bluerooster

Yes, small fire for small stock, and large fire for large stock. But, with coal it's possible to have a small fire, with a large pile of coal. But how much of that coal is actually used depends on how you tend the fire.

Nothing better to do today. made a couple punches, and a watering can.

That, sir, is just bad to the bone! I want one. :)

I too am a noob. But what I've found thus far is this: Charcoal doesn't need much air, as compared to coal. The consensus here is Anthricite is not the best fuel to use. But there are some folks that use it. What Glenn said about the hairdryer is true. Or you can put a Tee in the pipe to act as a wastegate to dump excess air. I drilled several holes in my air pipe to dump air, and use aluminum duct tape to regulate the amount of air dumped overboard. As to the hammer, you can dig up a cross peen, of about 2 pounds, or a ball peen. Or both. You might also want a lighter hammer, mabe 16oz. A decent anvil to start with could be a 10 pound sledge hammer head, set on end in a stump at a comfortable height. Anvil does not have to be a new fancy english pattern, It can be just about anything having substantial mass, and a somewhat flat surface. Scrap yards are a good source for all kinds of goodies. Yes more fuel in the fire. I believe that about 4" of fuel below the work is good. +1 on starting small. A good project for getting the steel to move the way you want it to, would be to start with mabe 1/2" square stock. And heat it and shape it from square to octagon, to round. In the process, you'll learn just how hot it needs to be to move easily, and when to stop hammering, and re-heat. After round, mabe draw a taper to a point. I don't know, Like I said, I'm a noob as well. But that's what I have done. Also read, there are many books on the subject, and videos on Y-tube. (some need to be taken with a grain of salt) One last thing, If you can find a smith in your area, mabe hook up, and let him/her teach you some basics. There are others on here with way more experience than I have, and mabe they will chime in with better advice. I've learned a lot from the folks here on this forum. Have fun, be safe, and remember; "If you bang on cold steel, th' devil will get you".

While low prices are good for those of us scrounging scrap yards for materiel to work with. The low prices are also bad for those of us scrounging around looking for material to work with. Because, no-one is hauling anything in, because the price is low. When the price was ~$3/hundred, or more, there was all manner of neat stuff to be had. Now, the yard has been picked clean, and nothing left but some huge industrial machinery, and a few crushed Yugos, or equivilant. A few months ago, I picked up a 250+ pound "anvil" for $40.It became my 108 pound anvil, with plenty left over for other stuff. But now, it's all sheet metal, and brake parts. All the short heavy stuff is missing.

Spent the morning Filing the latest blade. I've got to learn to leave a little more meat in the center for the spine on a dagger. Got it filed to shape, and hardened. Then tempered, and started the tedious part of working it on the stone to get it sharp, and remove any file marks. I found that dycem is your friend when filing, and trying to keep the spine centered. Later I fired up the forge to fabricate the other half of tongs that I'd started last week. Got a ways on it, after trying a little welding practice. Well, in the middle of it, Th' Ol' Lady comes out with an "emergency". It seems that a frog had gotten tangled in the leaf netting over the swimmin' pond. So, I turn off the blower, bank the fire, and go rescue the frog. Then I got back to it. Just about ready to punch the rivet hole and I was told it was time to go get the car at the tire store. So, ta heck with it, put th' fire out, and just quit for the day. :(

Where I come from, sucker rod is from water wells, and "polish rod" is from oil wells. Polish rod is highly polished, and case hardened. We used it for head ache racks, and whatnot. Fencing was made from sucker rod.

What about a bucket of concrete, and leather strap hanging on the horn?

Buy a hide, and make your own apron, and spats. One hide contains enough leather to make a couple of aprons, and several spats, with plenty left over for the lacing, and ties. As to gloves, I use a left welding glove. (I'm right handed) that glove is used for many things. I've never had a problem with it failing to come off with a shake of my hand. It is quite heat resistant, and I've been known to use it in tending the fire from time to time. I keep a pair of them by the fireplace in the house as well. I can put the hot burning logs right where I want them using my hands. Oh sure they can , and will, get hot from time to time. But the idea is to use the "hot potato effect" to your advantage. You know; grab a hot potato, you'll burn your hand. Well, That depends on how long you hold the potato. With the welding glove, you can hold the potato longer. Not talking about the thin Kid TIG glove. But a good heavy welding glove.

