BillyBones

Das, i love the way you used the trans steels and clutch plates. The string wind up bolts, arent they called banjo bolts? Or am i mistaken? We call the fitting on some trans cooler lines banjo bolts and i always figured that it came from the string bolts on a banjo. I am amazed yall can see a Les Paul, or a Fender, or what ever. I see guitar.

No. I do not see it being worth it. There are a couple on line smiths that go out of there way to explain the why and how they do things. It is my opinion that these, few and far between, guys would do just about as much as someone online that you are paying. Save your money for tools, stock and supplies. Your real knowledge lies between the hammer and the anvil.

Took a load of scrap to the scrap yard today. While unloading i noticed what i think was an old thresher. I noticed these laying on it and and inquired. The guy standing there said throw em in your truck, so i did. This is a scrap yard that did not sell to the public last i checked. He then told me that they had sectioned off an area where people could go dig through and take out what ever they needed. He then told me that the steel has also been sorted by bar, plate, HC, springs, etc. I did not inquire as to how much, but i will be back. He also told me the old what i think is a thresher came out of a barn clean up, so these things may not be a part of the machine but they were on top of it and being held by what looked like 75 year old wire. Anyway, now to figure out what to do with them. Edit: I forgot to add that it was at Dayton-Xenia auto parts in Xenia, for anyone close that may want to stop there.

Ahh, thanks for that Irondragon, i kept wanting to say trivet and i knew that was wrong.

Not that i missed the mineral soil thing, just needed a small patch about 1 cubic inch. So i figured a little handful of dirt would be alright. Worked but stunk. I love tootsie rolls. Especially the fruit flavored ones. Caddy shack is one of my favorites, Chevy was great in that but Carl the grounds keeper (Bill Murray) is my favorite character.

Well it is Sept. and here in the state of Ohio squirrel season has kicked off. Gotta have a way to cook them oh so tasty tree rats. So i made a squirrel cooker and one of them adjustable pot hangy things. Not the prettiest things but functional. And seeing as how they are for my own use i do not care about pretty. I did however burn off the end of one tine, but again it works for me. Funny how those wierd rust rings follow me to my sittin table.

When i started out it was with a 24 oz. ball pein. I then got a 3# cross pein, much to heavy. A 2 1/2# engineers hammer worked very well for me so i used that for a long time. My go to now is the hammer i made this past spring. Comes in just under 3#. Point is that even though i am no weakling, a 3# was to heavy becuase of the fact i was not used to using my muscles in that way. Get used to swinging a hammer that is comfortable then work up to heavier hammers. On another note, just as a hammer that is to heavy can cause elbow problems so can an anvil at an improper height. Learned that the hard way.

One note about soil usage. Burn some before making a whole forge from it. I needed to patch a small spot next to my tuyere, so out in the yard i went. When i fired the forge it stank to high heaven. The only thing worse was when a cat left me a tootsie roll in my coal pile i did not catch till it was burning. Trust me that is a smell that no one should experience.

Some one say pie? Yes it is Maque Choux. Thanks for that. I also miss the boudin.

That homemade hook thing looks like it is for a flatbed tow truck to tie down the car with.

Folks tend to think of crawfish as a southern thing. The first time i ever ate them was here in Ohio. Fresh out the river in a pot on a camp fire. However when i lived in Baton Rouge i found out that even though we may eat them in the north, we do not know how to cook them. They are a lot of work but i think it is more of a camaraderie, sittin with your buddies having a coupe beers thing that makes them better. One of my favorite dishes and i can not remember the name of it, is crawfish tails with creamed corn and rotella tomatoes. They may taste alright, but i just cant get past the idea of sticking a grass hopper in my pie hole.

Do not feel like an idiot. You had a legitimate question and like my drill sergeant always said " The only stupid question is the one you do not ask." Some may think it is basic knowledge but the fact is you do not know.

Matt, he needs squeezy cheese on his nose. Why in the name of... would any one want to eat a grasshopper. I use them for fishing my self. Lola looks like just a great big pretty to me. All tuckered out ready for night night.

Glad i am not the only one using anti-seize. I let it sit and drain some oil off it so it is a little dry.

You can use cat litter but i prefer to use oil dry. Basically the same clay but i have found really hard pieces in cat litter that just wont, dissolve for lack of the proper term. That anthracite will require a lot of air also. I would suggest that you read the stuff on JABODS and fuels. There are many discussion on claying the forge and what to use and how. Also the fuel sections will let you know what to expect with your chosen fuel and how to use them.

