lordcaradoc

Very nice shop setup. I am hoping to learn a little welding myself and want to build a grinder very much like that.

I do have to nitpick a little, because I can and I'm not in range of a swung back hand, but that belt is looking a little raggety. Do you use them up to within an inch of their lives?

Regards,
Tim

Joe, that's great. I got to go to Colonial Williamsburg when I was in 9th grade as part of a trip to Washington DC. I was fascinated with the woodworking and the smithy, but didn't really get into blacksmithing until I was in my twentys and thirties. I'd love to visit again.

Randy, So, was there a fire, or did they demolish the smithy to make room for the new one? And I'll express an opinion. In the spirit of Colonial Williamsburg, they should have taken the building down the old way, one board at a time. I don't think they had heavy equipment to do the job back then.

Regards,
Tim

Brasilikilt,

I lived for a couple years in Akron Ohio and got back into Blacksmithing while there. Hale Farm & Village is a possible reference. I met the resident blacksmith when he did a demo for a WRBA meeting I was able to attend.

Hale Farm

Video - And no, that is not me, its some other fine looking fellow (named Tim) who got to work there.

I'd volunteer as well if I lived in Portland any more. Since moving back to the west coast, I landed up near Seattle.

Regards,
Tim

K. The gear box has something gritty on the sides, but the gears look greased. It goes more than 1x around coasting, and it settles, swings past and then reverses.

I am glad that $75 is a realistic good price. A number around half that has been bouncing around, I concluded that was unrealistic after pricing new electric blowers ($150) and the parts to build a bellows, seeing I have the plywood and board stock.

I have pictures from my phone. It shifted in my trunk and was harder to shift back to get it out than I thought it would be. This is a heavy sucker!

Now, what are good ways to get air from this 3 inch or so OD fitting to my forge that is a 2 inch or so OD. I was thinking a flexi exhaust pipe and a reducer (or 2), but the thought of sewing a piece of canvas also occurred.

Phil

Wow, that really looks pretty pristine. Especially if it coasts that long. I have a Cannedy Otto Western Chief blower and I used a corrugated air hose from a car intake that fit the blower with a pressure fit and then I added just a little bulk to the forge with Emergency repair tape (the stuff that sticks to itself) and a hose clamp. Works a treat.

Regards,
Tim

Hello

came across this on ebay and it has me puzzled.
It looks like a piece of rail iron to me?
Yes it looks well made but obviously its more than it seems going by the price?
can some one enlighten me ?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Antique-Blacksmith-Forge-Anvil-1900-2Kg-/380344618686?pt=AU_Gardening_Equipment&hash=item588e4e4ebe

Very nice work, but at 4.4 lbs, my little ASO that I started with, also made from a piece of rail, but not that nice was 18 lbs. And to go for $250 AUS? Right now, the AUS is worth a little more than US dollars too.

its kinda like this http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/atq/2434231145.html 1200 $ for a rivit forge thats pretty beat up worth maybee 75 bucks.....

This person has no clue and Museum quality because every little museum has rusted out equipment, doesn't mean it's in anything like working shape. Sheesh. I'd turn it down for $50, and he's asking $1200? Of course, in this day of Internet searches, it might be kind to the post to send him links to other rivet forges for sale elsewhere to show him the error of his ways.

Regards,
Tim

"Investigators say CSX had recently replaced the steel tracks in the area and left the old beams off to the side, to eventually recycle them."

Really? When? ten years from now? :D

Nice acquisition Mark. You make it looks so easy :blink:

Done. :D

Old school soldering iron. The large mass of metal helped hold heat while it was applied to the solder and the pieces being soldered.

Regards,
Tim

I'd say it shouldn't be an issue. I use a galvanized tub and I have a friend who used a galvanized washtub for years. You also might want to keep the cows from peeing in the bucket. (I couldn't help it)

Regards,
Tim

Bryan,

Sorry for your health issues. I was going to mention Tim Lively's video too as he does all his forging seated with an improvised anvil.

Regarding Health care, have you looked at the state system, if you're not working, you should be able to be approved pretty quickly (you are in Alaska, right?).

Good luck, with both issues.
Regards,
Tim

My dad was a Plane Captain and Plane Mechanic in the Navy back in the late 60s (the Fort Ticonderoga). Then he spent most of his career in loud "factory" settings, most of my life working for Tektronix and Merrix here in the Pacific NW.

He now has behind the ear hearing aids which have helped the most and is still working to get better through the VA. Without them, he doesn't hear my voice very well because I have a lower voice and that is the range that is most damaged. When I was in High School and College at the end of the 80s, he never quite heard my instrument very well either, the Tuba.

Also speaking of Golf courses, he used to play a lot of golf and one of the favorite 'in' jokes with him and some of his work buddies (similar backgrounds) was "I think I heard it splash" when any of them would have been lucky to hear it, figuratively speaking, hit them in the head.

Best regards,
Tim

PS - for all those who put their lives and health on the line, from the last of our WWII vets to those coming home today, Thank You.

When did my name change from Dave to John...?

Hey, we're all cheap, frugal, savvy, whatever you want to call it. Most of us do not have an unlimited budget when it comes to tools, (whether we want to admit it or not- LARRY). Sometimes, it's OK to wait for the great deal, sometimes you just need to pull the trigger. I rarely regret my purchases, it is the ones that I passed on that come back to haunt me...
-DB

D'oh! Sorry about that David.

Tim

You know its funny for me in the sense that I am a cheap buyer... Most of the things I buy I am buying because its a "deal" I dont see that as cheap.. I see it as shrewd... But when the blacksmith is buying from me... He doesn't want to pay the price in my eyes because he is cheap... Funny how Im shrewd and he is cheap

This reminds me of something George Carlin once said. "My s#!t is Stuff and other people's stuff is s#!t."

A lot of guys have been use to finding deals like $30 post vises and $100 anvils for years but im hear to tell ya' those deals are far and few between now..Yea, it still happens but not nearly like it use too and some places it dosnt happen at all tp speak of..
You have a lot of new guys coming in and hearing tales of "Ah I use to buy them all day long for $30" and think they are gonna find those deals too..They often forget to mention that those $30 deals were in another state or 25 years ago..
Yea, last year I bought a super nice champion blower on a stand for $50 Awsome deal, but that was one deal in over 6 years of hard looking for a nice blower..Every other one was wore out and $100+..So for every "$30 deal" there is over a hundred "$100 deals"..
Some places are smith tool poor and that alone drives prices up..
Thomas often talks about Ohio being anvil/tool rich and hes right but its not rich in good deals anymore..I know. I know at least a half dozen tool collector/sellers who make no less than monthly trips into Ohio and come back with nearly nothing these days.They are finding tools, just not good deals where they can make money.
Its just flat harder to get those super deals these days..Yea if you wait long enough you can but the thing is how long are you willing to wait for that good deal when you need said piece of equipment..If you already have enough equipment then your good to go and can wait..If you need it and dont have it then it may be worth it to pay $100 for that blower or vise instead of waiting six years to save $40 bucks..

My blower was a deal passed along by DiverMike from here about a year and a half ago for $25. He said when he picked it up, it was seized, but as he was walking out to the car, he dropped it and coal fell out and it suddenly was able to turn, sort-of. I finally got it tore down and rebuilt, found it had previously been rebuilt from two different Western Cheif models (different model numbers on the two sides of the housing. and am working on a stand this weekend.
My Anvil is an Old Army anvil (great rebound, no ring) I got for free from a good friend of mine who worked at the National Guard base in Portland, OR. He found it headed for scrap, so he got it free and passed it along to me for the same price. He recently lost a battle with cancer, so that anvil will never be sold, it is a good reminder of one of the people who kept me inspired in the craft.

The point I am trying to make is that we all need patience to find our "deals". If we don't have patience and the ability to walk away from a bad deal the prices will continue to skyrocket.

Now a little parable from John Brown over at NWBA. (Posted with permission) - Larry, I think you'll recognize it from this last fall.

The Parable of the missed opportunity, or The Anvil

A guy walks into a bar...and announces that he has a 150lb Peter Wright anvil to sell.

Inside the bar there are: 3 hobby blacksmiths that are all looking for their first anvil to get started smithing, an eccentric anvil "collector" from California, a grumpy old retired guy who claims that his grandfather was a blacksmith, and a metalworker from the Pacific Northwest.

One of the young hobby smiths stands up and excitedly says "I've been looking for just this anvil, in just this weight, in just this condition for over two years! I can’t wait another minute to get started smithing. I only have $425.00 to spend. How much do you want for it?"

The tool monger calmly replies, "I am asking $450.00 ($3/lb), but it is in perfect original condition. You won’t find a nicer one anywhere.”

The young smith replies, “I’ll give you $425.00 for it, it’s all I have”. “No, $450.00 is my price, not a penny less. Do you realize how much these things go for on Ebay? This is a deal!” Dejected, the young smith sits down, realizing that he cannot afford the anvil.

The eccentric collector from California chimes in, “If I didn’t already have seven of this exact anvil, I would buy it myself and I would have been willing to pay up to $1,000.00 for this anvil in this pristine condition”.

The other two hobby smiths are frantically reaching for their wallets. They are both computer programmers with plenty of money, and this seems like a really nice anvil to get them started on their lifelong dream of making swords.

