Humphry

Thanks for the advice. I'll check the area for a commercial garage door supply. In answer to the questions, no I didn't overheat or quench the hay rake tines. It was a surprise to me.  Thanks again

Hello,

  I was asked to make a couple sets of pins for the bows used on an Ox yoke. Have been told hay rake spring was used. It is full of small cracks and unusable for this purpose. Does it need to be spring steel? If so, I'll try an auto coil spring. Do you have any other ideas?  thank you

That's what it's all about. Making use of what you got. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. That's what i grew up with.

Anvilfire.com has a super sucker forge hood. It's what I use and it works well. I have some old 12" galv. duct pipe on it. It'll be cheap, easy to put togather and you'll like it. Just type in super sucker forge hood in your search engine, it'll take you there. happy forging.

Wow, to pretty to use. Thanks for sharing. :)

Google it and take your choice. Beautiful Iron is a good start. Have fun, should be a great project.

Check the local recycling or scrap yard. I have a homemade supersucker, " not my choice of names" connected to old 10" duct and it works great. Bigger is allways better if available.

Welcome NHblacksmith,
I've had good luck using refractory cement. If you're ever in the Lewiston/Auburn area the people at INFAB have all kinds of it. Various bricks of different strenghts too. I use the cement for furnace castings as well as lining the old Buffalo forge firepot.
You might consider a big truck rim for your base, give you a good excuse to visit your local scrap metal man too. Allways a good day for me. Remember, life is like a box of chocolates. Let the world take another turn and try again.

Stainless wouldn't stand up much better at those temps. Iron is iron and it would still be eaten away. On the metalcasting forums almost everyone at one time or another has the great idea to use stainless steel crucibles of some type or another. They wear out just as fast if not faster. Stainless is not a miracle substance, its properties are more or less the same as other steels.

Yes, I have had the thought ever since I started looking at this forum that it would be neat to replicate old blowers and other parts for folks. I re-discovered an old technique that makes casting things like blower shells fairly simple. If there is interest maybe I will sell the raw castings so those who would like to could build their own blower. Maybe even personalized with their forge name.. Hmm. This is what the raw castings of the sides of that blower looked like fresh out of the sand. They are a little rough, this is the first attempt at casting them. The thing in the middle is the impeller.

This was a great thread. I'd considered posting a question on hardening and temper of cable damascus. this served me well enough to start. Do mostly blacksmithin myself, but enjoy playing with knife making. Thanks guys Humphry :D

Looks like alot of fun. Great job. I'll have to have a go at one myself. thanks for sharing.

Hey I like that. Great pocket tool if it was scaled down. Very nice work.

Wow, beautiful work.

My first attempt at a butterfly.

those are some pretty good ones! Am I the only one that snoops through old buildings and such in search of blacksmtihng/antique tools???...

Nicely done, I think the ring idea is a winner for the base. Mine is a maple half split or mabey half a forked stump. Flat on the faceing side. The buddy who gave it uses the other half. Thanks for shareing. :)

My daughter, an arson investigator, called about a recent fire. A man had finally built his 'dream shop', a two story affair attached to his home and had just gotten his occupancy permit when it caught fire and burned up a life-time collection of tools and equipment. Origin cause determination was welding sparks. Seems he caught a rag on fire while welding, stomped it out and then threw it next to the wall and left the shop. Problem was, the rag wasn't out and the wall,insulated with fiberglass, was NOT covered with sheet rock. The rag flamed up, caught the kraft paper with asphalt backing on fire and destroyed all his equipment and the addition. Fortunately fire fighters contained the blaze to the shop area. Cori said the man was crying uncontrollably. When we built our new shop this summer, we installed fire sprinklers for $200 in materials. I also used 5/8" fire rated sheetrock and moved most all flammables to a vented metal cabinet outside. I also covered the wall behind the welding table with sheet metal to reflect sparks and cherries. Wanted to share that story so that we might all give our 'shops' a hard look towards fire prevention an hopefully learn from others' mistakes.......

Has anyone any experience with reworking a large screw type gate valve assembly into a fly press. The paper co i work for discards large ones when replaced. Mabey a 2" screw dia. Is the rate of thread workable? Any thoughts, anyone? Humphry. Oh and Merry Christmas Everyone.

Thanks Frosty,for the good advice on tinkerin the thing myself. I had similar thoughts. Thought I might cycle the gas supply up and down abit and see what happens from there.
This is the unit that came with the welder so it's not high end. They offer repair service at Maine OXY where I bought it.
Thanks again. Humphry

They most likely are good steel for blades. If all else fails and you've allready made her mad. Bag them two at a time in some small tough sacks and hand them out to buddies for trailer ball ornaments. That'll stop her from askin next time. Humphry

I worked up a piece of rail just last week for a cutler anvil, width of the track square to fit my hardie hole. This stuff is tough. It's a slick idea and only your imagination will stop it. Think I might find a potential friend with a power hammer for future projects. Good luck. Humphry

Hello out there,
This isn't traditional smithing, but it's may be a problem. The gas regulator on my hobart handler is whistling when i turn it on. When this starts the gas supply stops. Any suggestions? Should I turn it down,stop useing it for repair, is it freezing? I use an Argon/co2 mix. Humphry:confused:

I had one of my post vises given to me by dad, the other I offered 100.00 for and was turned down by a friend.
Then same friend had to move and said take what you want I'm outa here. Low and behold, there was my vice for free.
Niether vice has markings, both are 4". Humphry

Hey thanks guys , I'll check on the refill and the bad tank idea. I do the recycle thing when I can.
Again thanks Humphry

Hey out there,
Has anyone cut an oxygen cylinder for reuse as a bell or gong type project?
Is it safe? does it have a nasty or volital filler?
I came into a few for free and am thinking of X-mas gifts.

Any advice or warnings would be great, Thanks Humphry:)