Pault17

Kristopher, weighing the pieces I cut off, it lost 7.5 oz. that does not include the width of the cutting disc and the sanding. I would think between 8 and 9 ounces. My two other main hammers are a little 2 lb mini-engineers and a 2.5 lb cross pein with fiberglass handle from home depot. The "new" one feels a little lighter than my cross pein and way-better balanced.

I wasn't sure where to put this. I added a few new pictures to my gallery. After reading through a blueprint by B.Norris (wasn't sure if I saw it on IFI or anvilfire) I thought to try my hand at hammer re-making. I picked up a cheap three pounder at harbour freight and, using the trusty 4.5 inch grinder proceeded to cut a diagonal pein on one end. to balance the head, I guesstimated about 1/4 inch needed to come off the face. I flap-disc'd the whole thing to get rid of the black paint (man I love that grinder) them buffed it down with 80, 150, then plumbers emery tape. through out the cutting and grinding I never let it get hot enough that I could not pick it up. took about 2 hours. Now I have to wait for a fire to test it out. Link removed at the request of anvilfire Link removed at the request of anvilfire

Marc are your roses all one piece? I have a vision of bending the spike end 90 degrees and spreading/flattening the bent piece really thin, somehow making the petal shapes and then hot-rolling the whole thing. they are beautiful too!

All, thank you all very much for the multiple facets of the safety and danger of working with zinc. a year and a half ago when I first started actively "bangin iron", I discovered anvilfire. I read through pretty much the whole site. I paid very close attention to the write-up on paw-paw's passing and the reasoning of and behind it. That is the one thing above all others that kept, and still keeps, me from having any real desire of working with anything to do with zinc or galvanization. Because I am working on a new, slightly larger forge (my orignal 'bean can' forges are just too small for where I am progressing) one of the components is a means of securing my new torch (rex price shorty). I had been unable to locate a piece of tubing or pipe large enough to let me slide the torch into, other than a piece of galvanized nipple. When I first fired up the forge, after getting my gas lines and fittings to stop blowing soap bubbles, I saw a small amount of whitish smoke coming from the top of the nipple and instantly shut everything down and asked the question that started this whole thing. I am now looking for a different material to use, and will have to continue using my bean can for a while longer. My wife and children are worth the wait, and I am constantly praying for patience. Again, thank you all for the knowledge and for not calling me an idiot. Glenn, thanks again for your help and for keeping such a wonderful site up and running.

Thanks Rusty. glad to hear from you! I have family on your continent.

Thanks for the clarification Glenn. I should have put " " around the silver. My wife and children (we just had our #8) all know that I (1) work with steel and iron and (2) there is the black or rusty (good) or the "silver" a,a galvanized (bad). I did not know or had not read that the zinc dust was bad as well. I will keep that in mind. thanks again

Thanks to all! I chatted this over with my wife and decided never to work with the silver. Now just to find what I normally work and make it do. thanks again

I haven't searched yet, but was wondering if there is a way to remove the zinc from small items by any other means than heat. Or is heating the easiest/fastest/"safest" way. I have some smallish tubing and things that I have only been able to find in galvanized condition and would like it clean. any help is appreciated

I recently picked up two of the 119 lb "new" model russians. There is a harbor freight in north Raleigh, NC that carries them in stock. They also have several cast iron ASO's that range from 55 lbs down to 1 lb. I picked up a 15 lb-er for my two oldest boys, drilled a couple of 1/4" holes on either end and bolted a piece of 1/4" plate on the top. They beat and bang like crazy just about anything they can and haven't hurt that little thing yet. As for the russians, they do have the twisted hardy holes that measure roughly 1 1/8". I figured if I made (or had someone make) a collection of pieces of 2"x4"x1/4" plate and welded the hardy post at one end and the desired hardy tool on the other, as painful as it would be to use, It would allow strikes over the main body. I have been using mine for about 2-3 months on and off with minimal complaints, other than the carpy horn. I was afraid of trying to drill out the pritchel though. I would like a half-inch hole instead of the 5/16 mine currently has. That thing is all but useless.