canada goose

Im sorry thank you

My forge project is based on a 20# propane bottle. Lined with ceramic wool 2x1 in layers but with a space in the inner layer at the bottom for an extra thick layer of kastolite . Then I   Installed the burners so they aim at a tangent to the sides so as to get the swirl of gas which is reccomended. But now (duh) the flame face is further up the side where the kastolite is not as thick . Does it seem reasonable to place a 3/8 thick kiln shelf in the  forge such that it becomes the flame face?

Tie rod or sway bar from a truck would be a good choice for log tongs .Pretty obtainable  at scrap yards .Meant to take shock loads .

I dont see the x or castellation on the thermal dynamic tips that are called drag tips.

they look like this [commercial link removed]

I dont know enough about this to be cofident of what to get.can any

 owners of thermal dynamic machines help?

I acquired a thermal dynamics SL 40plasma cutter . In looking to buy some replacement tips I find two kinds .Standoff and drag tips . I dont understand the difference. They dont really look any different in the pictures .Can the drag tips really be dragged on the work piece? I have been trying very hard not to contact the work while using the cutter . But if you can get tips that can drag why would you use anything else?

Yves ,this was given to me by a friend who had a small collection of iron work he gathered in his travels . I will ask him if he has more details. I thought it was probably hearth related but the shape is so deliberate and detailed I I thought it would be a very specific purpose . Were all the points and shaping just whimsical /esthetics.? When I say “just“ I mean no practical purpose. When I look up servante its meaning is “ hand maid “ so I assume its a kind of nickname for this tool. Would warming shelf be the english term ?

I am a blacksmith so I must know what it is ! But I do not .Some of you might though . It is from Europe ( Netherlands or Italy)  What is it.?

Yep , thought I knew what a scythe anvil looked like . Different techniques obviously.Not entirely sure I understand the toggle .will watch some of the vids .Cheers Thomas

Whats the toggle for ? Are scythe anvils very flat on top ?

Does anyone know what this is ? Some kind of stake tool but appears like it had some very specific purpose with the toggle added.

I think the real challenge is to get " life" into botanical forms . Getting just the right twist or bend can make a lot of difference . 

Here are are some I did  a while ago, laser cut for me then used in  project .Looking at them now I see that I might have put a little more in to forming them to look more alive . Sheet was just under 1/8" 

Well! Damascus ! Thats not in my playbook  yet. But its a great idea .

Judson, you're right thats a great place to start. I was hoping to see some further developments and refinements perhaps . And some brilliant new ideas !

Does anyone have any nifty tooling ideas they would like to share ? 

Double posting 5 hrs apart will not get replies faster

Thanks for the comments !

Thanks for your input . 

Any and all comments apreciated including preference between two

Here it is running full tilt . Of corse after using it some I realize that that is not the way it will get used most of the time .Im learning to feather the clutch  

Its a great feeling ! Thats why I am on here bragging  Here are some pics .Ill try ang get video up soon.

I tried posting a video but it seemed to take forever to load so I scrapped that.

I will take some photos today

I finished building a tire hammer , using the Clay Spencer plans , a few weeks ago . Have  put enough time in using it to declare it a success . The plans ,which I followed as close as I could, were excelllent . Very concise , but containg all the info needed . I was lucky to have access to a good horizontal band saw which made getting out the parts ,precisely, much easier. I'm pretty pleased with this design .

Raymond Head was a good source of more uncommon parts needed such as the spring . His email is em.forge@ gmail.com . 

Happy to answer questions.

I made this guy as a bit of wall art and to solve the "wheres the dang opener" problem

interesting to hear swede fiddle say " mild steel also works"  Can you tell us some actual experience ? Am I worrying too much about getting perfectly heat treated dies for my new hammer?

thanks for all that !