Frosty

Depends on what I'm doing. If it's layout, general fab, machine shop stuff, etc. the more light the better up to direct sunlight levels. If I'm smithing I like it dimmer but not dark. Over the years I've gotten pretty good at judging heats in whatever light I had. As I get older I need more light to see so I'm forging in bright and brighter light. If judging temps is critical I either turn the lights down or use a shadow box. My shop'll have a combination of flourescents for general lighting and halogen worklights. Something else you can't have too many of in a shop are outlets, 110v and 220v or whatever your nation uses. Frosty

Good morning Frederico: If your dimensions are really in mm then you won't need more than a butane soldering torch for general forging and a MAPP gas torch will get it to welding heat. Bernzomatic is the American brand name I'd recommend. They can be used with MAPP gas as well. Bernzomatic Torch If however you meant cm instead then a 3/4" sidearm burner is about twice as much burner as you'll need to reach welding heat. This is a good safe number if not as efficient as it could be, being a lot of overkill. However, I find using an oversized burner a serious time saver, especially heating thick or numerous pieces. I don't know if there are plans for a 1/2" sideam burner which is closer to the right size for a forge (assuming cm measurements) as you describe. Modifying the design isn't too difficult though it'll take some experimentation to get it tuned properly. Frosty

Reminds me of the engineers I used to work with. They'd ask me to build something and when I started taking measurements and making drawings would ask if I, "couldn't just get some steel and weld it together." Bridge engineers at that! Negative space indeed. They were best represented by the gaping hole they left in reality any time they stepped away from their desks. Frosty

I'd add something but I like my mother in law. So, I guess much to my dismay I'll actually contribute to the thread in an on topic manner. The following URL is to a friend's site, specifically his Palm Desert sculpture. Heath is getting better and better all the time. check out some of his Denver Zoo sculptures, not negative space but cool. Heath Satow Sculpture Frosty

The rule of thumb for how much to have sticking out to make the head is 1 1/2 the diameter. For instance a 1/4" rivet needs 3/8" sticking out for the head. Frosty

I believe it's because your mid-nineteenth century blacksmith could sound it out and spell it reasonably well. Frosty

If you can't find 10" you can put two pieces of 5" together. Frosty

I thought that's what beer is for. You Aussies are just full of surprises. Frosty

Welcome aboard trattoclip. Don't apologize, your english is far and away better than my italian. I like your first attempts at wrought iron. Outstanding for first attempts in fact. I especially like the little four limbed thingy. What kinds of wood are you carving? How long do the plates take? Frosty

There are pics and videos of live fires of similar cannon on the same site. I was wondering about the rate of fire till I saw the breech blocks in the pic gallery. I was pleasantly surprised to see they were breech loaders. Frosty

The big secret is working the tong handles after you're peined the rivet to loosen the hinge. The other secret is using a chisel to put a small keyway in the hole on the side that gets peined. This keeps the rivet from turning in both halves of the tongs and keeps everything nice and snug longer. Frosty

I checked out griffen.eu and lo and behold there's this picture. Picasa Webalbum - Griffen - Koggmuseet Ma... - DSC05210.JPG Frosty

It was such a large download I thought something was wrong but I have it saved. I haven't looked through it yet but you're probably safe on the copy right part, it's from 1939. I could be wrong of course but seeing as you and I aren't selling it. . . Thanks. Frosty

Interesting designs Ice Czar. Please keep us posted on your progress. The fuel in the lower section is the charcoal that has fallen from the upper section. The injector/ejector provides a vacuum that draws air for both the downdraft and updraft section. Absolutely, CO is nothing to take lightly. Frosty

I just retired with 30 years from the state highways maintenence section. Spent 10 years taking care of roads, before that I spent 19 years as an exploration driller for bridges, foundations and the like, geotech stuff. Sent some time in the soils lab before that. Prior to the state I was a roustabout kid doing whatever. I trained as a welder fabricator but ended up operating equipment and doing a lot of field repairs, especially as a driller. September 12, 06 around 7:30 am. I forgot to heed one of Father's favorite sayings and fell off a tilt deck trailer at work shattering my left arm. Two weeks ago last tuesday I had my 4th surgery on it to encourage a non-union fracture to go union. Once I get my arm straightened out (literally right now) I intend to supplement my retirement by operating someone elses equipment while I build my shop up. Eventually I'd like to have a small wrought iron shop with an attitude. Friendly attitude but not hungry enough to let folk take advantage as so often happens. Pam: Hope workers comp is treating you as well as they're treating me. Best of luck. Frosty

