Strine

No blueprint from me Glenn. The language barrier aside I note the chastisement from the previous post. I am truly sorry I made an offering in trying to give Alan another option and will not make the same mistake again. Additionally I will not be badgered into adopting new methods if the one I use works just fine and will not be lectured to about my willingness or capacity, or lack thereof, to learn. Nothing prevents me from learning exept the number of brain cells I lose each day. I will consider expert advice along with all the other expert advice I get as I'm sure Alan is doing. Strike me pink, we are talking about tapering a bit of stuff. Get off the grass. I say again. Each to his own. And again. Each to his own. And again... no, that would be boring. My 'own' is very flexible and if it starts to look like your 'own' stick your chest out and polish your fingernails. For the uninitiated the term "Each to his own" merely says that we are all different. Thank God for that. We all have our own beliefs, our own favourite music, our own method of skinning rabbits, oh, and our own way of bashing up hot metal. And just as a lot of people like Metallica or the Rolling Stones while others prefer Burl Ives or Mary Black a lot of people forge one way while others forge another. (Celtic generally for me anytime) In the end everybody makes good music in someones eyes. But then all of a sudden Metallica come up with a rendition of 'Whiskey in the Jar'. Mmmmm I think, they can't be that bad after all! Do I want to learn Hofi's 'sytem' of making a taper in 3/8 stuff in one heat? Not particularly, after the development of this thread.

Good on ya Hofi. (Strine for 'may good blessings be upon you'). No doubt your method works fine which is great. I didn't misunderstand, I just posted my method. I thought that was the idea? By the way, my method works great too and enables me to forge an 8-"10" taper from 5/16 to 3/8 in one heat as well. An advantage of the method is there is no need to calculate anything...just whack the thing 'till you get the right length. Each to his own eh?

And I would have to say it is a video about playing with fire. He who plays with fire gets hands burnt. Did I also notice hands under the power hammer. He who puts hand on power hammer block gets flat hand. Another four minutes of my life wasted.

That you misinterpreted the instruction for a 3" taper notwithstanding (I sympathise with your reason), in aiming for a particular tapered length I taper only the tip to the desired size. I may only achieve a third of the desired tapered length in the first heat. In subsequent heats I take the taper back until I meet the specified length 'on the plan'. This method was explained to me when I tried to taper a six foot length from 3/4" down to 1/4" and it worked a treat. As for only hitting on two sides I agree with the lifting of the "managing hand" (I like the term Hofi) but if only one sde is touching the anvil it will lose heat quicker and therefor not react the same as the side getting belted with the hammer. It pays to at least check the far side to see how its going occasionally

The perfect video to show my assistant who is having just a little bit of trouble banging pegs in the ground with the sledge. I think it's the wind blowing the hammer off target:rolleyes: This video might just get him to change his methods.

Er...can't take credit for the phi thing. See JWB's post No, I think the bloke is chewing his fingernails...bad move

Praps your looking too hard Ten:) Name both of the characters Glenn and stick it on ebay It' gotta be worth a few gorillas (thousands)

What about Paddy is that alright? What about 'late for dinner'? I hate being called late for dinner

Does the length of the short end divided by the length of the attached leg equal the length of the attached leg divided by the long end? Looks like a square. If it wasn't a square I think I'd still use it as a square:) Is it a square with a handle? Forge welded...great stuff BTW, referring to the new photo, who is the lady in the hat on the left of the T and who is the bloke on the right, scratching his chin. Spooky

Is it right way up or back to front? Is the angle between both members a right angle? Are the obvious ratios the same? Are the holes part of the item or part of the scrap piece of steel used for the job? How big is it?

The end result for me is a trifling aspect of the whole game. I couldn't give a rat's toss about the product. In fact I've spent weeks (on and off) forging something and given it away to a total stranger at a demo. Admittedly the total stranger must show an abundant appreciation for the effort. For me it's the process and only the process. I am only interested in the development of an ability to achieve this trifling end result.

