Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Frosty

2021 Donor
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    47,217

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Frosty

    Bloomsmithing

    in Blacksmithing, General Discussion

    Posted

    Use a magnet in a sand pile, stream bed, backyard dirt etc. A good trick is putting the magnet in a plastic bag before you dredge, that makes it easy to get the iron filings off and they'll already be in the bag.

    If you live near a bog you can try wading around feeling for bog iron in the mud. I've never done this myself but it used to be the main source for high grade iron ore for centuries.

    Frosty

    The forge build begins

    in Solid Fuel Forges

    Posted

    I have to stick up for using bar grate rather than a grid because it'll get chewed up in use and it's WAY easier to replace a few bars than a grid. I'll probably build one so the individual bars rest in slots so I can just pull ones that become too damaged.

    By all means you MUST use a breathable air pump. I don't know if the ones used for therapy will provide enough volume. I have an oiless, carbon vane breathable air pump for my 3M White Cap III supplied air welding helmet. (Yes, this IS a helmet. For you pro weldors out there)

    Passing ideas around is why most of us are here Ted. I know I get a better rush when some piddly little thing I know or think up works to make someone's life easier than I do when I learn something from someone else. If you haven't done it yet you really MUST teach someone to blacksmith, it's ALMOST better than sex. . . Almost. :rolleyes:

    Frosty

    Burns..

    in Presses

    Posted

    well here's one for ya,

    my worst burn was at a pizza shop i was workin in a few years ago,

    i wound up with a blister the entire circumference of my ankle at the top of my boot, had i wore my deck shoes like i normally would have ,

    ....


    Okay, THAT gave me the willies!

    Frosty

    My Smithy

    in Blacksmithing, General Discussion

    Posted

    I don't understand the upsetting thing frosty, please explain. I only use the vise for the horn to bend with.


    Upsetting is driving the iron back into itself to make it thicker and it's probably the hardest smithing process to do well. Hence upsetting is upsetting. (to the smith) :mad:

    Frosty

    The forge build begins

    in Solid Fuel Forges

    Posted

    Positive pressure system---

    NB *ALWAYS* screen your intake so that the odd bee or wasp doesn't get delivered to your face mask...


    Do you HAVE to take the entertainment value out of everything?

    Ted:

    Another thought for keeping the smoke out of your work space is to make a downdraft welding/cutting table. The work rests on a bar grate over a plenum chamber. The exhaust fan sucks from the plenum and the output is piped outside. It is a lot easier to keep the smoke from getting loose than it is getting rid of it.

    In AK we have heat issues and heating with wood I'd rather not have to exchange the air in the shop 3-4 times to get rid of a little smoke. You're also breathing it till it's gone.

    Frosty

    Burns..

    in Presses

    Posted

    My worst burn happened while I was drilling. I'd jumped up on the cab of the drill to try seeing something through the woods and when I climbed back down grabbed the exhaust stack. I'd already stepped off so I couldn't just let go without falling through the steel rack on the way to the ground.

    I've had lots and lots of burns but that was the worst, took a couple weeks to get over it.

    Frosty

    The forge build begins

    in Solid Fuel Forges

    Posted

    Ted:

    You're right, it's been done though usually only when there's a problem with the draw.

    The reason there's less stress on the Motor restricting the intake rather than the output is the blower vanes are running in a partial vacuum rather than in thicker, compressed air.

    If you shut either intake or output completely off there's almost no difference in resistance. The air density around the vanes will quickly come to ambient and the load on the motor will lighten up.

    For an easy example you can hear a hair dryer motor speed up when you block either intake or outlet completely. A partial blockage of either will result in a different motor note though.

    Frosty

    anvil position

    in Anvils, Swage Blocks, and Mandrels

    Posted

    I'm right handed and mine usually points to my left though I point it wherever I find it easier to get what I want.

    One thing I do with my students is get them used to working the anvil from any direction. It follows from having them standing across from me when I demo something and just handing them the hammer without moving. They lose the notion of right or wrong direction no later than mid second session.

    It's a form follows function issue. Do what works best for you.

    Frosty

    My Smithy

    in Blacksmithing, General Discussion

    Posted

    He means the back, hammer like face, of the axe. It may chip dangerously as any hammer on hammer action might. If you remove the handle you can shine up then heat the pol of the axe head. Let the color run to purple blue and quench in water.

    Take it easy on your vise, it isn't an anvil, it just looks kind of like one. They're cast iron and will not stand much hammering at all.

    If you have a store of RR spikes you can make all kinds of useful stakes and use the track plate as a holder. You'll need to upset a shoulder so they stop on the plate. That's a good thing, every smith needs to learn why it's called "Upsetting," the sooner the better. ;)

    All in all it looks like a decent set up to start.

    Good for you Brother-M

    Frosty

    what stock would be good for use

    in Blacksmithing, General Discussion

    Posted

    A 20# anvil will pretty much limit you to 1/4" stock and smaller. Oh sure you CAN work heavier but it'll be a PITA.

    Nails as suggested, skewers and toasters, "S", "J" drive hooks, cabinet hardware, etc. There're lots of useful and beautiful things you can make in light stock.

    Then again, try your local salvage yard or even truck repair shop for something useful as a field expedient anvil. One of my hands down favorite anvils ever was a field expedient. It was an axle out of I don't know what but it was heavy with a large thick bolt flange. Buried to a depth where the flange was at proper forging height it made a wonderful anvil.

    Unfortunately I didn't bring it home with me when we left the job site, I was distracted by hauling the loot from the Seward Machine Shop home and forgot it.

    Frosty

    Brain strike!! residue heat uses :D

    in Blacksmithing, General Discussion

    Posted

    Even free spinning, precession will slow it down. You also can't ignore the effects of brownian movement. forever is a long time.

    Also, by definition a "perfect" vacuum would be ruined by a top or anything else in it.

    Forget steam power for your blower. Rig a turbine in the stack and use the rising smoke to power your blower. This is proven technology though not widely used.

    Frosty

×
×
  • Create New...