wd&mlteach

Nice design variation, thanks for the input. I like the simplicity of the angle supports and I already have that in stock. Certainly an option worth pondering and an avenue that I most likely would not have explored. I noticed you have a what looks like a double stack of 3/4 plywood as a mounting plate. How does taht hold up? Or was that just there for the move?

This is the mount I modified for school. It works nice. It originally held a basketball hoop that fell and smashed the ring flat. I saw it in the school's junk pile and knew just how to use it. It does not work real well for much leverage as it does spin. But for what the kids do with it, it works great.

I started this endeavor in 2009 and I have three post vises. 4 1/2 $24 dollars at the scrap yard 5 1/2 $40 off ebay 100 Pound 5 7/8" for $40 I just passed up a 5 inch for 50 last week. You pay what you want to, but around here they can still be found cheap.

Chinobi, Right now the 12 mold is 2 x 6 with 6 inch tapers. The tapers for the mold with three end up being 10 inches long when finished. Really you could interchange the tapers between the molds and I am sure they would work. I actually assigned the 2 x 6 mold to a CAD student who was finished with their work and needed something else to do. That is why it is *untested*. I need to check and make sure it is done correct and then I should build it, to be double sure it works before I post it here. As far as patterns go if you want a box style pattern with a 3 x 4, it is no problem to do. I should note that anything over 3 is a bit different in that there is a bottom support that hold the tips equal distance appart. I am not sure how long it will take them as they work differnet and have to build the skills as they go. It took me, maybe two hours of uniterrupted time to get mine done and take pictures. I do not remeber the last one taking that long.

This is the mount I modified for school. It works nice it just is a bear to move until I put round wheels on it. It originally held a basketball hoop that fell and smashed the ring flat. I saw it in the school's junk pile and knew just how to use it. It does not work real well for much leverage as it does spin. But for what the kids do with it, it works great.

This is the mount I modified for school. It works nice it just is a bear to move until I put round wheels on it. It originally held a basketball hoop that fell and smashed the ring flat. I saw it in the school's junk pile and knew just how to use it. It does not work real well for much leverage as it does spin. But for what the kids do with it, it works great.

The bike chain idea it fantastic and might be my option. As far as what I am using it for, we'll I do not know, as I have never used one. I have watched a bit at a few hammer ins and i can see their advantages and limitations. As pointed out they are great for hand style tooling and that is where I know I will start. I do not have the tools at home to modify or redesign anything. As a result, it ought to be finished, tested and working before it goes there. That is my motivation for adding the adjustable head height and removable tooling. Thanks for the ideas and the recommendations.

Chinobi, you are correct drilling into the points would be tough starting. When I said open them up, I already knew that I had dropped some extra solder in the points. I actually started out on the disk sander and ground the points down flat. Notice that all of the tubes are not the same length, that is character ;) Here you can see the solder inside the points that needs "opened up". Here they are cleaned out with 1/8" drill bit. Thanks for the compliments guys. I hope somebody can use this as it was fun to do. I took the pictures because one of the kids, who saw me make the first one, asked if they could do one as an extra project. Not having time in the regular class for extra instruction, I figured I would make a visual how-to and they can follow that. Frosty, I am pretty sure that is tin plated sheet 30 g, it is a bright finish. It is pretty thin and you might be right about not having to cut the slits. I will try that in the future and I will let you know how I make out. As far as pouring time I do not have a definite answer. I know it takes two pours and a couple hours until they set completely. Each batch I did I let sit overnight at room temp and took out of the mold the next day afterwork. So at that rate it was close to 24 hours, but it can't actually take that long. To remove them from the mold I ran them under hot tap water and with a little tugging they popped out. I have drawn up a 12 candle version that has not been tested yet. When I run that one through and see if it actually works I will post that one as well.

Here is the build. Step 1 Print and cut out pattern. Step 2 Trace pattern with scribe, I prefer Sharpie. Also, transfer hems, seams, bend lines, and circles Step 3 Cut out Step 4 Shape mold cavities. Step 5 Secure with tape, keeps them where they should be. Step 6 Shape points I used an old center from a lathe to help shape these. Step 7 I don't know the technical term for this but you have to make relief cuts in the caps to allow them to be shaped correctly. This is how I did it, about an 1/8". Step 8 Hammer relief cuts down to tube diameter. Step 9 Solder tubes and points together. I am not the best at this, I know. I cut a vee block to hold the tubes still while I soldered. Step 10 Cut out holes in top piece. I used a center punch to start the holes in the tinplate, then I used the aviation snips to do the rest. A big punch would have been great. After the holes were cut I folded down the hems and folded the rest of the box mostly by hand. Step 11 Flare the mold cavities so they can be attached to the top. Same 1/8"cuts as the tips, the cuts folded over with hammer on a stake. Step 12 Trial fit and then solder tubes on. Step 13 I cheated and spot welded the handle loop on. I was running out of time and it was quicker. Tomorrow I have to open up the end points on the tubes with an 1/8" drill bit and bend the top bar to tie the wicks on.

