wedwards

What about a vise-grip or a C-clamp and save some time and enregy?

Woody, Good luck on your back surgery. Been there, done that, got the shirt. Lee and I hope it goes well for you. Let us know. How does the DABA coal compare to Eisenbraun's? I've burned 80 lbs or so of their coal and while it seems to make lots of heat, it has quite a bit of what I take to be sulphur in it. I have forty lbs left and will be needing some more soon. Take care, hi to Jackie and Merry Christmas. Bill

Don't over think it. Go for it. What do you have to lose? Bill

BTL You will need to use it "semi-periodically" (a completely meaningless term I found most amusing during my years in the Army.) You will notice the fire begin to slow and become less resposive to the blower. That's the time to wiggle or rotate the clinker breaker. It won't take much unless there is a really big booger down there. Don't forget the ash dump. That will also need semi-periodic attention. Bill

You may want to think about checking with them before you fire up any kind of forge in your garage. What they don't know can hurt you if something does happen from an unlisted or unapproved heat source. They should have no problem with it if the installation meets your fire code. Having the local fire inspector check things out ahead of time and approving the installation could make the difference between having insurance coverage or not having it in case of an unintended fire. Just a thought. Bill

A clean desk (smithy/shop) is a sign of a sick mind. Bill

FWIW the Salt Fork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association of Oklahoma (I am not a member and have no relationship with them) advertises a swage block for $80 for members and $100 for non members. They are relatively small - 8" x 12" and 65 lbs. I have seen a few reviews with good things to say about them. They aren't the large industrial size but they aren't $400 and up either. Bill

Most of us here in Wyoming know rattlers too, but one thing I have found over the years is that even people who have never heard the sounds before have no trouble recognizing either the sound of a rattler or the sound of a twelve gauge shotgun shell being pumped into the chamber. It gets their attention right away.

A Smith and Wesson beats four aces.

It's good to see this thread resurrected. These are all good, as I like to call them, "Rules of Life". A few of my favorites are: 1. my signature 2. Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. 3. If it's worth fighting for it's worth fighting dirty for, and 4. its corollary from my CQB (close quarters battle) instructor: Never open up a half a can of whupass. Bill

Yeah - probably not more than about knuckle deep.

Try bag balm. Dairy farmers use it on their milk cows. There are probably several brands but any of them should work. You can find it at your local farm and ranch supply. It's inexpensive and a little goes a long way. If you check the ingredients you'll find it's pretty much the same stuff that sells for a whole lot more at the pharmacies. Put a good amount on your hand(s) at night and cover them with light fabric gloves or even a sock. You should see results pretty quickly. It sounds a bit goofy but several of our local doctors recommend it and I know it has worked for me. Even if it doesn't it's a lot like chicken soup - it can't hurt. Good luck and a Happy New Year to all. Bill

It's been a long time since I've sent film off for developing. But IIRC it wouldn't take too many of those to pay for a modest but effective digital camera. Hope things are going well in the basin country. Bill

Which are promptly eaten by spotted owls. There's always a trade-off. Bill

Well done! And thoughtful. They will like it and I'll bet you won't have to pay much for coffee for awhile. Bill

I think many of you will enjoy this website. I'm not a machinist but it got my attention. http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/William_Doxford_and_Sons Bill

He or she will need to be not only friendly but infinitely patient. I know more than a few and not one of them would even let this guy in the door. Who was it who said, "No man is so blind as he who will not see"? That quote may not be completely accurate but unless the OP is trolling (and I am beginning to suspect he is) it seems appropriate. Good luck, Poundit.. If you are determined to do this you will need it. Bill

Poundit.. Listen to what all these people are telling you. Most if not all of them have "been there, done that" in the learning from painful experience department. When I saw your first post I was immediately reminded of the story about the guy who went to the shipyard looking for a yacht. He asked the rep how much a particular model would cost. The rep looked at him and said, "If you have to ask you can't afford it". If you have to ask anyone how to make a firearm out of material not even remotely suitable for such use, YOU SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS! Furthermore if you should forge ahead (pun intended) with this folly, no matter what your original intention might have been, if you end up with a pipe bomb that is what you have. There are I think many different people who monitor this and other forums who would be very interested in people making pipe bombs. Take care. Bill

Stewart, I don't know where this was linked to but my AVG anti virus blocked it. Not complaining or blaming - just thought you might want to know. Thanks for all the effort you put into this thread. Bill

Randy, I'd like to give you a specific answer to your question but there may not be a single good answer. I've seen the plans for the "super sucker" hood which instructs that for proper draft the area of the hood opening must be less than the area of the chimney pipe opening. I've also seen plans for a 14x14" "Hofi style" hood connected to a 12" diameter chimney pipe. The 14x14" hood is close to twice the area of the chimney. If the photos of each in operation are to be believed (and I have no reason to doubt them) both of them look like they will suck the buckle off your belt. I'm about to move my forge inside for the winter and I plan to use a cross between the two hoods connected to a vertical 10" chimney. Once I get the fire inspector to OK the installation I will fire it up and give you a report on how it works. As a caveat, and I have not researched it, I suspect that the overall chimney length together with the height of the chimney above the roof has a lot to do with how well it draws regardless of the size of the hood opening. Again, good luck. Bill

All you need to do is look through this forum. You won't even need to go back that far. You will get much more out of it if you find it yourself than if someone else does your work for you. I mean no offense. You are getting into a craft that involves a lot of problem solving. This is as good a time as any to get started. An added benefit is that you will find answers to questions you didn't even know you had. Good luck. Bill

It isn't limited to the area next to the tracks. Being anywhere within the RR right of way without permission could cause you problems. You might try contacting the local RR office and see if you can clear it with them ahead of time. They might even have scrap yards/piles they would share with you. Be careful out there. Bill

nwaite, You might want to check your air supply connections for leaks. I just finished my coal forge. I used 2" black pipe for the tuyere, ash dump, and air supply from a blow drier ($15), plugged it into an 18" length of 2 3/8" dia. flexible exhaust pipe($5). The flex pipe fits exactly over the 2" pipe (I needed to flare the edge just a bit to get it started) and it secures with a U-bolt which came with the flex pipe. You will need a reducer of some kind to mate the nozzle of hair drier to the flex pipe. I found a hose reducer ($5) at the local vacuum sales/repair service but I bet several layers of duct tape around the hair drier nozzle will do just as well. I bought a dimmer ($6) at Wally World. I wired it in to a duplex ac wall outlet and put both in a plastic outlet box both of which were left over from my last household electrical project, and connected it all to an old extension cord. Plug the blow drier into the outlet and turn it on. It works like a charm. I suspect if you turn the dimmer down to a real low speed for any length of time you could have issues with the blow drier motor but I've used it for awhile and have seen no problems so far. It's not a classical or traditional forge air supply but for less than $35 including tax and left over stuff cluttering up my garage I don't think I could have done any better. Hope this of some use to you. Good luck. Bill As an after thought, have you checked to be sure your ash dump gate closes completely? It doesn't have to seal real tight but it does have to resist the airflow.

Very nice. Except for the air gate it looks just like mine (I use a blow dryer with a dimmer). Let us know how the hood and chimney draws. That part of of mine is still a work in progress. Thanks for the well sized photos. Bill

Take a drive up to Cheyenne on I-25 after the next snow storm. You'll find all of the truck parts you'll ever need all over the road. :lol: