What did you do in the shop today?

[Cavpilot2k]

Thanks. I've been working on making better, cleaner, and more pronounced transitions from tang to ricasso via forging only (not cutting or grinding it out), and I am getting better at it. 

The dip on the spine side where it transitions if from me being indecisive initially, trying to make a shoulder on both sides of the tang, but later deciding to move it up and run the tang continuous from the spine. It will file out. 

[Chelonian]

A friend gave me a bag of scrap metal, mostly railroad-related stuff (yes, I know, but I wasn't about to say no). There were quite a few railroad spikes, a chair screw, a large split-washer, half of a Pandrol clip, and six of these things, which I believe are called lock spikes:

Anyone have any ideas what I could make out of these? They seem to spark medium-ish carbon, so perhaps small chisels or punches once I straighten them out?

I think I'll be able to make two punches/chisels out of the Pandrol clip, and possibly a small punch/chisel from the split washer. The chair screw sparked very high carbon, but I don't really know what to make from such an odd shape.

[ThomasPowers]

On the "lock spikes": Spring swages?

[Chelonian]

They're definitely springy, but very stiff. You can't really see it in the photo, but they are sort of rectangular in cross-section. It may work if I thinned down the spring area significantly. Thanks for the idea, I'll try it on one at some point, and see how it goes.

[BillyBones]

So, not today but this past weekend. 

I am no stone mason, far from it. But i had these 2 old foundation stones lying about. I posted a couple months ago about my dog passing. He now has this new spiffy head stone. Took me 3 attempts but i am satisfied with the result. I sure as you no what was not going to try and date it. The 5 letters were hard enough. I just used an old cold chisel. The other decorations are courtesy of the old lady.

It is straight, the photo angle makes it look lopsided. Spend a lot of time in the barn so i buried him next to it.

 

Did get a little forge time in and started a fire place set for my mom and dad. Got the tongs and poker done. Used to take me about 8 or 9 hours to get a poker done. I can now do it in about 3. The tongs i am just glad i can finally make 2 items that are that close in resemblance. Started a shovel today. Got the blade made and i was going to just rivet it to a handle but then turned the rivets into plug welds instead. My first time trying a shovel shaped object. Yeah its bad. No pics yet of the shovel but here are tongs and poker.

[JHCC]

Finished up a little rodded hot set. 

[Cannon Cocker]

Sorry about your dog, but it's nice that you were able to get that headstone set. 

I really like the "prongs" on your log tongs. I think I'll steel that idea from you!  Those reverse twists on the handles look really clean too!

[Frosty]

What a FINE monument to your dog Billy!

If for some reason you ever want to engrave stone again a masonry drill bit in an electric impact drill/driver works darned well. With practice you can skate it inside the outline of the characters. Or drilling a close series of shallow holes then chiseling the remaining bits. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Cannon Cocker]

Frosty:  I'm pretty sure you have a handy trick for just about everything don't ya!?

[Frosty]

Ah, I shamelessly copy other folk's tricks. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Cannon Cocker]

I made the first of four screw in anchors for the trampoline we bought the kids for Christmas. Here in South Dakota if you don't anchor down your trampoline the wind gives it to your neighbor......... Or Nebraska........

Chaos approves! 

[JHCC]

Mounted the resurrected machinist’s vise on my old anvil stump, at least until I can come up with a more permanent arrangement.

[Rojo Pedro]

Wow!  what a monster

[JHCC]

It’s not small. 

[Frosty]

Wait till you find out how it feels on your toe. Maybe want to find/make a stand a LITTLE less tippy? 

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

The immediate goal was to get it up off the floor. I'm prepared to scab some boards onto the log to increase the effective width, if necessary.

I already know what it's like to get bruised by this thing: I tripped and fell on it while I was restoring it, and ended up with a bruise on my thigh the size of a dessert plate. There's still a bit of a bump.

[Glenn]

Look for a larger log.

[Fowllife]

Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to light the forge lately as I have been busy in the “other” shop. I finished the set of cabinets for our mudroom in the house a week or two ago, then slide right in to making the third piece of our bedroom set. I think I might make some leaf hardware for the cabinet doors. 

 

[Arthur210]

Well made Fowllife, looks like professional-quality work to me!

[Frosty]

That's beautiful. I'm feeling pretty envious, you have nicer cabinetry in your mudroom than we have in our kitchen. Some nice pulls will look good for sure and perhaps a long shoe horn. I'd suggest a boot scraper but you probably don't allow muddy footwear in the mudroom.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Cannon Cocker]

Handmade cabinets like that deserve handmade hardware!

[Fowllife]

Thanks for the kind words gentlemen. I think I may have nicer cabinets in my mudroom then in my own kitchen as well. I was going to make then to match my kitchen, but I didn’t have any hardwood on hand for paint grade, I just happened to have enough cherry though. The mudroom is attached to the garage so I am under strict orders that if I have been around any of the livestock, or my boots are “nasty” they must stay in the garage. While some rules are made to be broken, I will only push the envelope so far on that one. As I tell my wife, we would have far less “nice things” if I were not able to build them. Building things is something I thoroughly enjoy, wood or steel makes not difference. I believe most true craftsman are capable of their craft because of there mind and ability and are not limited to materials. I would not consider myself a true craftsman, but I am capable of some craftsmanship. 

Below are a couple pictures of our kitchen I built a few years ago, a little more period for a 1840’s house. 

[Daswulf]

Nice work Fowl. Few are as good in bothmetal And wood. My grandfathers and before them were better in wood. My grandfather on my moms side did well with both. I'll stick with steel tho I've done a little woodwork. 

Tonight I've been working on an octopus. Tomorrow I'll weld on suckers and shape it. Still not set on its shape. I've made them into holders for things and stuff so I'm thinking of something of that sort.

 

[Rojo Pedro]

Cool. I like the mouth. You should put a beak in it

[Daswulf]

There's something I didnt think of Rojo. Thanks.