Justin Topp

HP500 wow that forge is perfect thanks! I’m assuming you can forge weld in it based on the low pressure and how hot it is. Is that a bouncy castle blower? I bought a orange one and I have yet to use it for anything because it is way too strong for my coal forge. 

Thanks irondragon! 

5 hours ago, Mikey98118 said:

Have you looked at the ribbon burner thread? That is the place to ask questions about ribbon burners.

I’m going to use a ribbonburnet I was looking for other ways 

I’m looking to eventually build a propane forge to go along with my coal forge and I’m looking to make it as efficient as possible. I’m looking to be able to forge weld if I need to but mostly normal forging. Unless there is something better I plan on a forced air ribbon burner 

Some Things I want to know is best shape, insulation, ect  

any and all tips are appreciated. 

-Justin 

Thanks all! 

Sorry for the late reply. I say it’s wrought because it was my step dads great grandpa who used it for whatever last and it’s really old. Sat in the basement for 80+ years I believe. And there’s no casting marks and it’s soft like wrought iron. I’ve heard some it looks like a stamp mill shoe also. A bucking bar seems very possible. Beveled on both sides so a punch is possible too. It seems rather odd for a dolly but it’s possible. Thanks 

-Justin 

1 hour ago, jlpservicesinc said:

.  Better investment would have been in Wall street.

Maybe but it wouldn’t be as fun of an investment

I’m jealous of all that gear 

Very cool!

Can anyone ID this? My step dad gave me this. It was his great grandfathers. We think it’s some kind of hand anvil used at the vise. 5.75 lbs. any help is appreciated. made of wrought iron. 

Very cool anvil JLP. Is that a swage block in the background?

-Damian

thanks! It’s served me well so far  much better than the rr track I used to use  

-Thomas 

Thanks for the info 

-Justin 

Thought I’d post my anvil here. It’s a Henry Wright anvil 149 lbs I got a while back for $475 so not great price but considering most this size go for 600-800 I think I did good. It’s been a great anvil so far. Are Henry Wright anvils uncommon? I hardly see any.  Anyone here got one?

I have a rack on my anvil or I throw the rest in a blue plywood box that I have 

i dont have a picture with the hammers as the focus currently and I’m away from home but here you can see them. 

I plan on building a dedicated rack because I need somewhere to put my extra hammers besides in a box 

Toolart - 

i am positive it is Indian chief because it has that stamped on the outside face  

So I needed a striking hammer and I wanted a straight peen because that’s my all time favorite hammer style. I started out with a 10 lb iron city splitting maul and cut the end off and ground it to shape. It’s final weight is 9 lbs 1 oz. it has a hickory handle I bought and sanded the varnish off and cut to 25” not counting the part with the head on it. Not the best striking hammer but better than my 6 lb sledge I had before. And it was cheap. The handle was 12$ and the head was 2.50$ with a bunch of other rakes from an auction. Can’t wait to test it out 

1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

Sure that was originally a splitting maul? I'd think it would have been more likely to be a 10# straight peen sledge.

I have an iron city pickaxe I picked up at the scrapyard out here.

It’s a splitting maul. I finished the conversation I’m going to post over on hand hammers 

I immediately went rummaging and found some assorted axes and sledge hammers but nothing else too remarkable. The axes work good though 

Thanks IDF&C

Nice find! Speaking of iron city I bought an old splitting maul to be made into a straight peen hammer that was the same brand  

anyone got an info on iron city I can’t seem to find anything good about them 

1 hour ago, Old Crew said:

. Looks good i guess one of your next projects will making a spring for it.

David,

Yup. Shed treasure is best treasure   Oops this was when I was testing the stand. The print is fine I just forgot to install it in this picture. It was laying off to the side off camera haha. And thanks!

thanks Irondragon

-Justin 

I’ve been looking for a leg vise for a while and I found one in the shed after owning the house for two years. Never knew about it. Indian chief 70 lbs 5-1/4” jaws. It was just chilling in the back so I built a stand from it. 

First thing I used it for was some twist Damascus. Worked wonderfully 

Crew

I like the drift! I’ve always thought a oval was superior to square I’m not sure why a rectangle would be bad. Might have to make up a drift like that 

Thanks Les 

ive also been taught hit twice and rotate. But I usually do the first few hits alternating between sides, one hit then flip. Until I have a good hole then I do the 2 hits. Charcoal powder is important to keep the punch from sticking 

17 minutes ago, Goods said:

 Just make sure it has good radii at the corners.

Yup it’s got rounded corners 

19 minutes ago, Goods said:

 It’s easier for me the fit the handle if I can just plane a rectangular tapper on the handle, then just round the corners.

I didn’t even think of that. I had extra handles so I used them.  My current drift has a hair line crack down the length so I need to make a new one anyhow 

-Justin 

Thanks Chris!

-Justin

I’m new here so go easy  My very first forged hammer was a soft hammer made from 1-1/4” square a36. I made it because using my hot cut if I miss I fill the hot cut but with this the hammer takes most of the damage. Also for punches and stuff so I’m not hitting hard steel on hard steel.  It is about 1.5 lbs. my drift isn’t great I made it and it’s square shaped hole more than oval. My second hammer I’ve forged is a 2.2 lb straight peen from a digging bar that’s between 1070-1080 from my research. It was around 1-3/8” round stock. I’ve used it primarily for about two months and it works great. Things could be better but it works well. I just made a pair of hammer tongs so I don’t need to struggle with holding the stock anymore while forging. I’m going to forge a new drift from a truck axel and make a spring fuller. I also need to make a better punch. My current is an old 5/8” handled punch I put a point on because it was cracked. What do you think?