Shainarue

Beslagsmed, that's 3 of us now trying out that folder! I messed mine up and drilled the pivot holes on the wrong end. I obviously wasn't thinking. So last night I worked on filling the holes and today I will drill on the correct end. I'm also noticing that my spring might be too short. I really don't want to try lengthening as I've used epoxy and aluminum to fill the holes and any substantial heat would ruin that work. Club meeting is tomorrow so I'll have a pic soon. Alex, your work is always inspiring. A collapsible chandelier? So will the recipient require instructions for assembling? I made a collapsible bag rack last year and getting everything to line up just right and still be solid with mechanical connections was quite tricky.

Nice work Chad!

Thanks for the tip Jono! I got the outer part shaped tonight. My bladesmith friend is going to help me with the blade part and then I guess I'll have the joy of trying to get the fit up just right, lol

Me too! I'm not generally a knife person but I just thought that was so cool looking and the fact that it started similar to a Friedrich's cross felt very do-able The trade item for the Blacksmith Association of Missouri club meeting (this Saturday) is "something sharp" so I'm trying to get this made for the trade item. A friend of mine suggested making a straight razor as the blade. We'll see, lol I grabbed screenshots from the 3 videos he posted of the making-of, and made a document. I'm better with something I can hang on the wall versus pulling out my phone. Oh - and it was inspired from a demo he saw at the recent Phillip Simmons Guild meet. Blacksmith Folding Knife.pdf

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you should taper the striking end of the drift. Basically, it should only be full drifting width in the center then taper back from there. Keeps it from getting stuck in the piece.

Coal is cooler than propane by far. I usually use propane in the winter to help keep warm and use charcoal/coal the rest of the seasons.

Much of what I would have said has already been said - which is a testament to its trueness. There are plenty of things that will remind me of Frosty as time goes on - just as there are things that remind me of Thomas & of Glenn. I'll take comfort in that. My thoughts go out to all those who knew him.

I was working on the candle sconce last night. Phone died so I didn't get a picture of progress. But in the process of lining up the pieces to double-check the mandrel before starting on the collar, I realized I had apparently grabbed a piece of 1" x 3/8" flat bar instead of 1" x 1/4" flat bar to make the mandrel. I thought it seemed thick but 3/8" is not a size I usually have laying around so I made an assumption, lol. Soooo I had a 3/4" x 1" collar mandrel and now I ALSO have a 1/2" x 1" collar mandrel It's a good thing those are so easy to make, lol

Hahaha - I feel you on the workout recovery changes! In all honesty, I've completely given up the ghost of thinking I'll get back into the habit of any kind of workout routine, lol - but a few years back when I thought I was going to ... I would flip through my notebook of previous routines, stats, etc and would eventually see the segment of time when I was doing the Shaun T "Insanity" workout program. I did that program 3 or 4 times over the course of a few years in my early 30s. High intensity, high impact, high everything and I would just shake my head. Nope, not even TRYING that again. I'm also almost 50 and my joints ache just from sitting for more than an hour. I can't imagine what I'd be tearing up if I tried to do power jumps or high knees or half of any of the moves in that program So I would flip to a routine that was less intense, more like a relaxed version of the Insanity warmup, lol. Heck, I would even flip to a routine that was basically just sets of squats, lunges, pushups etc and never would stick with it. I figure as long as I'm still walking in the evenings more often than not - and still swinging a hammer and lifting heavy metal things around - I'm probably doing just fine.

Haha, it's really just a piece of 1" x 1/4" flat bar with the end folded over. I got fancy and punched the size spec on the end of the handle. Nothing really special about it. Here's a cropped screen grab from the live I was doing when I made it. I also attached my chicken scratch notes on how to make the collar using just the mandrel and not making one of those jigs that you push the hot flat bar down into (like an upside down hat). If I were to be making collars often, I would definitely make one of those jigs as well. But for these one-off projects, I think the mandrel will suit just fine.

Hahaha, yeah I figure that tray with the added lip will soon fill up with forge scale Good point on the can holder.

Today I added the lip, hanging loops, and a slot for hanging a water can off the side. Can hang on either side of anvil. I only welded the lip at the corners so that any accumulated rain water could drain off.

Those are some great days indeed! I know I've had some because I know the feeling you're referring to. But I don't recall what it was I had accomplished, lol I would wager a guess that I probably felt that way anytime a new technique I had been working on finally clicked. I hope this thread stays active for awhile so that when I do experience that feeling again, I can share

I can say from experience that I've learned just much if not more when I've watched a demo that had to recover from mistakes

No pics to share, just a funny derp moment I just had. I decided to make the hammer loops for the new anvil stand out of 3/8" round bar after reading in the anvil stands thread that the edges of flat bar tend to ding up handles. I saw someone had done a long continuous line of U shapes then bolted that into their wooden stand. Tonight, I started working on forging that and quickly realized I would be better off with a jig if I wanted it to be consistent and not have to fight so much to get the back ends to all meet on the same plane. I came in for the night and I've been thinking on it ... when it occurred to me that I'm once again making it harder than necessary. That other person made theirs that way because they needed to screw into the wooden stand. I'm welding so really, I just need to make a bunch of big staples, lol I'll start that tomorrow. Also working on the sword again with my nephew tomorrow evening. Last night I made a collar mandrel for a 1" x 1/2" collar and started shaping one of the pieces for the candle sconce I'm doing for next Saturday's trade item. I'm basing the design on some elements in a painting I liked. I'll post that when it's done.

