Shabumi

We would always keep one person outside while the rest would go into the mine, cave, hole... That way if anything happened, they could call out to emergency services and lead them directly to the entrance we used. There always seemed to be plenty outside of the mine to keep that person interested until it was time to switch. As long as they stay within 20ft of the entrance to hear if anything goes wrong. Old workshops/bunkhouses, debris piles, small stamp mills and minecarts still on the track could keep me occupied for hours just looking at them. We would light fireworks about 20ft in (one that goes boom for lower frequencies, and one that whistles for higher frequencies) and wait a half hour before entering to minimize the risk of cave ins while we explored. Only once did we have a cave collapse before we entered, about 5 min after the fireworks. My friends and I were all of the mind set that we had enough fun looking at everything that we didn't need to take anything so we would just explore and not loot. Though others in the area tend to get gold fever and take anything not bolted down

I know of a few airshafts myself, and have done quite a bit of exploring in some of the mines. I even found some of the OLD dynamite sweating into the sawdust it was packed in. I know enough to not even look at it hard cuz that stuff is seriously unstable, but when I went back a week later to explore further, someone had been there and grabbed it. Our little town had a scare a few years back when someone found a secret room in their basement with glass jars full of old dynamite soaking in the nitro glycerin that seeped out of it. The bomb squad had to come in to remove it cuz there was enough to level the whole town down there. I'm just glad the house hadn't had a fire or there was a big enough earthquake before they found it. Though with a big enough earthquake, the whole town would sink 15-20ft from the amount of tunnels under there collapsing. As for disposal of undesirable relatives, I raise pigs so I can just put them in with our dry sow heard and they will be gone in a day, no need to haul em all the way to an air shaft

Thank you, BGD. That is sound advice for anyone spelunking. Luckily they instill mine safety into any kid who went to school here from 1st grade all the way through highschool. I didn't know about the antiquities act, but I do know that all abandoned registered mines in the area have been collapsed by the authorities. All the others that are left have no records, so dating them is impossible, though a safe assumption is that they were abandoned in the 30s which is when the state passed laws that made the taxes on mines to large to justify mining on a smaller scale. The authorities have given a green light on "looters" to clean up anything usable at those sites to help clean up the forest. I'll have to look into making the dies, though it will be a while before I will be able to get or make a power hammer. They are too small to be much use as an anvil, except for jewelery work... 6in base that comes to a 3-4in round top, 4-5in tall... Don't have a tape or ruler on me so these are rough estimates

Haha, yeah it is pretty and expensive in that area, even more so than when your parents lived there. I'm about an hour and a half north of there, outside of Nevada City. A little less expense by CA standards but still more than most of the rest of the country. I've been using some 1/2 in round scraps that I found in the woods to practice with, maybe 6 feet if added all together. I'm lucky enough to live in a "town" that was close to 1000 people strong up to the 1930s but now has a population of 8, so I can just go exploring at old house sites to find enough mild steel to learn on. It's also smack dab in the middle of the motherload of gold country so there is lots of old mining equipment just sitting at the old abandoned mine sites that is available if you are able to haul it a mile or two out of the woods. Does anyone have an idea what narrow gauge railroad rails might be repurposed for? I have a few tons in my back yard from the last resident

Hello everyone, I've been reading this forum for a few weeks now and I'm so amazed at how some of you can manipulate metal so easily. I've dabbled a bit with the blower and anvil I inherited from my good friends and neighbors. But so far all I can claim as a success are a leaf shaped object and a 'functional' bottle opener. Lol. I know it'll take some time and patience before I can make the metal move like I want it to, but I think I found the right place to steer me in the right direction. Though i will need to remember to keep it simple while I work and not try to make the pineapple twist animal head chess set right away

Hello all, as this is my first post let me say the obligatory... First time poster, long time reader. From the research I can do I believe I have a buffalo blower no.4 without tuyere. Based on the patent date, I believe it is dated between 1877 and 1880, all the other blowers I've seen so far have the 1880 patent #. It looks just like the picture in the 1892 buffalo forge catalog (pg256), but that is the only info I can find on it. It needs a leg, a couple of welds and a little TLC, but I got it for free digging through a neighbor's junk pile. I have most of the parts, but I wondering if anyone had any idea how to find more original parts for a blower such as this. I only need the connection between the upright leg and the wooden handle... parts #188 and #191 on pg264. They should be easy enough to fabricate to make it usable but I would like to keep it as original as possible. Forget the seat belt that I'm using as a belt in the pictures, that was just to see if everything worked. Which it does smoothly and quietly. Though it takes a lot of effort to spin the large gear by hand. I know it's off topic, but the blower is connected via dryer duct to a bottom duct tire rim JABOD, and I'm using a pre 1910, 99lb Peter Wright anvil, and need a place to mount a ¿Peter Wright? leg vice(no pics of that yet). Both found in barn of same property as blower, also for free. Along with various punches, drifts, and hammers, but someone had already got the tongs and hardies. They said they had no idea for any of it and it but I did then I could have them. As soon as am able I am going to make them either a gate or arbor to thank them. All in all I would say it's a good start for someone just starting out.