Laynne

Where in central Kansas? I can get you pallets if you are interested.

Dana1942, have you found any other markings? He also says in the book if you find mouse or hole, you have a Mousehole anvil. 

Laynne

I checked my copy of The Mousehole Forge and I don't see any logos with the weight above Mousehole. It sure looks like one though.

Chelonian,

Is it working for you? My forge is in an open implement shed and I have been on the search to get the smoke and heat above my head. I also used 8" pipe because it is what I had on hand, a couple of steel posts, baling wire, and part of a coffee can. It drew most all of the smoke and I could tell the difference in the radiant heat. I use charcoal.

Well now I know. Thank you. I have considered working the pein into a punch but I probably won't. I may find a use for it as is.

Laynne

I have had this hammer for a few months now and I haven't found anyone who knows what it's for. Any ideas?

Thanks

It definitely does the job with a little more space on top.

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately the next couple of months my focus will be on cutting fire wood. I will get in a few hours of hammer time when I can.

Laynne

Maybe it's a hybrid, I forgot to mention the dirt I used for fill. It is 2x2 feet overall. The barrel top I was using worked fine but, I'm a little square so I do better with straight lines.

I put together a new frame for my jabod. I used 2x6s from an old pallet, some sheet metal that has been laying around here for the sides and bottom. The firebrick came out of an old wood furnace. There is a 3/8s thick plate for the bottom of the fire bowl. It is 3 1/2" deep and 5" wide, 6" long. I spent the afternoon pulling nails out of and cleaning up a bunch of old rusty horseshoes.

Laynne

PS: Firebrick does get hot if anyone was wondering.

The grandkids had been to the house, I didn't realize the crayons were in the picture. That is funny.

I've not done any flat ware, so trays or pans are on the list.

Daswulf, your creativity astounds me. It's like "why didn't I think of that." Thanks for the inspiration.

Tried my hand at some candle holders. Lots of room for improvement but I'm reasonably pleased with how they turned out. I learned quite a bit and will go about it a little differently next time.

I found a picture of the same vise by searching NO 34 vise. It is listed as a wagon/bench vise for what it's worth.

TP, I see what you mean. Thanks for pointing that out. I don't mean to mislead.

RF310, I am a couple of hours south of you.

Google "Cole Vise" I believe that is what you have. Where in Kansas?

I thought they looked like a 6 and 8 pound shot put when you posted the pictures. I have drilled a hole through a 16 pounder to make a hammer for throwing in the highland games. You might drill halfway through insert the rod, for stability, and then weld it.

When I started I was convinced that hardwood was the way to go, mulberry, Osage orange, hackberry, Ash... I decided to try some pine from pallets now I use it exclusively. It gets hotter for me and I don't use any more of it. Where I work we get material on 4x12 foot pallets that have two or three 4x4 runners.

I use a 30 gallon drum for the burner and cover it with a 55 gallon drum when it's burning clean.

I like it. Truncated anvils were on my list, but I couldn't turn one up. I TPAATed my rear end off and nothing. Now that I have made the investment they will probably start coming out of the woodwork.

The blue slab has a brother sitting beside the garage. One will probably end up as a striking anvil the other will probably be used for the anvil for a treadle hammer if I ever get around to it.

Yes, I learned that I didn't need a top of line anvil to get a job done. Hammered out steak turners, bottle openers, hair clasps, hooks.... Put a little money in the anvil account along the and a lot of patience.

I am going to share some of my experiences and work arounds from the last 18 months. I am no expert and I know I will be corrected if what I say is bogus, and rightly so.

The first two pictures are the anvils I have been working on. The big ugly brute was a hundred dollar auction purchase. It has good rebound but the edges and horn, well the picture tells the story. I learned to draw out and shape hot steel and hammer control. I forged the bick from a buggy spindle so I would be able to better form hooks. The hot cut is from the other spindle.

The blue slab is what I replaced it with. It is a drop from where my son works. I welded the slug on for the horn and angle iron to the flange for the hardy, radiused (sic) to suit my needs. It is mild steel so horrible rebound but 140# under the hammer. I made my first forge weld on it a few weeks ago, plus more hammer control.

Third picture is the Mousehole anvil I have only put to use for one eight hour day. What a world of difference. Fantastic rebound, edges and horn. I finished up the day with eight boundry stakes made of 5/8s sucker rod. I was glad it was only eight.

All of this to say I am thankful for what the first two taught me. Hopefully this makes sense and is helpful to someone out there.

Laynne

What a joy to work on. I spent 8-9 hours on it Saturday working different projects. The difference in rebound from what I had been using cut the fatigue factor down. I would have been out there yesterday except for blizzard conditions. I have contacted the local library to see if they can find a copy of Mousehole Forge.

On 11/7/2018 at 9:08 AM, Daswulf said:

How does it draw now? 

Daswulf, since that picture I have lowered the hood. The next thing is larger pipe. I am using 8" in an open shed so it works but could be better. I have some old 15 gallon grease drums I am going to cut the end out of one and try. They are 13 or 14 inch diameter. I will let you know how it goes.

Today it will get BLO applied and hot steel worked on it keeping it ready for the next generation.

I have intended to get AIA through ILL, now I will get it done.

Thanks

I just bought this one today. Five hour round trip, lunch with my wife at cracker barrel, and $500 for the anvil. It has 85-90 percent rebound the length of the face. The stamped weight is spot on.

My Buffalo 200 does not have Silent cast into it anywhere. Is this significant or was the Silent a marketing gimmick that came before or after this one? Thanks in advance for your responses.

Yes it is. Charles Stevens has a couple of threads explaining the side blast. I started with a bottom blast fire pot that was my grandfather's. I couldn't make charcoal fast enough. My current setup is patterned after Charles jabod Mark III. I now have about 250 gallons of charcoal stored.