Pr3ssure

So I have a few pieces of steel plate, they are all about 3 foot long, give or take a little. I think the thinnest piece is 1/4" and the rest is 1/2". They range in width from 4" to about 2 foot. No piece is the same as any other, but I could weld some together to make a bigger piece since all but one of the pieces are 1/2". I am probably going to use one or more of the bigger pieces to make tables/mounts for my tools, such as grinder and vice. Although I already have a big steel table that's made of all 1/2" steel and it's pretty tall so I'm thinking about cutting a little height off the legs if I need to. Anyway, I'm wondering if there's anything anyone could suggest I can do with some of it other than making a table, or a forge for that matter. That's already crossed my mind. I've also used a piece to cut some "flat bar" pieces out to forge with. If I can get a straight enough cut with either my torch or grinder I'm going to cut one into 2 inch wide strips to put walls on my forge table so I can keep my coal from falling off. I might just use some thick angle iron my neighbor gave me for that though. I have a Lincoln 225 Stick welder and I'm at the very least competent in my welding, so any suggestions/ideas are appreciated. The steel has just been laying around and I want to do something with it. Thanks, Pr3ssure

Alright, thanks. I kind of had that thought but I wasn't so sure. They are starrett. My dad got a bunch of starrett tools off craigslist for a good deal.

I know the micrometer, but I'm not sure about the other stuff.

Looks like a nice setup. I wish I had a beautiful piece of land like that. And that many tools.

I've actually been wanting to get some clay to mess around with. It just always slips my mind to pick some up. I'm hoping I have time to go forge tomorrow to try again.

So on Friday I got my fire built up bigger and better than ever, I was able to get the metal sparkling hot without putting it towards the bottom of the fire pot. So I figured I'd try my hand at a fire poker, a forge welded tip fire poker. It took a few heats but I finally got about an inch-inch and a half welded. I was quite pleased with my self, as I thought to myself I must be destined for great forgings, welding on my first attempt. =] Anyway, no more stroking my ego, cause I ultimately went to taper it to a point and noticed the part coming off as a hook was un recoverably thin coming off the weld. I kept going for goings sake and shaped the point. Once I started trying to work the hook it almost instantly broke off (my dreams of being a master smith along with it). I was wondering though, was I just using sloppy hammer technique? Well I know I was, but was that the problem? Or could it have been the stock I started with was just too thin. I think it was 3/8 round. I didn't take any pictures because I left the phone at the house, but only the side that would have been the hook got too thin.

So I finally got a few ball bearings to test the rebound on my 161 PW and was pleasantly surprised. I still want to make a clear tube and mark it to know a better estimate though. Anyway, I am pretty sure it's getting around 80% rebound, maybe more. It only got lower towards the very end of the heel and on the horn, which is what I expected.

He actually saw someone throwing it in the trash in New York and asked if he could have it. I found a few on eBay for around $100. So I'll be saving a few dollars while I search more and get it all taken apart and cleaned up.

thanks

So one of the things my dad got me and brought in for the holidays is an old Atlas lathe. The motor works, everything on it seems to move. It is missing the tailstock or what ever it's called, I think that's it though. It also needs the belt for the drive shaft. I had a few questions about it. First, how do I figure the size of the belt I need? Can I just use a string and wrap it around the pulleys and that's the length belt I need? I'm not sure how belts are measured and labeled so I'm fairly clueless. Also, do you think it will be possible to find a tailstock? I've not been able to find what I believe to be a model on the lathe but have found very similar looking ones through google. I've found markings on a few pieces as well but they might be part numbers for the specific part it's on. At least it seems it might be that way to me. If anyone has any advice as to how I should go about restoring this thing to working order I would more than appreciate it Edit: I've found the exact model. It's an Atlas 618 .

I'm in a rural area and some people just use old freezers as dumpsters. Doesn't need to be anything that they need to move. Size doesn't matter either other than it has to be big enough. I'd say our current one is just like a 4x4x4 one so something that size would do. Just needs to hold trash and have a lid. I looked up how much 1/4 inch plate would be and that'd be expensive unless I can find some at the scrap yard. We currently have a plastic dumpster my dad got from Lowes or something. I had to just ratchet straps to hold the front doors tight cause it's been torn up from the wind and animals. It's doing fine now and nothings getting in it so it's fine for now but I'd like to make them a better one. So basically 1/4 inch for trash is overkill then. I'll see what I can find at the scrap yard and then go from them with the money I can get. I'll talk to my dad about it when he comes in Saturday, he's coming in for the weekend and leaving Monday back for work unfortunately. He told my mom he is trying to borrow his boss' truck though to bring in what he got me for Christmas cause it's to heavy or big to carry in the little ranger he has. So I'm excited to see what he got me. I'm thinking the anvil he said his boss had, it looked to weigh a lot but not too much to haul in a ranger, so it's hard to tell. Thanks for the info though, helps a lot.

