Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Grizzer

Members
  • Posts

    61
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Grizzer

  1. Mineral oil works well. Down here in hot, humid "sunny" Florida, I use a roughly 50/50 mix of mineral oil and mineral spirits with a good size dash of lanolin mixed in for more rust-prone items. You can leave out the lanolin in a dryer area or more rust resistant tools. Straight mineral oil works too, but I found that thinning it works great to leave a thin coat once the mineral spirits evaporate. Mineral oil also has a nice side benefit of being non-toxic so can also be used on eating utensils if used alone.
  2. Looks like you have the bottom half of a cast stove. "Jewel" was part of the Detroit Stove Works sales line. They made a large number of different sizes and styles, and as I am not a stove collector, I can't pin down the L66 for you. This company made everything from cookstoves to laundry boilers, and everything in between. Given the industrial simplicity of it's design, it might be one of their farm heaters meant to be used in a barn or shed. The height is unusual, as most stove bases are much shorter, so another clue that it may have been a barn stove or boiler base. To my knowledge, DSW/Jewel only did stoves and heaters, not tool or equipment stands. It might make a pretty decent tool or machine stand, maybe even a base for an avil that saw relatively light use, it's up to you. I highly suspect the wood floor is a later replacement, as the style of the door in it's side matches that of an ash box. Many of these old stoves ended up with rusted out (and burned out) firebox/ash box floors, and I have seen some bases converted to tool stands here and there (among other things, including a very sturdy, but heavy, ottoman) over the years, usually with pretty good success. Given the design features of what you have, if I had to hazard a guess as to age, I would be thinking 1920's - 1930's. DSW is better known for their earlier stoves, with nickled cast iron and steel, some of which were quite large and ornate. In later years they switched to sheet steel and began to coat them in enamel.
  3. Came across this on Youtube this morning, and thought this might be interesting to some. A little fancy, but thought it was a decent concept, particularly due to it not requiring slots to be tailored to each hammer handle.
  4. Thanks! I'll definately look into it. Hadn't thought about renting a rig, that may just be the way to go.
  5. I am curious to get the answer to this as well. My wife is after me to use one instead of brushes. If it works that fast and well, without wasting a bunch of stain, I'll let her win this one :)
  6. Yeah, down here it is pretty standard for folks to just put up some sheet metal on the sides and call it done. I prefer not to work inside a solar oven :) When I had the roof put up, I had them install this new-fangled insulating sheet that reflects the heat back out through the metal roof. My original plan was to insulate the walls as well, but I have found that having the the insulating sheet in the roof, and B & B for walls has provided all the insulation I need for the summer heat. The shop does not go much, if at all, above ambient temperature all day, and stays a little cooler in the morning. Having provided for plenty of flow-through ventilation for the forge, I have the side benefit of it not getting stuffy inside either. I can definately recommend wood in regards to insulating properties, and I do think that the ventilation I designed in has helped as well, allowing any heated air to escape through the main roof vent and draw cooler air into the building. For those with an all metal building, I do recommend looking into the insulating sheet, I was pleasantly surprised at how effective it has been with the roof. Of course, all this is for warmer climates, where we are more concerned about insulating against summer heat than winter cold. All I need for winter is a small wood stove to make it more comfortable in the morning for the most part.
  7. After numerous delays, including a 2nd heart attack and two surgeries, among other things, the main building is done. I've had a bit of settling near the front, but a load of dirt is waiting for cooler weather, and probably a helper since I am no longer capable of the heavy work. Given my health, I am still going to put in my forge and make it a blacksmith shop, but I won't be able to do as much as I'd orginally planned. The doctor's all want me to stay as active as I can, and light smithing may let me rebuild my strength over time to what limit it can be. I will just see where it goes. As a hobby smith, time is not a major factor in completing projects, so I will just do what I can do, and not sweat it. The County was pretty generous with me on this build, giving me a long extension and not pressuring me to complete it. It's nice to live in an area that is still small town/rural enough to work with me on something. This build is also likely to have saved my life, causing me to have a minor heart attack and catching the problem (one of my bypasses from years ago has failed) before it bult up to a major or fatal incident. My next step, along with getting the ground levelled out a bit more, is to get it stained. I'll post a pic when that's done, and as I finish it out.
