BillyBones

I grew up on a farm where the whole family lived. We got indoor plumbing in 78'. Until then it was an out house and a wash tub. But we all had to pitch in to help. Whether it was throwing hay in the loft, sloppin the hogs, picking beans or what not. I was taught at an early age how to make due. May dad retired from the Army, but he also did a lot of construction. He is better at things like building roads and bridges though. The most important thing my granddad taught me though was do not give up, there is no cant do it. That was my dads side. My moms side my granddad died 2 years before i was born. He was a colonel in the Air Force, my grandmother died when i was 4, she was a piano teacher. They were kind of lower upperclass types that were world traveled, imagine my moms shock when my dad came home from Vietnam and we moved down in the sticks from DC.

Aus, i forgot to say no, my dad did some construction work but not much. He is retired Army. Most of that stuff was most likely my grandpa's. He was a construction worker. Kind of a jack of all trades. He could build cabinets, as well as he could lay a foundation. Could roof a house as well as build the walls. He was the first person i ever seen smithing. He was not a black smith but if it needed fixed he could fire up the forge in the barn and do it. He could lay brick and pour concrete. He fought a Sherman in WWII ( the reason i served on an Abrams) and could shoot the eyes out of a rattle snake at 100 yrds in a sand storm. He could grow crops and raise live stock. He taught me so much, when he was not dropping hammers on me. (3 times, once from the hay loft) My grandpa was just an old KY hillbilly that grew up in the 20's-30's when you had to do for yourself and he taught a lot of that to me. He taught me how to shoot, how to hunt, pound a nail, sharpen a knife, skin a rabbit, melt lead into shot, plow a field, cut tobacco, plant a tree, wire a socket, level a board, etc., etc. If ya cant tell, my grandpa was my hero.

Yes, yes we must butcher them now.

It amazes me how Ozzy, you can not understand a word he says when he talks but sings clear as a bell. I was always told that you put an "X" across each puncture of the fangs, then suck out the venom. Then when i actually learned some survival first aid in the military it was explained to me that sucking out the venom by mouth could get the venom trapped in cavities or between the teeth and poisoning your self. And that even if you use the little cup or some other sort of suction by the time you make the cuts and start sucking the blood flows so fast that it just a wasted effort. Am i right? I do not know just what i was told. I never had to deal with snake bite. However if it were me that got bit i would suck until i sucked so much blood out i pass out from blood loss. Someone else mentioned this here, but i ate a rattlesnake in Oklahoma. Pretty tasty critter.

Wasn't sure as to put this here or at the pets page. The mouse may not be in a museum, but he now occupies a spot on a shelf in the shop.

So i was a sittin at the house today and my dad calls. He says he has this old gang box in his shed and if i want it. I said but of course i want it. So i went and got it. I went to pick it up and my dad says its heavy, it full of stuff. I said dont you want to take it out. He said no, take it all. So off i went home with it. So lets open up the mystery box. 3 old jack stands, body dolley, 3 trowels, A socket set, 1/2 drive, some threaded rod, a piece of 5/16 plated though, a sign from WPAFB, and the mouse. It is a real dead mouse i found just like that...guess he learned of his peanut allergy to late. But wait there is more. These 2 old tool boxes, with peanuts and... The old drill, 3 old planes, auger bit, hole saw, more on the files... 5 old files, some old drill bits. couple more drill bits, some old wood chisels, an adjustable drill ( i have 2 other all 3 made by Springfield) old screw driver, adjustable wrench, another trowel, hatchet handle, and last but not least part of a ratchet strap.

My dog never really ate berries and the like, but he sure did like the green beans, peas, corn stalks (never understood that) and just about any other green veggie. Oh and apples. I miss the pecans from when i lived in Louisiana. That would have been Dehnam Springs. I planted a pecan here. i am told that they will grow this far north but are not really suited for it. One of those things it might it might not.

This is the brush i got from the paint store. The bristles are stiffer than the long style and stainless. It is not the best thing but it gets the job done.

I found mine in a paint store. It has a threaded hole for a paint roller handle even. Not quite as big but the bristles are big and stiff so it works purty good.

Les, is that a goose berry the dog is a sniffin?

I used a giant umbrella for a while. Worked good for shade and as long as the rain was not to hard or sideways it kept me dry also.

