billp

OK
Now I was looking for an answer to the question of how big of a blower do I need but still not sure if I have found it reading all your specs. I know, I know and yes a box of rocks and a bag of hammers may be smarter, BUT?

I have a fire pot 6" at the bottom 8" at the top with a 2" depth, home made, my blower will be about (including the 90 degree turn) 6" to 8" from the bottom of the fire pot.
OK, now I'm looking at 2 blowers; one has 60 cfm, .42 amp, 3,030 rpm, 1/25 hp. The other 148 cfm, 1.37 amp, 3160 rpm and 1/25 hp. both have adjustable air inlets, which is the better choose? There is only about $8.00 difference in the price but the smaller one has a round discharge while the other square. So for me the round is easier to rig up to the forge but I still want the best for the job not the easiest.

OR, to make matters worse are either of these blowers right or do I need something smaller or bigger?
See I am very new and know very little but slowly and surly I'm getting better.
If not asking to much Help!
Bil P

Now you see Frosty, I wasn't going to say anything cause at some point or time I'll do the same thing but, I understood what you meant Sweany.

Bill P

SEE I told you I was learning

I didn't know or thing about all you said but in my ignorance I would come more near doing the wrong thing instead of right, BUT! Somehow just dropping it in seemed more right then wrong.
On what you told me I'll also see to it that I leave enough space open in the table so the pot can expand and not make it to fit. After all don't want a fire pot popping out full of red hot coal or in my case charcoal.
Thanks Dodge

Bill P

Will after all the great advice and very numerous opinions I have decided the leather is off BUT!! After looking at Uri Hofi's style and grip I'm starting to think about redoing the handles on some of my generic hardware store hammers. As I find like my baseball bat I tend to choke up on the handle. Hofi's grip really does make since as, like I have stated before, with age and less use in the past I have lost hand strength. But with the Hofi grip I find it easier and helpful as I rebuild strength.
So thanks again for all the input.
Bill P

Gee Locky
Mine compared to yours mine is going to look like the country cousin, will post a picture when I finish it. I'm also building a new table to go with it the new fire pot it will be somewhat bigger then the tire rim forge I have now.

Now I making this pot to just drop in and am not welding it in to make replacing easier when the time comes should be OK like that right?
Still debating on whither or not to double up on the thickness. For all the time it takes I may just leave it be for now as Ramsberg said I can always make another and put the extra metal on making the table a bit bigger.

Bill P

John got back to me by email and they are out of 175's so now I'm back to square one.
Oh well

Yes more information and or instruction please.
Bill P

OK I came back to this sight cause this is where I started.
BUT, I'm having trouble getting in touch with Blacksmith Supply in trying to order a Euro anvil. I have emailed and called leaving several messages. I know they are still doing business cause I ordered a hammer from them and it's on it's way to me now. If I can't get in touch with them by tomorrow I'm going to have to order from someone else buying something else. Trouble is I don't know of anyone else selling Euros and I'm sold and want one.

So, If anyone can explain why I can't get in touch (family trouble, business trouble, etc.) I can understand but if not will!!!! Then if anyone knows of someone else selling Euros please let me know that too. I do want to use Blacksmith Supply cause they are the ones I first found the anvil on. But I can't do business if no one contacts me. HELP!!

Also if I'm wrong in putting this up I apologize just not sure who or what too do at this point to be fair.

Bill P

Your right my next investment after my anvil (if I can get them to respond to my request) will be an O/A rig. I was able to work out my "Hole" problem out this time but your right it would solve a lot of problems to be able to cut it out with a torch. And yes there are several shops around me (no smiths that I know of) with in 10 miles or less I could go to for a little help, but. I'm just one of those guys that hate to ask for help grew up an only child and just learned to work things out on my own.
So far everything is working out at a half finished stage just had to take a break. I know it may not be the pretties thing but I bet it will work. (I hope)
Bill P

Thanks guys
I'll check out all the information you gave me and give it a whirl. By the way the 2'x3' piece I mentioned is diamond plate just didn't know what to call it.
Thanks again
Bill P

Has anyone ever tried to make a really nice fire pot? Not the type of thing like I did with a tire rim or brake drum but more like the ones you buy?

Will I have gotten this really crazy idea on trying to make one and build a new forge to go with it. What I'm looking at is about 6" square at the bottom 8" at the top and 2" deep with a 1" rim or lip. Now I have two types of metal I can use one is several pieces of 2' x 6" and 3/16" thick which has destroyed 3 drill bits with 5 attempts and only 2 holes completed. Then the other is a plate about 3' x 2' about 1/4" thick. Now this leaves me with question of should I double the pieces for the pot or not, just how thick should the pot be?
Now I know it will require a lot of cutting that I will use a hand grinder with a cutting disk for this job. For the welding I will use a stick welder which is small and will take some time for this task. Which leaves me with only one final problem of drilling a 2" hole for the air blower/ash dump. Now I can't do this so I may take it to a shop I know of and see if I can get them to cut the hole, who knows.

Anyway I looked around and didn't see anyone putting anything up on doing this. So I was not sure if I'm the only one crazy enough to try, or just less trouble and a better product just to but one. Now I have already made a pattern out of paper to get all the angles down and such and feel pretty jazzed up on trying. I just want to know if it has been done and with what type of success. Which I know it has to have been done as I have seen to many folks making to many other things.
Let me know what you think.

Bill P


If I wasn't so new I wouldn't ask so many questions.

Alwin you make good sense something I never though of I'll try the looser grip which may be the answer to all my problems with fatigue in my hands. I'll try the oil as well jimbob if nothing else it may help with my fingers splitting open from dryness.

As for Aurthur that's just a nick name for arthritis. When I was working in the medical field we would come up with little names like that for different things. Sometimes not realizing everyone understands what we're saying but then again sometimes that was the idea too.
I just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about who or what Aurthur is.

Gotya Pault17

Bill P

Has anyone ever tried wrapping the handle of your hammers with leather to help improve your grip.
I find as I have gotten older and have done a little less work with my hands I have lost some of my hand strength. Now that I have taken up blacksmithing I do fair and hope to get stronger as I do more but my friend Aurthur who now lives in my hands and most joints does not help much ether. So, I though of wrapping leather on the handles of my hammers to help me and make the handles a bit more gripible (if that is a word) and help keep the movement of the hammer in my hand down as much.
Just curious if anyone has ever done this before and if it helped or just cause more problems?
Any thoughts?
Bill P.

Just to add my two cents worth as I have been looking to get my first anvil as well. I would tend to save up a bit more money and go for the better anvils all the others have talked of. As for Harbor Freight Tools it's been my experience that even though you might get a good one every now and then I look at all there tools as throw away tools. Something you get till you can afford a better one as they have never held up for me no matter what I have gotten. But I still buy things from them from time to time so there not bad just badly made.
As for the anvils I have seen them in the past and even then not know what I do now I realized they would not hold up for long. Right now I use a railroad rail about 6" long and it does a so, so job as the slight curve does give me a little trouble. But it will do till I get my first anvil which I hope will only be a matter of a week or two. I have the RR Rail mounted to a plate used to hold the rail to the cross tie and the holes for the spikes work well for a hardie hole. There are pictures in my gallery if you want to take a peek. So hope this helps.
Bill P

Thanks guys the Euro anvil it is.
First because of the strong comments and advice you all gave then secondly cause it just looks so darn good. Nice heft, thick body, and from the pictures looks to have 1 hardie and 2 pritchels. May have to start with a wood stand though, have a good design of one made from 2x12's I'll try first. Later on as I get the material will definitely build the tripod you mentioned Firebug as it does look more substantial then the wood. But I think I'm going to have to go with the 175 lb.anvil for the ease of being able to move around. If I had the smity I'm planning to build in the future I would go with the 286 lb. instead. But cause I have to move it on a regular basses to work and store smaller will have to do. I'm sure though as time goes by and my plain develops I'll get the bigger and use both as I'm starting to learn a lot of blacksmiths do. Plus right now most of my work will be small ornamental type stuff pickle forks, candle holders, fire pit utensils that sort of stuff so the smaller should not hurt, I hope. Only big thing plained right now will be a candle chandelier my wife wants for the patio. Which will be the bargaining chip with her for me to get the anvil. See I have learned a thing or two even if this is my second time around.

So thanks again it really does help to get the opinions of those who have been ahead of me to help make the road a little easier.
Bill P

I have to agree as well, I'm just getting started but nothing excites me more then working with the metal. I'm close to 56, all my major joints are bad from arthritis, on top of having problems with my left hand thumb joint deteriorating away, thanks to 24 years loading and unloading trucks and hard work. But in all it's not enough to stop me from grabbing a hammer and beating iron. Even my wife is getting irritated at me for doing less and less around the house and spending more time in the shop. May be as close to any type of addiction drugs or other wise I will ever come. All I need do now is get good enough to make a little off my work to justify to the outside world I'm doing something worth while. When we all know it's just the sound of the hammer and the feel of the heat that makes it all worth while to us.

Now that's about as philosophical as I get.
Bill P

Jayco
I must say as an EMT-IV working for over 15 years on an advances life support ambulance in Tenn. this is the first time I have had someone raise that question. As Steve said we have used a magnet on a hospice situation under doctors orders to stop a pacemaker/defibrillator when a patient was passing on. So all I could add is this, being in the area or welding yourself you may not feel any effect to your pacemaker BUT, you could disable it without knowing it. Which would mean when you did need it, it might not be working and to late to fix it then. When you have a demand pacer (as it sounds like you do) it does only work when needed by pacing or by shock what ever the need laying dormant the rest of the time, which I'm sure you already know. But if it worked all the time you might feel a skip or change to your rhythm letting you know something is a miss.
All in all I'm just casting my vote to go with caution and stay away from anything that might, no matter how slight, cause you harm.
Best safe then sorry
Bill P

OK hears the comments of a newbie.
Now I'm still old school and stick weld and always use gloves when doing that. On the other hand the main book I'm using as a guide I was advised to use a glove on my holding hand. I started out without but heat and sparks from my charcoal fire helped change my mind. BUT, I did find when needing to turn and manipulate the piece I'm holding the glove is a disadvantage. I found some cheap welding leather gloves at $5.00 a pair and after a slight brake in time don't do to bad. Not sure if I would stick weld with them but working the forge do fine to a point. As my skills develop I may change my mind though I do like to be able to feel the piece I'm working on, again to a point.
Bill P

OK one last question and I leave you all alone on this but, what are the advantages or disadvantages of a double horn anvil? I have never seen one or don't remember seeing one but it seems all the old world German style anvils are double. Seems to me you lose some room on the face but that's why I ask. I have learned though the more bulk at the bottom the better if that's so have changed my mind on my #1 choice and am now looking at the Euranvils. Good price, old world style with my limited knowledge looks good just a double horn style, let me know.

Thomas
The Ozark School looks good just not sure if I can get up that way this weekend. They have several things I would like to look at, will just have to see. Thanks for the info.

Bill P

I understand about bigger is better but right now my smithy has to be kind of portable as it may be a year or two before I can build a simple pole shop. My wood shop has a wood conventional floor due to a slanting yard so I have to move things in to store and out to work. If it was not for that I would make the needed changes and use it as a smithy/shop.
I just though at a 100 to 150 (maybe 180) range would work for now as I'm not looking to do anything really big for a while as I learn and work on my skills keeping it small and simple. Plus as my skills get better I was hoping to start doing reenactments, school demonstrations, and that sort of thing just to promote and keep alive blacksmithing in my little area. So doing this sort of thing I will be doing small and quick items when doing demonstrations. I know you understand you all have been doing this a lot longer then I.

I was just curious if the brands mentioned were reliable or not. I have been looking more at a JHM 160lb Shaper anvil that has a long face 17 1/4 x 4 1/4 at 878.00 to 709.55 the promo clams it to work great for blacksmithing. Then again I know most of these anvils are sold for farriers so again not sure if it will meet my needs.
I also understand about used and have no problem with that but I best use the money in hand now cause it may not be here later on if I wait.
I thank you all for your input it really helps and I do appreciated it.
Bill P

That will work for me I know where Somerville is been through it several times and no problem coming to pick it up. Just let me know when I'm in no rush and how much in amount of coal, money, and what I'll need to carry it tub, box, or trailer (I drive an old Jeep Cherokee) and I'll be there.

If you don't mind me asking where do you go to get your coal? I just ordered a bag to hold me over till you go get yours and the shipping is murder. So I don't mind making a over night trip with the wife as we love trips and would be a good reason for one.

Thanks Big John
Bill P

I look to come in to a little money so I'll thinking of getting an anvil but just not sure which one. I know I'm just starting out but I like things to last and don't want junk so I'm willing to pay if worth it. So here is what I'm looking at;
Cliff Carroll 125lb around 500.00
Peddinghaus 110lb double horn at 1000.00
TFS 100lb around 600.00
JHM Journeyman 125 lb for 580.00.
To tell the truth the JHM or TFS look good but don't know anything about.
As before any help will be appreciated.
Thanks Bill P.

OK some have asked for pictures here are a few of what I have made. My forge, make do anvil and stand, tongs and so on. I also have one with my new blower I installed today and MAN it so beat out that hair dryer but you have to start somewhere. Oh, by the way the handles on my anvil stand I made those as well. Hope this is not to much.
BP

Thanks for the info at some point in time I'll put it to use.
I have been working with wood most of my life but just finished my first real wood shop this year. Now I'll really have a reason to put it to use, will also have to build a blacksmith shop now as well. (wood floor in the wood shop)
Thanks again folks
Bill P.

Thanks folks
I do appreciate all who wrote, but to you Frosty my smile did kind of fade as my second set of tongs did not quite work out. I was trying to fit them for round stock but didn't quite work out like my instructions said. I have my own idea though and will try it out tomorrow. I also have some new equipment coming as well, a Centaur 2 lb. straight pein hammer as well as a Peddinghaus 2000g double face sledge. Thought about a Nordic 2lb or Diamond 2.25lb rounding hammer but they will have to wait. I also have a set of 5/16 Peddinghaus Wolfs jaws tongs coming as well a new Dayton 115v. blower I found for around $40.00. So I'll be busy installing and trying out new things tomorrow as well as fixing some others.
Again Frosty you and all you other Alaskan folks best keep safe and stay frosty. That's a little far for a Tennessee boy to make a rescue trip but, if need be!!!!!!!! :cool:
Again thanks all

Oh! I almost forgot, can anyone give me an idea own how coal you may use keeping a fire going most all day. I know about charcoal but not coal just trying to figure cost.

Bill P.