  8. Think he needed the dragon's breath for forging an iron throne? :D One of the things that leaves me dissatisfied with modern times, is that we seem to have lost the sense of asthetics we used to have. Function has triumphed over form, everything is becoming utilitarian. I've seen some signs in the younger generation that I am not alone in this, so maybe there is hope that we can regain some of it before we all end up living in block houses and wearing unisex jumpsuits :P I'd love to visit the site this picture is from, does he have any more pictures/items shown? Edit: Found the link embedded in the picture, doh!
  9. A bird has built a nest in the cubbyhole formed by the gable rafter in my shop build. I am actually worried about what will happen when I finish closing it in. Another big softy here! :)
  10. Closest I have seen in quite a while was in an episode of "The Virginian" though technically not a movie, each episode is roughly 90 minutes. They have been rerunning them on cable so I got to see a couple while travelling last week. Our hero needs information from a horse trader, who happened to be working at the anvil as he approaches. I was rather surprised when instead of the usual horseshoe, the trader pulled a shovel blade out of the forge, placed it properly on the anvil and hammered it on the flat with a localized cherry heat in the area he was repairing. And he didn't quench it as he was approached, but set it aside while he talked! (Didn't the writer get the cliche' manual? :D ) I think it's safe to assume there was no actual heat involved, but it certainly appeared that someone was taking care to be at least somewhat realistic in their depiction of day to day smithing on a small horse ranch. For a '60's TV show it was even more surprising. I am still holding out hope for more realistic smithing in Westerns, but it has taken over 50 years to get them to quit carrying their pistols in a buscadero rig!
  11. Some states/areas require that only UL approved electrical fixtures be installed in a residence. I ran into the same problem while working for a company that made lifts for audio-visual equipment. So far as I know, it was never resolved very well, and we did end up with returned equipment. The owner of the company refused to pay for the UL certification, as in our case it would cost well over $10K. I would imagine that if you used a light kit that had a UL label it would not likely be a problem. The motors we used were UL listed, the problem we had came from the control box which we fabricated in-house, which was not. The determining point seemed to be where the wire from the outlet connected to. If the motor had a direct connection it would have been a non-issue. So with a lamp kit, since the lamp will have a direct connection, if it has a UL marking, it should be ok. There did not seem to be a concern with the rest of the lift mechanism, so they don't seem to care about any of the iron work that would surround a lamp, just the electrical portion of the lamp proper. Due to the variances in local regulations and how they are interpreted by different inspectors, YMMV.
  12. 300 lb Fisher with lugs, 1936, U.S. Navy, marked with "NRA" on the heel (National Recovery Act)
  13. Also the trouble for North American smiths is that anvils are in demand by non-smiths, so the remaining ones get their price driven up. Tool collectors, little old ladies wanting one to decorate their flower beds or fireplaces, etc. Seems the decorators want the pristine anvils too, I wish they'd go for the ones with "character" that are not usable/desireable to smiths. :) Prices can vary quite a bit by region, as some areas held on to their anvils (they were still using them) while others (more urbanized areas generally) donated them to war scrap in droves. Ebay has driven the prices up as well. People see the collector prices on Ebay and assume that theirs must be worth lots of money too. Ebay pretty much crashed the antique car and motorcycle parts market, but drove up the tool market. There are still plenty of anvils to be had at a reasonable price, but it takes some leg work and "networking" to find them.
