Goods

I most definitely will! That’s the style swage block I’d love to have! Not sure if I could justify the cost though…

I made a little more progress today. I finished up a slot punch for the power hammer and got my hatchet billet squared up and marked it ready to punch: Keep it fun, David

If they ring and rebound are good, I’d say you got a good deal. The only things I would do to that anvil is wire wheel the face, horn and maybe 2” down the sides. Of course, if the mushrooming on the edge is as bad as it looks, I’d probably grind that back and leave it rounded. (But that’s just me…) Welcome aboard, David

Welcome aboard. Nice axes Tony! Bet you can’t wait to get that hammer running. Keep it fun, David

I’ll be think about and praying for them! David

Can you get bubble alumina? (Not sure if that’s the right term) If so you may be able the mix that in with the versaflow to improve the insulating capabilities. (Just and idea, not sure if it’s a good one.) Keep it fun, David

Finally make some progress on the drawing saddles for my power hammer dies: Still more work to do on them before I can heat treat and use them, but the will have to wait. Hammer in tomorrow, then family time. keep it fun, David

I looked up a bunch of volume calculations in the machinery handbook. The used those in an excel file I shared to my phone. Set them up to calculate the volume of cones, truncated cones, hex rod, octagon rod, spheres, hemispheres, etc. Then, solved the equations for length (or other dimensions) and enter those Calculations in the file. Now, on the fly, I can pick up my phone and calculate the length of a given bar for a give shape. Also put mass calculations in it, so I can figure up the weights of tools, hatchets and what ever else. The trick is understanding the limits of estimating scale loss and blocky sketches. Keep it fun, David

Shainarue, cold rolled has its benefits. Hot rolled is usually A36 structural grade steel. There is very little composition requirements, mainly just 36000psi yield strength and weldable (not subject to HAZ cracking, so shouldn’t be hardenable.) Some times it’s not real consistent and forges strange. Cold rolled is typically 1018. That has fairly strict material composition requirements. If I’ve got something I’m worried about the quality on I’ll use cold rolled. (That’s what I use for my tomahawk bodies.) On just about anything else, I don’t really worry about it. A36 is pretty consistent (unlike most rebar), but if it really matters, or if you’re worried about performance, it could help. (With my skill level, I’ll take what I can get!) Note, the work hardening and surface finish of cold rolled disappears as soon as you start forging… (1018 is used for cold rolled to reduce the load on the rolling mill and give more consistent yield strength from working hardening in the mill, but I’ve heard some mills are trying to use A36 as a cost cutting measure. We may need to be cautious in the future…) All, feel free to correct me if I’ve made any errors here. Also, open to other opinions and comments on A36 vs 1018! Keep it fun, David

JHCC, thanks for the link. Those have been on my list for a while. It’s a very long list and scrolling wrenches haven’t become a priority yet, seem like what my wife wants take priority! (Keeps her happy and gives me more time at the anvil! Works out pretty good!) Keep it fun, David

I don’t think I can in-see that now… I’m glad is not a negative image.

I sent the chisel down to Twistedwillow. It just didn’t feel right sending a much over due letter without a bit of extra weight… Keep it fun, David

I had a guest in the forge today as well: I worked with him closely in years past when he was on long term assignment from Japan. This time he’s only here for about three months, but was interested in trying out forging. He did pretty good. He started with a bottle opener which came out pretty good and is working on a leaf in this picture. For what he wanted to try, it was a pretty steep learning curve, but he did really well overall. Keep it fun, David

I’ve not worked ceramic fiberboard. Would it be possible to file teeth into the SS straw and use it as a hole saw? Maybe even lightly tighten the toothed straw in a cordless drill’s chuck to make it easier? I could be way off base, but I’m curious about this. Keep it fun, David

Sorry I didn’t get to doing a submission for this challenge. I have the exact opposite problem Billybones has, my project list is so long I rarely get any time to make something just for fun. (Ok, I find just about any time in the forge fun.) I should have made one as inventory for the last demo, but I had my list made up and sometimes I can’t think past that. (It’s probably just the engineering side showing itself in me…). Keep the challenges coming though! It’s great seeing others creativity, and it did have me thinking about lots of different ideas. Thanks all and great work! David

Or if you’re the poor guy who get to go up the ladder 1st, in orders to break the siege.

It makes sense that the horn is centered with the face. I believe the angled section is referred to as a breast and if I understand correctly was on the striker’s side. The breast reinforcing the edge for heavy blows. I could see it reducing cold shunts also. Joey Van der Steeg had a couple videos on them back before he pulled every off YouTube. (I’m glad he put some back up, but there was a lot of information I still miss…) Keep it fun, David

If my math is right, that’s only 170 in3. Too small for a 3/4” burner. I’m pretty sure that’s in the range of a 1/2” burner.

I wouldn’t want my stand fixed to the floor. I move it around all the time to suit the work I’m doing. (I find it much easier to reposition the anvil than to take a few extra steps every heat.) I also have two anvils setup in separate work stations. One is on a wood stump, the other a steel stand. I find little difference between the two. Both have issues that would be easily addressed if they were big enough to worry about. (Wood stand walks on me a bit. The bottom need flattened out or three pads carved. The steel stand is a bit loud, but I need to tighten the anvil down.) Honestly, anvils and stands often come down to personal preference, unless there are obvious flaws… Keep it fun, David

I’m planning on making a hatchet from forklift tine with a spring steel bit, but wasn’t sure how well they would weld up. So, tonight I figure I’d try it out with some cut offs and made a small slitting chisel with the same bit setup: Only a 1/2” shank with a narrow 7/8” blade. (The cut offs were fairly small) It looks like the weld took nicely: Now to sharpen it and get on to the actual projects… Keep it fun, David

If you worried about frost heaving the forge and damaging your hood, don’t mount the hood to the forge. I my stack is supported by heavy wall brackets and I suspended the hood from that with all-thread. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/67236-new-shop-build/?do=findComment&comment=742158 Keep it fun, David

JLP has made a couple videos on moving material directional. Hope they are helpful. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kw-MsKkxHA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lAP4IEXduUk Keep it fun, David

Thanks Les. I thought those handles looked familiar.

That’s funny. I was taught to Tig weld by some of the old die maintenance members here at work many years ago. (That’s been my main method quick prototype idea trials at work, when I couldn’t bring myself to wait for someone else to do something.) I’ve setup many robotic mig/mag welders and the new pulsed servo torch systems are awesome, but rarely did any hand mig welding. Now, I have a little flux core welder in the shop and it’s a bit of a love/hate relationship… I have never torch or stick welded, but would like to have that ability. Keep it fun, David

Nice hawks Les! Do you mind me asking you starting stock and bit material? Also, did you make the handles? (They look identical to the one I buy from Dunlap Wood Crafts.) Keep it fun, David