Frosty

At least seal the join or water getting in will cause galvanic action. A vacuum cleaner and epoxy works pretty well. Duct tape the vac hose to one side of the joint and let it suck the epoxy through the joint. Slow cure epoxy stays workable longer and is much stronger than the fast stuff. If you degrease the joint with xylene first it'll bond better just make sure it's dry first. When all the gaps are filled it'll draw the epoxy much slower. You can trim the excess with a razor blade once it's set. Trimming before it's fully cured is FAR easier than afterward. Frosty The Lucky.

We're more open to different things than folk in the lower 48? Seriously, it's not that much more expensive to ship something from down under than Florida. I don't know what you mean by big rat looking marsupials but I'll give it a try if available and I know what it's called. Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard Greensmith, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance. Frosty The Lucky.

Do you know what you want to forge? Buying or building the "perfect" forge before we knew what we really needed or really wanted to make is why so many of us have a bunch forges. What works a charm for bladesmithing is going to fail miserably the first time you want to turn a scroll. Unless you can get a scroll right as soon as it comes out of the forge you're going to be stuck with what you have because you'll never get it back into a knife forge. For guys who are just getting into the craft and don't yet know just what they want or are going to end up doing I recommend a farrier's forge. They're typically light weight, reasonably easy to reline and must be able to heat a horse shoe. A horse shoe is a pretty large product in the hobby world. Sure it's not a gate or railing but you are never going to need to heat the whole gate/railing, window grill, etc. You'll need to work finials, scrolls, band, rivet, etc. and a two burner farrier's forge with a through hole will heat more metal than a person wants to beat in one heat. So, my basic advice is to consider what your goals are in the craft and remember learning means mastering the basics first. Easy to reline is really HIGH on my list of goodness things. You are going to burn the liner out of your forge if you use it much and especially if you weld in it. You don't HAVE to use two burners to forge and one of my main tenets, heck life philosophies is, "it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." Two burner forges are better in my book. Light is a good thing, you WILL end up needing to move it. Its part of learning the craft, you can arrange everything the way it's laid out in books but WILL find an arrangement that suits you and your work better. Easy to move is a good thing. I don't have a brand name to recommend or disrecommend, I've used a number of commercial forges and the ones that didn't get hot enough were easily fixable. Frosty The Lucky.

Spread out is probably our biggest problem where attendance is concerned too. In most cases there are maybe 3-4 members living close, say within 50 miles, the rest live more than 100 miles away and some have to fly or take a ferry. Alaskan ferry rides tend to be all day affairs unless we're talking Haines to Skagway, or catching the one to the airport at Sitka. Anyway, between paycheck jobs and distance we're doing well to get more than 10 guys show for a meeting. Reality can be Soooo disappointing can't it? Frosty The Lucky.

Yeah, Youtube inspired mythology. It's very much the Hollywood culture incarnate where if you can pretend a thing folk who watch will believe the story. A suspension of disbelief is important to successful story telling, plausible and believable is more important than real. I suspend my disbelief every single day, I learned to read because Mother introduced me to science fiction when she found out I was lagging behind other kids my age. All that just leads to a learned ability to keep reality and make believe separate. Kids haven't learned that and some never do, think UFOlogists and Bigfoot hunters for grownup examples. Sure, maybe but am I going to live my life based on maybe? I'm a function trumps form kind of guy, show me the raw data, keep the maybes for the camp fire and s'mores. I think everybody needs a little recognition, especially youngsters. I know I opened my mouth WAY too often as a kid and I haven't seen anything to make me think it's changed. In the world with the internet, facebook twitter, youtube, etc. anybody can shoot a little with their cell phone, edit on the laptop and post whatever they want. Just take a look at IFI for example. Someone asks a basic question and how many replies from guys who aren't much more advanced get posted? I don't keep track but one of the voices in my head say in the 70-80% range of the replies aren't from folk who actually know what they're saying. Why should it be ANY different on Facebook? I know I get sucked into a thread and can really run my mouth. You don't even want to know how far afield I got on this thread before I just deleted several pages of maunderings. It takes experience to be able to winnow the grain from the chaff and that's one of our main functions here as the old timers, we have that experience and can call BS on what needs calling out. I can be pretty ham handed sometimes but I try not to drive kids off. I'm happy to say some of my friends here will call me out on being too aggressive or whatever, for which I am grateful. While it can be aggravating to see some of the shear BS posted on Youtube I'm glad it gets brought here so we can call it what it is. It's kid stuff to think you can figure out anything and do it fast. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I'd like to have, says, "Hire a teenager while they still know everything." were any of us old guys different as kids? Not unless we lived under conditions or someone who wouldn't put up with it. I was lucky, I had to work in Dad's shop starting around 8yrs. and a spinning shop is an unforgiving place. If you behave like fantasy world is real it'd bleed you back to reality. Heck even the internet will do that to the careless, look at how many kids now have nude pics online that will be there forever. So, aggravating is what kids do best, I think it's part of our job to help adjust attitudes and hopefully keep beginners from thinking some of these things are real. I guess I'm good with it if I can keep what's really going on in mind. Wow, even after deleting a LOT it's really a long ramble. Oh well. <grin> Frosty The Lucky.