  14. I prefer leather as it's more flame retardant in my book regardless of how cotton has been treated. But that's just me. I do recommend that you get an apron that has cross straps in the back rather than hangs off your neck, you will likely find it more comfortable, and more comfortable means it's more likely to be worn. I was taught not to use gloves for the most part so can't make any recommendations there, but that's also a personal choice. There are a number of threads on the glove vs no glove debate, a simple search will bring them up. In the end, it's up to you but I recommend reading them and making an informed choice. Hearing protection is pretty straghtforward, basic choice is muffs or plugs. Plugs are more comfortable in hot weather. When I have used them I have personally found the disposable foam plugs to be more comfortable than the rubber plugs. You can also quiet the ring of the anvil easy enough with a length of chain and/or your mounting method. This also helps with the neighbors if you have any near by. Hearing loss is gradual and long term. I didn't have it in my younger days in the machine shops, and though it's not bad yet, I have noticed my hearing starting to go a bit. So I can certainly recommend protecting it. In hand smithing, it's not always so much the volume as the pitch and repetition. So you don't need heavy-duty protection like if you were running a jack hammer, but it's good to have something. If you use a trip hammer I'd advise going heavier though. Sounds like a great buy on the anvil!
  15. Sorry to re-necro this post, but I noticed no one mentioned using a burn barrel. If you live in an area where you can have one, you can't beat it as the place to toss those oily rags. If they catch fire, they are already in a burn barrel! :) I also use the burn barrel for any personal papers, simplest way I know to stop ID thieves. Not hard to find an old 55 gal drum.
  16. Don't get us started! lol So 3x2 is the size, I assume "bog standard" is an expression similar to our "run of the mill" then, and you've decided to just go with standard framing. I'm trying to recall who said something along the lines of "America and England are two countries separated by a common language". :)
  17. Well the cruck frame would certainly be interesting. As for the rest, can you translate into Appalachian Hillbilly so's I can ken it? :D Cruck frame I know from the link but what is bog standard 3x2, and onduline? I am pretty sure I know it in different terms. Sounds like you've got it in the bag now though, so good for you! Be sure to give us some pics!
  18. Been a real problem with this in some areas near me. They steal anything they can sell to the scrap yards for a fast buck. Copper and brass are the main targets, but they will take an anvil in a heartbeat if they can get ahold of it, anything with some weight to it is a prime target. An empty house will have all plumbing and electrical wire ripped out, and they will rip up the walls to get to it. A work crew refurbishing a water tower in town had all their welding leads stolen in one night, through a locked fence. Our local scrap yards now will not buy anything without picture ID and a form just like a pawn shop's, and the local police stop by and review them. That slowed it down, but didn't put a stop to it. I hope it wan't scrappers, and this guy gets his anvi back. I won't even get started on how little these lowlifes have to fear from the law anymore! :P
  19. I just realized I may have misunderstood your question about the aggregate. If you mean how far out to build up the ground when you backfill, then yes, you do want to extend out from the actual building location by at least a couple feet. In my case, I also extended out much more on one side, to create a less steep slope connecting with my existing driveway so I would have a much easier time backing my truck in to unload coal and steel. After you get to about a foot from the building, you can slope it down to make it look nicer, and a gentle slope is more resistant to erosion than an abrupt one. I planted grass on mine right away to help resist erosion, as well.
  20. I am posting picks and general info of my build as it comes along in this thread: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30035-my-shop-build/ I have more pics on my hard drive, and can get more detailed ones for you if you need them. Pole barn construction is about the simplest way to go. I used prefab metal trusses, but wooden trusses are certainly an option. As I mentioned earlier, I am building slowly as I have extra money, so it's a slow build, but it's getting done. Round pole is certainly an feasable, or you can have your woodsmen square them up a bit with an adze to make sheathing it a bit easier. For a shop as small as the one you are considering, simple girting should be enough to frame the outside for sheathing. I am building a vertical frame to further support the girts on mine due to size, and the possibility of extreme wind loads when hurricanes move through the area. The gravel can either stop at the wall, or extend out a bit. It really depends on the ground conditions, appearance, and design of the building. I'd recommend to have it extend out a bit from any door openings. A foot is really about the most you would need to come out in either case. Chestnut sounds nice, I will enjoy seeing it when it's done!