Not yet, I'll build a cupola if I decide to go ahead on this scheme. One of our local club members is hosting an iron pour this June so I'll get some hands on experience with theirs. I already have my alumanized fire suit. I should've been more specific, I won't be using LOX, it'll pass through a gassifier on it's way to the air belt. Lox, gassifiers, manifolds, etc. are all available at the local welding supplier. I was talking about the idea with Mike Porter a while ago and he gave me a few names of people who have used oxy enrichment in melters. There's a point of diminishing returns as high levels of oxy will decarburize the iron and my goal isn't pure iron or even mild steel. My goal is a proper base and anvil base for a home made power hammer. Casting one is only one option I'm keeping open. I'd much rather find some solid steel the right size or even a forklift counter weight instead. Still, the thought of playing with a ton or more of melted iron is tempting in the extreme just because. Frosty

There are industrial oxy generators designed for shop use. A friend of mine has one for supplying his torches. It doesn't supply high psi, over about 80-90psi and it's only around 90-95% pure. It does however give him a virtually unlimited supply of torch grade oxy for the price of compressed air and a 110v electric connection. I've used oxy off my torch to enrich fires before to good effect. As long as you're not trying for a high oxy atmosphere before you light the fire you're generally safe enough. Whether it's cost effective or not depends a lot on your situation my buddy paid for his ($2,400 some 8-9 years ago) in about 8 mos over refilling bottles but he uses lots of oxy. I've kicked around the idea of using lox to enrich a charcoal fired cupola melter for a large iron pour. Lox is available for reasonable a few miles from me and I'd be melting at least a metric ton of iron if I went through with my crazy scheme. The trick will be keeping the iron in the mold hot enough between taps so each pour welds solidly. If I can make the turn around time between taps short enough it becomes pretty simple to make it work. Frosty

5160 leaf spring is a good choice as well. It's very forgiving and takes impact well. H13 being probably one of the best but it's harder to work and expensive by comparison. I wouldn't use mild but I wouldn't go for expensive specialty alloys either. For decent field expedients think; splitting maul, jack hammer bit, large hot chisel, etc. For salvaged material think, leaf spring, rail clips, coil spring, (more work) axel, (lots more work) and so on. Frosty

Hardfacing an anvil is a huge amount of work for moderate gain. Something I've been wanting to try for a few years but haven't had the time is this. I want to grind the face off a cast iron ASO, match a piece of HC plate to it and silver solder them together. 1/8" sway isn't anything to try to "repair." It isn't enough to effect your work. Trying to hardface a 300lb HB will put it at risk for little if any gain. Buying a new anvil is always a good idea; I'd do it weekly if I could afford it. Frosty

Another thought Brother M. How about you crank up your imagination, draw up a set and we'll debug it for you? Seriously, not knowing how something is "supposed" to be done can lead to some really good ideas. Frosty

And not too long after that, smiths on web sites, forums (fora?) lists and chats all over the planet will be arguing over which way it should point. Frosty

Ask you local welding supplier for metal spray supplies. This is one supplier. Metal Spray Supplies Frosty

Almost undoubtably forged and probably not mild steel. It'll make a fine anvil, I'd take it home in a heartbeat. Frosty

Jet anvils look cool but they're cast iron. So unless you're starting an ASO collection and really REALLY want a Jet ASO you'd be better off passing. There is of course a chance this one predates my first exposure to a Jet anvil in the late 70's around 77 I think and may be a decent working one. I doubt it though. Frosty

If weathering is an issue use a marine epoxy with the welded studs in drilled holes method. Grit in the holes is a good idea as well, best is silica sand as it's pretty non-reactive. Nice snake by the way. :cool: Frosty