MacLeod

Hope you're all well, and happy new year! I hurt my back at the end of the year and haven't been swinging a hammer, I'm ready now. The acid test was digging a neighbours car out of the snow today. You can't just jump back onto this page after a while, without going through what you missed. I learned a lot. Bridge Anvil! that would be so useful to me, beautiful Barn Door Latch, and that Boot Jack. I'm parking my current projects to attempt a boot jack this weekend! Most of the population of this island only wear wellington boots from October to March so might be a great addition to what I put in the local shop. For myself, I'm thinking one on a spring or counterweight against the wall in porch because I'll be the first to leave it out and a stub a toe on it. I got reading glasses last year so was saying to the kids they weren't as useful anymore, with a Boot Jack as well, I can tell them to leave. Sorry for quoting MJ, I also use a propane tank but have to replace it often as I keep using it as handy sheet stock. I had to deal with a wee bit of ice this winter but nothing that whatever I was cooling couldn't break through. You fellas have it proper cold over there. I visited BC last year and I have to say it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, I hardly blinked for a week. Sorry for droning on......

Hey Billy, that’s got me thinking too. A challenge for that quiet time in between Christmas and New Year I reckon.

Love the bearing snowman Das, looks great. I really like outdoor sconces you made Billy, hoping to make something similar for holding a light outside my work shop. It’s pitch dark here at 5pm now, this time of year you really notice where you need lights. I won’t bore you with photos of more fireside sets or wacky lamps.

They are great pictures. Thank you for sharing. Definitely on my ‘to see’ list now.

Ah, gutted to hear this. I never met him but I benefited a lot from his kind advice and enjoyed his humour. Strength and love to his family and friends. I lost my sister a few weeks ago, at her memorial a friend explained grief as ‘love that has nowhere to go.’ I took some comfort from that.

Thanks Guys! And thanks Shaina for that tip. I put it into a shop in Stornoway (The principle town on the island I live on) where I sell fireside sets and just got told it’s sold. Couldn’t have come at a better time either. I’ve said it before though, if it wasn’t for ifi and everyone here’s constant advice and encouragement I’d probably have given up the first time I burned my fingers.

Daswulf hope you’re well. There’s loads of advice and opinions given already so I’m not going to add to any confusion. Whenever I have time to watch a movie I spend more time choosing one than watching one.

Hope you're all well. Not done as much forging recently due to sad news in the family. Someone told me about anglerfish lamps so I tried one, used up all the offcuts of propane tanks from making gas forges. Then trawled the internet to look at millions of better ones, still churning out fireside sets most of the time. Very nice hammer Hefty and a very nice penny scroll John. I find that if you get the start perfectly square everything else falls into place.

Great to see ifi folk working together in the real world That axe looks brilliant.

I like everything in this picture including the camels, great lines and balance. These callipers man, very nice. You’ll find them when you get back from the hardware store. Story of my life.

Lol- no problem Lary

Thank you, if you get round to doing it and have any head scratching moments give me a shout. It spins well on a single ball bearing. Hope you’re well George. Great idea, worth making another for that, the customer wants this one all painted though.

looking great all, that knife looks very professional goods, Chad looks like handy tool that spring fuller, I’m reading up on hardy tool forging. None of the ones I own actually fit in my slanted hardy hole, all used in the vice. (After a common sense comment by Frosty) Great sign bracket, I’ll be watching the wind tomorrow when I attach this weather vane to a fence post to test it out.

I have an anvil, I love it and will never get another. But that's beautiful. Billy that's nice. I hide my hammering on my fire sets with twists, and I've never attempted I think yours shows great forging skills, so clean. That poker tip what's the process? Forge welding?

Good score Billy. Hope you’re all well. I started a job I got asked to do last year. The fella that asked me to make it wanted me to use old fashioned twisted rebar he had reclaimed from a job. It was messy taking tar and concrete off them but I’m enjoying this one. Only other steel used so far is the upright which is coil spring. This part will be set in a bracket with a grub screw. A Scotland flag and arrow will be on pipe with if I can do it, a wee thistle finial. A ball bearing will be in the pipe. Can anyone spot any potential gotchas? IMG_1466.MOV