Freezing slack tubs??? I don't think so. Not here at least. Half the State is on fire cos of the weather. I half expect a helicopter to drop it's snorkel into the tub and suck it dry. They're allowed to get fire fighting water from wherever they like...farm dams, reservoirs, swimming pools etc, and at the rate these are drying up on account of the drought, slack tubs might be all that's left. Still, I'm half a world away from places that freeze over in December. Nonetheless Glenn, I'll keep an eye out for hard stuff lying across the tub for the next cuppla months ;)

The rule at places where I demo and therefor need a portable setup is that you can't use electricity. (Save all the backlash, I've heard it all before and can't be bothered with the argument but try it anyway if you like) One of the reasons for making this rule was to discourage the display of carp that came with the squirrel cages and the generators etc. Not that I'm saying all squirrel cage blowers etc produce carp but in my experience the two go together like bread and jam (jelly). Another advantage of the hand cranked blower is it occupies the hand which would otherwise light up a ghasper :mad:

Geez???????

I've been thinking about this all day and can't think why this won't work. Forge the two parts, slot them together and join with a welding heat. Allow a bit for loss and forge or file to final shape. Cut the teeth as previously described. Main point is there's no pesky fullering to do:)

Paying to receive calls????? How does that work? As an aside... seen in the daily newspaper. Our telco "Telstra" have decided to up certain call charges. They quote the ever increasing competition as the reason. How does that work??

A simple fuller can be made from a piece of round bar. Hold it over the work and hit it. Behold..it leaves a dent. For your tap however you may need to get a bit smarter. You will need a bottom fuller as well and a means of holding everything steady. Two round bars hinged together somehow will make a fine top and bottom fuller that can sit in the hardy hole. Best advice I can give is to work it out with a piece of modelling clay using the tools you intend to work the iron with. Bon chance and keep us posted

So how do you actually get to see more than the teaser at the above link?? signed: computer dolt

Oh dear, bin there done that. All I remember was thinking I want a rest, please let me rest, I'm desperate for a rest now. Oops too late, I've expired. The onslaught was relentless. Like the invading hoardes. A new batch of ten scouts every twenty minutes. The leaders were just as harrowing. Ooh blacksmiths, do you think you can make me a ... insert article requiring an hour to design and another hour to forge. What about my rest? Bear in mind most scouts (12 to 14 years old here) are not very proficient in hammer use or eye hand coordination. We tried to make at least one thing for the troup camping box rather than an item for each individual. Pot hooks were popular, so too were sticking tommies. Dunking a piece of hot iron in the slack tub was a winner as well. Notwithstanding the above it was very satisfying to see all the happy, eager smiling faces. And the three of us smiths got a badge as well. Not much I know but it was the thought that counts eh?

Righto, For the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Victoria) Inc check out http://www.abavic.org.au/ or send me a private message for more info. Don't know contact details for the other lot...Do I Mr Dale?

G'day Jane and Minnie, Welcome Folks let's wait until these lovely lasses let on where they actually are. I know a smith on Magnetic island (FNQ). I met a bloke the other day from Tassie (he also makes concertinas ). I hear tell there's a few blokes around Perth and a bit north of Sydney. Once we establish your whereabouts we can concentrate the effort. I hope its in Victoria :D

Stu, there are now quite a few of us who might be prepared to go to $20 per tong and some dills among us that will go to $30 or $40. My advice next time would be to "keep mum" (hold your tongue) until they're in hand. After your post it will be interesting to see how they go. Oh, I wish you luck in the bidding and hasten to add it won't be against me. Also, too as well, $10 (the current bid) will buy a fair amount of material to make your own tongs, or put enough fuel in your vehicle to have a "poke around" for suitable scrap. Last bit of advice...don't ever underestimate the amount of interest in old tools.

well blkbear good for you on getting good deals. I too have bought some cool stuff on ebay for a very reasonable price. I'm dumbfounded though by one of your countryman who must think a fool and his money are easily parted. Which I suppose they are! But yegods surely the postage and handling on an item the size of a two inch nail cannot reasonably amount to $24. And yegods again if you want two of these "nails" (actually a dremel bit) it'll cost another $24 for each additional item. see 280039955036

The "buy it now" price makes it a copy, end of story. Ask JPH to make you a fair dinkum copy of one of these things for the same price.:o

kogatana Your interpretation looks good to me. The wood is redgum. This link describes the species in more detail http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/WfHC/Eucalyptus-camaldulensis/index.html It was from a peice laying around in the shed. Ant dense, close grained hard wood should work allright. It is the face of the triangle forming the tooth that is "sharp" not the pointy bit at the top.