Thanks for the suggestions. Even though I teach design it is sometimes hard to think a different way.

I decided to go ahead and manufacture a treadle hammer. I have a copy Marx Gade plans to start off with and modify as needed. One of the modifications I think I need, is to make the swign pivot adjustable. It seems to make sense to me to be able to change the head height durng the swing as needed. But as I have never actually used one of these hammers, I realy do not know how vital it is. If I were going to change the head height, what is a cheap source for a gear rack and pinion?

A couple of months ago I was on a quest to make candle dish swages. I was going to try to turn a few shapes out of steel on the metal lathe to make some new forms and I never got the time, sorry Collene. I am still using the Aluminum ones. The good news is that I can cast them as often as I like. About a month ago when I was teaching sheet metal layout I had the idea of making something other than a dustpan. I have made so many metal dustpans over the years I am sick of them and they are starting to pile up. Anybody want one? Since I made the dish and holders I figured I should have some candles to match. I know you can buy them at the dollar store, but to me it isn't the same. So I decided to make my own candle mold. I did some research as to what they looked like. As far as design goes, I chose one that was pretty simple. Nothing more than a couple of hollow tapered tubes that are capped and held together at the bottom with some solder. The top is merely just there to help you fill the tubes and to keep you from dumping hot wax down your arm as you pour. The only information I could find related to a plan for one comes from an eBook that google. I know I could have figured one out but this works, and I went with it. Maybe next time I will design my own. http://books.google.com/books?id=OxQKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA36&dq=sheet+metal+candle&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OA5uUZT-J-PX0QHl_4H4Dw&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAA By the way here is also a good ebook about how light was made before electricity called the Old west Surrey: some notes and memories by Gertrude Jekyl. The drawing in the first book was ¼ scale and I figured that if I had to draw it out in CAD I might as well share it. The mold consists of two pages and should be easy to print out full scale as they are PDF files. 3 candle mold pg1.pdf 3 candle mold pg2.pdf The one I have pictured is a little different from the one in the book. I added some extra 1/8 welding wire one at the top to tie the wicks to and one at the bottom to pull them tight. I also made the handle bigger, just out of scrap tinplate. I used 30g tinplate as that what I have. Before you use the mold watch this video on how to use a candle mold. http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=72 It does a good job at explaining the task. When I pour candles I use a Zip-Lock Freezer bag and a sauce pot instead of a crock pot and liner. I put the wax in a quart bag and use a clothespin to clamp it on the side of the pot while the beeswax melts. I do not use boiling water, just hot. To set the mold up I spray the inside with cooking spray and then I tie the wicks on the welding wire stops. I do not weave the wick in and out of each mold, just tie them individually. Then I dip the point end of the mold in the hot wax three or four times to build a wax plug up on the end. This plug keeps the hot wax from running out when you fill it. Then I use the bag to fill the mold cavities. The wax will shrink when it cools and the candled will become hollow, you will have to backfill each of the molds, so keep you wax hot. The mold makes about 6 candles from one pound of beeswax. I hope somebody can use this and try not to make fun of my solder job. It is pretty embarrassing. If you want assembly instruction please let me know and I will post.

I have two post vises at home and one a school. Of the two at home I have one of each, a stationary one and a mobile one. My shed at home serves more puropses than it should and so the ability to move somehting out of the way is great. However, it is also nice to have one mounted at a work bench for the times that I need it there and more stable. I actaully preffer both options as it is the best of both worlds. The one that I took to school is mobile and it always will be. Not for the fact that I need to move to help the kids work but more for the fact that I need to keep it away from the welders. The only table that is close to the forge/furnace at school is the welding table. That is just too close to new welders. If you need pctures of the various mounts I made let me know.

Thanks for all of the feedback, folks. It is nice to bounce these ideas off of a few people that have experieinced opinions. I will let this one go. I would rather pay more at a later time for a nicer anvil than buy another cheap anvil that is a "fixer-upper". I already have one of those, if I get the urge to do that. By the way I asked for a second picture today of the table and I was sent this picture. It looks like it was scalped.

I found this one on CL and my wife will not let me buy it, somthing about maternity leave. I tried tipping stuart off to this one as they want 300. I assumed it was sold. Then, they emailed me today and said that it was still there, asking if I wanted it. I have another picture of it giving a length of 33 1/2. It is not small. It looks to me like the plate is missing, and not worth it the time. What are your thoughts?