  21. In my case, building what I could afford was a matter of what I could build in a (to me) reasonable amount of time, paying as I go. This was balanced by the amount of available space in the location I wanted to place it. I had enough for the initial pole barn roof build, and as time and money allow, am getting the rest of it done. Building takes time and money, and if you are lacking in one, you need more of the other. :) I am not only saving substantially on labor, but taking my time in buying materials will also pay off. In between paydays, I am scrounging free or cheap stuff, keeping an eye out for people selling/giving away materials left over from their builds or otherwise no longer need. I have built several projects completely from free materials in the past. A couple weeks is a pretty short deadline for a project like this if you are short on cash. If your concern is to keep in practice, and already have a small smithy, you may consider keeping what you have while gathering materials to build bigger. My shop has a gravel floor, and I built up the ground when levelling and contoured it to avoid the standing water problem. Digging out the high end and using the fill for levelling the low end will create a standing water problem if the ground above it remains sloped towards the building. Bring in fill dirt to level the low end and build up the high end a couple inches. Shape the ground around it to direct the water away from the shop, and use french drains or irrigation pipe to redirect any water that remains a problem. There are other options, but this is the simplest and least expensive, and also more reliable over time. A wet shop floor will cause you no end of headaches and can even be a hazard to your health and safety in some conditions. The fill dirt I used is a mixture of clay and sand, and naturally packs down almost as hard as brick. I gave it a couple weeks after compacting it to allow for more settling before bringing in the final loads. But since I am building a pole barn I didn't need to go to as much trouble as I would if I were pouring a slab or building a standard framed building. The type of construction you do will have an impact on what fill material you can use, and the amount of compaction you have to do. Remember that the backfill is actually part of your foundation, and if it settles too much, it can damage the building placed over it. Masonry such as concrete or brick is especially susceptable to settling issues. In my case, the poles were set in undisturbed earth before the back fill was brought in so I avoided any structural issues if it settles over time. If you're looking at building a framed building, you can also look at a piered foundation if the site needs a lot of backfill. Your local building code will determine a lot of this too, if there is one.
  22. I've greatly enjoyed seeing your shop come together, and you inspired me to share my build as well. I love the pinstriping! I think it adds the right old-timey touch to your forge. I hope you enjoy using it as much as I've enjoyed watching the journey!
  23. Look for a metal roofing shop in your area, and ask them. I talked to our local guy, and when the time comes, he's told me he can fabricate what I need and quoted me a much lower price than the local HVAC shop. I can also have it fabbed from a heavier guage steel and still come out ahead. A shop that does metal roofing and siding usually fabs up the corner pieces and trim so they have a press brake, etc. Of course, once the shop is up and running it won't hurt to return the favor now and then when the odd problem comes up on a job they're doing :)
  24. Making some more progess! A lot more time and work has gone in than what is apparent in the photos. The first pictures didn't show it well, but there was a slope where this was built, that dropped off about 18 inches by the time it reached the other side of the shop. It's taken about 28 tons of fill dirt, and 8 tons of gravel to get it levelled out, as well as contour it down to meet the edge of the existing driveway so I can pull my truck in later without problems. I had some issues when it settled, and had to bring in one last load of fill and recontour. If that's the only problem I run into on this project I will be a happy man. :) The secondary posts got put in this weekend, so now I can frame against them. I still have a bit of hand work to do for final level, but it's just a matter of raking it out a bit. Framing it up is the next step. I've been blessed with some great working weather, but my budget only allows me to do so much at one time.
  25. A bit of weather won't hurt it. After all it's been buried in the ground and exposed to rainwater for how many years? :)
×
×
  • Create New...