wedwards

OOOoooh! I love that "Black Hole" solution Glenn! The dust normally present in my shop vac will assure a quick death for the suckees! BTW researchers have found that vacuuming is an excellent way to kill fleas too... my mom used to vacuum her cats often and they even enjoyed it.

I've lived most of my sixty-five years in the Rocky Mountain west and I have seen a bunch of rodeos. But I have never seen a rodeo like the one the day my wife tried to vacuum our cat. It was a character building experience.

I'm glad it worked for your mom.

Bill

Bill,
I have the capability to support up to two RV's at my place. My parents are full time RVers and they drop in frequently so I made hookups for them. I could probably run a third hookup from the shop. If you are budget minded you could save the camp fees and stay at my place.Current Agricenter rates are $27 daily or $160 weekly.This means you could save that money to buy tongs, hammers, beer, BBQ. You would be more than welcome. That applies to anyone else thinking of traveling to Memphis for the conference or otherwise. I have lots of room to "dry camp" as well as space for tents and so on.

bigjohn,

That is a generous offer. If I can arrange things in time I well may take you up on it, that is if someone here doesn't beat me to it . Either way I would certainly like to meet you.

The more I hang around this forum the more I find what a truly great and generous bunch of folks there are here. I don't see many of those in my line of work. Thanks.

Bill

bigjohn,

Thanks for the information. If it's in that range it's doable for me. I have to plan several months ahead of time to arrange time enough to get there and back in an RV. I may be contacting you for more details once I have it all pinned down. Thanks.

Bill

Does anyone know what Abana might be thinking about for a registration fee? I've checked their site but they are holding that card pretty close to their vest. I would like to attend but with the travel expense from Wyoming the fee could be a deal breaker. I considered asking them directly but I suspect if it isn't on their website I'm not likely to get it in an e-mail. Any insight would be appreciated.

Bill

It looks better than the 70# farrier's anvil the Farmer's Co-Op sells here. Well, they're trying to sell it. They're asking $475. I told them I don't think so.

. . .

lack of tools realy kicked me in the but. i just went to the store today and got some channel locks and vise grips, the vise grips work great on the blade end but when i need to hold the handle side of my project (wider bar/sqire) type metal the locks did great for the first 30 min into my project. and now they keep sliping and nothing more dangerus then a peace of hot metal flying in any random direction... cheap POS's getting retured first thing tommarow for a better pair. what i realy need is a pair of tongs with a decent reach. keep getting cooked trying to retreve my peace of metal from the forge

Danz409,
Last time I bought good channel locks or vise grips up here they were $20 to $30 or more for good ones of useful size and as you found they don't always work very well. If you don't want to make your first set of tongs try a Google search or check some of the blacksmithing supply sources you find on this site. You can get some good ones in the $25 to $40 range plus shipping. There is a bewildering variety available and many are designed specifically for blade smithing. For my first sets I settled for a large wolfs jaw style and one designed to hold from 3/8 to 1/2" round or square stock. Both are very versatile and beat channel locks and vise griips hands down. With them I should be able to make any other tongs I might need. Good luck.

Bill

Hello:

Here's a little section of a sword blade in the three core "Viking" style I whipped out today in 300 series Stainless, 1045 and L-6 mix for the centre cores in a twist/counter-twist pattern (real easy and simple...early type composite constuction) with a 1060 edge... The contrast came out really nice..the blade is some 31" long, 1 3/8" at the guard and 1 1/8" at the tip ogive....Came OK if ya ask me...

. . . .

JPH

I'd certainly say so. The overall effect especially the pattern symmetry is stunning. You have a gift. You can be justifiably proud of that piece.

Bill

Seriously!? Because the spikes I pulled out would have fallen out the next time the train came anyway. If they charge me with terrorism then they need to lighten up.

Chuckster2.0,

Listen to these folks. Terrorism, theft, trespass, vandalism, it all depends on what the RR wants the local prosecutor to charge. Technically it's the prosecutor's call but in these cases they listen to the property owners. Even if the spike fell out it still belongs to the RR. Whatever is charged, as micky mouse as you think it may be, even if you win the trial it will really screw up your whole week.

Don't take the chance. Call the RR first and ask permission. If you get it get it in writing. Good luck.

Bill

The wonderful irony of it is the "very old but wonderful shape" piece is displayed directly below the web page alert which cautions to "Avoid scams and fraud by dealing locally."

Bill

Our Home Depot caries a Jet floor model (5/8" chuck, 1/2 hp) for $300 which looks pretty good. I don't know about the drill presses but their band saws do a good job and come with a rock solid guarantee.

Bill

A bench mount drill press mounted to a discarded truck tire rim will make it a free standing floor model. As long as the rim is heavy it makes a very robust base and gives the bench mount all of the advantages of a floor mount without the added expense. It could tip over but I'd have to work at it. Three pieces of 1 1/2" to 2" schedule 40 iron pipe (it could be lighter, that's just what I had on hand) evenly spaced and welded around the rim and topped by a 3/8" plate cut to the size of the drill press base will do the trick. An added benefit is that the drill press can be easily moved by rolling it like a gas bottle.

Bill

Of all the things I've lost in my life I miss my mind the most. That and the battery charger for my weed whacker. If anyone runs across either please give me a call.

Bill

On the rialroad spikes, with a couple of phone calls and some leg work it may be possible to get RR junk legally with permission.

If you are looking for RR scraps this is an excellent idea/piece of advice. The RR rights of way and track beds out here are private property and it is posted. Just being in the right of way without permission is criminal trespass. Picking up stuff while trespassing risks a theft charge to boot. They (the RR) take this very seriously out this way. I suspect it is the same pretty much everywhere.

Good hunting.

Bill

Mick,

If you are talking about the triangular magnets used to hold metal in position for welding I found that simply brushing them briskly along the edges with a shop brush will push the filings to a corner where they can just be picked off. Actually the brush does a pretty good job of that all by itself. You'll never get it all but it seems to work pretty good for me.

Bill

I'm brand new to blacksmithing and to this group. My first experience with a coal forge was at the age of about 10 (at a time when kids could do this without their parents being accused of neglect) and the next was this past Monday 55 years later. I've been bitten by the bug and it's just beginning to swell up.

I doubt I will have much to add to this group any time soon but I do know enough to keep my mouth shut. Thus I can avoid coal dust, bugs, and embarrassment.

Thank you, Woody, for a brief but very pleasant lunch with you and your lady today. I hope we can get together again soon.

Bill