Pat Roy

Forge welding, AARRGGHH! Actually, I should knock on wood. I have had a few successes lately even on some light pieces. Clean fire, just the right amount of air, patience, careful observation so there is no burn, the correct application of the hammer, Ahhhh! Get it hot enough but not quite sparkling.

Mainely, Bob and Mills, I like your thoughts and methods. I have been keeping track of how I make stuff but not in a way that is easily retrievable. And I haven't been keeping track of my time. This is still only a hobby for me although I do sell some things, but the process of thinking things through as I come up with a particular design and actualy do the work eats up a lot of hours. I can't charge for my learning time I don't think.

I have one similar to Creek's except there is no wheel for a base. The angle legs go all the way down. The block can be placede with any side or edge up. It is a little awkward to handle the 65# block though in some of those positions. I don't use it much.

Sorry about your sensitivity to the smoke. Get rid of the smoke! My hood and smoke pipe do a good job but I still always wear a dust mask to keep the various grits out of my nose and lungs.

Awesome is a good descriptive word! I can make leaves from bar stock. I've always been intrigued by a "bunch-o-grapes". What's the finish?

After too many decades in industry as an engineer doing a lot of piping projects let me recap what I think: I would never use pvc in this application. I would not use cast iron in this application, rather forged fittings. I would use pipe sized such that there would not be appreciable pressure drop to the point of use. If it is a long run from the compressor to the point of use I would consider placing an auxiliary receiver near the point of use. Properly rated hoses are fine for portable tools. Don't save a few bucks on material while take risks with everyone's safety. I don't care for how many years someone else has been lucky.

A friend of mine made this portable vise/stand. It's not real heavy but it is handy when you need a portable. I made one similar but smaller and without the wheels. It's heavy enough to be usable for light work and light enough that I can move it around the shop pretty readily. One fixed vise is not enough.

Most fireplaces don't have forced air and therefore the fires are not as hot as a forge fire can get. I have seen granite pop and crumble under the heat of an acetylene torch.

I use the ever handy square bucket the kitty litter comes in. My shop isn't heated and I'm in the great white north. These buckets will take quite a lot of freezing before they finally split. My supply of buckets is way ahead of the freezing damage. Whatever works for you.

I start all my coal/coke fires with 3-4 sheets of newspaper. Ball up the paper, light it and put it in the fire pot. Add air flow and rake some coke/coal onto the fire. I always have some coke left from a previous fire. IF the paper is damp, use a few more sheets and give it additional air to get it burning vigorously. I have never used wood but when desparate measures were called for I have brought in Mr. Acetylene Torch, always works, but rarely necessary.

Andrew Smith, how big was that hawk? That sounds like a lot of coal!

I built my fire pot from 3/8" plate. The bottom is also of plate. I was too lazy to put in a clinker breaker and just burned a couple slots in the bottom with my torch. The fire pot has been in service for 4 years or more without any refractory lining and shows no sign of abuse. It will last a long time. I have to reach in a couple time each day with a poker to pull out clinkers. It isn't rocket science. If it ever does burn out I'll just built another, but at this point I'm will to bet this one will last me.

I don't know anything really, about anthracite. I am able to get bituminus blacksmith coal locally. It is probably bigger than pea or nut and it cokes up well and masses up pretty well. I pay $15 per 55# bag.

I learned a lesson not to be rushing and skip a safety step for even a really small job. I just needed to quickly grind a little rough spot with my die grinder and didn't need to put on my face shield(I had glasses on). Well the grit and grindings found a way around my glasses and I then spent a couple afternoons with the eye doctor while he plucked grit out of my eye. Luckily only one eye and no permanent effects. It wasn't a lot of fun.

I recently ran across some of the first things I ever forged. No one was watching so I buried them. The hurt my eyes. It's not right that a beginner starts out like this.

I find the dribbling annoying because of the "ring" associated with it. I already have too much noise going on.

I passed the video link on to Tom and Ray (Click & Clack the Tappet Brothers) at the radio show "Car Talk". They are not blacksmith related but they have a large audience.

Well KYBOY, I'm in southern Maine and it was in the 60s today. We haven't had measurable snowfall in over a month and the ground in this part of the state has been essentially snow free for most of that time. People are doing their spring yard work 2 months early(except me, I was in the forge). You have me beat on the coal deal though.

A while back I had "tennis elbow" in my hammering arm. It lasted a long time, like 8 months. I had to stop work altogether in the forge. It helped a lot to put a strap on my arm below the elbow. I'm not sure it was related to the hammer, I seem to be sensitive to the vibrations from handheld grinders and other power tools, including chainsaws. There are excercise you can do to strengthen the muscles and tendons involved which helped me a lot. Talk to your doc. I did the cortisone shot route because the pain was so intense. I wouldn't do it again, the relief lasted less than a week and there can be side effects long term. I just got a treadle hammer for the heavy stuff, let my leg do the work.

My hood and pipe do a good job of venting the smoke so I don't worry about that, but it is dusty in the shop and I use grinders and a chop saw so I always wear a dust mask to keep the dust out of my nose and lungs. I get my coal locally in 55# bags for $15.00 and it has very little in the way of rocks and doesn't clink up much. I have a variable speed control on my blower and an airgate to close off the flow when I am not working the forge for a while. 25# of coal will easily hold me for a full weekend of average work.

Nice design. It will be easy to upgrade to a different blower and other accessories. Plenty of room on the table to collect a lot of xxxx.. I mean tools. I put a rack on one side to hang all my tongs and have a speed control and lever for the air gate handy to my left hand. Good job. One iron gets in your blood, there is no recovery.

For 4 or 5 years I've been using a firepot I made from 3/8" plain steel plate without brick or refractory. It show no sign of deterioration in any way. If I ever burn it out, I will fabricate another. I got the idea from Randy McDaniel's book.

IF you are re-using a fan you had in service, you should match the original speed. If you go slower it will not produce much air and if you go faster it will make considerably more noise and more pressure and volume. You may want to get a speed control in this case and/or possible a slide gate to control the flow. I use both because I have way too much blower.

If that's a supper size vise, I think a lunch size would be more than enough for me.

I started smithing 5 or so years ago and started out without many tools. I had a small anvil but no hardy tools. In a hurry for cutting edge, I welded a piece of 1" square tube to a piece of heavy angle iron and ground a good edge on the upright leg. I'm still using it. Never worried about heat treating it, just touch it up occassionally with the grinder. I made a similar bottom fuller, not pretty, but it works. Just lazy I guess.