Before they can get to their cash, the grumpy old guy jumps up and exclaims “I can’t take it anymore, this is outrageous! When I was a kid, there were anvils scattered all over the place. You could get them for practically nothing. NO used anvil is worth more than $2.25/lb and certainly not this one”! I wouldn’t pay a penny more than $300.00, and anyone who would is a fool”!

The two hobby smiths just stare at each other. The grumpy old guy really seems to know his stuff (after all, his grandfather was a blacksmith). What would all the other hobby blacksmiths think of them if they paid an extra $150.00 to fulfill their lifelong dream of making swords? Not wanting to make a horrific blacksmithing mistake so early on in their career, the two would-be sword makers sit back down.

The grumpy old guy takes a second look at the anvil. It is nice. Probably the nicest one he has ever seen. Perfect edges, no cut marks, gouges or sway in the face. And that horn, that really shapely horn…it does have a sleek stylish rake to its stance…this is a really nice old anvil he thinks to himself…he excitedly blurts out “I’ll give you $440.00 for it and not a penny more”, just as the metalworker from the Pacific Northwest hands the man a check for $450.00 and says “I’ve been looking for a nice 2nd anvil for the shop. This one is perfect and will increase my production by 35-40%. Heck, it’ll pay for itself in the first week”.

As the metalworker walks out of the bar smiling with the anvil under his arm, the grumpy old man turns to the others and says “can you believe how much that idiot paid for that anvil”?

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Best regards,
Tim

I've threatened my kids if they don't be good then santa will bring them coal for xmas, and then I will take it and use it...all 6 laughed and said "we'll be extra bad so you can have extra coal" i guess that qualoifies them as being good since the focus was giving to someone else....right? lol

Edge,

See, there you have them in the Catch 22 of this line of reasoning. They are supposed to be bad to get You coal. How does that work again?

Regards,
Tim

Merry Christmas All!

Blessed Be to both of you.

Of course, you can get a decent swage block from the Saltfork Craftsmen in OK. they have a nice block and it is more reasonable than most people want for old ones.

Saltfork Craftsmen Swage Block

I'm saving my pennies for one.

Regards,
Tim

Thanks Kevin, I'll have to look into that. I love the history and the subject is a some interest too.

Regards,
Tim

I agree with Stewart, very nice J.

Regards,
Tim

Johnathan,

My condolences to your wife or significant other, she is now among the ranks of the Blacksmith Widows and will only see you covered in coal dust and soot with a big grin on your face. They are many and long suffering, but the Blacksmith Widows do get lonely at times. Try to make time for her, maybe while the game is on, she'll appreciate it.

Regards, and welcome,
Tim

Smithy1,

Sounds like he wasn't worth your time. I have been playing with this for well over 10 years and a year ago decided to get serious, in a hobby way at Blacksmithing. I have had few teachers in person and wish I had more. Actually, with my latest move, I have found a great community of smiths, many on this site, who are much more accessible and I might just find more one-on-one time with them, whether in class, or just observing them work.

It was his error in wanting somebody famous, but how would he know anyway, yeah he said he asked around at his Blacksmithing school, but that could mean anything. Our local group, NWBA, had a thread in the forums about a guy who was going to open a school for making Japanese swords, but nobody in the area ever heard about any school. YMMV.

Some say education is worth what you pay for it, but I disagree, because I have friends who I learn from who are not as advanced in some areas, and I am able to increase their understanding while standing at the anvil as well. A generous person is rich who can share knowledge to the willing.

Best regards,
Tim

My Mom's family is Southerland. Additionally, I got into Medieval re-enacting after college and have since made two modern short kilts by hand, one with a red tartan (no family) and one in blackwatch, which is one of the Southerland tartans. I made both with some mistakes, but they still wear nice. I have fabric to make a really nice kilt, but I want to sharpen my skills and not make the same mistakes as before.

I also acquired a 1952 Singer sewing machine recently, so want to make my own utilikilt style as a practice.

Regards,
Tim

Tinkerers

This has some good commentary that I thought might generate discussion seeing as we all seem to enjoy making things bucking the trend in this country. Not overly political, more of Mr. Brin's opinions about where the US is headed.

Regards,
Tim

As good Mr Clemens once said:"There're worse things than burning books;one is not reading them...".Or something to that effect.

An excellent quote and sentiment, but I checked an it was Ray Bradbury “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” Again, I agree with this.

To add a little from Samuel Clemens in some context of the conversation. "It is noble to teach oneself, but still nobler to teach others--and less trouble."
Mark Twain - Doctor Van Dyke speech, 1906

In looking for Twain quotes, I found this wonderful site: Mark Twain Quotations

Regards,
Tim

I don't know if this is really even necessary, but it occurred to me today to wonder if burners made from stainless steel would be better for durability. I also wonder if it would just take the nipple at the front to be stainless to get the benefits too.

Has anybody here built their burners from stainless steel and if so, how have they done?

Regards,
Tim