Chris C

Now THAT's an axe, Jennifer! Really nice.

Rotary wire brush on a r-angle grinder.

I really feel for you, Frosty. That's one of the most difficult decisions a person can have to make. I've been there and done that so many times with intimate pets as well as many (too many to count) Llamas I've had to put down that I can really relate. Go heal, relive those good years, cry until you can't cry any more..........it won't be over soon.

I'm reading his book right now, Thomas, so I absolutely "get" what you are saying.

You might want to send him a PM. He hasn't posted in this thread in almost 4 years..............though he's still checking in on the forum.

Nice looking grinder, ironwoolf. Haven't used them yet, but a good friend recommended I buy Aluminum Oxide belts fromTru-Grit to get started. They are inexpensive and he claims they last a long time..............especially for the cost. I know from experience that Nortan Blaze belts are excellent...........but they need to pressed into hard to be effective. For most people, heavy stock removal doesn't allow for accurate/efficient grinding. I noticed that myself because by not really pressing hard on the Blaze belts, they tend to glaze over, which pretty much messes them up and negates their initial expense. I'm supposed to get my new grinder from the supplier tomorrow and it'll be a while until I can get it up and running, but I'll try and review the belts I bought for it..........................though I respect the opinion of my friend concerning them.

Well, I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to unbox it and immediately start using it. I've got to get everything wired up first and do some fabrication. I acquired a motor control that had no case. So I'm waiting on a box from Amazon. Then I'll have to figure out how to mount it in the box and keep the control dust-tight..............mount it to a stand...........get it all wired properly and into my motor. Then I have to design and build a proper dedicated tilting bench for the grinder. So even when I get the grinder, it might be weeks before I get it all up and running. Yes, I have belts. My buddy, David Mooneyham, put me on to a company he buys belts from and made some suggestions. So I built a wall rack that holds eight different grits of belts. I'm short on funds, so I bought 1 each of the eight grits I wanted. If I ever get that Chinese Virus stimulus check the gooberment promised, I'll buy some more. But as I've mentioned previously, I'm in no rush. I'd rather do it right and be finished than rush things and screw'em up!

Thanks. I'll try that tomorrow.

Indeed. It's been sitting on a shelf for 21 years. When I took it off the machine it was on, it was running just fine with no problems. I just needed a single phase 220v motor in it's place. So I'm "hoping" it'll just stretch it's legs and run fine. Needless to say, I'll need to try it before I actually mount it to the grinder IFC.

Received a "Label printed today" notice. So the new grinder is officially finished and (hopefully) headed my way in a day or so. Excited. I've got the motor wired and waiting. Shaft is mighty hard to turn, but there's no scraping or noise or anything. Haven't plugged it in yet because I'm waiting on the sander.

Nice!!!

When I first came to this site, it was recommended I build a JABOD. I resisted because I remembered a serious allergic reaction to my Uncle Bob's coal forge. So I've spent a bunch of money on a gas forge. (more than I'd like to admit) Don't get me wrong, I'm tickled to death with my "gasser", but I could have been forging a whole lot sooner for a whole lot less cash outlay if I'd taken the JABOD suggestions/route. And what irritates me the most is I stopped by a forging demonstration by our local club at the Country Fair last year and the burning coal didn't bother me even a little bit...........................and after leaving I realized I was getting a lung full from the three forges burning. Must have been something else that set off my allergy reaction that day. Oh well...........my loss. So my plan is to learn how to forge in the gasser and then build a coal forge someday. I like the nostalgia of the coal forge as well as the ability to heat just a localized portion of a long rod or bar.

"flushable wipes"...................oh yeah! The people who owned the house before us had two small children. The septic pump man said he'd never seen so many wipes in a septic tank before. Said the anti-bacterial chemicals in those wipes kills the good bacteria in the tank...........which one wants, of course. I just sent an e-mail to the local permit people asking for a Tank & Lateral Line Locate. I'm supposed to get an answer in about an hour..........................of course that's if they are even at work! IFC, a buddy of mine down the road told me he'd put in a gray water system when he built his house. Told me he did it because laundry soaps destroyed the bacteria in a septic tank. Don't know if he was right or not, but as much washing water as we send down the line, I wish we had a separate system for it. We use liquid fabric softeners like Thomas was saying were harmful. Oh well, city boy is learning lots.

Nothing exciting about my weekend "in the shop" because I never got there. Went out Friday morning to start the forge and smelled sewage! We are on a septic tank and there was a "puddle" in the pasture behind our yard. I've lived here for 21 years now and being a "city boy" never really gave much thought to where the tank and lateral lines were. Flush the toilet, wash the clothes, brush your teeth and the water just "goes somewhere". Any way I dug up the puddle thinking that was where the tank was.....................but nope, it was just one of the lateral lines. Started poking all over the place and digging holes only to find more lateral lines. Septic pumping service arrived Saturday to find the tank. Found it and dug it up and pumped what he could, but it was a real chore to get down 4 of the 6 feet the tank holds. He couldn't break it up. So I've got to get it cleaned out so he can come back and pump the balance of the sludge out of my tank. Oh and a neighbor friend says I have to find the ends of all my lateral lines and open them up to flush the sand out that is clogging them..........then seal them back up. So I'm trying to locate diagrams at the City offices so I can figure out where all the lines and junction boxes are. Fun times "in the shop", for sure.

You don't see the prop, IFC? Been a snake you'd been snake-bit.

Here's how I mounted my forge. The cart was from Harbor Freight. (you haven't put your location in your information, so I don't know what part of the world you live in and whether you have HF stores or not) The black stand between the forge body and the HF cart was cobbled together from existing metal. I widened the stance of the cart with 2x6 material because Frosty thought it looked too "tippy". The opening of the forge is presently at shoulder level. I'm just getting started in blacksmithing and haven't used the forge enough to say if it's too high or not. (some have told me it is..........I'm not so sure at this point) Here's what it looks like all put together and ready to forge in. Don't know if this helps or not, but it's what I have to offer. Please put all of your location information in your profile. You might find out you have someone in your general location who can come help you directly.

Looks good to me. Making a draw knife was on my list of things I've wanted to do WAY before I even thought about blacksmithing. Too many irons in too many fires, but it's still on my list.

I've got a horse and a half motor that has been sitting in the corner of one of my dusty buildings for the past 20 years. It's on an old electric power washer. Pulled it out today to see if it worked. It runs for about 10 seconds and then kicks the breaker. (20amp) I've blown the dust out of the motor to see if that helped and it didn't. I'm not using an extension cord, just the original cord on the power washer. I disconnected the shaft from the pressure pump portion to see if that might be causing the problem and it wasn't. I've greased the pump and it turns by hand. Motor turns easily. Starts just fine so it's not the started capacitor. Any thoughts from you motor gurus?????

I just saw this thread, CGL. CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!! "Plumb Proud" of you!

I like the pattern. Split it like a Taco and put some high carbon steel inside and make a purdy knife.

Just tryin' ta find a positive solution to the problem.

No problem. No reason it couldn't be for an 8/3rds hole!

Hey, good for you. Happy times, for sure, Pnut.

"Happy days are here again!" Congratulations.

What a great Father!!!!! Congratulations!