I run a Hyper-therm 1000 plasma cutter with the machine torch. add to it the automatic torch height control, this is a must. when the plate sometimes bends, it self adjust for it, if not you have to do it manually, and will go blind watching it. On average I cut 3 to 4, 4x8 foot sheets a week. It is some bucks all at one time, get the biggest plasma cutter you can get, it will save you later. time your done, table, PC, plasma cutter, learning curve on steel, your going to spend $10,000.00 to $15,000 depending on what size machine you go with. The people there are really good to talk with, and help you. Tell them i said to call for help, Jeff Prater at iron Creations LLC. and no I don't work there, but am very happy endorsing there product!!! This is a old picture of it, I added a water table under it since this picture. Blacksmith Forum

back in the 80's I was more worried about building jeeps, I wish I knew what a NFA item was, I would have some much cooler stuff now, and might be typing this from the recliner instead of the shop where I have to still work all the time. People tell me how they bought stuff for next to nothing and just sold it for 20 grand. like you said, oh well.. I have a 50 M2HB now I am building, barrels unlined go for about $500.00 to $700.00 for a M2, the last one I have is in the $600 range, cant remember for sure the exact price. it matters on condition, the one I have gauges about a 2. the scale being 1 to 20, 1 the best 20 "the xxxx near dumpster material". I also sell some of the 50 parts, like the left sideplate, The RSG assembly, and a few others.

gunsmiths are over rated:rolleyes: Nice build, I have built several firearms, mostly belt feds, a few Ak's, AR's, some home builts from mostly Mcmaster carr, although i had to buy a barrel. i can talk you in to a belt fed and there will be no scope needed, just lots of money for ammo:D

if I remember right, I think it fell on the floor, the hot metal. so who knows, point being just make sure you dont set your shop on fire. even though my building is a steel structure and most everything in it is steel, I put up shields around my anvil when I forge weld.

no, it just fell over, it smoke up the shop good, funny, I bought that anvil a couple years back. I sold it and bought a bigger one.

Thought I would pass along a few things I have learned the hard way, well a buddy did, and I changed my stands to steel. What happened was he was working a normal day, with the anvil on a big stump, They shut down for the day. When they opened up next morning the anvil was on the floor. What had happened was a chunk of hot steel fell on the stump and later caught fire. Fortunatly it was a block building and nothing else caught fire. after that I changed out to steel. I use a big "I" beam for this stand with a flat 1" thick top. My smaller one i made a angle iron stand. Just be carefull if you use wood!!

This is my side draft hood, I hope it shows up OK. I drew it in CAD, so I could try to give you an idea. The upper part is as long as you need it to be for your pitch of roof, mine is a 2;12 pitch, and I think I used a 4'x10' sheet to get it tall enough. What I did was cut the sheet long ways, then bent it to form 2 "L" shapes and welded those together. I made flanges on the end to bolt to the top of the smoke chamber. I also put hooks on it to lift it in place. The sides of the bottom are also 12" wide. I included a smoke shelf inside, but I cant remember the size, seems it is half the width?? maybe some one could help out here as to what it should be. The opening is smaller than the fire pit size. I also made a Cap for the top that is cable operated with a handle on the front. Just a hinged door on top to keep the birds out, and the heat in the shop when its not being used. use stainless cable and hinges. It sits on the back lip of the forge, and has angle iron legs on the back of it. I painted it with that POR high temp paint. It works well, as I have not seen any corrosion in 6 years so far. I used 14 gauge steel for the top, and some of everything for the bottom, I had some diamond plate for the back and sides, i didn't want to buy another sheet, as i had this anyway. Hope you can use the idea.. and questions let me know.

i like old tools, I use them to. here is a power hack saw I picked up last year. let me know if the link dont work, I can re do it ..I like this thing, cuts nice, it works great on solid stock. http://img531.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pictures029oj7.flv

The floor shear? Thats the baby, I have another one at least double that size, maybe close to 800 to 1000 pounds. I use tha one as much as any tool in my shop. it is easy to work, no electric.. I guess you could say its a cordless shear. . it will cut 1/4" plate with ease. 1/2x1/2 is no problem. I dont see to many around for sale much, maybe on ebay. I also have a big floor mounted angle iron cutter.

the wood stove does nothing, it was added this winter so i wouldnt have to cut a hole through the snow covered roof, then try to kee-p it from leaking. i will fix it in the summer

Thanks, the flue is a 4x8 foot sheet of 14 gauge steel, sheared length wise and broke the same, it has a flange to bolt to the top of the chamber. I made a smoke shelf inside. it works really good, in the winter it sucks all the heat out of the shop to. as I stand there sweating facing the fire, my back feels like I have ice on it from the draft going by. I painted it with that P.O.R. high heat paint, it works well, the only place where the paint failed was the bottom of the cut out. if any one wants diminsions let me know, I can post what it is.

maybe I am, maybe not, it really doesnt matter. I have to make a living, and enjoy what i do. I guess all I am saying is, I do what it takes to support my family, if this week it is blacksithing, then so be it. next week whatever it takes..:D

I saw this post before, but thought i would post my question as it may not be the same.. Am I a blacksmith? I started out making stuff the old way, forge and anvil style. I made some money at it, and it was fun. i soon learned i couldn't make a living at it so I got a job.. I did this for some time, like most my life. I still did my blacksmith work, learned new things from the I forge post back in the day. Then I quit my job for health reasons. bad ju ju where and what I did. I started this full time making stuff to sell, bought a CNC plasma machine, soon learned again that it is hard to make a living. i started selling gun parts, i still do, plus I make some parts. Now that I am doing well with it, and make a good living, I want to incorporate some blacksmithing back in to it. I think a blacksmith in modern day is some one with advanced metal working skills other than say a welder. Its what ever you need to do to support your family. just having a forge and anvil would not cut it for me, yes I have CNC equipment, but it is the advancement in technology, just as a Blacksmith 200 years ago would have used, they used to punch holes, then came the drill, and so on.. I always wanted to be one, now I guess I may be..

yes, I work more than full time. self employed, 18 hour days.. I love it!

they are cool just to sit and look at.. had to pick them up out of the floor today, got work to do, thats where I park the fork lift. . I never got used to putting my toys away when I was a kid either.