bluerooster

I made my own RPC. It's easy enough. just need a 3 phase motor of equal or greater hp than the equipment.

There is a blind mortise and tenon joint that requires no external hardware and is permanent. It's mostly used in wood work, but I see no reason it can't work here as well. at least for one handle. The mortise is tapered, with bottom of the hole being wider than the top. The tenon is split, and a wedge started in the split, Then the tenon is driven into the mortise, the wedge bottoms out, and expands the tenon to fit tightly. I've done this several times, and there's no non destructive way to take it apart. Actually, it's more like a blind dovetail.

I would think that there are some instances where corrosion resistance in re-bar is called for. Thus requiring a specific alloy containing cr, or some such.

Until recently I had a hairdryer for a blower, with several holes in the air pipe, to act as a wategate. It would get to welding heat pretty quickly when turned on high. I now have a deeper fire pot, and a hand crank blower. I need to re-learn my fire tending due to the deeper pot, but the hand crank will get to welding heat pretty quickly as well.

Just regular run of the mill hose clamps from the parts store seem to work ok. Even at welding heat. They only need to hold until the weld is set, Same with baling wire. Here they are being used for a pattern welded billet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFw40WOP3s8 I cannot attest to whether her technique, or procedure is right, wrong, indifferent, or otherwise, but the clamps seem to do well.

There's a lady on YT that uses hose clamps. Seems to work for her.

Fooled around in the shop, and at the forge. Got a couple of things accomplished. #1 got the new tongs together, and used them. Still need some adjustment of the bits but work well. #2, made another bottle opener from yet another head bolt. #3 made a slitter to use for #5. #4 made a punch, and #5 decided to try my hand at a wall mounted bottle opener. Similar to what you find on a Coke box, hence the need for a slitter. Oh, and made some clinker too.

Yes, hearing, and eye protection, should go without being said. Another thought is chaps, usually long enough to offer shoe top protection as well. Here in the U.S. they are available in kid sizes.

I typically buy "cheap" tools, but top quality tools at pawn shops. I figure when buying a tool new, you get what you pay for. if there are none available at the pawn shop, I get the best I can afford new.

My first functional tongs were made quite simply from a piece of 1/2" round stock, about 3' long. Heated and bent around a 2" round pipe, until the "reins" crossed. At that cross, I heated, and hammered together some, poked a hole, then cut the jaws apart. Flattened the hinge boss some, rivited together, and shaped the jaws. They work well for both square, and round stock, up to about 5/8".

I made this "hot cut" before I knew anything about hot cuts. It's a chunk of draglink from my pickup. It's soft enough to not mar the hammer if I should hit one too many times. If it gets dulled, it's easy enough to fix with a few licks from a file. I've cut leaf spring, up to 1 1/4" round, and square stock, both HC, and mild. As long as the steel is hot, it will cut.

I believe it may be a Swedish. But I don't know. I didn't get the chance to get by there today, or I'd post a pic or two. It's a very nice anvil, not used too badly. Unlike others I've found in the same price range. I ran accross an HB for $1000: And an unknown for $500: That's usually what I find.

I think it's a cute little anvil. :D

I played around at the forge for a while, and came up with a bottle opener made from a head bolt from a Mercedes ML320. I'll give it to a friend of mine who is into Mercedes, and bottled beer. Then roughed out bolt tongs. Still need some tweaking, and finishing. And one big honkin' clinker.

While not in a wheelchair, this guy is in a sitting position, and also has a video as to how he set up his shop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npn8yOFyY0Y

With no pics. (Didn't have a way to take pics) But a very nice anvil, mabe about 150 pounds (just eyeball). has 5 point star stamped into it, and double pritchel. Asking price is a bit rich for me, but it sure is a nice looking anvil. There are other markings; "Made in xxxx" but that's about it. I may have to go back tomorrow and get a pic or two, and check rebound (if they'll let me). It's in an antique/junk shop where they sell RR spikes for $2 each.

We had a hen that pretty much lived in the house. She'd go to the door and raise cain until someone let her out. Then she'd raise a ruckus to be let in. She made a nest in a pile of clothes in the kids bedroom, set, and hatched about 14 peepers. After a day or two, she carried her biddies out, and never came back in.

Ya'll are doing some fine work there. I didn't do anything today. cold, and windy. I can handle the cold, but the wind seems to drive right through me. Time to put up a wall or two around the forge.

Went to the scrap yard today. Picked up a couple shafts, a piece of flat bar, and some HC steel.

Call your race car buddy. have him bring his portable scale, and engine hoist, set the anvil on the scale.

old lug wrench.

I didn't have yesterday, but I do now. And everything worked very well today. I do like the old Champion blower.

Learned a few things today. First, don't just willy nilly dump the ash can. I dumped mine in the slack tub, and salvaged all that floated. Came up with enough coke for todays forging session. :D Started out as checking to see why I had the problem that I had on Monday. Ended up playing with a lug wrench. Cut the end off with the hot cut, then drew it out square, and tried my hand with a twist. That was an interesting ordeal. I don't have a vise at the forge. So I came up with a plan. I took my punch plate, and a welding clamp, clamped the plate tp the heel of the anvil, allowing an inch or so to hang over the edge. Then clamped the hot steel to that with visegrips. And proceeded to twist it. Worked well. Drew out the end round, and put a curl to it. Then wondered if I could twist in the opposite direction without disturbing the first twist. So, I did. Cool!! It came out good. Then I decided to cut it off at a point that was still round and upset it. Got it cut easy enough, but now how to hold it for the upset. (I need different tongs, More tong making in the future) I used large vise grips, Mole locks for the folks in the UK. Got the end upset, and started flattening it out. Once flat I figured I'd punch a hole in it, drift it out, and turn it into a bottle opener. Well the holdfast didn't, and the hole came out off center. Add to that, my largest drift is really too small for the hole needed. If my anvil had a horn I'd just work it out on the horn. But it doesn't. No worries though, I've got a bickern!! :D So I worked it out as best I could over the bickern, and it's still a bit wonkey, but it works just fine. Not a bad day at all for a "free fire" in the forge. (salvaged coke) Then, after all was done, I set about putting out the fire. In the fire I found an interesting chunk of "clinker". Apparently there was a chunk of leaf spring on the back of the table, and it got drug into the firepot when I raked the fuel in at some point. I've no clue how long it was in there, but I thought it strange at one point that the hot spot was a bit off center. Anyway, another thing, I had been cranking the air to it to get the steel hot a quickly as I could, and at one point I unintentially got it to welding heat. (evidence by little sparklers coming off when it hit the air after I pulled it from the forge) I guess I was managing the fire ok, because the spring never burned.

Or my son, who can destroy an anvil with a toothpick.

AHH, Nod your head, and they hit it. Now we know.... I don't know If I could handle a chunk of RR iron with, or without, minions.