JW513

wow, thats beautiful

You are 100% right, it's never a good time... That is pretty awesome about your grandfather... Both my grandfathers where in the Navy, my dads dad was Naval Reserve after a few years in the Army.. My uncle was in for 9 years and his son is currently a Captain and helicopter pilot in the USMC. I haven't spoken with them or their lawyer yet but that's coming.

My plan after school was to go into the service... I didn't want to go right after high school, so I worked and a couple years later my mom got real sick... Sorta changed my course, during that same period, this elderly couple that I met a month before graduating high school, started to depend more and more on me.. 10 years later, they are still around, and I do everything for them, grocery's, Dr appointments, medicine, everything... I even deal with his attorney who recently started to handle things for them because of his dementia the wife being from Greece and not speaking good english. I just turned 28, i've done good, have about $60,000 saved up, a huge collection of guitars and a decent amount of blacksmithing equipment (that hasn't been getting used lately), i've got a lot of friends and family so over all I can't complain... But I still have the desire to serve. Its going to be hard to leave everything, especially the older people who have no family here, I'm their family. I met with a recruiter 2 years ago, but I backed out because of reasons I just talked about. But its time to xxxx or get off the pot. I run a construction company with my Dad and brother, so I'd love to get into the Construction Battalion, and be a Seabee. Just wondering if there was anyone here who's been in the Navy, or the service in general. My uncle was in for 9 years and both my grandfathers.

I'll take any criticism good or bad. I just want to be clear, I've been in the trades since i was 14, going to be 28 in two weeks, so half my life i've been working, still making mistakes and still learning everyday.. But I'm all about working smart and safely using tools. XXXX I won't even move heavy objects with people unless I trust them. There is a lot to being a striker, and building chemistry with a the smith/ other strikers. But it's something I want to try If I ever get the chance. And I'd never ever ever abuse any tool, especially an anvil.

My aunts has the same things in her feet and hands... My grandmothers fingers all all deformed. It sucks, I'm only 28 and fear getting it.. Let me ask you, did you have anything stressful happen in your life? My mom, aunt and my grandma all had traumatic things happen to them before they got it. They say stress can trigger it. I'll take a drop dead heart attack in my 40s or 50s a lot of people on my dads side.... I don't want RA.

First of all, rheumatoid runs in my family, my mom, aunt and and grandmother and her brother have it real bad. So i'm sorry to hear that, it's an AWEFUL disease, affects joints and organs... It's not your grandparents arthritis. Maybe you don't have it as bad as them, but from what I know... Your tendons are probably already all messed up, so just listen to your body. .. Use light hammers and the tong clip like suggested... Hydration is very important as well.

i'd never windmill on an anvil.. I've swung my fair share of sledgehammers at work, there's a big difference between working out with a sledgehammer and using one in construction.. I've always been into fitness, and one day at work it dawned on me that I could use them to work out.

Just got a 30lbs "sledge" hammer... Its actually for working out with tires. Makes my 20lbs sledge feel like a toy. I love swinging sledgehammers, plus levering exercises too... . I was using splitting wood with a wedge doing 1 arm "windmill swings"with my 8lbs sledge. I think over all light sledgehammers are better because you can swing faster. The other style i call is wood chopping. It is no wonder i love blacksmithing. I'd love to find a more experienced smith.. They would love to have me as a striker.

I love my friends, family, life and America but boy, that sure is tempting.

I was told, marks like that are from the smith testing out his punches and chisels...

That anvil reminds me of my 300lbs Hay Budden, it looks like it has been used a lot, but by someone who knew what they where doing.

Nice anvil, you got it for a........."steel".....

Thanks for all the ideas. I think she'd love the shepherds hook. If I had more time and tools, I could do a trellis. Wouldn't be perfect but it would be a great gift for my aunt. I also want to make her a nice fire poker.

We are having a surprise birthday for my aunt. She just bought new house to be closer to her daughter, i'd like to make something for her yard. She's into odd things and arts and crafts so, she's going to love anything I make. She's excited about her new fire pit and i'd like to make her some tools for it, but i'd like something for her yard, but I don't know what.. It has to be basic because i'm a novice with limited tools.. I have to do it this weekend, the party is in two weeks. Thanks for any ideas.

I always try to talk the price down a little but the price was so fair, I couldn't... Sellers gotta make money too.

Always wanted one and I don’t like my electric blowers. This came up on marketplace 5 mins from my shop for $150. Works great and is quiet. I didn’t have the right oil but I sprayed some wd40 in it, I’ll get something better soon.

Going to go look at it today or tomorrow. I don't need another one and I'm saving up for other gear, but for $250... he says it says 108 on it, so i'm thinking it must weigh 120lbs... Thanks

only disadvantage is price and moving it.. But if you have a spot for the 440 and you KNOW you won't be moving it at least not too often, id get the 440. Even 260s suck to move but thats doable with two people, or one person set up to move anvils. If you have the forklift and the means, buy it.

I'm glad that actual blacksmiths get nervous using certain anvils too. I don't want to use my what i think is a 300lbs Hay Budden until I get more experience under my belt. I've actually got good hand eye coordination from working construction, but its in such nice shape I don't feel right using it. There are a couple small chips on the edge but thats it. I can't wait until i buy a church window anvil..

It's a nice hammer, it hasn't magically made me a better smith. But i always was curious.. I'm glad a bought it, and i feel it was worth the money. If you have the cash, buy it... Also the ONLY experience you can trust is your self. Listen to others but if the French style feels good in YOUR hand, thats all that matters. I still don't have a lot of experience forging but i'll compare it to my guitar playing.. I've stupidly bought a lot of guitars over the years, but the only reason i've learned whats felt right to me and what hasn't felt right by trying different guitars. Same can be said for many different applications.

80lbs 5 foot colonial anvil (5th foot is on the other side) 221lbs what I believe is a mid to late 1800s Peter Wright I believe this is a 300lbs Hay Budden from 1890s with a monkey bouncing on it Also got an anvil made out of a railroad track with a horn, an 18 inch or so piece of railroad track and a section of railroad track 12 feel long or so we found on a job excavating last year i stupidly am’ going to buy a Holland Church window anvil soon. I want a portable anvil and 141lbs is easy for me to move around. The 221lbs Peter Wright I can pick up and move relatively easy but I still prefer not moving it.

I will private message you

^I thought of the wooden hammers for the kids. I should make a face saddle for it. Fortunately and unfortunately, its so old it doesn't have a hardy hole, but thats ok. Here is a picture of it. Its been used but for its age, I think it's in great shape. I'd like to take some hot iron to it, and will.. But I'm not going to abuse it.. The best was when my 4 year old nephew said "uncle joe can we get an anvil and clay for our house"?

I have a 80lbs colonial 5 footed anvil. Its in good shape for being from potentially 1600s.. I practice with clay on it and let my nephews practice... But i make it known they can't use the hammer on it, unless im there. They are 4 an 5...People think im crazy and over protective but i'd hate it if they chipped an edge.

^photos have saved us so many times.. I'm looking forward to the project being completed and I'd love to take some classes there. I've been to Prospect Hill for a few courses and they are great there, but its good to learn from different people too. One thing I'd like to see in a school, is making more than one of something.. I learned all the basics, but it would be great to make 5 hooks with a teacher or 2 sets of tongs, 2 bottle openers, or forge weld multiple times. Or even tool maintenance, how to properly dress a hammer to your needs and little things that.