So a couple of weeks ago in the middle of hurricane Sandy I spy this anvil on CL. I contacted the guy right away and made arrangements to have a budy of mine in Philly pick it up after work. As I myself had to work and could not get there soon enough. I thought "It was as good as mine," and it was also 75 dollars for a 250 pound Fisher. The guy posted it saying "it was no good for blacksmithing as it did not have the ring." Wow what a spectacular deal, I thought. Then my buddy goes to pick it up and the guy says he sold it. The fellow sold it to in his word "some pushy fellow" that still asked for the five dollars back after he gave him $80. Hah! I guess dperk you are the final winner here. I am glad it went to somebody that will use it, good luck in all you do with it and thanks for posting pictures. I may be wrong but it sure looks like the one I was going to get.

John, I will make sure that I have a copy ready for you sometime in the near future. Private message me an email and I will make sure you get a copy. The only caveat I have is that if you find a way to improve this process let me know. I also have a PowerPoint that I use to explain each step along the way and as a student reference. I also have a generic rubric for grading if you wish. If you can use any of it let me know. Frank, fantastic addition thanks for commenting as it helped to enrich this post. When I did my research for this activity I just searched google, hardly exhustive by any means. So, if I order the book through you do I get a signed copy?

Phil, Looks good, looks a lot like my second firepot. Here are updated pictures of firepot 2.0. It is a hybrid of sorts a combination of I believe parts from a masonry system and a welded pot. The original fierpot from the masonry setup was I think cut with an OA rig and there was not much left. However, the bottom parts were nice and usable, so I decided to use what I had. The steel I chose for the pot was 3/8", I think. A suggestion, that seems to be working for me is that I have my sheet metal painted and it seems to be holding better than I expected. I did not use anything fancy, just Rustoleum in the quart. The actual firepot is painted with high temp grill paint and it also seems to be holding or not burning. I should temp the pot sometime and see what that reads, just for fun. As you can see in the pictures all of the paint is still there even after firing. Just a suggestion, heck you may have been planning to paint all along. And one more thing I still have not bolted mine down it just sits there floating like. So far no problems and I move it all around my property. I still have firepot version 1.0 and the cutout from the OA torch for version 2.0. I may someday make it modular and have the ability to interchange the firpots. The advantage is thae version 1.0 was much more cheaper to run, but limited in size. Version two has a larger capacity but eats more coal. Also it might just be for fun and to see if I can do it :)

Yes, the difference between 1" and 1.000" is quite costly.

No, I am serious. I was an art major a long time ago and I can tell that you have a gift that very few have. You have mastered the elements of design and you now can apply them fluently to carry out a piece. It is just fantastic! As others have commented similarly, to see some one who really "gets it, or has it" quickly identifies those who do not. It also indicates those who are trying to bluff their artisitc ability through an untrianed eye. I feel as though I am a creative individual, others might argue against it, but I can tell you that this is humbling to me. Not only are you a master of form but your usage of texture in this application just provides an incredible depth to these pieces. I stare at these images regularly and I see new features all of the time. Keep up the good work! and keep the pictures coming.

Thanks, I thought so too. I have these posted in the back of my classroom as examples and I reference them often. I certainly spend time on each section as to what I need the studens to do and understand. Having these in the back of the room aids in helping some of them grasp the whole process. Design or Create is a high level thought process that is not easy to do, well. There is a lot that needs to be understood in order to design well. A lot of my students just struggle with the comprehension of what it is, let alone how to do it. Then you throw in that they have to carry these designs out and it really can be a tough thing to grasp in 9 weeks. Today I was explaing the whole prcess to a stundet who was asking some questions and I brought him back to my design wall with these pictures. After I helped him through I sgot the idea of scanning them and posting them on here, and here you go.

Pictures resized......I hope this is better.

This is the process that I use to teach technological design. It is a multistep process in which the student is presented with a problem and must then create a solution to that problem. These problems can range from complex to very simple. The concentration here is not on the product as it is more related to the process of designing. I normally select a challenge that fits my students' skill level. In the example below I presented myself with the problem of designing and fabricating a simple hand forged product, a steel striker. I went through this process to have an example of what I was looking for to hang in my room as a reference. If you look close you will most likely find a few errors in spelling. If you do then you can fingure out why I am a not an English or Language Teacher, Hah! Anyway, I did not include the actual desing brief as it for some reason will not convert here at home. I will see tomorrow if I can convert it at school. Also, if anybody would like a blank PDF of this packet for use please send me a message. To me it is a fantastic way to teach the desing process. Let me know what you think.

Your descriptions were spot on and the photos back it up. Thank you for posting and good show! I enjoy the simplicity of this method and the variety of pipe that one can find. I think for my students though, it would take a bit more to master the art of the hammer and not to drive the cup though the pipe. Or to put horrible dents in the thing. A side note today I thought about chucking up a piece of steel and turning the same shape. I have not gotten there yet but when I do I will post. Thanks again! SF