AndrewOC

I too have limited experience with bellows, but can say there is a rhythm to their efficient operation.  Probably why they are so addictive!

A.

oh yeah!

Thats allroight!  We are finalising the 22nd ofJune as another for the year...

I lose track of when Will needs stuff in for Solid Wrought.

stay tuned.

A.

Good day, despite pouring rain, we can set up inside. 

Had about 20 turn up.

Photos to come when my camera people email me.

Might have another in June and September.

regs,

Andrew.

Hi  All,

 Aussies in particular,

The Traditional Tool Group are having a blacksmithing day at Rozelle again; this Sunday the 16th of March (2014).

Drop by if you can, we usually show a group of beginners some forging basics.

see; http://www.tttg.org.au/php/tttg_Page.php?n=04

for details.

regs,

AndrewOC

Do ya need crew for the Massey?

I have had an offer to be a Napoleonic smith, dunno how good the gear is...

help me decide!

A.

'why taper square?'

Think of a sausage / stick/ bar of clay or plasticine. 

You want it to be a smaller size.

If you squash, turn, squash, turn... (which is 'rolling it' while forging) you are in effect twisting it.

By doing the CORRECT, Square - Octogan - Round, steps you are 'boxing-in' the material on the outside while allowing the length to grow= smaller cross section size. 

Hope that helps,

A.

Ok, sorted photos;

our set-up.

some of our practice pieces the week before (bit rough I admit).

    Some of our fellow exhibitiors!

And the last one for our American friends, a Dodge/ Fargo truck (1934, I believe).  Got any of these around your place?  A mate may be interested in parts! 

Next gig is Grafton day then Ironfest.

See you about the traps,

A.

You know me, I made lots of friends!

Dave made snakes (two to order for visitors). Doc made split crosses (which found a buyer- father wanted to prove his religious-osity to his mum!) I faffed about uncoiling spring, started a hold-fast, hammer wedges, helping the guys... so I didn't sell nuthin.

Was very warm (34 degrees C) but we had the best site being in shade of trees all day, in a breeze.

photos were boring,

A.

Ah yes, I have looked at the forecast: 34/37 degreesC.

see ya next time,

A

G'day.

Just a note to mention a couple of mates and I will be attending the Highlands Steam & Vintage fair this Saturday. 

It is held just outside Oberon, NSW.

We shall be mucking about with Jim's furnace, makin something...

Come say hello, if you are nearby.

see; http://www.highlandssteam.org.au/

regs,

AndrewOC

As usual, excellent stuff Jim!

A 'when-I-get-around-to-it' is a bottom plate with hardie hole sizes of my anvils'.

cheers,

A.

Yeah, isn't there some kind of quarantine?  Like border fruit inspection, only for coal.

(image search 'wa sa border quarantine')

hee hee

a.

Those lugs are an identifying feature for 'spotting' BK anvils, I can't remember seeing a Fisher in Australia (though surely there are some). 

I tell the story of how much quieter the ringing a BK makes when you bolt it down to timbers using just those two holes.  I my case, this anvil went from being never used because of the noise, to quite acceptable.

Jim has mentioned what others have noticed; about the soft hard-face.  Abused ones (in schools I have seen) could have 1/4" of 'mushroom' along the edges!  Speaking of the edges, they appear to have been made new as a real sharp 90 degrees- instant cutting edge!

regs,

AndrewOC

and this... (digitised newspaper research); http://trove.nla.gov.au/list?id=27219

April and March 1949 have prices mentioned.

A.

Well spotted, a wok it is.  I fished them out of a skip full of food-hall renovation stuff.  Come to think of it all the forge , except blowers, are from skip-gleaning.

I agree Vaughn, the next fire will be in damp coal fines to make coke and bring height up.

thanks for looking,

Andrew.

Hi everyone.

Made a forge this week, it is for a hand-crank 'Rapid' blower that I was given 17 years ago; finally got the bits and pieces together!

See if you can recognise the forge pan.

The other one is for a mate who helped

and just to prove it blows enough air.

Just have to line forge and paint.  Also an extra foot under the blower, for stability, they are heavy.

cheers,

AndrewOC

"google is your friend"

see; http://www.dawntools.com.au/

They have a company history at http://www.dawntools.com.au/about_dawn.php

I have had a brief search in the 'Trove' digital newspaper website for more history; no luck yet.

enjoy,

AndrewOC

Hi divermike,

I have been planning for this idea too.  I intend to leave a pair of pockets just the right size for lifting with a pallet jack.  

Consider a block to rest the heel of your treadle foot, at the right height.  I used a hammer doing points like this for many hours.

enjoy,

AndrewOC

Me too!

I have been eye-ing these at our local machinery importer;

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Hand-Punch-and-Dies

cheers,

AndrewOC

PS anyone in Australia that knows of cheaper suppliers?

At 'Get Hammered' our magnificent host built a ten pot / station forge successfully blown by one of those yellow bouncy castle units.

A.

Curious project Andy!

Sounds like a good excuse to roam your country's museums with digital scales under arm.

Ok, ones i have found in my books;

Anglo-Saxon; Thetford- 605 grams

Tattershall Thorpe smith's grave (7th Century)- 450g, 150g, 33g. 

Viking; Coppergate- three heads, largest 658 grams

"...range of 400- 750g for Viking period smithing hammers in Scandinavia."  Anglo-Saxon Crafts, Kevin Leahy

Mastermyr find; 724g, 602g, 407g, 481g, (sledge) 3370g, 1862g, 1596g.  Also there are adzes and axes- 752g, 463g, 719g, 272g.  These are from The Mastermyr Find- Greta Arwidsson & Gosta Berg.  They also discuss many other smith's tool finds from Celtic, Roman and other related sites.

 I would recommend reading that chapter, '3. Pre-medieval comparitive material.'

enjoy,

AndrewOC

Welcome to Iforgeiron!
Check out "portable forge blower hand crank pump" on Youtube, it is a unit very similar to yours. (

outside?

bundoora guys is my informal name for the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Victoria); http://www.abavic.org.au/?Where_We_Meet

There is also the guys at Mont de Lancey historic site; http://www.blacksmithing.com.au/

I consider you lucky 'cos Sydney ain't so organised.

A.