Phil Dwyer Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi Friends, Any of you good folks know where we could buy some HC RR spikes for our high school blacksmithing class out here in Hawaii? Need about 30. Thanks, Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I would buy a lot more than that at one time. Do you have any railroads out there? And you might want to post in the tailgating section as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 McMaster sells them I guess, but you could probably get someone to send them to you for cheaper I would imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I was in Hawaii a while back and found myself wondering what I would use for fuel if I lived there. Propane? I guess anything will cost to have it shipped out there, except for charcoal which you could make, but only in limited supplies... Sooo.. What kind of fuel do your forges run on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbillysmith Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 MB, they probably don't have railroads b/c the main island is only a couple of miles across. FP, I do agree with MB in that I would buy more than 30 at one time. You may just have to get them from the internet. Like RC said, McMasters sells them. But try eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I bet someone on the forum could send you some. I could, but I don't know when I will have time to get to the scrap yard next. It's only open 8-5, the same hours I work :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I could only send you like ten a week, and that'd be really hard. As I ahve yet to find a darn rr station or scrapyard with them within 60 miles of where i live, have to go walking the tracks . Try Mcmasters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timekiller Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 They do show up on eBay all of the time. Not the cheapest way, but better then buying new ones from McasterCarr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 How Fast? I could load up a box to send by USPS flat rate; but I would have to walk the lines myself and I'm pretty busy till late Feb. Wouldn't charge over the USPS cost though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 McMaster-Carr sells rr spikes for $10.74 per pack of ten and they deliver fastest of anyone ('cept maybe to Hawaii) and their shipping costs are no more than anyone else. So if you want new spikes, buy them from McMaster-Carr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I can have a flat rate box in the mail to you tomorrow at noon. Please PM me with your address and I will send them too you. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-hr Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I just got back from Kauaii, and scheduled to go again next Xmas, don't know what island you're on, but i'd be happy to get the NTSA wondering what I'm up to when my bag gets x-rayed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainsFire Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 it seems like it sort of defeats the purpose, to buy railroad scrap steel.. I'm sure someone here will be able to hook you up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Zietman Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 It does seem to defeat the purpose t buy them. If there are railroads, use spikes, there are other sources of scrap steel everywhere, be inventive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Hi Friends, Any of you good folks know where we could buy some HC RR spikes for our high school blacksmithing class out here in Hawaii? Need about 30. Thanks, Phil Do they need to be RR spikes? I'm sure you could buy 9/16" or 5/8" sq. stock a lot cheaper. Even in Hawaii. Heck it might be fun to make a header, have the kids forge their own RR spike, then make whatever you have in mind from them. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Dwyer Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. We're on Oahu. Your right, fuel is a prob too. Tried kiawe (mesquite) charcoal. Fine for me, but too sparky for the kids. Propane forge would be easiest, but it's just not the same magic. We're in suburban setting so have settled on coke rather than coal. Presently there are often 4-6 kids trying to get their irons in our only forge's fire at the same time. They share two anvils and one post vise. We only have 45 minute sessions twice a week. Even at that, only half the group works at a time, thus 20 minutes or so is all a kid gets to heat and whack away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Sounds like a good mix for teaching. I've discovered two kids learn much faster than one. Competition combined with pooling their brains I think. You might consider a chip bed propane forge. They're common in europe, much more common than our reverberatory furnace type forges. Chip bed forges work by injecting the air fuel mix into the bottom of a shallow pan filled with refractory chips. The fire heats the chips and the chips heat the work in turn. I supose this makes it a reverberatory system but I 'm not sure. Anyway, visually they're very much like a solid fuel forge without the smoke, sparks, ash, clinker, etc. While they'd be pretty expensive to buy and ship from europe they should be pretty easy to make. Not as easy as what we normally think of as a propane forge but no where near as difficult as a power hammer. This is the URL of one supplier. Gas Forges: Metal & Heat Treatment Equipment: Flamefast Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I used a flamefast oxy/methane forge some years ago at school. Can't say I used the forge function but the torch was very useful, as I'm sure it would be in a smithy. If you build one, I suggest you incorporate a torch too; depending on the fuel, you can heat specific pieces of iron (rivets, bends, twists...), braze, soft solder and cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Just a little note, You can get 50+ rail spikes in a USPS flate rate box and ship it to Hawaii from cornfeild county Indiana for less than $9.00. regular shipping would have been $63.00 you can't beat that. Phil, I hope the students enjoy working the spikes! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 FYI: USPS flatrates have weight limits on them. Going over increases the rate though I don't know how much. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 USPS flat rate box weight limit is 70 lbs.....$8.95 to anywhere in the US.........one spike is about 15 oz, depending on size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Richard, Thanks for the info, not sure what 50 spikes weighed but the lady at the post office didn't have a problem with the box I sent Phil. She rolled it around on the table taping it up and then put it on the cart. She didn't even ask what was inside:D.I originally took 30 to the post office and the lady gave me the flat rate box and thirty didn't fill it much past halfway. I ran back home and pulled some more out of the pile. I know there was at least 50 but not sure how many there actually were. I hope the kids get to make some neat keepsakes. Just maybe Phil will share some pictures with us. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 John, as you seem to have a much larger supply than I, if you feel the need to lighten your pile, you can always send some my way:D Thanks for your generosity with Phil. That is a true act of kindness and generosity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 JWB, I tagged a thanks onto the post earlier where you stated you sent the spikes out to Phil in Hawaii. That's what it's all about. One man helping another. Blacksmiths ARE a one-of-a-kind breed. You are to be commended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Paul, At this point I don't see me ever using up the spikes I have outside my door. KeyKeeper, I'm just glad to be able to help out. I'm still amazed at how many you can get in a flat rate box. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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