keithgartner

Good work Connor! That was faith Rob.
Keith

1972, You were smithing when smithing wasn't cool, ( as "cool" as it is now ). I think it is great you had the foresight to take the risks, you did, no doubt with some trepidation and possibly grief, over whether the expenditures, would all work out, glad they did, and continue to, with the skill and dedication, to your buisness, and craft. I love the "Christmas tree" analogy.
I'm in the refrigeration buissness, I built one of if not, the first trailor mounted refrigerant reclaiming machines, in my area, to service, grocery and other large jobs, before government regulations on venting refrigerants, hocked everything I had. Paid back many times over.
Thank You, Sir, for this and many other posts, all enjoyable and informative.
Keith

Try this I think it's what you're, wanting. Blacksmiths Depot |Rope Spring Swage
Keith

I have an eclectic array of tools, self made, found, borrowed, purchased new, so I use a 2lb. drill hammer and keep one face dressed, so after slitting, punching, etc. with the flat tool striking face, I can flip it over and clean up any distortion the procedure may have caused.
Keith

Thank's for sharing, a real time and patients saver.
Keith

Great Job, I am planning a forge build for this winter, ( USA ), and will be incorporating your air shutter handle in mine. Thank you for the great pics, keep them comming.
And welcome to, IFI.
Keith

What would the flame temp be in open air that is your concerne in an open forge. I'm having a hard time believing, one could get forging heat with wood gas only. I sounds like it might work in a closed oven type forge, ( gasser ). I would like to hear more. Thanks for the post.

Yes I do, as a matter of fact.

Those are clean-out plugs, because of the T- shape of the burner tahke plugs out and brush side to side. you wouldnt believe what get's in there.

Welcome Jeff, I'm Keith, I'm bouncing back and forth between forums, gallery and chat. Any way ther is a huge amount of knowledge here in IFI, from all over the world so join in, have a ball.
Keith

I must disagree, ACR or K type copper tube will work just fine, so if you know an HVAC tech. they will be able to hook you up.

Just another thought. My neighbor has one and we smith together, at rendesvoues, and we attached a bracket to two legs and put a sheetmetal heat shield over the belt and pully. 1. Less weight. 2. Didn't lose fire pan depth. When he bought it there were remanents of a cloth belt and wire belt coupler rusted to the large pulley. Also bailing wire around same legs presumably for a heat shield.

Last thought. I bet when forge was manufactured the belt was an asbestos material, the modern replacement would be a fireproof fibreglass material.
Keith

I take it you don't want to make your own, which is fine. I won't suggest any one blacksmith tool supplier, but there are a few online that have excellent tools. I will also assume you don't have a power hammer. That being the case, as Thomas stated get the longest punches, slitters, chisels 12" or so you can find. I think you have better control with them, verses the handled ones.
Keith

BBQ regulators are only designed for 60,000 BTU MAX. I wouldn't think that would be near enough, volume for a forge. My weed burner has a only a needle valve, no regulator, it goes from yellow flame to 500,000 BTUH, with a 1/16" orface, if you regulate down to 11.0 inches W.C. that would be only 27,286 BTU. Keith

You can make tapered threads traditionally. 1) By making tapered swages for the various sizes, which involves making a rounded chisel, and cut the threads into the swage, top and bottom, making sure they line up, then forging the taper on hook etc., place in bottom swage, line up top swage and tap, then clean up with three cornered, or tapered file.
Sounds like a lot of work, but If you are going to make a lot of items, that's the way to go.
2) Forge your taper on item and cut threads with three cornered or tapered file.

It's a good deal when both parties are happy. Nice addition to your equipment. Keith

Also pardon my rudeness. Welcome to I Forge Iron. Keith

The piece that holds the blade, the hub will be no problem, as long as I know the shaft size. Take a Crescent wrench and use it as a micrometer, close it down on the shaft, till it hits but can still slide, then remove and measure the opening. If the shaft has a flat for set screw don't measure there, measure the greater diameter. Then measure the inside diameter of the hole behind the motor, that's the size of the blower wheel, not the housing size, then measure the depth of the housing, with the housing bolted together, through the same hole.

Good job! That will stay put and last forever. I did about the same with mine except, the bottom plate is 24" x 24" x 1" and the post is a R R tie so I can take to 1840's rendesvoues and it looks like a post comming out of the ground. Smoke and mirrors.

I may have what you need. I have half of a blower, the motor, squirrl cage, and flat half of housing. I'll dig mine up today, it's around somewhere. If you could post pics and measurements here it would help. I'll do same. If they are not the same I could fabricate and balance a blade for yours. Keith

Thank you for this post. I now know what to do with #60 chain and gears off a worn out Vermeer hay baler, and the old cloths dryers behind the shed.

I believe the Mousehole anvil pic you posted was made prior to, 1820 as, that's when they started adding pritchel holes.
Also I wouldn't be as worried about the "sweet spot", as I would be that the edges are so radiused, and you'll need somthing square, to make weld scarfs, necking down, etc.
I have a PW with chipped edges that I going to weld up and grind square.

And dont sand blast or glass bead blast, grit will get inside, use a wire brush, or soda blast. ( dry ice chips )

Inquiring minds want to know!

Good repair and you have an anvil for yaers to come.