Spears

Here at the factory where I work we use right angle (gear box) speed reducers. Grainger has pages of them with ratios of say 5:1 up to 60:1 in many cases. I don't know if that applies to what your doing with your specific situation but we sure do it a lot around here. They are in the $300-$500 range but rarely ever wear out. Just food for thought. Good luck with it. Spears.

This thing was trying to get into the shop so I got a rake and tossed him in the woods. A bit bigger than the average of his kind.

I would give the guy a hand with it if I lived closer. Considering the cost of resources, it may not be so easy to get some video footage like that if you don't know anyone. Might get someone a propane or oxy-ace tank filled. Who can tell?

I like looking at mechanical things like machines made out of wood. Thank you for all the pictures. Spears.

Taint nuthin locka musheen havindat goodole fashin look!!

Hello Wes,

I was in the same boat one year ago. I ended up building an air hammer and buying a large air compressor and I am happy with the way it all turned out. I documented (with pictures) everything I did on the Metal Artists forum. Only because Iforgeiron already had few of the same documents already. All of the air and tire hammer builds documented here and there are free and very helpful. These forums really help people decide on whether to accept the headache of building equipment versus purchasing. If you have the ability to fabricate heavy structural steel and you have some places to find materials for cheap, then by far it is too economical to build one. If you can get your hands on a few thousand and perhaps save a few more, skip the headache and torture and plug in a new one! I searched the world over and a “good deal” on used equipment of this nature is virtually non-existent. When it comes to power hammers, this is what needs to be remembered: You can find them “for sale”, but not “on sale”. Good luck. Spears.

I order supplies from ENCO now and again and they sell 1200 grit water proof abrasive sheets for ~ $14.00 per 50. This link should get you there:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=387-1630&PMPXNO=939324

Hope this helps and good luck with your shopping endeavors. Spears.

This is a table I made and have used for 2 years. I used some clear rubber pads ~1/2" diameter. The steel was clear coated (let dry) and the pads I removed the self stick adhesive with denatured alcohol and then applied 2 part epoxy to attach. Leave a day to dry with the table top on for weight. This holds up fine but I had another table loose a couple of pads from not removing the adhesive before applying the epoxy. The better would be to "flat bottom" recess nest the pad "down in" just a bit.
Four legged tables may need to compensate for a high corner in this case do three legs permanently and do the last one later in case of the "high corner" condition. Clear or black rubber pads for different uses can be bought anywhere but do not trust the adhesive "peel off" and stick down to be permanent. Good luck. Spears.

These pictures are of a post-type vice I made from scrap metal. Acme threaded rod and nuts can be purchased from the ENCO sale catalog quite reasonable even up to a 1.5" diameter. Spherical washers I purchased from REID supply company. It works well with a non-sloppy hinge at the bottom and a pivoting acme nut on the solid side under the clamping plates. Spherical washers on the lose jaw side because it is a radial clamp not linear. But why all the trouble?? Because it works well for a lot of applications and with years of education and experience designing and machining and welding metal fixture assemblies I can show the world I constructed something useful from the scrap pile. If this is what I do for fun, boy I'm sure a bundle of laughs! Not to mention how silly I look poking around out back at the factory junk pile like some seagull poking around a dead maggot fish pile on the beach. Sure there is a bit of pride and cost savings with self made equipment, but BIGGUNDOCTOR typed in a lot less words and still solved the problem cheaper. Quite a bit of learning has been accomplished by building my own stuff and for "that only" I would say it was worth it. Bragging about how much I didn't have to pay for something; well...only fooling myself! Good luck with your projects! Peace :-) Spears.

I have a "like new" copy of paper back volume 1 & 2 of Practical Blacksmithing author M.T. Richardson I'm looking to sell. Only problem is the shipping cost more than these books are worth. Here is the Amazon link.

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Blacksmithing-Part-One-Volumes/dp/1879335816/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274381486&sr=1-15

If anyone is close to north Alabama, they can contact me if they wish to add these to their library. Would ask ~ 50% of new price. Regards, Spears.

