pnut

I don't really worry about it in general use. I use gloves and try not to get any liquid BLO on my skin. I think the real danger would be if you put a piece coated in BLO back in the forge and heated it enough to vaporize the heavy metals. Pnut

Is it your first London pattern anvil? Good score. Pnut

If it's the Persimmon Tree Forge that I'm thinking of it's across the river from Louisville on the Indiana side in a little town called Floyd's Knob. Pnut

We call people like that "post turtles" as in a turtle sitting on top of a fence post where I'm from. You have no idea how they got up there but you know they didn't do it by themselves. Pnut

I've been thoroughly impressed with The Skills of a Blacksmith by Mark Aspery. I'm about to buy Vol. II Pnut

I'm sure someone just starting out or who only has a rail anvil would be grateful to get it. Pnut

Lots of details on carriage work too. Pnut

I missed the original post but I'm glad it worked out. My Mom had a similar situation. It was a great relief when we found out there was something that could be done. I'm sure you and your family are greatly relieved. I'm in a much better mood all of a sudden. I love hearing good news even if it's not mine. Pnut

Keep in mind the historical period it was written. Wrought Iron was the primary material then so if you read something and think, "That just doesn't sound right, I'll pull a sparkler out of the forge if I did it that way.", that's probably why. Good book though for sure. My local library has a copy. I'm the only person who's checked it out in years. It was one of the first three books I found along with Alex Bealers book and The New Edge of the Anvil. Pnut

I'm going to give my cheap drill press it's maiden run drilling some 5/16ths holes this weekend on a 3/8ths in thick set of tong blanks I've had sitting around forever. I usually just punch them but this seems like a good way to get acquainted with the drill press. This is all dependent upon the vise showing up before then. Pnut

Is the rebound really that bad? I mean if it's just a little better than cast iron you could always sell it at cost to someone just starting out. Pnut

This thread has been inactive for five years but I'm sure someone will be along to help you. I have a needle valve at the burner and a ball valve between the regulator and tank. I just used gas rated Teflon tape for the screw together fittings. I don't recall the exact sizes but they were standard propane tank fittings. To keep the hose farther away from the forge I used some 1/4in stock to hold the hose away. Pnut

Have you seen the footage of the guy making an oxy lance from bacon and cutting through a baking sheet? It was on a PBS documentary, Unlocking The Elements was the title iirc. Pnut

The people around here want to use old wagon parts for yard decorations which makes a cheapskate like myself have to pass them up. There's no real scrapyards around though just recycling centers and auto salvage yards. The one huge scrapyard located next to Newport Steel went to a single buyer contract so I haven't been farther than their scales in probably ten years. Pnut

Loggerhead with extra scale please Pnut

That always worries me when looking at old anvils that look perfect on the face. Pnut

Pictures and a single audio recording is the only way I know what my pops looked or sounded like. He died when I was two. He left me a bike, a fly rod, the sidearm he carried in Korea, and his last name. Pnut

You're lucky. Around here for "antiques" they want more than the cost of new equipment. Pnut

Hahaha, nope that was my Dad. Pork chop sideburns, royal crown hair dressing, and pegged and cuffed Levi's. He even carried his Kools in his sleeve. I wish I still had a picture of him. He was exactly what you think of if you picture a 1950's biker. I still have his panhead. It's been wrecked for the last four years though. I probably won't ever ride it again but I can't bring myself to get rid of it. Pnut

You might want to pull the pipe back flush with the bricks or you'll burn it off pretty quickly. They'll eventually melt but they're consumables so just replace them. I use them sometimes and they work just fine. Pnut

Very nice. I wish I had the patience to fully restore old rusty things. I get them in serviceable condition and use them. I'm about to go over my post vise again today with a wire wheel and BLO. It's gotten a little rusty in the back of the SUV. I want to get it oiled up before the condensation gets it any more rusty. Pnut

I was stuck in the hospital for almost three weeks with a MRSA infection in my arm. I have a shooter marble sized hunk of meat missing now on my forearm. I became septic. I nearly died. Pnut

I've been SLOWLY increasing the radius on the edges of my anvil for about a year now. I'll take a little off and use it for a few months then remove a little more. I'm getting close to where I want it I think. Remember you can always take more off. Putting material back is not as easy. Pnut

Sorry to hear that Steve, my thoughts are with you and your family. Pnut

The ones I could find locally were at Walmart and TSC so definitely of dubious quality. Grinding one to make a center punch definitely crossed my mind but I didn't want to buy a punch to modify. The Allen wrench that I turned into a punch is holding up pretty well. I kept it cool while grinding and didn't re heat treat it. Just ground the working end and chamfered the struck end. I had to return a cheap drill press not too long ago because the quill and spindle were misaligned and there was no way to adjust it. The second one was okay though. Pnut