CrazyGoatLady

I totally understand Frosty. I just wanted you to have some if you wanted it. It's really hard to come by here too

I'm just happy if the boys don't leave all their clothes wrong side out unless it's actually needed. BillyBones, no offense taken. It's not that I can't make the tools, it's the heat treatment process that comfuzzles me. Frosty once said to me that I'm a quick study, but I'm really not though I wish I was. I know all the information necessary is here on IFI. I don't know if it's a learning disability, but reading things to learn comes kinda hard for me. Visuals help much more, but when it comes down to it, I learn best by doing. I wish I could actually have someone who knows how to show me directly. And if I don't understand something, I only ask limited questions so as not to aggravate someone or wrack their nerves or get angry with me because I'm not getting it. That's a bit of a leftover from when I was a kid I think and I've never been able to get over and a character flaw. I've watched so many videos on how to do it but not everybody does it the same and I'm like a deer caught in the headlights on knowing which way to go. I apologize for making such a long post about this. It's a struggle and I keep hoping I'll just get it and not have to ask so much. Thank you the encouragement. It means a lot. Shainarue, thanks for your post. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in being afraid to do something. I'm glad you overcame that!

Aw Frosty, I'm sorry to hear that. It's a crying shame when we get to where we can't do the same things we used to. I've got hip issues and carpal tunnel and I can't do things like I used to either. Like get around very fast lol. But if you'd like some WI, I'll gladly send you some. You just let me know

Melted, all the tools I've seen you make so far are very good looking and seem to work well. I'm envious. I haven't made very many tools because I'm sorta scared to. I'm always afraid I'll not do it right. But I've been researching quite a bit and I'm going to try it. What I have suitable for tooling is coil and leaf spring and sucker rod. I may have other things in my steel piles but I know those for sure. What do y'all think would be best to use?

Melted, I try to tell my husband it would be way easier to take his shirts off like I do, but he disagrees. He used to have a long ponytail, but I don't think he he ever shook it out lol. Your header looks nice. Do you specialize in tool making?

Billy, that's a good tip on the butcher. Melted, going with TA would probably never be a bad idea Chad J., I like the idea of a twist in the reins.

That's awesome

Frosty, I'll post a picture of my vise if y'all can see it amongst the "stuff" on and around it. It's been sitting in the shed since we moved here. It is a leg vise. I've been thinking about mounting it some other way, but when I used it before, it was heavy enough for the work I did to stay in place, just too tall for me. But you're right, it needs to be better mounted. I bought it because it's only 1 of 2 leg vises I've ever seen in the wild. The other was in the corner of a storage unit somebody was selling stuff out of. It wasn't for sale. I need to make some tools. Last night I used a big chisel turned upside down in the hardy hole to seperate them from the parent stock. I do have a butcher die in my little guillotine tool though and I thought about using it but then thought it might take me too long to get anything accomplished. I'll try that next time. Thanks for your advice and the backstories of things. I'll take all the information that you are willing to give. Melted, the fuller lines in the leaves look real good. Well done!

I'm taking notes Frosty. I'll have to move my vise out of the loafing shed. It's too far from the fire to do much of anything right now. It's mounted to a tire rim with a thick steel plate table. Whoever built it was definitely taller than me. So since everything is on the ground, I think I'll sink it down some. That should make it stable and more suitable for my shortness

Melted, I was looking at the hole in the in the nail header from Centaur. It's not hour glass shaped so I was a bit worried it wouldn't release but it seemed to do fine. If I were to make one, I would taper the hole though. I think I'm going to try making nails in the vise. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please, but it seems to me using the vise wouldn't limit me to just whatever size the hole in the header is. Your fuller looks really nice but I think you are right that maybe the corners need to be rounded more to match the Brazael fuller if that's what you're going for

