Laynne

I built a furnace by putting a 55 gallon barrel inside a 500 gallon tank and forcing air through the tank. This may not work for the chunks of wood you are talking about.

With Chesty Puller no doubt.

I didn't keep track but it was roughly 2 pounds of each rod.

Around the pritchel and hardy hole it was a half an inch and it tapers to 3/8 of an inch at the step. I did the initial grinding with a 4 1/2 grinder and finished with a 3 inch belt sander.

I recently repaired a mousehole anvil using the Gunter Schuler method, see "Repair or retirement" thread. It's not perfect or pretty but it's a good solid anvil. I'm not sorry I did it. I have enough rod left to do several more but, I won't be looking for any. It's a lot of work and can be frustrating. Be sure and use copper chill plates to contain the edges and keep the welds out of the pritchel and hardy hole.

It's not perfect but it's solid, weighed in at 160 pounds. 80 percent rebound across the face. My AC225 welder struggled with the Stoody 1105, would probably have been better with DC. Twenty hours, $100 of rod plus propane and abrasives. I'm happy with it.

After and before Gunter/Schuler. It's not perfect but it will replace the 148 pounder and see how it does. 80 percent rebound.

Thomas/Anvil, thank you for your input. I've become familiar with the Gunter/Schuler method over the last few days. I'm going to get the rod on order and do it. The face that remains is 80 to 85 rebound. Laynne

It's a mousehole stamped 163 pounds. I'm into it for about $80.

The first picture is of the standard coal/coke firepot that was my grandfather's. The second picture is what I have done to use charcoal in it. Two pieces of angle iron and two bricks. It performs as well and is as economical on fuel as the sideblasts I built. Charcoal does like a trench.

I picked up this file handle at the local junk store yesterday.

It's my experience that more air causes more sparking, for drawing out, bending, twisting, etc it's ok. When bringing the air up to reach welding heat is when things get interesting. I've not noticed any issues with creosote build up.

Hedge, Osage orange, Bois d'arc whatever you want to call it does burn hot and I have used it. Be sure you have PPE and a fire extinguisher handy because it will pop and scatter burning coals out of the forge. It's my main firewood so I don't use it for forging much. I would have to say I prefer pine charcoal.

Here's what I came up with. It's bottom blast using an inherited fire pot. I made the grate to raise the fire and used angle iron to form the trench. It took some experimenting to get the air flow right. I can go all day on less than five gallons of charcoal and still have the convenience of the ash dump. I was daydreaming and burned some half inch round in no time.

I made a wooden handle for my three pound Fiskars club hammer. They are fitted like a pick or mattock. I have used it for a couple of days with no issues. I am unable to attach an image. Hope the description makes sense. If anybody else is using one and are developing hot spots or blisters, it is possible. Laynne

Beyond words my good man, beyond words. Thank you.

Thanks CGL, of course I had to post right before Alexendr. That is some amazing work.

How about a pet wolverine?

My first foray into split bar work. Both are from spikes, the Celtic cross was hot cut the other on a bandsaw. Lots of room for improvement but I'm happy with the first attempt. Oh yeah, the stars aligned and the ring is forge welded.

You might try a solar powered light with motion detector since both of the critters you mentioned are basically nocturnal. I don't know how feasible that would be for you. I'm set up in an open implement shed so roosting birds are the biggest mess. I know some people swear by moth balls, you might try dumping a box where the entry points are. Good luck, Laynne

There is always something to learn on this forum. Thanks for the insight and the practical application. Laynne

Maybe it is. In forty plus years as an aviation electrician I've not had any thing like it in my tool bag either military or civilian. In my experience aviation crimpers have a ratcheting mechanism so once you start the crimp there's no going back. It could predate me because there are fifty some odd years of aviation before I started. Laynne Just searched "vintage aviation crimpers" and there they are. So I learned something this morning. Laynne

That is so wrong in so many ways it burns me up. I don't know what to say. "No good deed goes unpunished" etc, etc. Hoping and praying you get it worked out. Hopefully what they say about karma is visited on your antagonists.

Abandoned storage units I remember used to have auctions. That must have gotten too expensive, now they contract to have them cleaned out. One of my coworkers and his son do that. He is on the alert for Blacksmithing equipment. He gets better than scrap and I make out. Laynne I ended up buying the PW anvil from him when he told me $350 for 147#er.

If you are out my way (Kansas) contact me. I have a working buffalo Climax that is just collecting dust.