Purple Bullet

John - Hope you are feeling better. Having done exactly one repousse' project I'm by no means an expert, but I did a lot of research before I started. I ended up doing stake repousse' rather than use pitch or a shot bag. Of course I was using stainless which also has less give than many other metals. Too much deformation at one time will require a lot of annealing. 

Chad - These guys never tyre of good natured ribbing. Next time just call it a great grate.

David - Some beautiful work. I'm not sure I would use that as a post vise, though. Even though it kind of looks like one, I would be afraid that hammering on the top would stress the screw threads. I'm not sure what that vise was originally designed for, but I would use it more like a bench vise. 

I can't claim to KNOW what it is, but my guess is that it is a valve handle or some other control handle. From the square inset for the stem to fit in, and the raised end that looks like it could be something that would fit in a detent to hold that position. The swivel allows it to raise out of the detent to move to another position. Either gravity or a spring might hold it down until the other end was depressed to raise it out of the detent.

I finally finished the knife made partially from the metal that came out of my ankle. This will be my EDC. I don't know what to call it other than a dagger. It was made from two pieces of cable - one left hand twist and the other right hand twist. I consolidated them in a cannister with 1084 powder. I cleaned out the grease but neglected to super-twist the cable before consolidating. By the time I finished consolidating the cannisters in my coal forge and forge welded the two billets together, the striations that appear when etched are nearly parallel to the edge of the blade so I'm going to leave it unetched. The long edge was done "slack belt"  to a medium sharp edge and the shorter edge is razor sharp hollow grind. The long ricasso on the short edge is to get some thumb leverage when using the medium edge.

The guards are forged from the stainless steel plate that held my tibia together for a while. It was flat on one side and had scallops on the other. I had to draw it out anyway to get the length I needed to make the three pieces so now both sides are flat.

The handle is embroidery thread soaked in UV resistant casting epoxy. The pinky ring is another piece of cable damascus that was mig welded on after getting the guards where I wanted and silver-soldered in place.

The sheath is Kydex and locks the blade in very securely. It fits well at the small of my back. The last time I tried this was with a leather sheath and it didn't work too well. It was hard to snap and the flexible leather sagged and the handle caught on everything. This feels comfortable, even when driving or sitting in a chair

John, you really need to try induction. I still haven't fixed mine and really miss it. Start a pump and fan, throw a switch, step on another switch and within seconds you are ready to hammer. Want a break? No big deal, no extra heat or fuel wasted. I just wished someone in the US made an affordable one. I recall seeing something about a start-up but haven't heard that they actually have as of yet. 

At risk of this thread crossing over into forge design. (BTW, moderators on this site do an excellent job)

Jobtiel1 - you've probably solved your problem already, but if you haven't, this may help. My first forge bought from an antique dealer had a three sided lump stuck in the middle of the tuyere on a rod that stuck out the side. It was a clinker breaker that heaved and stirred the fire from below. I made one for my current drum-top forge by using an old trailer hitch ball (no chrome) and piling up weld beads in three locations and grinding flat the areas between the beads. It does a great job of stirring things up and rejuvenating air ways from the bottom. The coal I'm using now doesn't make a lot of big clinker rings, even when welding, but I still use it to stir things up when I need the fire hotter. It allows ash to fall freely into a dump that works much like Frosty described.

Has anyone ever tried petroleum coke? I used to work a hydrocracker and catalytic reformer that had a coker unit right next door. When the wind was just wrong and they were drilling coke they got a lot of nasty things said about them by our operators.

Although they claim a high purity for their coke, it was made from the leftovers of all the rest of the refinery and was the stinkiest, dirtiest unit to work in. I've never tried it. I think the main market is for electrodes for aluminum processing.

When I was in corrosion control we used to get bags of coke breeze to pack around anodes on impressed current CP (cathodic protection) systems to increase the effective surface area of the anode. That stuff was so light that the slightest puff from a blower would blow it right out of the forge. 

Update: The DPS did not work in this application. The surface grinder has a transformer that converts the input three phase 220 V into 120 V for using a magnetic chuck and/or coolant pumps or whatever. There is also an automated one shot oiler (at least I haven't found a button or lever to activate it manually) and I don't know what powers that. My guess is that the DPS isn't compatible with those.

