cbl4823 Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Here is the blacksmith shop on campus...I have visted this place several times, never have I seen anyone in there, or the stuff being used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted May 3, 2008 Author Share Posted May 3, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted May 3, 2008 Author Share Posted May 3, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nett Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 I'm desiring or planing to make a new swag stand (who says wood was a poor choice?) and I like some of the details that one has. How high is the swag block, both upright and flat? That bead blaster would get a lot of use in my yard. Hoot. What are you doing answering this post when there is a well equipped shop laying idol? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Zietman Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 what campus? looks cool. now use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Tell them you'll clean out the shop of all that heavy dirty broken useless iron for a small fee so they can put the space to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Nett you should make the stand for your equipment fit *your* height, not somebody elses! Figure out the height that is comfortable for your work and go with that. SOFA has one anvil mounted specifically for a member that is quite a bit over 6' tall; very few other people can use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nett Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Thomas, with your experience, what would be considered a reasonable average height, a starting point? My wood stand holds my block fifteen inches high and is way to low for me. How high is the tall boy stand at SOFA? I say this because I can lower one a whole lot easier then raise one. "I cut it six times, Boss, but it's still to short". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRobb Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Seems a shame to have all that great equipment there & no one to use it. I'm sure I could find uses for most of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 What college or university do you attend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Gomez Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Can't really tell for sure from the picture, but the power hammer is either a Bull or a Phoenix. Either way it is verry nice, and verry expensive. Kind of a shame to see all of that perfect equipment not being mercilessly abused by students. If you want to see it fired back up again you might speak to the head of the department and see if they would be willing to host a community interest course on smithing if you can drum up a list of interested persons. or maybe they will allowing you to use the equipment if your registered in just the right classes. either way the first step is finding the person in charge! Chances are that they just don't have anyone that knows how to use all of that "stuff", much less teach anyone else how to do it. Thats where you come in. With a little more info there is a good chance you can breath some life back into the blacksmithing program by using this site to locate a qualified smith in the area that will be willing to help. Either way, good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 That's a Phoenix 150A. I here they are selling for $14,000 now. What a waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Nett, do you use a lot of top tools with your swageblock or just work into the groves on the sides? If you work without top tools you want the working face generally at the level where your hammer hits it flat with your forearm parallel to the floor---much like an anvil's face. The better swageblock stands will have the option of setting it flat at this height as well as a slot to set it on it's side with the edge at the working height was well. I'm 1500 miles from the SOFA shop right now but if any local folk are around---what height is "Larry Wood's anvil" set at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted May 5, 2008 Author Share Posted May 5, 2008 Wow...$14,000 just sitting there...Thats tempting... I have contacted the professor in charge prob. around my first year here, and he didnt really have an answer to why it is not being used. I do know however that none of it is for sale, and that the local blacksmithing clubs up here have been waiting to get their hands on the stuff for years and they have not been able to either. I spoke to an older man up here once at an auction, he said he used to go to the same school and that back in his day they had gunsmithing. Too bad you cant have that courses anymore now a days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Basic gunsmithing used to be taught as a course at some high schools. Time changes so many things in short order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 My Swage Block is shop made from 2.25" plate. I hardly ever use it. Look at the hardy with the wood block in it setting on top. I have a Wood block the same size as the Swage Block that I can set in its place with the end grain up, It gets used all the time as well as the Hardy Wood Block for dishing shapes. Photo 1 These are the Swages that get used the most, I holder, 4 small blocks, 12 different sized shapes. Photo 2 And this is the combination top and bottom round swage that is my choice of round swaging material. Photo 3, 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfb343 Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 you still havent told us where, less yer keeping it a secret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 Im still holding out on trying to purchase it...Its at a college in Rochester, NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 What department controls the shop? Career Tech, Art? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nett Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 irnsrgn, you helped me make the decision. I'm going to raise my block up to table height so I can store my growing collection of punches, drifts, chisels, anvil tools, and mandrels, on it right out in plain sight where I can find them. If I had a nickel for every hour I spent looking for something, I'd be rich. Your combo top and bottom round swage is one of the better designs I've seen. I studied your Blue Print of it awhile ago and put it on my short list of things to do. Now, where did I put that list? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl4823 Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 MARKH... There is no such classes/majors here at my school that use the shop. Hence why no one is ever in it. There is a jewelry making elective, but thats about it. The metals Prof. is the one I emailed about welding and the blacksmith shop. I was going to take an easy free elective for welding, and they dont even offer that on campus, it is at some off campus person's shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Good luck. I hope you can get your hands on some of that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Leppo Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 SCHOOL: No glass blowing shop next to this one? Then it’s not RIT. When I went to RIT, there was an unused or rarely blacksmith shop, next to a WELL-used glass blowing shop; all out behind the art building in cute little brick sheds. Could be Rochester University?? That’s the other big school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeplokd Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 University of Rochester is to POSH for a "blacksmithing" course. It's gotta be RIT, my alma mater. I didn't know they put the ki-bosh on the program. They used to have a gunsmithing program out of the same building. 4.5yrs of college and all I got was a B.S. and a hangover. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 .... R.i.t. 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.