Frosty, thank you. I think I may have the process kind of put together in my mind and it'll be easier next time. Shainarue, you nailed it I couldn't resist lol. I had this big idea that I could make ALL the nails for the barn we are building but my pragmatism said maybe I can make SOME of the nails for it. My husband is excited for the idea and he's really proud of my one sorta good nail. Maybe I'll get to where I think it's an easy win! I do want to make the door hinges if I can. I've made door handles and latches for one of our old chicken tractors, but it would be so cool to make barn door hinges. JHCC, looking good. Will this flamingo be painted or going to have a blacksmitherly finish on it? It'll put your clients neighbors flamingos to shame

Well, I made a nail. I didn't figure it would be, but making them is not as easy as it looks. I finally got one maybe decent looking one after about 6 attempts. I was determined to have something to show for it before I shut down for the night. I got the nail header from Centaur Forge in the mail today. I had to file the edges of the square hole. They were sharp. But I suppose it works okay but I don't know because it's the first time I've ever used one

I enjoyed the video and very nice work!

bluerooster, your anvil looks like mine. But he is getting some shiny spots on him again. If all goes well, I'll get out to take some hammer practice tomorrow. I just started back again and I've made a couple of S hooks and practicing basics like drawing out and some small forge welding. I bought a brand new box of borax I'll be getting my nail header in the mail tomorrow. I know, I know... I should make one but I went the lazy route. Rojo, nice clean work there. Very nice

Frosty, I went through hand hammer threads last night. Found yours and a bunch of others and even replied to that I had forgotten lol. Good rabbit hole

JHCC, time sure flies doesn't it? George, that sounds like something my grandma would have said

JABOS... doesn't quite have the same ring, but you are absolutely right. Soil, not dirt. You have such a way of making me see things so much differently

Reminds me of a show I saw one time. Older guy tells the younger guy to apologize when his girlfriend got mad at him and the younger guy says he didn't do anything wrong. Older guy says," it doesn't matter." Young guy says, "that's not fair!". Older guy says, " it doesn't matter..." Older guy is wise

Funny enough, I made my JABOD and thought I would go an extra step and line it with clay. I dug up some plain old dirt that was a little damp already and tamped that in. The clay came from the pig waller. That might be disturbing to some lol. I mixed in a bit of wood ash and went to work. Let it dry for a day and a half. It's hot here so I thought that might do the trick. It cracked. I think I may have used too much water or not enough whatever else it needed. Anyway, even though it cracked in some places, it's held up well through a few fires except in the firepot. I haven't bothered to reline it though as I don't think it needs it. Just reshaping with damp dirt

Melted, you know what they say. Happy wife, happy life. My husband knows that one well In the old church building on our property, there are a pair of plastic pink flamingos. I should pull them out. But I'm like Nobody Special. Nobody would see them where we live anyway.

Ah yes, I do remember your post about hammers. Thanks for the reminder and I'll have to go check it out again.

He makes it look so easy too. Speaking of wrists and elbows, I can across a you tube channel called Black Metal Studio and he had an excellent video on hammers and hammer technique. He was explaining the Hofi method ands I actually understood it better than I ever have with the relationship between wrist, elbow and shoulder. Which apparently I need. I was so out of practice that I found myself death gripping the hammer and my elbow was not feeling very happy. It's better now and after viewing that video I may be able to do it better than before

The real leaves look like they have a bit of random texture. After you paint them, they may look more like the real thing. I don't know what I would do otherwise except maybe buff them out somehow? I bet somebody here will have an excellent idea for you

Goods, what a great haul! Lifetime supply or maybe make a little money selling it, eh? JHCC I love free stuff like that. I don't see things much anymore. People must hold onto stuff these days which I don't blame them

It's been a busy day so I'm sorry I haven't replied. Thank you both for your responses. JHCC, that chart is great. I hadn't thought of that. I don't crochet, but I have some needles and I was going to just get those out and try to copy them. Having the above chart for reference is a bonus. Thank you! Frosty, I have heard you sing the praises of Trewax for a long time. I think I'm going to invest in some. I may try that and some paste wax and see which one I like best. Thank you too. Y'all are both awesome