After a nice chance to sleep in I went out and restocked the propane for the forge.   After that proceeded to take an old steering linkage and turn it into a bottom tool.  Not the prettiest but seems to do the job.  Then started looking at a few tongs I had started and figured I needed more tools so beat out a few bits and pieces that still need to be finished,  but at least I will have a few more options to hold onto things soon.   Satisfying way to spend the afternoon.  Few dozen more I might have a set or two of nice tongs to hang on the wall.

Made hoppin' john for the new year. Watched Lord of the Rings with the kids. Picked up a big crosspein hammer I'd started and worked on it for awhile.

Nice work! You've been busy! Now you just need to finish those before you get them all mixed up! 

I started working on a nailheader, got most of the way done (its annealing now), started on a second one, and made a hook for a young man who came to watch, seems he's really interested. It was the fastest I've ever made a hook, given that I was being watched the whole time! 

Put up shelving and organized place a little better, Got my wood lathe working and messed around with it a little, worked on a bronze handle for a drawer, started a 2 hides in tanning, touched a box up with spray paint, worked on some wood blocks that will turn into handles… I hope drilled them out and ready for burn in, collected all the filings with my magnet wand, vacuumed up wood dust and shavings, ate, watched a friend play DOTA, re sowing up my leather gloves I hand made years ago for myself,  looking at designing some tools for my air hammer that I can use to head rivets, called the millwrights out of work line as its a new month, emptied out a plastic trash bin of water (leather stuff), and debating on working on more stuff in the basement.  probably do some more work on the bronze handles or a test piece for  texture on an engraving that I am working on.  

I cursed my black luck at not being able to find a job around home, and continued my job as a truck driver.

Drilled some holes for the top bar(s) on an Air-Over-Hydraulic Press that I am building. 

 

Drilling straight holes with a Grizzly drill press is a challenge, since the table sags under weight.  I dragged a table over to the drill-press to help support the frame.

Felt better after being ill for a few days so went to the smithy and started on another set of tongs. Can never have too many tongs.

Put together a lego kit with my youngest, then made a batch of charcoal, and ground a few knives.  Then later my daughter & I fired the forge and made a few things, a garden hose hanger, a few spike crosses and a horseshoe heart.  I'd call it a very good start to the new year.

I gathered my reciepts and tax papers, Plowed 6 inches of snow from the driveway, made a big leaf keyring for some practice, then had breakfast, took my wife shopping, then came back and watched all the football games. I told my wife I had to forge something to start the year off the right way!!

Worked all over Xmas, this is first day off so spent it with the family and took daughter to the sea side :D

Wayne

Been prepping for snow. Calling right now for 4-6" roughly.  Probably get called in to plow between 1 to 2am to go clear streets for the municipality. In a bit it's going to be nap time again to get ready to get called in early.

I spent a couple hours in the forge making S hooks and half a squirrel cooker. Used the gas forge and had the woodstove fired up, and when I left the shop there was still a layer of frost on the flypress, second anvil, and most everything else metal that wasn't right at the forge or stove. We have wind chills below 0 degrees F.........glad I have an indoor shop :)

I spent a couple hours in the forge making S hooks and half a squirrel cooker.

Half a squirrel isnt much a of a meal.  I finished up  the last bars for the batch 4 core blades,  hope to get them welded up tonight after I stop shivering.

Made myself a guillotine tool. I've been wanting to buy one and couldn't afford it so I decided I'd have to figure out how to make one.

so I guess you don't want to hear that it is supposed to be 66 here on Saturday when some folks are coming over to forge...

Propane filled.

Wood cut.

Window replaced, new framing, run to town to get more screws............

Shop cleaned and ready for work tomorrow. 

 

It's supposed to be 7 degrees Saturday night

Headed home to Vermont for 4 days in the morning leaving -10 in Conn. to go to -25 don't think I'll get much done in the shop this weekend, do some figuring on the new set up with my son and have a belated Christmas with him and my brother.  Got some gun work in the warm basement that I've put off for foul weather, looks like about as foul as I need.  Also need to get my 6 1/2' snowblower on the JD 4x4 Tractor as more snow due tonight and Sun there.  Love that thing one pass and it's gone, will handle easy 3' deep at a time.  No snow banks to push later.  Should have done it in Nov.

 

66 degrees in Jan, isn't that illegal or something, Tom?   Zach love your guillotine.

 

Will ring my anvil for Toby Hickman as well.  RIP Toby, good man, great blacksmith!

Well did you have many days above 110 deg F last summer?  But it's a dry heat; we tend to stick metal into the forge to cool it off if it's been lying in the sun...

looks like everyone else has been pretty busy  :)

Tom,

We do get high 90's and not dry during July & Aug.  great for haying!. Temp spread in a yr. +95 to a low of -30 is usual but can't make Maple Syrup in the spring without the cold in the winter so it's all part of the "Master Plan." 

66 is too hot to forge in, I keep my shop at 40.......

Plowed out our first real snow of the year.  And picked up a bit of cash doing a few neighbors.  Getting ready to go out and do round two.  Gichners next weekend; can't wait.

Got my small gas forge up and running - worked on a tomahawk (steel is from a lawnmower blade) for my future son-in-law, finished the handle on another tomahawk, and that's about enough. It's cold here and forecasted to get MUCH colder by Monday - probably stick to indoor activities (unheated garage) til this snap passes.

I put together my travelling tool kit, bought some handles(I seem to always break them), uploaded some pics to the gallery and browsed the forum 

Greetings All,

 

6 degrees in Michigan this AM..  Warmed up the blacksmith shop ... Took 3 hours...   Got a custom order for a special hook from my lovely wife..   It is to hang her PJs on and she wanted it to be in the corner ..   No real good way to attach it to the wall so I made it to extend to the corner..   I made it from some 6 fluted stock that I purchased at SOFA..  I think its original purpose was to drive a gear in a printer..  A good day, wife is happy and I got some shop time..  Life is good.... 

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim