pkrankow

The muffler mender is not a good idea as it sets up too well to allow for tuning. I'm glad I only used it on one burner. Phil

Frosty: Tried tuning the burner today, I removed 1/8 inch from the end of one tip, then I removed 3/8 inch from the end of another tip. I ground the tip on the drill press then cleaned up the shape with a file while chucked in the press. I used a very small drill bit to remove any burs from the nozzle by hand. The first tip ran exactly like the full length tip. The shorter tip would blow out as I increased pressure. I also had a swirl of flame inside the intake. Here are some pics with the shortest .035 contact tip. I partially closed the garage door for shade just long enough to take them I don't have a pressure gauge yet. This flame looks neutral or slightly lean to me. I think I have good aim down the pipe, but I may not be perfectly concentric from when I drilled the hole in the Tee. Is this swirl of flame normal? Will getting a better flame holder help with what pressure I can run at (high and low)? Will the burner perform better in an enclosed forge? The swirl seemed to lessen after a few minutes of operation, but I only let it run for a few minutes. The muffler mender was a bad idea, and I am glad I used it on only one burner. Thank you Phil

Alright, I am at the correct computer to do uploads. Sadly only one pic came out looking like anything other than black. I have talked to my wife's mother and uncle about other tools that belonged to their father in the past, and they would rather see them used than wasted...but the conversations were about hand tools and stationary tools. There are 2 lathes in her garage that I have been told to take. I need space for them first. One is a metal working lathe that you remove and replace the gears to change speed and feed, (I don't know the brand). The other is a woodworking lathe build using the metal working lathe. It has split timbers for the bed. I will have to talk to my mother-in-law, etc. about if the machine is not usable. Since I do not even have a circuit suitable for a welder, I have time to think. I have been told that is has been run on 220 by my father-in-law, but he last used it several years ago. There is little budget to go after a new machine, and the Craigslist welders I can afford go quick. The biggest concern about the welder is I don't know too much about what is inside and even less about how this unit operates. If I cannot find usable operating instructions, and I had no success with Google, I am uncomfortable trying to set it up by random chance. I would like to also know what would likely happen if I hooked the leads up wrong. I want to avoid becoming cooked turkey. I won't be able to examine the machine and it's contents much more closely unless I bring it home. Would the old rods be suitable for practice? Or would it be best to just knock the flux off and use them as wire or rod? How much of a problem is moisture in the flux for non-structural welding? Could I bake them for a few hours to dry them out? I would guess excess moisture would cause porosity and inclusions in the weld, but don't know enough. Maybe leaving it lie will be best, but I haven't reached a decision yet. Thank you for your time and opinions. Phil

Anybody ever try cherry pits? They are sometimes sold as stove fuel around here. Phil

Hi, Got a pickle. I am looking for a welder for occasional use, and am comfortable enough on mig or stick for my current needs. I used a Lincoln tombstone in class, mfg processes. In my mother in law's garage is an old dayton stick welder. I took a pic of it with my camera phone and it is barely legible. It is a Dayton model 12798 --- 3.5 kva (I think) 115-230 VOLTS --50-60 cycle Max output 100 amps Dayton Elec. Mfg. Co. Made in U.S.A. and I can't read the rest of the photo, nor can I post it tonight. I'll try to post it tomorrow. It has 3 sockets on the left of the nameplate, and 2 sockets on the right. The unit is the size of a large but short (about 18 inches long and about 8 inches tall) metal toolbox, and has a lid to hold some welding supplies, there are a few partial boxes of sticks even. It is covered in rust, but looks like surface rust. It has been stored in a location of questionable water tightness for several years, but has been bragged as a good machine before that. The last few years has been in a "dry" garage on the concrete floor. It was my wife's grandfather's welder. Here's the fun part: It is free, but if it doesn't work I will offend people by either returning it to the mother-in-law's garage, or scrapping it. If it doesn't work my brother in law will have some grief as _he_ could have scrapped it, and I will have grief as he will want to borrow it from time to time after I make it usable. My wife's uncle and mother may also have grief if I tell them it's broken and I can't fix it. To find out if it works, I may need to change the cord because it is a plug that looks like four 1/4 inch round studs and I have never seen this type before. I also currently lack a 220 outlet in my workspace, but I intend to pull a 50 amp circuit for a welder, and have spoken to an electrician about how to rough it in. Now, to practical: I understand that stick welders are very simple inside and have very few parts to go bad. This unit having no rheostat makes it even more simple. I know there is a stinger (?) cord, a ground cord and a power cord to this unit. I did not look close enough to verify the condition of the connectors or cords, but the cords seemed supple and not cracking. If the unit is fully functional, or easy to make fully functional, I can deal with the brother-in-law part. I am more worried about the older generation being offended if the unit is broken beyond repair. If I could find information and wiring diagrams for this unit I would be more comfortable touching it. The operating labels on the unit are gone. Right now I would be guessing what socket did what to start with. So, should I touch it and try to use it or leave it be as a family heirloom? If I put both leads into "hot" or "ground" what would happen? or are all socket hot to some extent on this unit and I simply select the potential change I need? If I take reasonable precautions for welding and the unit is bad how much risk of injury do I have? I guess I need an owner's manual and a service manual, or the next best thing. I did say it was a pickle. Phil