I think I mentioned this recently in regards to me working at my friend's shop after hours versus me working at my shop at home. At his shop, everything is picked up and put away - no sign I was there except the days I get carried away and start sweeping the floor Then at my shop, I finish forging for the night and quite literally just throw everything into the storage container and close it up. Once in awhile, I take a minute to sort through the pile of tools/punches/tongs/pieces of metal and put things back where they belong. It's getting difficult to step into the container lately so I guess it's time to sort through that mess again

haha, I'm constantly shocking people by handling things others consider to be hot. Like a pan from the toaster oven. My boss is like, "let me get a pot holder" and when he turns back around, the pan is already out and set on the towel.

Hahaha! Very true. The fairly permanent bruise on my thigh from the anvil horn can attest to that!

Frosty said in another thread that I don't really need to worry about penetration since it's not structural so I'll try to get that lip and tool hangers added this weekend!

Funny, I did that already because I see you advise that so often. Seemed like I had rounded enough but I guess it doesn't look like it in the pic. I'd guess about 3/8" radius maybe. Yes, it is and has been for the last 4 years. Hammers, tongs, tools, etc all live inside the storage container just behind the anvil. I was standing against it to take that picture. Forge table, blower, vise, anvil are exposed to the elements of our varied Missouri weather. Nice!

I made a new anvil stand this weekend. Filled it with sand & oil. The ring is already deadened considerably but I'll eventually add silicone to further help with it. I'll also eventually be adding attachments for a tray swing, rings for hammers/tongs, cups for punches, etc. The stick welder is downhill from the anvil location and my little flux core welder probably won't be able to penetrate the 1/2" thick plate so anything I add will have to be on the column or somehow drilled/bolted. The base is currently anchored with RR spikes but I need to draw them out longer. Another task in the 'eventually' column, lol Anyway, I'm pleased with it.

I made a new anvil stand this weekend. Filled it with sand & oil. The ring is already deadened considerably but I'll eventually add silicone to further help with it. I'll also eventually be adding attachments for a tray swing, rings for hammers/tongs, cups for punches, etc. The stick welder is downhill from the anvil location and my little flux core welder probably won't be able to penetrate the 1/2" thick plate so anything I add will have to be on the column or somehow drilled/bolted. The base is currently anchored with RR spikes but I need to draw them out longer. Another task in the 'eventually' column, lol Anyway, I'm pleased with it.

Sorry, yes, I meant dual access. You assumed correct on all counts. I did consider weight of the square tube but figured if it was what worked then it would just be a more fixed in position forge, lol. 30lb sounds like the winner vessel. I started to look through Forges 101 and to be frank, it's overwhelming. For someone who struggles with retention, 99 pages is a lot to get through. That is where I got the 360cuft spec. I'm not worried about the actual build (burners, lining, etc) since it's a workshop led by someone I trust with decades of experience. I'll work out any other details with the instructor. Thank you Frosty for your helpful response!

Our club is offering a workshop this spring for building a gas forge. We only pay for materials and provide the vessel. The instructor is requesting that we email him with our plan so he can order the appropriate amount of materials and also so he can give feedback/revision suggestions if needed. I've already reached out and asked him if I could make something like the NC Whisper Deluxe but with added end doors as well. He said yes. So now I'm looking at possible vessels and deciding if I need single (<=360cuft) or dual burners. I'd love to be able to work on projects similar to the ABANA Curriculum Level II grill project using the gas forge. The problem I frequently run into is once I get a bar bent somewhere around 90-deg or a scroll larger than 3-4", it no longer fits into the gas forge and I have to switch over to using solid fuel. Thinking if I had a forge that could open on the side, I'd be able to continue working on those with gas. I'd also love to be able to keep that side door closed and use it front-to-back like most standard gas forges operate. Knowing those two things - do you think I can get away with a single-burner or do I need larger than 360cuft and dual burner? Vessel options I have on hand: 10" x 10" x 1/4" square tube (plenty of length) Kiln? gifted to me that I never got around to finishing (see pic) Scrap 30lb propane tank (approx 12.5" diameter x 20" tall) Balloon Time Helium tanks (approx 9.75" diameter x 15" tall) bed frames for angle iron if I were to make a vessel using framed up fire bricks with doors hinged directly to frame. Side-opening door would have to be the length of a brick for ease of converting... maybe? My backup option if the above doesn't pan out financially is to make a much smaller forge for doing things like icicle ornaments, punches, small hooks, etc which would use minimal gas compared to the Mr Volcano I currently use (also not huge but bigger than necessary for those littler things).

Projects I've been working on the past few weeks but I've been to busy to share! There were a few not pictured as well. Refinished a makeup vanity for my niece and did a felted painting for my mom. Super stressful but oh my gosh the excitement from those who received their gifts was so worth it! It's been a rough couple days emotionally so when they opened their gifts and had genuine excitement for what they saw, it about had me crying happy tears. It really was a great feeling. Tomorrow (Friday) I'll be helping my oldest nephew forge his own sword. That's what he wanted so I'm gonna do my best. A first for me but I'm sure we'll pull through! Lol I made a shovel for my dad. Started with a sawmill circular saw blade. Tough stuff! I didn't get a picture of it but here's a short clip of me testing it out. I also rammed it into the asphalt dirt a few times just to be extra sure, lol! The rag tied on the handle was too soak up the excess oil I had just treated it with. My youngest niece wanted her initial to hang on her wall. I used temper colors for the coloring and then sealed with clear coat. One of my nephews wanted this intersecting double zero as a wall hanging. He sent me a picture and I recreated from that. Brass brush on the top layer, blue temper color on the base layer. My youngest nephew wanted a wooden ornament with his initial carved on one side to look like a bubble and then the definition of the word 'moment' on the other side. I had to practice a bit on that one because I haven't done any wood burning since 1995! Then, not gift related. I had a few orders for the counter balancing stocking hangers. One customer sent me a picture of them in use which was wonderful to see