Jobtiel1

Billy, by overseas you mean coming from us? 

And I don't have ready access to pallets at the moment, come across some now and again but all of them are "euro pallets" which you can return to get some money. People aren't keen on giving those away.

George, that is a good idea, which I was also thinking of doing, however, i think there is some requirement to having such a number in the Netherlands, this summer I plan on making some things to sell, so that would mean I more than qualify for such a registration. 

Thanks all!  

~Jobtiel

Thanks for the jumpstart.

Concerning the bridge, the dove tail joint with rivets (or bolts, can't see it that well) is certainly something I've never seen done in iron yet. For thing like this I do have to take my skill level into account, so that definitely needs multiple tries before I get it where I want it.

~Jobtiel

LeeJustice, 

I have, and there is one nearby, however, it only sells to businesses unofrtunately.

That's about it for the area, not a lot of trees around here to be milled.

~Jobtiel

I have a church window anvil made in the late 18th century. And while I have rarely used the church windows, it's really useful when I do need them. especially the curves are nice to have for making shovels etc. If you don't have a swage block it's even more useful to have more versatility in your anvil.

In this video, Joey van der Steeg outlines some technical differences between functional church windows, and non-functional, like often seen on the Austrian anvils.

Thanks for the tip Thomas, the carpentry joints in iron is a nice idea.

unfortunately the library doesn't have the book available, so I'm going to have to look around. Since it's German, I can imagine supply being a bit higher here.

I thought so too, I don't know much about pricing for wood. I'm in no hurry to buy so let's continue to look.

Thanks Thomas!

~Jobtiel

I have a question regarding pricing for wood for handles, i have the opportunity to buy 70 cm (27.5 inches) long and 40cm (16.7 inches) in diamter Ash logs for 40 euros (48 dollars). 

Do you think this is worth it for good, straight grained wood for handles? this is an advert on a craigslist type site.

thanks for your replies.

~Jobtiel1

Nice, looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

~Jobtiel

Thomas, how are the hooks looking you were working on?

I tried making a half moon leather knife from a piece of old hand saw blade today. Bottom line, 6mm mild is not really suitable to make handle pins from. so I'll continue that once I get a hold of some softer material.

Tomorrow and wednesday I got exams, so after that I'll try my hand at making a draw knife, carpenter's hammer, a top butcher, and if time allows, a wood chisel. finally got time do do things again then .

~Jobtiel

Frosty, that would indeed be a nice twist, My father's business was called "Timmermansbedrijf Tieleman" which means carpentry business Tieleman. would be a nice twist to keep that naming alive. He merged with other single person businesses and doesn't use his own business anymore. Maybe something like "Ijzertimmer Tieleman" would be nice, as that could be translated to Iron hammerer Tieleman. 

Thanks for the tip, and it will indeed make people think.

I was wondering what the nips where for, but if they are power hammer tongs they might be there to prevent the tongs from being hit by the power hammer and cause injury to the operator. the nip would catch on the bottom die.

Hi, great looking anvil! looks like it has stood the test of time quite well. I'm no expert, but I believe these types are quite old, and maybe the maker will be lost to time forever.

Using earlier suggestions, I've now used two hockey stick handles to make 6 handles for top tools.

Also I've gotten small maple logs that I plan to use for hammer and axe handles. I do plan to forge a claw hammer for my dad's birthday, and a handmade handle would totally complete that build.

Also, our local muncipality often lets people cut down trees that they want gone to use as firewood or whatever, I don't know how that works in America, but i might be worthwhile to ask around if people know they're doing that too.

Reading this thread got me thinking about a name, even though I have nothing to sell yet, but I do plan on starting that this summer. What came up was very simply "Smederij Tieleman" which translates to "Smithy Tieleman" or "Tieleman Forge" with Tieleman being my surname. maybe I'll keep thinking about a name a while longer. However, Tieleman is synonymous with craft work around here, especially carpentry, my family been doing carpentry for generations.

I am however excited to make one of those hanging shop signs, I will be moving in about a month and a half an plan on making a fancy shop sign in the new shop.

They cut trees down around my boy scouts clubhouse, the municipality wanted more visibility around the area. A lot of maple and some oak. Took two big pieces of maple with me to make handles from.

Still thinking if I should bring some oak too. It's too hard for the children to comfortably process to firewood anyway.

JHCC, that always happens with new equipment, the first few times after I got my leg vise restored I forgot to use it too. Was quite interesting to drift a top tool eye on the edge of the anvil.

If you would have a well fitting base, maybe welded mild tightly around the base, that would at least eliminate sideways wobble while still being able to take the anvil out and flip it. Or is this not the case?

Something like this:

This is from Roy of Christ Centered Ironworks.

I got some books from the library delivered today.

As well as some dutch books, the first one you might know, as it's translated from english, the second one is a reference book for blacksmiths, looked through it and already saw a lot of pictures of ornamental gates and other such ironwork.

As a beginner I've liked "the backyard blacksmith* better, like Thomas said. However, once you have a better understanding of what you're doing, maybe like a year of blacksmithing, Alex Bealer's book describes how to make a lot of items, the actual instructions are nearly non-existent, and he just describes how it's done in a concise way.

Great looking tool! 

I have a church window anvil, I started with it strapped down, but I can't count the times I flipped it on it's side to use the church window as a swage or fuller now since I unstrapped it on the block. The little amount of wiggle while forging normally is more than worth it.

Sindoc, sorry to hear you're suffering from stones. May you get back to health soon!

So today I forged a top fuller, using the eye punch I finished up yesterday.

It works well enough, but the slug teared in the middle instead of the sides when punching the eye, was this my mistake of leaving too little mass for the slug? Or should I grind the eye punch to have a less sharp point or forge it smaller like the previous ones I had, which all worked fine?

nevertheless, here is the picture, I don't like the striking end, so maybe I'll throw it back in the forge and tidy it up. It works great!

JHCC, Thanks! I'm really starting to feel the improvement during forging compared to when I started. 

I thought so, I have used the first punch to make the second, so that'll be it's first and last time being used. I thought of just making a new one too, as the second one cost me maybe 1.5 hours of forging. and the thicker punch might be useful when working thicker stock. my concerns are that it'll leave too thick a hole for 27 mm (1.06 inch) hex stock, which is what I make all my top tools from.

Next up is a top fuller!

Snapped a picture of the handled eye punch I made on monday.

After hardening I noticed a crack in the punch, after tempering and grinding it was too deep to grind out. I wanted top tools for use with a striker, but I don't think a cracked tool is safe to use. Can I still use it for solo use?

Nevertheless, I finished a second one. Now the punch is perpendicular to the handle, as I initially intended the first one to be. I might have made the punch too thick, but I'm testing it out soon so I'll see if I need to forge it thinner.

~Jobtiel