A determined thief will leave the trailer and take the jet skis after cutting the straps. They weigh only a few hundred pounds and 2-4 people can lift them into a pickup easily. There is no practical way to secure the machines to a trailer that cannot be defeated with a set of bolt cutters. Even though the trailer may be worth more, the jet skis are more desirable. Get a properly sized hitch ball and set it into a block of concrete, you may need to extend the shank. There are also welded stands like this that can be set into concrete. When you are not using the trailer hitch it to this very difficult to move structure and lock the hitch to it. If your hitch doesn't lock, replace it with one that does. Just use permanent locktite or get the bolts that are designed to be flowered out on the ends AND use permanent locktite. Better still, store the machines in a garage or lockable storage unit. At some construction sites I have seen the safety boats stored in over sized dog kennels while people were off site. Hope this helps. Phil

Looks like you can use the directions for a 90* outside corner, metal thickness radius (or smaller)on the inside. I found directions in "the blacksmith's craft" I was able to download in .pdf form. I can't find where I downloaded it, and its too big to upload, but you upset the metal before forming the corner according to the directions. I haven't tried to do this myself, I have just read a bunch of stuff. Phil

Dragon's lair and Frosty, You both crack me up Phil

Maybe we need to start a thread for beer drinkers and brewers to go with the cigar thread. Phil

Nice looking box. Are those watercut characters and letters or made by hand? Good job. Phil

Solid fuel forge may be cheaper and quicker. I am over $100 into building a gasser and not done yet. It's going to be close to $100 more to finish it. I started on the gasser because it is "instant on" and can be put away soon after shut down. I found this to be desirable for safety since I can only work during my daughter's naptime. Phil

You are looking for a touchmark. It is a stamp that can be made through a variety of means. I have read about two common means for making a touchmark. I am sure there are many others. Carving the shape directly into annealed tool steal and hardening is one. The other requires making a positive image by carving in steel and using forge temperature tool steel to take an impression of the carving, then hardening this new punch or die block. This is called mother-daughter method, and may be able to produce several identical punches or dies. I have read that the positive can be anything from mild steel to annealed tool steel, but making more than a few will wear the mother. There are several threads on touchmarks on IFI already, and I have not yet made one. These may be more helpful. http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/show-me-your-touchmark-13852/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/touchmark-register-10521/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f11/using-touchmark-11157/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f92/touch-mark-stamp-6118/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/touchmark-4016/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f11/touchmark-9946/ Hope this helps Phil

blew what was left of this months hobby budget on brass fittings. $80 (after tax) went into: 4 - 1/4 inch ball valves 4 - 1/4 inch Tee's 4 - 1/4 inch mpt to 1/4 inch compression fittings 8 - 1/4 x 1 1/2 pipe nipples and I still need a needle valve, 0-30psi gauge, possibly a 90* comp fitting, insulation, shelf, and stabilizer. Using a kit manifold from Zoeller may have cost less... If I can get the scanner to work I'll post my plumbing diagram. I just haven't messed with it since we moved last year. Phil

As far as carbon goes, it is one of the most mobile elements in steel. I found a copy of a paper by Thomas Nizolek, regarding carbon diffusion in pattern welded Damascus. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fasmcommunity.asminternational.org%2Fvgn-ext-templating%2Fviews%2FASM%2FOpenDocument.jsp%3Fvcmid%3Df83e5bc60524f110VgnVCM100000621e010aRCRD&ei=SHqDSpSAAo24M_bRndUE&rct=j&q=carbon+diffusion+in+pattern+welded+steel&usg=AFQjCNFb4Q2O_GnipL6WOA84RzvNB7DcBg http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lehigh.edu%2Fsymposium%2F2009%2Frceas%2Fattach%2FNizolekPoster.pdf&ei=SHqDSpSAAo24M_bRndUE&rct=j&q=carbon+diffusion+in+pattern+welded+steel&usg=AFQjCNHYTRKSXxuGLZCr99oHQ9CwXmWm5w Carbon is equalized very quickly, while other elements are not, allowing for decorative effects in pattern welded steel. In his example carbon was equalized by the 4th fold and weld. Carbides can form from these less mobile elements and carbon changing the hardness of individual layers some. Phil

I love the setup on Ron Reil's webpage. It is a sheet metal hood with a draft inducing fan. If I ever end up setting up a purpose built space I think this is the way to go. I think you could run a portable coal forge under it safely too with the amount of air it is supposed to move. As long as your fan doesn't get dragon breath on it I would expect it to work well. Do a quick gas volume calculation on your burnt products in air and make sure it draws at least that volume per time. I'd have to look all that up too, sorry. Phil

I've been in several shops that use plywood, sometimes with a piece of galvanized sheet metal tacked to it, to contain sparks and chips from machines. At school we had a set hinged together with painted sheet metal that could be stood up that we used when chips would REALLY fly. Wasn't very often, but very necessary. Phil

Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil (SOFA) Blacksmith Association It's in Troy. Haven't tried to go yet since it's over an hour away, and I don't know if an 18 month old would be very welcome. Phil

Call me gross, but Vernors ginger ale is quite tasty when warmed. Phil

Nice! Wish I had that opportunity. Hope you got to use that fly rod too. I also suppose the fly rod has a serious case. Wish more student projects were pictured. Keep up the good work. Phil

My error, maybe I should have said "many modern anvils are cast" I know most historic anvils are forged. Phil

Build a campfire and throw a couple stones in. After cooking for an evening and cooling you can split or shape flint as it will fracture more predictably. Phil

ichudov, Is that a hardy hole in the BOTTOM of that anvil? Phil

I thought machine guns were a flanking weapon.... Pretty darn cool stuff! Phil