My attempt at a leaf. And I burned the stem off it.

Finally had the opportunity to fire up the forge today. Managed to burn the cobwebs off of it. Got back to the tongs that I'd started a long time ago. I had the bits forged, and had started drawing the reins when one of the bits broke. No pressure, no stress, just the vibration of drawing out the reins. That was the bit that I had twisted the jaws in the wrong direction, then twisted back. I figured it was internal stress. The other half, on the other hand, turned out nice enough. So, today I set about drawing the rein on that half, and making a new bit for the other half. I got the one rein drawn to about 3/8" and about 8" long. I decided to quit there, and weld on an extension. The other half, I got forged, and punched, nearly identical to it's mate. Then set about drawing the rein on it. I don't know what it is about it, or the way that I went about it. But as I was hammering the bit just fell off. The first half, I held the bit and drew the rein. The half that broke, I held the rein, and was drawing it thinner. From about 3/4" to about 3/8". Both halves are made from the same stock. an old lug wrench. I did quench the bit in the slack tub as I'd heated it along with the area that I wanted to upset. But that was very early on in the process, before i'd even started shaping the bit, or boss. I just wanted a bit more "meat" for the boss. I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. Oh, and I lowered my anvil about 3". It made a world of difference. Not sure if good, or bad, but different anyway. I'll know more as I use it in that location.

Nice hinges. I had big plans for today. But my back decided that i was to remain on the porch (literally) all day. Was supposed to take my granddaughter for her first airplane ride. Then fix the car so it would pass emission test and get a tag, then mow the yard, and then fire up the forge. But didn't happen. :(

Nice work ya'll. I like the octopus, may have to give that a go soon. Good lookin' door pulls, and hammers too. I've been too busy with work to get at the forge, but mabe this comming weekend. (I hope)

While not the best anvil, it's most likely better than one from HF. Thomas, My uncle also worked for NASA. He designed and built the ulage motors for the Saturn V.

I've done nothing at the forge. Been working, too much, and have too many other projects going on. But I'll get back to it ASAP.

Thomas, That's not a bad name. Back in my early days folks on the job would call me "lightening" (never strikes twice in the same place). had I been a second later, I would have had a hold on the steel in the forge when it was hit.

After doing all my Monday morning running around, I took the rest of the day to work at the forge. Threw a match to it at about 10:30, and by 11:30 I had half the jaws for a set of tongs to hold flat stock. Forged from an old lug wrench. Grabbed the second lug wrench, and set about the task of making the other half. It was a bit smaller diameter than the first, so I had to upset some to get to the same size. Then made the jaw, and when complete, held it up with the other, and had one of those "you big dummy" moments. I'd twisted it the wrong direction. Instead of starting over, I re-heated, and twisted the other direction, It looked ok, so I set it aside while I forged out a punch to make the rivet holes. Got the punch fabricated, and set it aside to cool. Adjusted the fire, and put the first half in the forge to heat up for punching. With the blower off, I set about screening some coal dust for punch lube. Turned the blower on low, and was ready to punch in a minnit or two. Got the hole punched, and sized, then put the two halves together to mark location for hole on the half yet to be punched. Put the latter in the fire, punched, and sized the hole, then put both back in the forge to draw out the reins, before assembly. Got them good and hot, shut off the blower, pulled one out and started drawing, at dull red, it went back, blower on low, and the other came out for drawing, and that's how it went until the one that I'd re-twisted, had it's business end pop off, right where it was twisted. I've a good idea what happened, but too disgusted to even take a pic of the mess. So I set them both aside. and decided to try some welding. I have an old timing chain that would make a nice pattern welded billet. What prompted me to do this I've no clue, but I fastened it to an old file. Got it all wired together, good and tight. Got it nice and warm, sprinkled it with borax, and brought it up to welding temp. Rather than try to heat, and weld the whole 10 inches at once, I did about 4". Ya know? There are gaps in a timing chain that don't get welded. Also, the file didn't seem to like the high temp. The chain didn't mind it at all. I guess the file should have been annealed first. It just cracked, and acted a fool. The chain, on the otherhand seemed to behave it's self. So I determined that the file had become a sacraficial hard plate to keep the chain from flopping around. Got about 6" of chain welded, then the wheels came off. I managed to make a mess of that as well. But didn't waste the whole chain, so I'll try again at a later date. So, by now rain had started, and a thunder storm was going. I decided to use the rest of the coke in the forge to finish up a leaf bottle opener. Got the leaf shaped, veins done, just need to draw out the stem a bit more then cut and scroll. I set about the task of drawing out the stem, and had just pulled it from the fire when BOOM a bright flash, and pop, and boom all at the same time. Lightening hit the flue from the forge. needless to say, I was a little shaken at that point. Well, after calming down, I put it back in the fire, (it had cooled to black by that time), and turned on the blower, and nuttin' . The GFCI had tripped, I re-set it, and turned the blower on low. It came on High!, no low. I opened up the wastegate, and turned to check the time. It was 2:30. When I turned back, Oh No! sparks from the forge. I grabbed the handle, and pulled back a sparking nub. As luck would have it, I'd re-sized the fire, and was only heating the stem, which I'd burned off that quickly. I fished the leaf out, and shut down the forge for the day. After all that all I have to show is a burned up leaf. Oh well, a bad day at the hobby forge beats a good day at work.

The question in the OP is why I can't get anything done. I spend so much time making a tool to do the job, that the job seems to take forever. But, then again, I end up with a tool to make things easier later down the road.

Yes, I bought that hammer 30 years ago, and have used it daily for about 23 of those years. I can make sheet metal dance and sing with that hammer. And many other places where you don't want sparks, or don't want to bung up threads, or.....

GolFisHunt- I did skimp on the liner. But My other pond has done well for many years with the same liner. Main thing is to use a good thick underlayment, I used old carpet, and carpet pad. Had free from a floorcovering place. And protect from UV. I expect it to take forever for it to clear up after the bog introduced all it's sediment. Also, I found that anywhere Firestone EPDM "burns dirt" , or contacts pressure treated lumber, it will develop pinholes.

Reading Poe, I would hazard to guess, he has a bit of a twist to him, as do I. My favorite is The Cask Of Amontillado, Many times (in the past) I'd thought about that, But I've actually become friends with my exs' new hubby. (poor guy) And his name is actually Fortunado. :)

The one in my basement door is counterweighted. The ones on the shop doors are spring loaded, with a chain pull to un lock them.

Caution, full of pictures, may be slow to load. What did I do in the shop today? Not a doggone thing. Th' Ol' Lady has had me on a project for over a month now. Today I told her that tomorrow morning, as soon as it's light enough to see. I'll be at the forge, and don't want to be disturbed. I've not been at the forge for over a month now, there's cobwebs in the fire pot, my hammers and tongs are all joined with webs. Rust has started on the anvil. All because of a "wild hair" project. (but I have to admit, once completed, it will be nice to have)

Nice looking hammer head. Yes 13 oz is a bit light for a framing hammer, But for me 28 oz is too heavy. Mine is 16 oz, and works better for me than a 28 oz does for most folks. And it adds less weight that I have to carry.

Well I don't know about "cherished" hammers, but here are the ones that get used regularly over others that I have. I swing this one all day , every day. I've had it for over 20 years, and it's due for a new handle, but it's kinda like an old friend. It will drive a 16 penny nail with 3 licks, one to start, and two to drive it home. And left to right, is my favorite cross peen, along with my favorite soft hammer, and the head is a 5lb bronze that I also like, but the handle gave out and I need to replace it. The one on the right is the 8 pound that I use to drive stakes, and straighten frames.