I guess I wasn't thinking of the broadness of it. I guess like chisels, punches, hammers, your basic smithing tools is what I had in mind

So I was wondering if anyone has come across some sort of chart that has a general list of what steels are best for what tools. I've done a few google searches with no avail with the phrases I've used. I know I can look up each tool/steel individually and just draw up a chart myself if I wanted to. Just wasn't sure if anyone has seen something of the sort.

Yeah, I talked to him about me wanting to start smithing right before I got my forge and he just kind of scoffed at the idea cause he probably thinks I'm a bit of a lazy bum. Not without reason I guess. Anyway I want to take him down a nice wall hook and show him the little I've done so far and let him know I'm at least semi serious about it and he will be glad to save me some stuff or maybe even give me some tools he might have hidden in the back. His brother was also into blacksmithing, so my other great uncle. So he may have some stuff. I need to get out tomorrow and do a little smithing, it's been about a month since I've done anything. Been a rough one.

My uncle has his own shop, actually need to go down and change my fluids out this week so I'll see if he has anything laying around but he cleaned up a good bit of his junk about six months back.

So I'm going to buy a few ball bearings to have to test rebound. Was wondering if their is a kind that is better or worse? The site has many different kinds. https://bearingballstore.com I know to get steel but wasn't sure if it mattered which kind. Thanks in advance if it seems like a silly question. A google search came up with nothing, the way I worded it at least.

Mouth watering and tear jerking at the same time.

So the plastic dumpster my parents have is pretty well falling apart and animals are getting into it. I want to try and find some steel sheet/plate to make one for them. I was wondering how thick it should be, I was thinking at least 1/4 inch but would anything thinner work you think? Was also thinking if I can't get thick enough steel due to price to make a wooden frame and just use thin sheet for the outside.

Yeah, I'm just gonna try the hand dryers for now. If they don't work out I'll fork out a few dollars for a decent electric blower. Sure I can find one for a decent price if I ask around. The anthracite is pain though. I see peoples fire using bit and thought the anthracite just wasn't gonna work for me at all. After half a day of trial and error though I got it going decent and only takes me 30 minutes or so from the start to get it going good. Probably gonna check the pile on the road out tomorrow/later today. I'll report back.

Yeah, I wasn't sure if I could bring the speed on the leaf blower down enough even with a rheostat. Might experiment with it just for the thought of doing it. I keep the blower going though with the anthracite. Only turn it off when I'm taking a break and it seems when they smother out almost all the way but not quite I have a better fire going afterwards. It's weird. I saw what I believe is a big pile of coal on the side of the road the other day. There's 2 55 gallon drums busted up and what looks like a 200 pound or more pile of coal. I want to go get some of it and see if it is worth using. I need to just get someone with a truck and go pick up a load, I'm not going through enough for it to be a money problem paying $6 a bag but the anthracite is just a pain.

No, I'm using a blower that came rusted onto my tuyere and firepot. Its putting out enough but I feel just barely enough. At least with using the anthracite I have right now. I'm also thinking of taking apart my electric leaf blower but I would have to get a control for it because that would be wayyy too much air unless I took it down about 75%

So I'm wanting to get more air to my coal forge, it gets just enough but more will definitely help. I have two bathroom hand dryers at my disposal. I was thinking about taking them apart and removing the heating element and piping them together to see if I get more air than my old blower gives. Any thoughts?

Yeah, it’s looking like it could be black locust for sure. The barks very similar. Trying to find a picture of the inside of the tree as well

Yeah, my dad cut trees for several years. I need to get a better picture and he might have a better idea. I know we have locust around here. Well, you know that Das, I think the tree was standing in Pennsylvania and fell in West Virginia, literally. I live on the mason dixon line.

I think my camera put more yellow on it, it’s not quite as yellow. Yeah, I guess it’s just gonna be a guess on this one. But it’s weird no trees that looked like it had any leaves on it. The biggest I’m pretty sure was an oak and I don’t know about the smaller one. I need to just get someone around here to give me a course on it.