The DPS was labeled U, V, and W. My surface grinder is labeled L1, L2, and L3. I initially hooked them up respectively. I switched power onto the machine and hit "start". The wheel moved slightly and stopped. I hit "Stop" and switched power off. The manual said that if the machine didn't work well, to try switching the order on the three phase output. I swapped the U and V so that U was going to L2 and V to L1. This time when I powered the unit I heard a loud hum. Before I could hit the "Start" I heard a pop and saw bluish smoke shooting out of the DPS. I immediately de-energized and switched off the grinder. With the grinder off I re-energized the circuit and saw further smoke.

I contacted Myung Youn and they requested pictures of the spec plates. I provided those and they had some further questions that kind of echoed my own. The main plate that stated 5.5 A also had "Control voltage 120 V". I'm not sure what that means in a 3-p 220V system. To their credit, they offered to send another unit if we could figure out why the first one blew. 

I declined the offer, figuring the cost as part of my continuing education. I've ordered a VFD that I will wire directly to the motor, separating it from the rest of the grinder's electrical system.

When I get around to converting my wood splitter to a press I may give the DPS another look as it would probably be ideal for direct drive of the 3-P motor that came off my Little Giant when I converted it to 1-P. It will replace a 5 hp gas engine to drive the hydraulics on the press.

Now I need to figure out how to get that oiler system working.

John - Thanks for the info. It makes sense, and yet I'm still not clear on why having an over-rated DPS/DPC would cause a problem.

Just to further my discombobulation, although I'm forbidden to work in my shop until I get my stitches out, I did sneak in and finally figured out how to open the electrical box. I found another plate in there that says max load 7.5 hp! That is just the size DPS/DPC I sent back! Wiring on this sucker looks like #2  but I can't find anything on the jackets. I opened the back panel and although I haven't cleaned up the motor yet, it doesn't look even as big as the one on my Reed belt grinder. I have a suspicion that the interior rating plate is for a relay and is probably standard for heavy three phase equipment and the wiring is selected for the relay rating, not the grinder motor. In other words, this wiring is serious overkill.

However, there is another system in this grinder called a "one shot oiler". It has an oil reservoir and I see tubes going to gear mesh locations. My DPS/DPC says that I should use on one motor at a time although it is OK to use with two motors simultaneously.

Once my stitches are out I'm going to just hook it up and see what happens. If I burn up something I'll just replace it. Eventually I plan to run the grinder motor with a VFD anyway when I convert it to belt. The DPS/DPC is really better suited to drive the wood splitter press I'm going to build anyway.

So which is more likely? Pacific strike? Atlantic strike? Or Yellowstone super eruption? Car or industrial accident? Terminal disease?  Old age?  When we quit cranking, the world stops turning, from our point of view at least. That's why the best "prep" isn't physical, IMHO.

Thomas - Your wife is obviously a gem. So's mine. Good thing we don't get what we deserve.

Since it has been nearly a year since this Very Fine Discussion is Verifiably Finished, Defunct, may I throw in another acronym? DPS -in this context, a digital phase shifter (although I shudder to think what the IFI crew will make of THIS one.) Myung Youn sells these through Amazon. I don't know if this is just a (oxymoron alert) NON variable VFD, or a different way of getting where a rotary will get you. 

I bought one for my surface grinder. The surface grinder may benefit from a VFD once I convert to belts, but until I understand what else is in there (it has a 120 v outlet on the back) I figure a simple phase converter would be best. Unlike  VFD's, you can just leave this hooked up and use the normal controls of the machine rather than leaving the machine on and controlling from the VFD. At least that is my understanding. 

What isn't obvious from the advertising, but is VERY obvious once you read the manual that comes with the unit, is that getting a DPS that is rated for much higher power than needed can harm the motor. My motor is 2hp. I originally ordered a 7.5 hp DPS figuring that I might need something beefier in the future. Once I read the manual (I guess something good can come from being laid up from ankle surgery. I normally would have just hooked it up and tried it.) I packed it up for return and ordered a 3 hp DPS. That is due in today. I'm still laid up, but once I try it I'll post the results.

So here is the "after" shot. I wonder if an MRI would setup induction eddy currents. The doc didn't know what that was but assured me that MRI's are done with more metal than that in proximity. 

I have to wait for the plate to get processed before I can have it.

Jason - That is one area I have no problems being beaten by a girl!

I need to post this under "What I learned today" but for Digital Phase Shifters bigger is NOT better!

Thanks Thomas. It's been a pain long enough. It was OK until the part with the broken screw broke loose while the docs were trying to remove another screw.... go ahead, Frosty, tell me you knew I had a screw loose somewhere.