Well Wes I'm not Clay Spencer but I can probably make a concrete slab or anchor something into planet earth that can stop a rhino. You have a perfect condition if the dirt floor is in your possession and your permitted to dig a cavity and pour concrete into it. That's the best situation because if your machine base has bolt holes for mounting; all you have to do is match the pattern on piece of plywood and cement in some long anchors (the things shaped like the letter "L" threaded on the long end)in which to set the machine down on and bolt in. That would be the way to get your hammer impacting the workpiece nice and solid. Go deep say 12-18 inches and talk to some concrete fellows about anchors and such. Let them know what your plans are and they can tell you how to do it by hand. I've done many slabs by hand mixing in a wheel barrow with a garden hoe so you won't be paying for much besides the concrete itself. Good luck! Spears.

Here is a link to a very good article and signing up as a member is free just like this forum.

http://www.artistblacksmith.com/members-area/articles/Artisan%20Blacksmith%20as%20a%20Career.html

I too am only doing my metal arts as a hobby and I side with what Gobae said about it. Not because it can't be done for money. There are places one can make a living being an Artist Blacksmith but from what I've seen some of them live extremely budget conscious lives and it isn't their only income. A lot of people who inquire about purchasing my art are looking for things that can be easier bought from King Metals.com and welded together to construct gates, railings, archways, furniture, etc. That means taking a lot of the artwork right out of it. Certain fab shops do this all the time and the mig welder and paint booth more or less leave the anvil collecting rust. Railings and gates built from King Metals can look awesome but I like when people spend more for the hand work better. Just food for thought. Spears.

Used 4140 and left a web of .060 - .070 thick. Tapered the web like a blade with a dremel and die grinder but not “sharp sharp”. Fifteen minute soak time then Oil quench ~1600 – 1800 deg F. One plus one half hour temper at 350 deg F. Hope for Rockwell 50 + ? Limited equipment heat treat, but for other tools I’ve made zero problems.

Holding up well with its little bit of use. Under magnification no apparent wear or damage. The square bar has only a “point contact” before strike so it may not be taking on too much heat. It only breaks the corner as far or just shy of the inscribed circle so I’m hoping to get a few projects out of it. Full time should probably be made a bit better using jewelers files and material like H13. It looks like it will work real well for part time hobby/art. I definitely need to play with that idea for equal spacing. Thank you. Spears.

I took a liking to a form of twist where the corners get slit and it kind of looks like little squares stacked up against each other. The only problem was I didn’t have a good way to slit the corners and I didn’t want to take the time with a hacksaw. So on my lunch hour I used a Bridgeport mill to make a small die set that could bolt right into my power hammer. This would spring open after each strike and allow me to increment along a square bar in just a couple of heats over a few inches slicing all the corners allowing me to achieve the desired twist.

The die was bouncing open too far allowing the spring to become “un-captured” so I installed a bracket on both sides to prevent that as you can see in the picture. After observing that it worked using it sloppy the first time I decided to use it skillfully and make a fire poker. Paying attention it worked fairly well so I tree bark textured the poker rod and I will probably end up making a set. Enjoy! Spears.

start at the end, forge it to the diameter of your desired finished size, then work your way back up, this is how I was taught, let's me go full throttle on a 165 pound say Mak too for a good part of the process. I also go from light on the throttle to pedal to the metal from the fattest part of the taper to the end.

Thank you for the easy to understand description Sam. The first time I used a power hammer is when I finished building mine. I haven't yet been able to venture out of my world and watch some of you folks do some of this stuff. I've had to learn alot on my own from reading and watching videos along with trial and error. The brief descriptions of the basics have helped me a lot. Can't wait to forge this weekend. Thanks, Spears

Let me step in here and ask a legitimate question, please. I have worked in plenty of machine shops and am very good at always using safety glasses. However, sometimes when forging at home in the hot weather I have had some problems with "fogging up" or sweating on them. Anyone else?

I am intrigued where this 110 x 4 or (440) divided by drill diameter comes from as in my experience the resulting recomendations seem a tad faster than what I would use on a general mild steel.

I came across this post and since I’m a machine shop teacher “has been” I figured maybe this question hasn’t been answered yet.