Shabumi, i like that. Nice, simple, elegant. The opposing twists almost look like knots. I am correct that is just four pieces twisted and welded on the ends? Glen, thanks for the tip on the welding rods. I have about 300,000,000 old rods lying on the floor of my barn. (exaggerated but there is a whole bucket load) Now i have a use for them. Most are missing a lot of flux and i figured they would just be scrap.

SHARKS IN THE OHIO NEAR CINCI !!!! Just had to tell me that didnt you, Aus. With the tornadoes last week and sharks in the river, we very nearly ended up with a real Sharknado.

We used to have a huge Rotti, great dog with the family especially my daughter. He was absolutely devoted to her. We would have to put him outside if we had to punish her for something or the dog would have attacked one of us. 130# of Rottweiler is not something i want to tangle with.

So glad i live in Ohio where we have no giant centipedes or huge spiders or roaches the size of a small car. I got my ponytail caught in a drill once and a circular saw another time. Also a creeper will teach you real fast to make sure you got it tucked out the way.

I know many who seem incapable of using that tool. I am usually behind them on the drive to and from work. P-nut, i did not know that the herd was that big now.

The most important tool for a blacksmith? It is the same tool for any profession. That big hunk of grey matter behind your eyes and between your ears. Since it will be a game and i am assuming that there will be levels. I would say something like level 1 a wood block for an anvil, 2 a flat stone, 3 a piece of bronze maybe, then 4 a wiley coyote style anvil. See how each is progressively better than the last. Same with hammers and other tools. Green sticks are still used as tongs in some remote areas of the world. Also it is not that hard to do some searches for modern blacksmiths equipment, 18th century, medieval, Roman, etc., etc., going on the premise that the newer the better the technology. Anyway good luck and give us a holler and we may give it a go and give some feed back on what needs improved or what is right.

to be used against us in a court of law. I am so glad yall got that reference. Anyway out to check for damage after tornadoes ripping through here last night. I was actually between the 2 spots hit worst so i should be alright. No downed trees or anything but the wind was pretty bad and there is a gaping hole in the shop wall. So...

Doc, that is what i call it to...thin. My daughter accuses me of wearing a hat to cover up the bald spot. I say to her "Never had the top of the head sun burnt have ya?"

We had a coal mine at the head of the hollar. Us kids would go out and pick up the coal that fell off the trucks. My grandpa worked the mines when he was younger. He worked with Loretta Lynn's father for a time. Fun fact, in the state of Ohio there is a law that says "If 2 trains travelling in opposite directions come to an intersection, both must stop and neither can proceed until the other has cleared the intersection." Whaling is also illegal, not the kind that comes at 2 AM in the bar but actual whaling with harpoons and such. So i was cleaning out some more coal yesterday and found this. Just seemed odd thing to find. An old porcelain door knob.

Irondragon, that was my plan. I have an electric blower so it will just be a matter of turning a switch. Also if i need to fix anything in my vents it will be easier to let the fire die. I know most of the coal in this area is anthracite and it has a shale appearance, which if memory serves is anthracite. jlp, that coal has been in my basement for i would bet close to 80 years. There was tile, plastic, styrofoam, insulation and whole bunch of other mean and nasty debris on the bench there next to me,(sorry Arlo Guthrie took over for a second) the water also helped the smaller pieces come to the top. That layer of coal was about an 1 1/2 deep. Then came the sifting. At least another small bucket full. That pile of coal and the barn were the 2 deciding factors when i bought this place.

Isnt that how we get clean coal? No seriously though, there was a bunch of dirt, wood, and general debris mixed with that. I used a water bath to slosh out all that would float and the coal being lighter than the rock it settles on top. The larger stuff i picked out dry. Grandpa taught me that trick when i was a wee lad. We had no chute and the coal was left outside and would get all sorts of stuff mixed in with it.

There is the Florida Artisans Blacksmith Association.

I used to run a Davenport 5 spindle screw machine. They use the same brass bushings. The ones we used were removable cause i had to replace enough of them. They were not however that big.

Sorted out some coal from trash from what i have in the old chute. 2 small buckets worth to try out. I believe it is anthracite. It has a shale like appearance. I have not tried my new ventilation out so that may be a plus seeing as how it burns cleaner and harder to keep lit so any flaws and i wont choke to death at least. I can let it idle out, clear the air and repair any problem areas. Thought i had about a 100# of coal in the old chute, after this i would say 200# is more like it.