ironstein

Ok, i have been blacksmithing for a while now, and i find my interest in knives is growing, especially damascus. I would like to find out any info about schools or groups in my area (so cal). I would like to be able to spend some time with a master bladesmith, and eventually work my way into a bladesmith certification. Anyone have any info?

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. I wouldn't put it in your forge. Look what happened to Paw Paw.

Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing with us Mike!

Congratulations Michael. Nice work.

Hey Monster, glad to hear you are booked with work. Sounds like what i call a "quality" problem! Being a rodbuster, and working around concrete and large formwork all the time, i would think this would be a fairly simple undertaking for someone as knowledgeable as you are. I think the part of the problem i am missing since i have never seen your set up is all the other equipment and how to place everything efficiently. I am no hammer expert, but why not pour a precast foundation that you could place where you need it with all the amenities needed? For example, you plan on moving at some point, and don't want to go through all the expense into something you can't take with you. Why not pour a heavily reinforced concrete pad with high strength fiber reinforced concrete to set the hammer on? You could build up a floor around the hammer out of wood to the height you require. I think someone suggested pouring a footing with eye bolts so you could remove it and take it with you. Just thinking outside the box. I suppose it kind of defeats the purpose since you still have the concrete floor underneath the pad to deal with. If you pour a big enough pad, say for two hammers, it may spread the weight enough to keep the floor safe. Just an idea.

Did you make the box and screw for that? Good looking repair. Can't tell from the pics, but it looks to be a large one, how much does it weigh? What size jaws?

Nice work, that thing will last a lifetime!

Alec, Thank you for sharing with us! I am so excited for you, as i'm sure Brian told you, you can take blacksmithing so much farther than many of the great smiths out there today. You have the chance to do with it what many of us wish we could. Your previous post about your time with Brian, Karen, and Lyle was very eloquent and highly respectful. Keep up the good work, i know we are all excited to see what amazing work you churn out in the future. Brian

Nice work Dan. That is one of the nicest lg's i have ever seen.

Thanks for the tutorial. I will have to try that. Nice work on the pictures and description, it translated very well, pretty straightforward.

Thanks for the pictures Lyle. As always i look forward to these threads. I learn something new every time. That is an interesting flatter. Did Brian mig weld it? I would like to see how the traditional wood handled flatter is made by Brian, he has some really nice looking flatters in his rack.

Nice bunch of tools! They are gonna have an interesting time getting the spoils across the pond!

Great information, thank you. Makes me wish i had access to a heat treat oven.

Nice work. Looks like the lube and coal dust really make a difference. I abandoned this technique on my press because my h13 slitting punch kept getting hung up, and it seemed to really cut up my punch after just one hole. I may try it again after seeing this and use coke dust and lube.

Great pics! Looks like Alec fits in with the demos nicely. Was that aluminum round stock Alec and Brian were working into a leaf?

Absolutely amazing! Alec is a natural. His mom sure looks proud, and she should be.

Nice work Clinton! I like the idea of a story board display.

Congratulations! Nice rack!

Nice work!

Haberman anvil.

Hey Mr Turley, I believe the handyman anvil has a sharper side shelf. Looks to be a handy option for working tight angles. I don't know if I could bring myself to doing that to my 460#! After all, I guess it is just a tool.

I had to bring this post back to life. True talent and artistic vision. I think we can all learn some fantastic stuff from this thread. Honestly, before this thread was referenced on another site i was never too impressed with scroll work, don't know why. This rail has reinvigorated my appreciation for the beauty of snub end scrolls, the ebb and flow of this rail astonishes me. Just sayin'! Mr Dillon you are an inspiration.

Cool stuff Fe! Nothing like a hard days work to make you sleep like a baby. Those are nice looking tapers.

B-Razeal is da man!

When i moved in to my house, the shop (12 by 40 metal building) was set up for wood working. It was only wired with some plugs run from the main panel of the house. I paid an electrician to upgrade from 100 amp to 200 amp panel and run a 100 amp sub panel to the shop. I worked it out with the electrician to do the manual work myself (concrete cutting and digging for the conduit), and he gave me a price off $1500 to do everything else. I thought it was well worth it. I cut concrete from the main panel to the shop, excavated the ditch, and when they were finished i buried and poured concrete to match existing. They installed the new panel, brought everything up to code, and installed my welder plug, and some extra plugs. Now i have enough power to run my welders and plasma cutter, and my big compressor. I have to change plugs for the welders and such, but i am glad i did it right in the first place. It is super nice to be able to run what i want in the shop with out having to unplug appliances in the house!