DJW

Thanks for the info Gents. I'm still building my small press . I was trying to figure out what to use for my flattening die . I have some 1.5 X 1.5 mild steel bar I think I will use , it's not going to get used to much being this is just a retirement hobby to keep busy not a business, so that should work fine. Plus it's only a 30 ton hydraulic to flatten hot metal " trying to save my shoulder replacement a little wear and tear" . You all have a safe and happy new year ! DJW

Lol, no not lately Frosty but my filter is broken and I have been warned a few times already on here by the moderator who makes sure to tell that they never go away . I have a habit of being strait forward with colorful language shall we say , I guess it comes with being a construction worker all my life. There was usually more F's flying in the shop than a Ford truck factory. lol

Yea I figured that but am watching my P 's & Q's so to speak my filter is broken lol

Flux in TIG welding ? Ok thats a new one on me in 40 years of doing it for aluminum, stainless and steel never have I used a flux or needed it ! Clean your work , tight fit, match your filler wire to the work and Argon Purge gas is all you need as far as I know ! You'll have to explain your theory on this because you never want to add any contaminants especially to aluminum , your just asking for trouble if you do ! Yes heat management is always important in all welding but aluminum especially if you let it get to hot it will fall out on you " burn through" ! I'm still learning about forging and understand the need for flux but never in TIG, MIG or even Stick welding . The closest thing I can attribute to it is an anti-splatter spray for mig welding but that is to protect the work and does nothing for the weld. Now I am always open to learn new tricks but this just doesn't sound right to me at all . Now I could be missing the point "maybe your trying to push welding machine's" so please do explain sir ?

Well my head is totally spinning ! I now realize I should have paid more attention in science class all those many years ago in school ! I'm going to be another year deciphering all this lol. Thank you gents , I've been attempting to follow this conversation all along I haven't added anything because I don't know anything about it yet ! Again thank you for your knowledge . DJW

Wow and I get upset when mine hits 120 . I can keep it around 114 with meds but your numbers were off the charts , glad you made it back my friend . Oh as for putting my boot in a bucket of water when slag or spark went down my boot , I probably would have done it instead of taking the pain while welding " you can never get a work boot off before it cools I be tried lol" ! But oh I can just hear the guys busting on me now, esp walking around with one wet boot in the shop "I've tried" darn phone

Now that is funny lol

Oh well just got another point guess I was bad but never considered H*** a bad word . If it had been the F word I would understand and agree ! I guess I need the new George Carlin list of the 7 words you cant say on the forum lol. JSMH Yes I'm being sarcastic ! But it's your little sand box so I will attempt do better but I was a construction worker for 45 years not a priest and sometimes "crap" happens !

Yea they are like having kids especially our puppy if you want to call a 100 lbs year old a puppy , but he is trust me ! But I know what you mean frosty I kept saying "what the xxxx were we thinking" after having to take him out to pee every two hours all night long ! It's all good now but I wasn't a happy camper for a month or two it was like having a baby again lol

That is a funny commercial I have two Chocolate Labs so I can definitely relate . You should see us trying to pick up branches and sticks in the yard after a storm . We throw them in the woods and the dogs bring them back ! We even try to throw them when they aren't looking but you just can't beat the nose , it reminds me of the 3 stooges doing a job lol .

Hi mikey I guess I missed that part somewhere , what do they need to be coated with ? I haven't started forging yet so no harm done still trying to catch up since my back problem and it's now 95° and humid here so no hurry to stand near flames till the heat wave breaks . I will go back into the forum and see if I can find it . But thanks for the heads up sir .

Guess I should add I used 1/8 aluminum for the shell and ceramic fire brick . I used a old propane grill cart I had to mount it on for easy movement in & out of my shop " I don't throw anything away ,to a point lol" !

Finished my forge awhile back just been to busy with other things to mess with it . Throwing my back out for two months really set me back "no pun intended lol" on things around the home. But here it is.

Well thank you for all this information gentlemen when my head stops spining I will read again lol. I just remembered there is a reason I swung a hammer and and melted welding wire for a living and didn't become a nuclear scientist ! I'm reading as much as I can on here so not to ask dumb questions and if I do ask one it's because I couldn't find or just didn't understand it . Unluckily I threw my back out a few weeks ago so I have plenty of time to read . You guys are doing a great job and thanks again . Dennis

I'll be she told me what my problem has been all my life " not enough cubits" ! If I had know that I would have gotten some ! Your right though I can listen to Dr Michio Kaku all day . He has a way of telling it that I can ALMOST understand ! lol . I think I will stick with history , that I understand completely especially our civil war ! Ok I forgot we are world wide here so let me correct " the American Civil war " but I love all history .