Drewed

As a smith I tend to try to help the other smiths out. I will ask the "typical" questions that I know they want asked. I tend to "break the ice," for others.

Had a wrench fall into the forge the other day, sparked an idea. left the temper colors on it.

IDK, something on them doesn't look right to me. Perhaps its that the scrolls are rusted differently, or the odd riveting, lack of obvious touch mark or...something. I'd say not antique, and not hand forged.

If you have to put the forge back on the truck so your wife dan drive it into town...

I have a job that the customer is going to want to have chromed. Is there anything special I need to do to make this possible? Is there a certain type of steel I should use, or not use? Hot rolled vs cold rolled? Sand/ grind / polish?

If you slightly dish the bottom of the stump it will be easier to get it to sit. I also make the bottom cut first, set the stump on that cut to make sure it isn't rocking, and then cut the top. Yeah, you are making two cuts, but they don't have to be as exact as if you were only making one.

The only advice i can give it make it bigger than you think you need, or better yet, make a mock up. Even just 14' up on my shed made a vane that I though was big on ground level look to small once it was on the roof.

European date code is day/month/year, so it may be 3/FEB/02. But that is getting kind of picky :P I have my anvil held down with a couple of BIG smith make spikes ( out of old railroad spikes, just bend the top over more ) and what looks like a large fence staple. The spikes are set so I can twist the anvil out from under them to remove it and the staple is there to keep it from twisting.

Your coal is still too big. The stuff I work with is about an inch across. Also don't give up on the bituminous coal. You will be amazed at the difference it makes. It is much easier to work with (IMO.) I pay 0.50$ a pound for bituminous rather than 0.05$ a pound for anthro, and do it gladly because of how much easier it is to work with.

When I forged some 304 for flatwear for a couple of rennys I found it didn't hold the heat very well and needed a lot more hammer to get it to move vs a36.

The smithy at the living museum near me has a wood floor. They teach classes there. All sorts of students dropping very hot object on the wood floor. Never had a problem with fire.

Don't get caught up in the action, and don't be afraid to let an Item go. Have a set price of what the max you will pay for something, and stick to it.

No, but I've also heard that if you melt copper in your fire pot you will never be able to forge weld in it again! Or was that Aluminum?

The second one is for sure trenton. You can see the diamond above the "solid wrought" I suppose it could be a "trexton," but thats the same thing. You will find numbers on the trenton on the front feet (under the horn) that will be your weight and serial number. The serial number will tell you how old it is.

I would also say that there is no top plate, and I doubt the 300lbs. My trenton is only 150ish, and 5" across the top. Also that one has been painted, a lot.