Biggusdan Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hi all just thought i'd say hello, my name is Dan from Cornwall in the Uk. I am very much a newbie to Smithing but not to metalwork. My usual hobby is restoring old stationary engines and vintage tractors which I have been doing on and off for 16 + years. By a chance conversation in my local pub I got talking to a blacksmith of some 30 years experience, from that conversation I managed to offer my hammer wielding services in exchange for some tuition and forge time. (theres nothing like a bit of hands on experience). I seem to have caught the 'bug' :) Bye for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 welcome to the fold Dan :) there are a few of us on here from the SouthWest, though you are one of the more western I expect! I've been tinkering (swearing at) with the Lister engine that runs my workshop this week. I much prefer hitting things than fumbling around in oil and diesel, trying to get split pins off and nuts screwed in! This time around I discovered the oil sump full of diesel :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggusdan Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Thanks Dave, I'm in looe so not too far down, Is your lister air or water cooled? It sounds like you may have a glazed bore, if your engine is only on light duties that could be the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hello Dan. Good to have you with us. Take a minute when you get the chance and add your location to your profile so we all know where you are located at a glance in the future. You'll note Dave has Devon, England noted as his location under his name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 DSW, Dan has kindly updated his profile to include Looe, England now. He did miss a trick though, most Cornish folk I know would NEVER ascribe England as country of origin! Kernow all the way :lol: Dan, its an air cooled ST2. I gave it a wipe down and started up to look for leaks yesterday morning. Fuel was dripping out from the pumps where the tufnol washers had fallen apart over the years. Luckily I found a retired Lister engineer down the road who still has a few parts knocking about, so tomorrow I'll fit two new fuel pumps and see if that was the only point of leakage! :rolleyes: It's not going to be under work, my workshop is off-grid and while I use my solar for a lot of day to day stuff, the genny is run for at least 8 hours a week and more like 30 at this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hello from SW USA! Smithing in the high desert---both my locations are pegged at 9" of precip a year or under and so qualify as Desert. Haven't made it to Cornwall yet; even on a bicycle, but I did visit Wales in 2012. If you are ever out this way give me a nudge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 hi dan :) in lovely cornwall! im in glos - the beautiful shires, am an artist if im anything at all, and i love finding out what i can do with hot metal - im glad you got the bug, this is a high quality activity :)!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hi Dan, welcome to the site, there is an active Cornish group of blacksmiths, a great bunch of people, so consider joining them, and check out BlacksmithsGuild UK on the Groups forum on the site, if we can be of use you can see what we have currently on offer at www.blacksmithsguild.com Good luck and have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggusdan Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Thanks for the warm welcome guys. Yesterday was my second visit to the forge and boy was I put through my paces. To start I was drawing down some 12mm round bar 4 inches to a round taper I did 9 of these, then I had to upset the end of 3 12mm bars . These were for a run of companion sets he is making, Then came something unexpected, I was given the task of turning a 'rats tail' loop on the on the end of the freshly drawn down steel. I was shown how to do it once and then left to give it a go. My first one was fairly straight forward and had no problems as was the second, the third however had a few issues and I had to ask for advice.All in all I had a very productive day and learnt a lot. I ache all over today but that's all part of it isn't it :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 :D good to hear you are getting stuck in and being put to some use in the forge! The more forging you do, the more it will take to get you aching. If the chap you are working with is clever he will likely keep you busy enough to be on the happy side of knackered and not let you push too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Welcome aboard Dan, you had me at bacon vintage tractors! Vintage agricultural machinery is a passion of mine. This is not one that I have worked on myself but that is certainly some of my drool on the paintwork, I took this photo at the Booleroo steam and traction day a couple of months ago. There is two of them and the implement is towed back and forth across the field between the two tractors with the giant cable drums. I remember seeing them lying in the bush almost destroyed when I was a small child, I could not believe it when my friend told me they are the same machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggusdan Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Hi, that's a great picture of a pair of fowler ploughing engines (not sure what model they are as the perch bracket extension is unusual). I was brought up around steam engines and my dad used to own a 1923 Aveling & Porter steam roller she was an 8 ton singl, i'm on the left steering and my dad is driving. The pic was taken back in 2002 on our way back from a local show, unfortunately he decided to sell it a few months later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.