surthrival Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 thinking: Oh, this will be a great Idea and addition to the shop" and there it sits unused, broken or untouched... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I can't think of anything that doesn't find use sooner or later. Biggest thing in making something likely to be used or repaired is keeping it in an easily accessable spot -- if it's buried under too much junk, you're that much more likely to dismiss it during those times it would be handy. What I regret most is anything I've sold or otherwise discarded, thinking it was junk, or that it'd be simple to get another if I decided I needed it later. I lost not one, but two metal lathes that way. I kick myself every time they would have been handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 "Oh yes, this is cool, and cheap. I am sure I can repair it." Anything that I have said that about turned out to be a bad idea. If the only people bidding against you are scrap metal dealers it is time to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 The brain....works both ways, most important tool OR the " there it sits unused, broken or untouched...;" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neg Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 I have a bad habit of finding antique tools, cleaning them up, then letting them sit and rust again. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 I had a 1500 lb block of steel I got free from the scrap yard......was going to make it an anvil but found I didn't have the equipment nor could find anyone that did. I used it to straighten some stuff and a place to pile stuff on......years later, I was happy someone took it away..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 One of the so called trained newly qualified apprentices I acquired when taking on another forging business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I have to say John yours must be in the top 5 If not the winner. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Awwwwwww dang Richard. I just came up with project for that chunk, that you simply can't live without :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I have to say John yours must be in the top 5 If not the winner. :) Thanks, didn't seem a winner at the time, just part of life's learning curve. Such is the cost of experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Students! Actually the weirdest was probably the cone mandrel that was previously a nose cone for a ballistic missile; followed perhaps by the wrap around leather miniskirt than made a dandy smithing apron...Pharmaceutical punches made from S1, a large mooring cleat found in a scrapyard hundreds of miles from any source of water big enough to float a boat requiring it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 My acetylene generator or my Fairbanks truck beam scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 My acetylene generator or my Fairbanks truck beam scale. I guess you can't still buy calcium carbide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Greetings All, I would have to say my STS.. A multi use bending and forming station I built years ago... Many who enter my shop take pictures and copy my design.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Y Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Wow Jim...that deserves it's own post with details on usage! I like that very much. Details Please!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Jim that is some creative engineering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Greetings All, I would have to say my STS.. A multi use bending and forming station I built years ago... Many who enter my shop take pictures and copy my design.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim That's cool Jim!! Consider it copied/at least inspiring again! :D I am working on something similar to mount in my Wilton pedestal mounted machinist vise. Mine is horizontally operated but I like the way you have used the rr rail and have dies mounted vertically. I just happen to have recently acquired another length of rail that was earmarked for power hammer dies but they can wait now B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Jim I love you. You prove yourself yet again a man without a box, so you have make those ideas that wouldnt fit into that box you don't have anyway;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I think the dumbest thing I ever bought for the smithy was this big steel ball. I thought it may have been a good former or something but I have never used it. The hammer bounces off it quite nicely though. I saw it at a garage sale and the guy said I could have it for free if I could lift it over my head. No way - so I had to pay him $2 for it. It measures 9 inches in diameter, so I reckon at about 1/4 pound per cubic inch that's about 100 pounds.It was probably a dumb thing to buy, but for two bucks who could leave it there?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caladin Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 That ball would be awesome for armoring, to planish helmet tops, knees shoulders etc, the biggest one I have is 6.5" Cal- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dognose Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 I'll give you five bucks for that ball. I lost one of mine in a bicycling accident. Hope that didn't offend, I couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Why were you carrying planishing tools on your bicycle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Why were you carrying planishing tools on your bicycle? Because his Unicycle had a flat ? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikecopXXX Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 Jim I would love to see a video of the sts in use. Got time for that? It certainly looks interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wroughton Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 [i would love to see a video of the sts in use. Got time for that? It certainly looks interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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