Pault17

I have an idea of mixing smithing and glass, but have never tried it out. I have developed a liking for making the split & un-folded crosses, and alot of people are asking me about and for them. What I wanted to try was to mush/melt/forge a marble into the opening created when the cross is split. I have lots of marbles (haven't lost them all yet) and wanted to give it a try. Does glass shrink down when cooled, like steel does? Can I just put a marble into the forge (mine is gas) and pull it out when it glows? thanks in advance

you got it Bear. where I'm at there is apparently only one scrap yard and they are real stringent on walking the yard. finding an anvil has been next to impossible. without having a bottomless checkbook, I currently bang away on a HF special. I did finally get around to joining the local ABANA chapter. maybe I'll fid something there.

I was looking for supplies at the Blacksmith Supply website and noticed that they have "poz-style tong kits" on sale for $8. you need to finish the reins, form the jaws, and rivet them, but all the major drawing out is apparently done. They ar made from 5/16 stock. not sure if they are mild or not. I ordered two sets to play around with.

Nick, when it airs, see if you can get a copy and post it. It sounds like it could make a fine blueprint

not me, all my movies are on disc

Irnsrgn, your comment "Isn't Old Age your (feeble years) fun" proves it. turning 40 means you're old. My 40th is a month or two away. congrats on scoring the right points for catching a great wife, by the way. as for pain, I tried to think of a way to make the pain go away and death was an option at one point. if not an option, at least preferable. I talked to my mom (she was hospitalized with a nasty one) and she said that she could still remember all three of her childbirth experiences and said that the one stone she had was worse than the three put together. I feel so much better now though. finished passing it this morning with no problems.

Are they fun or what!! Personally, I think they would make a great court-ordered punishment for misdemeanors. Or, for those really toughened repeat criminals, let them trade off a year in prison for a month of kidney stone.:o I just got back from a multi-hour visit to the ER for, what I found out was, a kidney stone. I can only say it truly created a tremendous amount of vaccuum

finding a bunch of RR spikes? Everbody VIES for that

I know this probably doesn't pertain, but, while I was scootin thru the net looking for evermore instructional smithing video clips, I found this one that is scary. where would you put this? (sorry for bugging somebodies thread, but It felt like it pertained) Just eyeballing the metal this guy is throwing around, it looks really heavy. would hat to "accidentally" let slip YouTube - fireballs - drop forging

rstegman I think "knives - the cliff-notes version" would be a better title. thanks for ranting!"

yeah, and my pants are a nasty shade of Teal

I do home inspections for income. Due to this, I meet a lot of people and get to see a lot of new ideas for smithing and forge-art. I recently looked at a house and the owner had a small wall covered in various crosses from around the world. One of them was a couple of RR spikes arc-welded into a cross shape. I told the owner that if I was in the area, I would drop off one of the crosses I like to make. I haven't been to her neighborhood lately, but I did do this one in case I do. Becasue of the size of my forge, once I opened the sides of the cross, I could no longer fit it in the forge. It had to be the last thing done.

Hey Frosty, In the last blueprint thing on tuesday, Hofi mixed scale with parafin and used it as a punch and die lube.

I tried, lost all my hair... you got it BALD:D

Speaking of rocket science - If money is not a real big issue, check out the "t-rex" burners by Rex Price. I purchased a shorty for my newest forge and the thing rocks. My little brother built a forge from a Larry Zoeller kit and says that he doesn't get as much burn-time from a typical 20-lb bbq bottle. Oh, yeah, in my little "freon tank" forge (mine is actually a helium bottle from wally world - so it's a little smaller) stays bright orange at 3.5 to 4.5 psi. I put somewhere between 25 and 30 hours of use on the first bottle at these pressures.

very nice. looks comfortable to use.

Bond = a good weld

vzimmer, I understand the feelings of wanting to get right to hammering. I am/was in the same boat a few years ago. I was able to save a large chunk of money by building my own first, second and third gas forges. That, and now I know how to build and repair them as well. The time taken is not that long at all. Welcome to this most great hobby/skill and the IFI world

Thanks HW! I hadn't made that connection (no pun intended), but after reading it, it makes many much more sense. Until I learn to forge weld, or any kind of weld for that matter, mechanical connections are my main method of joining.

Hey Bottomgottem, welcome to the club. Sounds like you have a small jackpot of a job site. My wife would choke if I started bringing home more metal junk than I do already. Welcome oh, and congrats on the three kids. if the average number is two, you're above average