Here's a second incarnation pic of my shop forge. The helper with the fire brick hasn't moved out in I don't know how long, it stays pushed up against the forge table. The handle looking thing with the tongs hanging from it is the helper I was referring to. It is upside down in this pic, the cross bar the tongs are hanging from is level with the forge floor when it's right side up and I hang tongs from the tubes that support it and telescope into the receiver tubes welded under the forge table. With the brick topped helper slid all the way out and the smaller or outer helper slid all the way out they extend about 30" from the forge. If I'm working longer stock I have some stands that used to have rollers, and other things I use for helpers. A good helper is a must for the cutoff saw and drill press, in my shop anyway. Frosty The Lucky.

I always want gumbo but I developed a shrimp allergy and have to do other flavors. <sigh> Of course chicken makes good gumbo, as does turkey and moose or caribou or. . . Well, darned near anything. Crawfish Etouffee is heaven on tongue. Ever notice how many blacksmiths cook? I mean REALLY cook. Frosty The Lucky.

Sorry, I should've reread your post before replying. You're going to need to find out what the minimum part they will sell you that will make the repair or buy a new one. Do they have a dealer with a shop? Most welding suppliers will give a person a pretty good deal to keep old failing gas torches out of the end user's shop. The liability is just too great for the to risk someone rebuilding torches, I don't know of anybody selling less than components. Frosty The Lucky.

I liked it from the start when the accordion player drove in on a riding mower. I'll be tracking Steve and the Seagulls, maybe record some on my MP3. Bluegrass sings to me. Anybody know of a bluegrass group with a bagpiper in the band? They really need an anvilist, that guy didn't get hardly anything of that anvil's musical repertoire. Any anvil with a decent ring will play a goodly range of notes from heal to horn. Frosty The Lucky.

If you have lots of pritchel holes make tools to mount to two and they can't turn. About the thingy. Intuitively it's a good idea but blacksmithing deals with really basic physics. One fuller with X joules of impact force will move X amount of steel X distance. Divide the force over two fullers and move it 1/2 as far, divide it over 7 and you'll get less than 1/7 the movement because you'll be trying to compress the steel between the fullers. Your thingy is a good thing but probably not for what you thought it was, I see a number of swages rather than fullers. The sharp edges do NEED to be softened or it's a cold shut machine. You can grind the fullers to different radii for a more versatile tool. Keep thinking of things, you just never know when an idea is a gem. Frosty The Lucky.

Wow, that's a lot of forge, sure a lot nicer than my first few. I only have a couple suggestions. I'd tweak the flame so it's aimed at the near side of the floor brick, right now most of the direct heat is aimed at the joint of the floor and kaowool sidewall. The other suggestion I have is a helper. I built a telescoping helper on my forge, it will slide out a good 18" to support long pieces and can be pushed back in. What I've discovered though is I like hanging tongs from the thing so it never gets slid back in unless I'm moving it. If you use expanded metal or stout screen to block the front of the shelves it'll help keep you from reflexively bending into the flame but not block your view. All in all it's a darned nice job. Well done. Frosty The Lucky.

You're making a common beginner's mistake, you're really over thinking this. When I mounted my anvils on wood stands they were morticed in to the top of the feet and never went anywhere. I could lift them out if necessary but just a rim was all it took to keep them secure. I used those spruce block stands for probably 25+ years and they were getting so rotten where they met on the ground they were just dead gone when I replaced them. Now I use steel stands, they're much quieter, more solid than wood, more mobile, lighter, I can work closer to the anvil, hammer and tong racks just clip on. Anyway, your anvil stand is good to go as it is, if the anvil wants to hop out over the rim then bend a couple 22d nails across kitty corner feet. Silicone is a pretty good noise deadener but you don't need to glue the anvil to the stand, just lay a couple generous beads on the stand and smooth them flat with a putty knife spatula, ruler, etc. just something with a straight smooth edge. Let it dry and it's good to go. Don't worry about getting too complicated with things, it's really easy to get carried away looking for the perfect solution. Nothing is perfect, sure some things work better than others but it isn't the tools that do the work, it's those clever monkeys with thumbs that do it. There's only one MUST have tool, your brain. . . Oh okay, eyes, fingers and the rest of your upper appendages are really handy too. Learn from doing, trying to figure these things out before you start is of very limited value, it's the experimentation and failure analysis that do the teaching. I don't know if you cook but here's an analogy: How long should I cook rue before adding the water? Should I buy a new pan? What's the perfect spatula? Should I use a gas, electric or induction range? Should I stir constantly? Should I use a spoon or whisk? What kind, how big? On and on, a person can get really lost trying to figure out all the details and believe me most of what you figure out in advance will be wrong and you'll have to un-figure it out. The answer to the example question is by color or smell if you want a dark rue and the more you brown it the less thickening power it'll have. There's only one way to learn the color or smell and that's by burning a few pans of rue. (If you're interested<grin>) I'm not trying to be a mean old fart, I think a majority of old hands here have wasted time over thinking things. I'm just trying to help with perspective. Making perfect tools is the tool maker's job. If you want to blacksmith build a fire and start beating hot steel. If there's a problem with how your anvil performs you'll notice and have a basis to adjust it. If you can't figure out what's wrong, we're here for you, bring it to the forum. Just don't fix something unless it's broken. <wink> Frosty The Lucky.

