keithgartner

The fan in your window is pulling air and smoke down the flue. Turn it around to bring in outside air. You will still help draw If you add that length of 8". Keith

Mike I am late for your test, but praying for your son, you and your entire family. I hope everything is ok with your family. I hope you get, or have gotten, the position you need. My best wishes, thoughts and prayers. Keith

Harold I am praying for your son safe return, as well as you and your family during this emotionally draining time. All the best. Keith

Frosty, my best thoughts and prayers are with you. This is just a set back to be overcome. I look forward to your posts and replies, going to anything with your name on it first. Your wit and humor is surpassed only by your knowledge and guidance. Come back to us quickly. Sincerely, Keith Gartner

Sam, here is a link to forge chimneys, scroll down there are,good pics of brick forges. I haven't found plans yet, but, you could count the bricks on a picture and get sizes. Steve Sells has a great brick forge, look in his gallery. http://www.beautifuliron.com/chimneys.htm

[Now just explain for the uninitiated what a caltrop is?] A caltrop (also known as caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, crow's foot) is an antipersonnel weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base (for example, a tetrahedron). ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltrops

Your hammer looks great, as does your shop and other tools. The barbecue looked good also.

I mowed Federal levees on the Missouri river, 4 miles 4 passes a side 2 sides, (do the math for acreage) with a 20' Bush Hog brand rotary mower.I hammered my blades for 20 years, by hand. heat to yellow , strike for a 20 degree angle, I had a holding jig made out of 6" X 6" X 24" mild steel with 2 c-clamp vice grips bolted to it, and the whole thing bolted to a 6 cyl. ford block. I used an 18 lb sledge. NEVER harden or fast cool.In cold weather I put them in dry wood ashes to slowly cool. Hammered blades cut three times longer. And last till the bolt holes elongate. I did this for my own machine, not for hire. In todays litigious society I don't think I would sell that work.

Steve, please accept my heart felt condolences on the loss of your friend. I will join in ringing my anvil, from a rendezvous, on Sunday.

Thank's for sharing. Are you near St. Louis?

If your grandfather gave you a car with a blown engine---would you refrain from replacing it? Great analogy!

If you would do us the common courtesy of letting us know where you are located, on your profile, I know one of us would know where you could buy "smithing coal". So in which, part of Nebraska are you located? Keith

My recollection, is $67.00 @ lb, US, in 1998. I played with it as a youngster also, and I'm only half as "mad as a hatter". Keith

Dodge, thank both you and Dale for, passing the newsletter along.

There should be a corrisponding hole under the heel also. These were to accept tongs to move them during manufacturing. The tongs would be for two or more men, similar to R.R. track tongs, or a large version of an ice tongs for use with an overhead hoist.

I use a draft inducer blower from a 90% AFUE high efficiency gas furnace, 80% don't move as much air but are useable, both are quiet. This one supply's plenty of air to my 7"x9"x7" Vulcan tyeure. You should be able to find one at a heating contractors, or scrap metal yard. forge blower Keith

I have had the symptoms you talk about, I guess I can say they will go away, mine did, after a week. The way I, see it is , coal smoke is unlike charcoal smoke, as charcoal smoke (fumes) are acrid and offensive, and cause an immediate reaction, and you leave. Coal smoke (fumes) are more laid back and you don't feel the need to get out, it kinda, sucks you in, ( it doesn't feel bad so I'll stay). Wrong, get out, sulfer dioxide is the only chemical I can think of at this moment, but it is one of the many contained in coal smoke, that are toxic. Please see all above responses, to rectify your venting issues, and enjoy years if blacksmithing. Keith