I'm expecting the DPS (digital phase shifter - alternative to VFD for converting 1-P to 3-P) for my surface grinder to come in today. I'm thinking of using it to hollow grind my new concealed carry blade. It was forge welded from two pieces of wire rope of opposite lay that were cannister welded with 1084 powder separately. I'm disappointed with the pattern so far because after welding and drawing out the strands all ended up parallel! Oh well, next time I'll super twist them before putting in the cannister. 

I don't know what to call this besides a boot knife, although I intend to weld a ring on the end somewhat reminiscent of a karambit for the pinkie. The guard and handle sections will hopefully be from some hardware that has been in my leg for the past 16.5 years. I'm getting it taken out tomorrow. The short edge will be hollow ground but the long edge will be slack-belt. 

My intention is to cut the plate up, braze a large piece for the guard and braze smaller pieces for finger separation and fill the gaps with epoxy/monofilament wrap. 

Just as good, if not better. The sorting hook would be less work though, but where's the fun in that?

On 3/17/2022 at 9:33 PM, JHCC said:

And finished the forging and grinding of my new anvil cone:

John - Did that cone have a previous life as a sorting hook? (straight billed hook used in pairs on slings for pipe) That's really good steel for that application, I would think.

Whew! Four hours later my surface grinder is finally in the shop. Not where its going to go, just inside the doors. It was only a little over half the weight of my LG 50# but seemed more cumbersome and top-heavy. Moved it with chain fall, come-along, pipe and pry bar, with a few towing straps for hold-backs when it got tippy. I recently got an engine hoist to help with this sort of thing, but it was useless. At my age I need a better heavy mover. What do you guys use?

A machine shop is renovating and needed some space, so they gave me this (-Thanks Robbie!).  Brown and Sharpe 612 Valumaster. They included some wheels that I'm sure I'll use, but once I get the VFD for it I'll look into converting to 2"X 72"belts.

Could be. I'm still puzzled by no makers marks, country of origin stamps or anything. After watching that guy at Quad State make props for movies I wonder if it may be one of those. They would need well tempered blades to flex for the camera, but I doubt they would sharpen and nickel plate them. I'm guessing its nickel. Chrome has a tendency to flake. This kind of smears when hit with wire wheel or 400 grit polish wheel (one of the few things worth buying at Harbor Freight).

Overall L-39”. Blade 29” to Ricasso. 3” ricasso . Tapered tang 6 1/4”. Threaded end 3/4”. Width 1 3/8” at ricasso. 3/16” thick at ricasso that tapers to 1/8” for most of blade.

George - Will do, but IFI has always got me answers before! Even to questions I never (but should have) asked. <grin>

John - I'd just hit it with a wire wheel in the areas I thought I might find something. 

Les - I expect to be there, Ofaye too. There are two things that might stop me. I was offered a surface grinder - 2HP - weighs 1225 pounds, from a machine shop that is remodeling. I'm waiting on word for when I can pick it up. If it's Saturday, it will have priority even though I'm already registered. The other thing is my ankle injury from falling off a roof after Katrina. Later this month they are taking the hardware out, but its been bothering lately. I'm asking them for the plate they remove. I figure it would make a good guard on my next knife.

My buddy, Ofaye (some of you met him at last year's Quad State) just gave me a sword blade that he found in the trash. I can't find any maker's marks or stamps, but it doesn't seem to be a decorative or ceremonial sword. It has a decent edge and heat treat seems good. I can bend it and it snaps back to original shape. It had a shiny plating but has rust spots. Seems to be just surface rust. The only mark I can find is a small area that seemed to be marked with a vibrating etcher. Might be "Jim" but I can't really make it out. Any experts know what this is?

One of the first books I ever checked out from the library  was R.A. Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel". In it the hero gets a bad case of frostbite (on Pluto) and aliens nurse him back to health in a room that looks just like his room at home. He wakes up and is trying to figure out time/distance and asks the heroine to hand him the slide rule on his desk. She replies that it was part of the desk, not a real slide rule. Made me curious and yes, I actually used one for a while. When I was a senior in high school the large school I attended had one of the early "computers". It took up a whole desk top, used nixie lights and Thomas, your RPN calculator would run rings around it.

I have (or used to have... haven't seen it lately) a circular slide rule my dad used to use for drilling calculations. Mostly mud weights I think. I don't recall the 300' slide rule, but if they had made it circular it would have fit nicely in the disk section of the Enterprise.