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.

Candle holder is cool, ring will turn your finger orange!

Oh I don't know, Hiltsbilt had a problem and found a solution to it. I can make tongs, but the fact is I can buy them better than I can make them and I have other things to do than make tongs.

You are going to need some way to empty the ash and other junk out of the burner flue/ tuyere pipe. Also you will want line the "pan" with some type of clay or cement or you will burn threw it quickly.

I'd pick up some stainless steel for "wearable" metal. Regular steel will rust. Even waxed and painted.

That is a big anvil! I am concerned about the lack of step, but brooks may not have had a big one. But if it has been surfaced, then all the "hardness" of the face may have been removed. 900$ is more than I would pay, but I also don't have that kind of money hanging around.

For demos I have a stand made from 2x4 that is screwed to a hunk of plywood that is then set under my quench tank. It works, but is not really ideal. I need to come up with a better plan. Using the tank for "ballast" works well however. ( quench tank is 1/2 a whiskey barrel!)

You can buy an very small PO set-up from HomeDepot these days for about 60$ I use one when forging when I need to heat a small rod for wrapping. The work good and will be able to heat what you need. I have used mine to make a 1/4" rod yellow heat. http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100092336?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=oxygen&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=100092336#.UVQz6RfFVfE

You use the clip in making horse shoes. Looks nice, I'd buy it. Once it is yours, then with some cleaning we can figure out what it is. I wouldn't NOT buy it based off if I don't know if it is a Trenton or Hay Budden. That would be like not buying a car because you don't know if the color of it is Black, or Deep Black!

Put a coat of "plaster" on the inside and you should be just about fire proof. How many smiths have lost anvils because their stump caught on fire?

I have something very close to that as my forge too. 1. That is pretty small for a quench tank. It is also a little small for coal. I'd just get rid of it. 2. I agree with Jim about the reostat. Mine went up in a poof of smoke. Just use a regular switch and a blast gate on the blower to control air. You can rig one up to the input side of the blower instead of the output if that is easier. 3. With the castable - let it dry for a long time! It will skin over and seem all hard, but the center will still be soft. If you heat it too much with a soft center it will blow pits out at you. 4. One layer of fire brick will be enough.