Yeah, none anymore doesn't surprise me. When built the house we got to put the toilets in about 16 years ago and the rings didn't have bees wax at all. I may have to open one next time I'm at the plumbing store and see what they're like now. Guess it's a good thing I don't use bees wax on iron unless it's requested by the customer. Frosty The Lucky.

That is a beautiful anvil and a sweet deal, great score Jim. I'm with Mike, having friends on the web has had astounding results for me, from meeting like minded metal head friends, meeting Deb, to to . . . It just keeps on. I'm honored and glad to know you all. Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard Guy, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance. I'm going to stay mum about adjusting your hammer, I'm pretty new to owning one and there are guys here who factories making the things. Frosty The Lucky.

I'll ask him again next time I'm in. Since the accident and then the shingles, I had to change ophthalmologists for one who is also an ophthalmologist/neurologist and doctor W. specialized in industrial eye injuries as well. It's a long list of "other" stuff he does but folk come out to the valley from Anchorage for consults. He sounded pretty sure but I may have misunderstood or been swayed bu the wall of certs. Anyway, I'll ask more specifically next visit. Eyes are too important to make judgements based on what I THINK he said/meant. Frosty The Lucky.

Andy: No company is going to sell repair/rebuild parts to less than a certified tech with their own insurance. Gotta buy the valve. Frosty The Lucky.

Hardpan my friend I think you and I are going to really enjoy knowing each other. Great backstory. Where're the pictures?! Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard Sandy, glad to have you. We're blacksmiths not brainiacs so mentioning you're in Scotland in the intro isn't something we're going to remember, it's a big island you know. If you put general location in the header we won't keep asking. And we LOVE pics, all kinds of pics, shop, tools, projects, scenery, family pets, dinner, most anything okay to show kids. Frosty The Lucky.

White, bi metal Lennox multi tpi. The bi metal blades are far less susceptible to dirt dulling the teeth. Unfortunately they're not much for adding to a pattern weld like a mono metal blade. How's that for thinking ahead? Giving consideration to what to do with the dull and broken blades when I buy the things. The rule of thumb for saws is 3 teeth on the stock at all times. Finer is NOT better, too fine and the cuttings won't clear the kerf, jam and gall the blade. Too coarse, the teeth will want to just dig in without being able to part the chip and jam. You can more easily get away with too coarse than too fine a blade by reducing the feed rate/weight. Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard Dale, glad you delurked. Your forge corner has a homey cluttered look without a trip hazard at every turn, I think I'd feel right at home there. Think you like making stuff eh? I think you'll fit right in here. <grin> Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard Bryan, glad to have you. That's one heck of a first metal sculpture. "Out of the gate hard" is a good way to put it. You done good, real good. Frosty The Lucky.

No significant UV from a forge. The IR can cause cataracts so don't stare into the forge. Keeping an eye on things doesn't require you to stare into the forge. You're brain can adapt and adjust to almost anything from rattle snake venom to the smell of a hockey bag so wear a comfortable shade safety glasses and practice with them. It won't be too long before you can judge forging temperature with them on. Didymium is pretty useless at the forge, it only filters sodium yellow, so only reduces the glare from Borax flame a little. Not much good unless you do glass torch work. So, that's my 2 bits, glance into the forge for a couple seconds every 30 seconds or so and the IR won't be shining through your lenses long enough to do them much if any damage. (That's what my optometrist said a few years ago anyway.) Forget UV unless you're using a carbon arc as a forge. If so, ask at the welding supply. Frosty The Lucky.

Good grief, how could your prep guys miss a maple tree poking through the car roof!? A spruce tree got both of our cars in a wind storm a few years back. What is it about trees? Frosty The Lucky.