You still get some nice blow back and flames in the cockpit of a funny car. I remember my dad telling me that you have never lived till doin 160mph, the engine blows and you get sprayed with hot oil covering your face shield, blind going down the track. Good times. Fun fact, the super charger or blower was originally designed from the blower used to circulate air in mine shafts. Fun fact #2, When "Big Daddy" Don Garlits broke 200mph the engine was a factory big block hemi with a blower strapped on. If memory serves it was dual 4's and a blower but no other mods. Well of course the manifold but the rotating assembly was all stock. Ok last one, Fun Fact #3, the super charger on the "Sanp-on" top fueler takes more horse power to turn than most cars on the road today put out.

How about gears? Attach a gear onto the motor rather than a pulley. Another gear to be driven with a pulley on the face.

I do not know about Quad-state, this year will be my first. 24 days 23 hrs 24 mins and 9 sec. I have only been to SOFA once. However i have some mental issues from the Army and i do not do well in unfamiliar places so i was not there long. I am however excited about going to Quad state this year, been looking forward to it. If i can get it, going to load down the old GMC till the front wheels come off the ground. (put a half ton of fire wood in a little Ford Ranger once, that was an adventure driving back to the house.) Well, i just looked them up. Think i may have to take a trip next weekend up to this Yoder's place yall speak of. About a 2 hour drive it looks like.

Got 2 of these today. I know it is anthracite and not ideal, but that is what i mostly use becuase that is what is available locally. Mostly though the price was right. $6 for 2, 40# bags. Cant beat that with a stick.

Need to come up with a new way of saying Great work Alexandr.

Glad yall are safe up in the great white north. All i hear about on the news here is Brazil. Das, you could tell me its a fender, les paul, ibanez, or what ever i i would go "its a guitar." Couldnt tell one from another. Been gone the past couple days (well we left early yesterday and just go home this evening). My uncle passed this weekend and had to go down home for the funeral. It was actually the cousin i was making the poker and stuff for, his dad. Nice to see some a family i aint seen in quite a day, could have been better circumstances though. Nice drive down 23, "The Country Music Highway", found out Chris Stapleton is from Paintsville also. He donated a bunch of money to the high school for the music department. Also comes and plays for the school every once in a while. Very involved with the school there.

Figures, my speakers died about a week ago.

Frosty, hope you and yours are staying out of danger. Anyway today was a balmy 69, man what a relief. 2" of rain maybe, nice and cool. Aint cut the grass in over a month now so hot and dry. So nice and cool got some good shop time My cousin and his wife just bought a new house and she is all excited about having a fire place. I decided to make them a set. My first basket twist, welded on to a poker. I failed miserably. Should have seen that comin. The twist was alright, it was the welding of the rest on that went bad. My scarf would not weld and it ended up thin as you can see. Guess i will cut it off and try again. Also made him and the wife a cross And a "that guy on you tube that we can not pronounce nor spell his name" Torbjor Ahman inspired hasp.

If i see that correctly that would be the part the steps are attached to? That is a "stringer" in English. Again nice work there.

I have never built a "coffee can forge" but i have however seen one. This is just my opinion but unless your plan is to make blades that are maybe 3-6" from stock removal, and you are using the forge to heat treat only, they seem kind of useless to me. But again that is my opinion, some here may say the greatest thing since sliced bread. But i think they are just to small to be practical. So it basically comes down to a question of what are your plans? What kind of things do you want to make? Then go from there as to what you will need. This started out as a hobby for me also. I thoght i wanted to be a blade smith, turns out there is not enough anvil time and way to much grinder time for me. I want to work hot metal. My hobby went from a simple side blast charcoal forge to a single burner propane and now what i call a hybrid JABOD-brake drum forge burning coal. My backyard hobby turned into a fully functioning shop. Takes up my entire garage (12 X 18) but will be moved to the barn once i get some electricity out to it. Best advice i can give is read these forums. There is a whole lot of info here. Do not be afraid to ask a question. My drill Sgt had a saying for that "the only stupid question is one not asked." While yeah some may find it a stupid question the fact is is that you do not know the answer, do not stay in the dark. The curmudgeons here may seem a little gruff at first but they are a great bunch of guys that give their knowledge freely. One more thing though before asking a question see if it may have already been asked and answered. Do not use the search on the site, use google and put in what you want to know followed by "i forge iron". For example "JABOD iforgeiron", then hit search. Oh and we love pictures, no picture did not happen. In my short time doing this, less than a year at the anvil, i have found that the blacksmith community is kind of tight knit and very supportive. From one noob to another, welcome aboard. Remember to keep it fun but most importantly keep it safe.