junker

Thanks... I'm gonna test it out and see how it works as soon as I can make some more charcoal... I'm gonna see how it does making tongs, seeing as I broke mine I need some anyways.

I was just thinking that this would make anything made out of wrought iron incredibly expensive... and being able to say that you made the wrought iron yourself would probably allow you to charge ALLOT more... not that I am anywhere near selling what I make, let alone letting most people see it lol :p

Is it possible for the average smith to make wrought iron in a backyard shop? And if so how?

ok so i finally got my press done... the stand is an old harbor freight press that i got a a scrap yard for 15 bucks... the top rack is a piece of I-beam with C channel welded to the side to make the slides' the bottom rack is a VERY large piece of C channel with 2 smaller pieces welded on to the front and back (this project really tested my welding skills... first time i've done anything other than just build up material) the dies are 2 blocks of 4140 welded to mild steel backings that fit in the slides i welded up to hold them. before and after pics (black top and bottom racks are the ones i made)

Let me narrow it down and see if that helps (no mystery metal) ok so I just got about 5 ibs of 4140... can some1 explain the processes for tempering (including quench please just so I know I have it right) a hammer and a knife... that way I get some information about to opposite ends of the spectrum... something that needs to be tough, and something that needs to be hard.

So I am really confused about the whole tempering thing... for example: what is the difference between running the colors with a torch and oven tempering... what is the process for torch... how do you know how long to leave in oven... should you leave to cool in the oven, or let cool at room temp... who, what, how, when, where, and why? Lol I am really confused by this whole process... so if some1 could explain it to me, or better yet if a smith in my area could show it to me... that would be great.

So I finished the top and bottom racks... the bottom rack is now twice the size and really strong... drove my dad's big diesel truck over it to test ... and instead of using square tube on the top rack like I was planning, I used a section of I-beam... much stronger... overall I'm happy with them... just gotta get ahold of a jack and it'll be done... I'll post before and after pics as soon as I get the jack.

Well if it's high carbon it's going into knives... if it's not it's going to become dies for my new press... as soon as I can imma heat it up and water quench it... if it shaters under a lite hammer blow ill know it's high carbon...(which I doubt)

Ok so both the top and bottom rack are going to be re-made, stronger... the bottom rack is bent and the top rack has that bent bar... plus the whole top rack is flimsy, in my opinion... I'm gonna make a new one with square instead of C channel... and that way I can attach the dies the way I was thinkin which simpler than messing with rods just 2 pieces of angle welded so that they make a channel to slide dies into... but thanks 4 the advice.

i was thinking a mechansim kinda like a lever... where when you push down on the lever it puls the spring up so when you let go the spring is wat is doing the work to pull the bar down thus turning the wheel so that the press, well, presses.

ok so i have to make some pretty good dies for it... because my dad has layed partial claim to it for his machine shop... so i need to make dies for smithing and for things like driving bearings any advice on die making?

they told me at the scrapyard that it had been there for over week... and it's heavy as all get out... so i assumed it had to be stainless because of the lock of rust after being in the elements for over a week

thanks... if anyone has any advice on dies it would be much apreciated... also debating putting an air ram on it... anybody done this? and were the results any good?

this lot followed me home from the scrap yard for less than $50:D, except for the forklift tong... that in itself was $30:p let's see i got -hand press -coil spring -rr spikes -chunk of carbon content unknown stainless -big steel box

its just a piece of drop or something... idk really what it was, it's a good 12 ibs... ill post a pic

so i just got this from the scrap yard today... needs anew bottle jack and i have to make some dies for it... but once i do it's up for buisness:D:D

So I just was given a bunch of rr spikes... any advice 4 making knives outta them?

So I just got about a 12pound piece of stainless... how do I tell what the carbon content is? Do I spark it like with normal steel? Advice would be helpfull.

Hey there... you should go to the user cp section and update your profile to show where your at... it really help when, well... getting help lol

thanks 4 the link... sadly i am stuck with the direct method do to the avaliability of materials... was wondering how to make this method more efficient.

maybe instead of attaching any kind of fancy self automation to it you could just attach a bar and run it down to a foot pedal... since you're moving your arm so little it shouldn't bother your foot to move that much at all... im not sure on the logistics of exactly how to do it, but hey, it's just an idea

im sorry, i know this post has nothing to do with this thread... but i was just very suprised about seeing that there even where any florida smiths. MRobb would you send me a private message' im going to be in tampa in about a week... wondering if a stop by would be welcome

So I use the standard 55gal drum with tube in bottom to make charcoal... problem is that from a full barrel of wood I get less than an eighth of a barrel of charcoal. I use pine, should I be using a differnet fuel for more charcoal? And is there anyone out there with a more efficient method... cause at this rate I'm gonna cut my whole woods to the ground in 5 years.

ok thanks for the advice... yesterday was my first trip to the scrap yard and i was completely awstruck.... so much steel... and all of it just 30 cents a pound. i was like a kid in a candy store... sadly they don't carry any railroad track or spikes... aparrently it is a felony to have either in your possesion... no matter how you get them

i am personally using a break rotor forge and it works fine for me... i perfer the rotor to the drum because the rotor has an area right there to tap on to start forge welds... and so what if it isn't exactly deep enough... i've found that what i lack in depth to make heat i can gain back by just adding more air :D