Ridgeway Forge Studio

This week was my semi annual spring cleaning- I call it that, but it’s really a complete shop overhaul. Whenever I get through a number of commissions I tend to deep clean, reorganize and move much of my tooling around. It’s a bit of a ritual for me, to clear the space in my mind as well as the shop.

so I present to you the current layout of my shop- and this one might stick around for a while.

Seems a dandy way to clean it up. I usually just use a drill cup wire brush, as long as you’re not grinding you’re in the clear!!

Edges are a bit worn, but that’s a good score overall and a perfect shop size!!!

That’s what I thought I remembered, glad to have it confirmed. I have an old whirlwind firepot that has a fairly large grate and a stuck clinker breaker- thankfully my coal barely makes clinker- just some of the good coke inevitably makes it’s way down the chute and I’d very much like to recover it. Fuel is finally more expensive than time, so i would rather get my moneys worth!

I seem to recall years ago reading about a way to separate the clinker, ash, spent fuel from and stray pieces of coal and coke that drop down the ash dump-

for the life of me I cannot find the thread, so I am forced to ask the question again. 
is it possible to scoop the contents of my ash dump bucket into a large bin of water and recover any coke that fell down before burning? 
if I recall, the method was that coke floats and clinker and ash sink, so it provides a way to sort the ash dump and save the good bits.

can anyone confirm or deny what I think I remember?

Good to have you Nick

I am local to you, just out in Emmitsburg Maryland if you ever find yourself out this way send me a message and stop by!

15 hours ago, mr. anderson said:

Is that a coal iron works press? I've been thinking about getting one. Do you like it? 

 

I love it. Depending on the size of material you use it works a treat. I’m grateful that the blacksmith guild of western Maryland has a 16 ton, which has significantly larger dies, so I use that when I need to upset larger materials. Otherwise, the 12 ton is an amazing tool. I can break down up to 2 inch round fairly easily, and it is far more compact and quiet than a power hammer. Obviously all things have their pros and cons, but if noise, power and space are concerns like they are for me, the 12 ton packs a punch, far more than my right arm can.

I’ve posted some of my old shops on here before, but wanted to post my current iteration of my studio space. It is 20x10, built using new lumber and recycled materials. Keeps the rain and snow out! 
last thing I need to do is build a proper chimney, but the smoke shelf overhang I built for the coal forge works most of the time, except when the winds blow from the west.

Second on the pocket tongs- I have two very small sets of tongs that are about 8inches in length. A small bolt jaw tong and a small flat jaw. Insanely useful for many things involving the coal forge. 
 

second would be a slightly softer 1.5lb ball pein with a mushroomed face for setting forge welds.

12 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Well I was going to say: "Not during Lent or on a Friday or other meatless day!"

I like the "vow of silence"  was it a Trappist monastery?

It was a capuchin Franciscan order in Washington DC- and it’s a wonder they had this one: it’s marked 1930, depression era fisher, and I can only guess that perhaps one or more of the monks decided that this was a good way to prepare for the financial apocalypse of the time!

Thomas, does this I can’t use it to squash roadrunners, given its monastic heritage?

or perhaps being a Fisher it has taken a vow of silence?

Had an unexpected windfall- a monastery I used to go spend time with had an old anvil, which I always kept in my mind. I thought it was a fisher, but it has been almost 7 years since I’d seen it. Asked about it recently, they said come take it gratis. Got down there, and lo and behold it’s a 200lb Fisher without a flaw- even still a factory chamfer on it!!

That is some top level work. And the precision involved is beyond my understanding. Kudos for the good work and thank you for the process photos- this would make a great blueprint.

Brilliant method-

I think this will go into my mental tool chest. Thank you for this tutorial!

I did not, but will now be saving for use! I haven't done a whole lot of spirals, but it is something that I've wanted to do since a university math class in 2014 where we spent 6 weeks on the Golden spirals

Funny you should mention that- I'm racking my brain to try and figure out the equation for making scroll forms on the cone- make them spiral and then flatten- but have to pull out my golden ratio cheat sheet to find out how many inches in between each spiral...

That's a good idea to make it round- the cone itself is hollow, so it's not as heavy as I would have expected- I estimate less than 70lbs.

JHCC, I'm pleased that mine has that feature- I'm thinking of temporarily bolting it to a wood frame- then I can step on the wood to keep the cone stable. Once I decide on a place, I may anchor it to the concrete.

The cone wasn't really for sale- it was in a corner of a photo of an anvil for sale-

When I messaged the gentleman, he said 75- I figured he must have left off a zero, but lo and behold, the best purchase I've made in a while!

Hello all!

Just thought I would share my recent acquisitions- a 4ft cone, picked up for a steal at 75$usd...

Small Crack at the top of the tong slot, but still a serviceable tool!

Although I'm still a young man, this anvil I picked up today (literally) will be the last I attempt to load without assistance!

I brought home this East German anvil today, weighing in around 270lbs. It was imported by the seller in 2011, the importer acquired it in Germany, although I am unsure where exactly.

I have no reference for the weight other than the seller, a wonderful gentleman whom I was glad to make the acquaintance of.

It is marked FB&C (although I doubt it stands for Facebook and company), and 921 on one side.

Does anyone have expertise in German manufacturing of anvils? I previously thought that only Austrian Anvils had the church windows, but this beautiful anvil has rich, deep ones.

Those look a bit like jewelry making tongs- just my .02 from being married to a jewelry maker

On 8/9/2021 at 7:24 PM, JHCC said:

The tap handles have been delivered and installed. Photo courtesy of the brewer. 

I like the inspiration on the far right- it looks like Yellin ironwork!

For special purpose tongs, such as these, why couldn't you rivet an offset handle to one of the reins so that, in holding larger material, there is almost a second Rein that can comfortably be held?

Welcome to another maryland Smith! I'm out in western MD, emmitsburg to be exact!

On 7/9/2021 at 7:43 AM, jlpservicesinc said:

RSF, congrats. She's a beauty.

Thank you.  I have the sawmill making a custom block for her, then to mount and get to work on some pending large commissions.