4 X CS / dia is a beautiful simple derivative of the more specific formula 12 x CS / PI x DIA. The number “twelve” is there because that’s how many inches there are in a foot. Hence, many scientific documented cutting speeds are in “feet per minute”. Twelve divided by PI is 3.8 so for most drilling applications (forgiving as they are) the number “4” works fine in the formula. The cutting speed number in surface feet per min is not a “constant” and will go up with certain conditions like “flood coolant” when CNC drilling and may go down with conditions like dry drilling by hand. Hope this helps someone else if the answer was pre-obtained. Spears.

Blacksmith shops = poor wages
Blacksmith shops = poor training
blacksmith shops = poor treatment
blacksmith shops = no insurance

In short, Blacksmith shops show the need for unions today is as strong as it was yesterday.

That's kind of why I do it for a hobby and work in another occupation right now. Kind of strange how so many of us would rather be doing that versus being at our jobs. hhmmmm.

Somebody machine that anvil? Very interesting.

I was a machine shop teacher for three years in a high school vocational center that had a CNC mill. A professional heat treat company gave my anvils a 1/8" case hardening. It has worked out fine and holding up well considering I miss the workpiece now and again.

Thanks for the comments gentlemen. It isn't always so easy to shop for all this stuff and I find my artwork hobby to be very "tool driven" when it comes to the forging. Here's a description with a few more pictures.

A fixture was constructed to straddle the anvil having a plate that can be slipped under the new anvil hold down clamp for a more solid mount. All my power hammer dies both upper and lower can be mounted to this fixture. One corner of the die plate is placed over a ½” pin and two or three screws added for a solid mount to the fixture.


Utilizing the mount for my power hammer tooling, I have a few more hand forging capabilities. It may not be the fastest thing as far as change-over, but it beats having nothing at all. Until I can get a swage block, I'm going to use this. The artwork is yet to come from all these homemade tooling ideas. Enjoy, Spears.

I work at a factory that has a union but I'm an engineer and I'm on salary so I have nothing to do with it. Everyone knows I'm anti-union and it doesn't mean they hate me. I've been called things like "anti employee" but I still tell them the truth and it was pretty well covered by Monstermetal. I just get a good kick out of the those pro-union people when they hire a plumber for their home projects and they're the first one's to hire the non-union guy because he was cheaper. There are good hard working people here at the factory that can't be given a pay raise because of the union. Everyone wants this so called "level playing field" but it can't be argued; LIFE is NOT a "level playing field". Thanks for all posts because I find this stuff entertaining. Spears.

I needed a pair of wide jaw tongs like that just the other day. In fact, that welded construction idea hadn't crossed my mind until now. Rather than having to build myself some just like it, if you would be so kind as to discard that ugly pair; I got a plan to dig them out of the scrap barrel while no one is looking!! heh heh heh. The only thing I see wrong is the word "incapable" in the first sentence of your post. Suffering is gone!! Spears

My anvils were made by myself from 3”X 4” bar stock and contain no hardy hole. (There wasn’t a good way to put that in at the time of construction.) Having an extra anvil led me to construct a “hold down” that can stay mounted on. I purchased two pieces of 5/8”Acme threaded rod with nuts and welded them to a ½” X 1.5 piece of flat bar for a clamp bar. This is used with two die springs 8” long with 5/8” clearance holes. I rigged up and welded a pry bar that can lift this clamp for work holding on the face of the anvil. I cut a small ditch in the middle to stabilize round stock. This seems to have very good holding power and was relatively cheap to make. Spears

I own a whisper daddy w/open end ports and this 3 burner will use ~2lbs/hour. NC sells the brass nozzles for $1.25 each. Just ordered a bunch of them because the left side of my forge wasn't heating up quite as fast as the right. I have experienced a bit of non-uniform heating when I do my long 10" twists. I have yet to use my forge after I replaced the nozzles. The hole in the nozzles is very hard to measure and with my needle pin gauges, I could depict it to be right around .025". Under magnification I couldn't detect a whole lot of degradation of the orifice, but for a buck twenty five who gives a rip. Keep the insulation and refractory in decent shape, replace the nozzles (make sure they're for propane if that's what you use) and everything should be as good as it can be. I run mine at 10psi on the gauge. Good luck! Spears.

You aren't kidding about that tooling. Every time I heat treat a set of dies, I actually start thinking I've got some tools. Seeing that lets me know I've just begun.