GottMitUns Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Guys and Gals, When I started a few years ago I bought a book on blacksmithing that was vary helpful and had a color page in the back of the book that showed the color/temper correlation on a piece of steel and gave some general guidelines on what to temper back to for a tools intended use. I gave the book away and now need a copy of it.From the poor description I gave can anybody tell me the title and author? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Weygers The complete modern blacksmith---lots of drawings along the sides of the pages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Thank you Thomas!Yes it had a lot of drawings and simple tools if I remember correctly.I have been asked to try and set up a blacksmith shop it Nicaragua later this summer and I want to take a copy of it down with me, hopefully in Spanish.I have been in contact with Glenn about a side draft "55" forge setup to burn wood.they have a anvil on hand that looks to be around 150# from eastern Europe or Russia circa 1970 I have them scrounging up 55 gal drums, leaf springs, coil springs, buckets and other odds and endsI have to figure what I need to take down in my baggage for start up, any suggestions?I will only be there 5 days and everything has to go in my luggage at who knows how much per pound over 45 pounds. ThanksRussell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 I just ordered the following to take down and leave there.A Blacksmithing Primer by McDanielNew Edge of the Anvil. by Jack AndrewThe Complete Modern Blacksmith. by WeygersManual de herreria / Blacksmith's Manual. by Luis Lesur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 There are a couple of blacksmithing manuals put out by the UN based on working in Africa that might be of interest; even a lower level of tech than you can expect in Nic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 If I was going some where with limited or unknown number of tools, I'd probably want to take at least one pair of tongs. Sure you can make your own, but not knowing what stock is available to work with, having one pair will allow you to work with shorter pieces with out resorting to pliers. I might even take one small to medium sized hammer head to work with. You can always handle it once you arrive. I used to fly with all my heavy dive gear in carry on to help deal with baggage weight on checked luggage. Not sure how TSA will react to some tools today as I haven't needed to fly with any of that for years. The other option many use with heavy dive gear is to ship stuff down to the hotel in advance and they hold it for your arrival. You need to leave yourself enough time in advance for this to work well and not cost you a fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Basic, intermidiate and advanced blacksmithing by J.B. Stokes, UN agricultural enginiering.I also know that there is a Spanishspeeking orginisation that puts out information too. As my spanish is sketchy at best I haven't realy explored the spanish speaking stuff. Same for the old chinese stuff (a lot of their stuff is translated) because I frankly forgot about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Thanks Charles! I found them online, but not as a printed book. I will keep looking.DWS I'm going to take a couple of set of wolf jaw tongs down with me, and they are trying to get a stick of 1"x1/4" flat bar to make twist tongs out of.here is my starting listBooks2 sets wolf jaw tongs1 ball peen hammer1 rounding hammer20 3/8 rivets1 1/4" handled punch1 1/4" drift1 3/8" drift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Might want to suggest they source a couple of heavy vises. Post vises would be great, but even a good heavy duty bench vise will do in a pinch. If you don't know the size of the anvil hardy hole it might still be worthwhile bringing down a Brazeal style hot cut hardy. The ones I've seen work in something of a range of hardy holes (or in the proposed vise in a pinch). I guess you could gimmick something up from a leaf spring if necessary, but if you only have 5 days...Another thing they should be able to source down there is Borax, or the equivalent, for flux. Could try to get someone to bake some off to make it anhydrous as well before you head down.I'm kind of surprised that there isn't a thriving blacksmith culture in Nicaragua. A quick online search gave me this: http://blacksmith.org/forum/traditional-blacksmithing/visit-nicaraguan-blacksmith/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Het a scrap of flat spring 1/4"+ thick and forge it ao it fits diaginal in the hardy hole for a hot cut, light and effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Hi GMU,My personal favorite is Harries - Heer: Basic Blacksmithing, An introduction to toolmaking with locally available materials. You can find it as pdf and as real book, too.Best of luck with your mission!Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 A lot of the tools you're taking with are things you should be showing them how to make. Punches, chisels, hardies, etc. are good beginner projects. They'll have to work with what they can find there so bringing stock with you isn't really necessary. Use what they have and show them how to improvise. Old rust bucket autos are everywhere, axles, especially pickup axles are all the hammers, hardies, bottom tools, etc. you'll need. Semi axles make excellent anvils buried flange up.These people will need to work with what they have, show them how. If on the other hand they can buy tools and materials, give them a list.Oh yeah, take books, the more the better. Almost anywhere you go there will be someone online so giving them the links to Iforgeiron.com, references, tools and materials, etc.The tools they really need are tools of the mind, give them the starter kit.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Thanks for all the input guys!! I have a coupe of years worth of the blacksmith journal, hammers blow, and the Anvils Ring that will go with me also. I am taking enough cash along to buy a machinist vice when we get there.The first day my plan is to set up the shop and build a 55 forgeSecond day make punches and chisels from coil spring and twist tongs from flat bar.Third day: look for simple jobs that need to be smithed around the camp. I am not going to plan anything beyond that because experience has taught me that a 3 day plan on a trip like this is about 1-1/2 days to long My contact down there is measuring the hardee hole on the anvil so I can make a hot cut for it here and save a little time down there. there was a complete smithy set up at this location years ago and I am hoping once some of the older guys see what the tools look like they remember what happened to some of the original tools that came along with the anvil. ThanksRussell Doerr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Rehabbing an old smithy should be a lot easier, everything left can be used and I'll bet you recognize stuff others won't.Good on ya!Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Unfortunately, or fortunately the old smithy has been converted into a tool crib and had 2 more structures scabbed onto it over the years! I think I could see the foot print of a old masonry built forge but the language barrier kept me from getting to much more info on it. I'm hoping that when they see a picture of a post vice and a champion blower someone will remember seeing them stacked somewhere. from what I remember from last year I think this camp was a working coffee farm before the Contra revolution and the Nicaraguan civil war. Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThorsHammer82 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Don't discredit what people can do with minimal tools and tech. As you can see by the thread, I'm a fan of this man's work.http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?123161-Home-made-machines&highlight=home+made+machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Don't discredit what people can do with minimal tools and tech. As you can see by the thread, I'm a fan of this man's work.http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?123161-Home-made-machines&highlight=home+made+machineThose guys are amazing. I haven't read the whole thread but I will finish later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 That's an excellent example of what does the work, it isn't the tools or machines it's the humans. Great link, thanks.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 In Costa Rica, I was dealing with carboneros (colliers) about every week. Nicaragua probably won't have mineral coal, just charcoal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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