bluerooster

That's what I'm counting on. mabe 1.5-2 gallons? Oh, and one more thing. Ordered new glasses today. Trivex lenses, with IR protection. Came out cheaper than the same thing cost me back in 2006. At the same place. :D

Yes, Gas tank.

Too cold and windy to fool around at the forge. So, I set about the task of fabricating a larger gas tank for the air compressor at work. The existing tank may hold a litre if you're lucky. I had a "mini keg" in the shop holds 1.32 gallons. So I got the idea to make a gas tank of it. and fabricate a bracket of aluminum. I still need to make the straps to hold it in place, and add anti chafe material.

I have a cistern, that is filled by runoff from the roof, and supplemented by a spring. I use that water exclusively for everything. And have been doing so since 1996. No other water supply available. I guess I could risk the $$$ and sink a well. But my luck I'd end up with a dry hole for $10k. My neighbor ended up with a dry hole. They told the driller to keep going. At 800' they finally hit some water. Only 35gpm.

Yeah, I'll give it another go. Not really wanting to break out the welder, (it's about 150 yards from the forge) but if need be I will. There is a video on YT where a guy tested several brands of adjustable wrenches. the results are astounding.

Jennifer is right. This fire poker thing is great practice. I'd never thought of it until the challenge. But you get practice in several things; drawing, welding, (2 kinds of weld), tapering, twisting, and scrolling. Oh, and cutting too. I wish I had a camera that would record video, and not shut off after 29 minutes. So far I've made 4 of these things, and gotten a bit quicker with each one.

We have Coyotes, Copperheads, Black widows, Brown recluse, Scorpions, several species of rattle snake, cotton mouth, water moccasin, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, Night shade, and various other things that'll get ya. But no worries. It's perfectly safe around here. it keeps the city folk at bay. :D Went to make a head and neck for the dragon project. Got the head well under way. Went to open his mouth, and split his face off. I guess the weld didn't take as I'd expected.

Do something else 'till it cools, then reach down and grab it.

That is one heavy duty flue pipe! should last a very long time. I spent a few hours roughing in the dragon body and tail, then made a leg and foot. But now that I look at it, I think the appendage is a bit off scale. The head for him is another one of those "hippo" heads, and I don't like it. I'll try another technique for a more fierce looking head and neck.

Now that you mention it.... "Doh!" :)

All I felt was "bump". And nothing else. I guess it killed the nerve endings as well. Happened just that fast.

'Round here it's the folks that move out here from the big city, and try to make it like the big city. Same folks that move in next to an airport, then try to get the airport shut down.

I can stand at the forge, cranking the blower, and reach everything except the vise.

I guess the first one would pass for a dragon, The next is more like a cat, And who knows what the third one is.

I managed to make a clinker. And also an old style "church key". It works on both ends. :D Also started a dragon project. Got his head made, and started on the body. Decided I needed to upset so I can make his fat little tummy. Then I had a brainstorm, (got struck by lightening). Instead of upset, why not just add to the section that will become the fat part of his body. (wish I'd just upset) Anyway, I had a piece of 2"x1/4" stock, I channeled it to fit the 3/4" bar, got both parts fluxed, and tied together, then set about the task of bringing to welding heat. (without burning up the thinner material.) I took it real slow, moving it back and forth. (it's about a 5" or 6" section) The "sweet spot" of the fire is about 3" around, directly above the tyure. So to heat the whole 5"-6" I had to keep moving it back and forth. I guess I could have banked it up, and made it bigger, but it was getting late in the day by that time. I just couldn't get the whole section up to heat all at once, so I took it in halves. I guess the stars and planets were all aligned just right, because the weld set on the first go. (that seldom happens for me) After a few more heats to finalize the weld, I called it quits. I'll start drawing and shaping tomorrow. And get a couple of pics, as well.

Today I learned that just because it floats in the slack tub, doesn't mean it's good coke for a welding fire. And also when brushing hot steel, and the brush catches it, flips it up, and a sharp corner cuts your pinky, it also cauterizes it, so it doesn't bleed.

Mabe, one day when I get rich enough to afford one.

Got the firepot welded up and installed. Now I gotta get it out to the smithy, and fire it. I ran the air inlet at a slight downward angle because I'd had trouble in the past with hot coke falling through the grate, and getting in the mouth of the inlet. It caused the tyure to glow red with air. I figure the only thing allowed to get red in my forge is the fire, and the steel I'm working.

The "might as wells"; you know, when you start a project, and once started, while your there you "might as well" go ahead and.... Well my forge table was getting in rough shape, it's just sheet metal salvaged from an old water heater tank. So I asked around, and got a piece of sheet stock, 5/16" thick. It was free, so that's what I used for the table. Well, there was enough left over to make a new fire pot as well. It's quite a bit thicker than my old fire pot, which was 3/16" thick. I didn't really need a new fire pot, but while I was there ...... I decided to keep the size of 8"x 8"x 4" deep. But changed the slope of the sides, by changing the bottom from 4.5" square, to 3.5" square, (it came out closer to 3") with a 2.5" tyure. This will be my third fire pot. First 3 pics are the new table, with fire pot bits cut, and ready to weld up, top done, and tyure. Next pic #4 is my first ever firepot for coal, then last pic #5 is the second fire pot.

Last week I asked a welder on the job if he could come up with a piece of steel plate to replace the top on my forge table. Today he handed me a piece of 2'x3'x5/16". No charge. I got home with it, and had enough for the table, and a new fire pot. :D The old fire pot is just fine, but only 3/16" thick, and the sides don't slope as much as I would like.

Never, never, ever, use a dull knife. If your knife hasn't been honed to a scalpel sharpness, sharpen it before you use it. A knife is harder to control the less sharp it is. Lack of control, causes slippage, slippage causes cuts, and stabs. Same with wood chisels. They should be sharp enough to shave cross grain with ease.

Went to the scrap yard today. Looking for some heavy sheet stock for my forge table top. Saw a homebrew power hammer of sorts, and picked up some square stock. About 40 pounds worth for $9. Mostly 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4" square. and a couple of 5/16x1-1/2. Oh, guy there said he had a forge blower come in, in good shape. A guy snapped it up for "high dollar" price; $39.

Thomas take care of yourself,. Do you feel it "comming on", or is that something that just jumps up and bites you? I put forth a valiant effort at creating a video today. I got the forge lit, and everything ready, turned the camera on, and that's when it all went to pieces. Got the basket welded together. and the shaft scarfed. Both parts fluxed and in the fire. One leg of my blower gave way. Thus making it way more wobbly than usual. Camera had stopped recording, and shut down anyway. So I just took that opportunity to fabricate new legs for the old Champion. Got that done, and back working. The bucket under the ash dump was full to the point it was either dump it, or build side boards. I elected to dump it. Into the slack tub. I scooped out the floaty bits and put them in a container for future use. (I figure coke floats, so might as well salvage what I can) All that done, I decided to pick up where I left off. Started the camera again, and finished the project. Camera quit before I could get to the handle. I need to get faster, or get a better camera. Or both 1 hour of video, and didn't get the finish of the handle.

I didn't think folks still used shapers. I thought milling machines had replaced them.

Jennifer... Thanx for the "flowers". It means a lot coming from you. I did another today, time was hour and fifteen min. All I had was 3/16" for the basket. I may try another, and film it. That way someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong with the basket twist.