Pault17

Peyton, definitely post em. Are they just "simple" clean bands? I fully know about the "wearing thin" thing. Mine was much thicker than my wifes when new, and it had a little ridged band around the top and bottom edges - ridged like a dime. Now it's thinner than hers and the ridge is like that little edge on a grinder-sharpend axe.

as a home inspector in real life, I world have to agree with skunk.continuous airflow works. insulation next. WD40 always helps. in central NC we have the same funky weather. just not so low all the time. it was 70-plus today. , in the teens a week ago:o

old? In my book you gotta be to be

hot diggitty froggitty pond!! Very sweet. I recognize your russian submarine:D You have a wonderful Dad too

In, as in inlaws

Rich, thanks for the knowledge. I was at our latest abana chapter meeting, hearing all of the "coal" smiths grumble about not being able to weld in a gasser" and lo-an-behold, the demo guy (chapter president) made a clapper for a fire extinguisher bell. He pretty much followed your exact explanation too. thanks, again.

Being a carpenter before becoming a home inspector, I have never had the "need" to learn to weld. But, the desire was always there. I used to watch my dad fix his old rust-bucket of a van brazing with the little oxy-mapp set. My wife gave me a "learn how to stick weld" class at the local community college, for Christmas. the learning continues...

Hey Ironpuppet, thanks for the thread. I keep thinking of makiing a charcoal forge, as soon as I can get a place to work outdoors without fire concerns. This whole conversation has been very enlightening and educational. Not that I expected any less from everybody here. thanks again

I know it's crude. I posted, some months ago, an attempted knife-shaped-object (KSO) made from a spike. There was no resemblance to a spike in the thing. I whacked this one out as a way of testing my new 5/8" bolt tongs from GS tongs (Punch tongs & Bolt Tongs). I haven't wanted to put a sharp point on any KSO I have made because of my multiple children that like to play with the things daddy made.

M Leaf spring is doable, but I have found that a short piece of coil spring is easier to cut and hammer into shape than a chunk of leaf spring.

Merry Christmas All, and God bless you all as well. Glenn, you and all the IFI'ers have given me one of the best, longest lasting gifts I have had yet, second only to our God, and my wife and children. thanks to all of you Paul

Jimmy, I started with a little cast steel anvil that I found buried on a hillside. I bought one of those russian submarine anvils from HF and still use the heck out of it. I am always on the prowl for a nice 150-200 pounder, but will work with what I can afford for now. AS for steel, It has gotten so bad that even my wife and children (there're eight of them) are always looking for "metal" anywhere and everywhere they go. Welcome and great luck to you

This was the cutest little thing. I found it attached to a piece of fencing at a vacant house I was looking at. the jaws are z inches wide and it opens about 2.5 inches. I have twisted inch in it.

I just got two of Glen's tongs from GS Blacksmith Tongs one holds 3/8 squareand one pair is a 5/8 square bolt tong for RR spikes also, go to Link removed at the request of anvilfire and look at blueprint 132 that was my first tong and I still use it today. I just found out that if you follow "Sean Conner's ET tongs" also makes a firm gripping set of blade tongs.

I just talked with one of the smiths in our local chapter and he wanted me to bring my little anvil by to see if it is "fixable". This is the first time I really looked at it. I have never tried to identify it because there were no visible markings on it. Until I flipped it over. there are three, what appear to be, capital letter "D"s on the bottom. would any of you more knowlegable gents or lasses have any idea as to make? I am not a collector but am now curious. thanks

very nice LDW even for an obvious "beginner" like yourself:rolleyes: neat integration of the cable into the handle

Sam, thinks for all the pics. I am a visual learner , and your pics are great, I will be chatting with Glenn for plans.