What are some of the most useful ideas blacksmithing or otherwise you have run across?

Large, small, simple, complex, as long as they were useful. A little explanation would be helpful as well.

 

This one is a little basic, but it's stood the test of time. If you put the hot thing onto a hard thing and hit it with another hard thing, the hot thing changes shape.

Basic but important !

Hold the black end, hammer the red end.

Hot metal behaves like clay. Just don't try to mold it with your thumb.

Do your thinking before you pull it out of the fire.

Actually there is a powerhammer tool called the thumb, (or for Sherlock Holmes fans, The Engineer's Thumb).  You use it to smoosh hot metal around like you would clay with your thumb; but using the powerhammer and a handle to do it "remotely".

When reusing plastic buckets the small plastic handle on the bail or handle is uncomfortable Cut a piece of hose the long way, place it on the handle, and wrap it with tape. The larger size is more comfortable and does not cut into the hand.

 

Using good personal protection equipment will save you many ways, as in medical costs, pain & suffering, lost production, etc. So don't skimp on aprons, gloves, ear protection, eye protection, respirators. Remember they won't do you any good hanging on those fancy hooks you forged.

Sand in a bucket is a very easy tool for cleaning oil off a quenched part.  The sand gets into all the little nooks and crannies.  Sawdust works pretty well provided the part is cold.  

 

Be very careful when quenching tubular stock as the "cold" end can erupt with dangerous steam.

Paying more for better quality tools is generally less expensive in the long run than buying cheap.  Sandpaper and drill bits are prime examples but it applies to most of what you buy. Sometimes it's better to do without (or make do with what you have) while you save up for the improved quality version.

Cheap air tools are another prime example.  They are sure appealing by price but the life and reliability are really iffy...and they generally can't be rebuilt properly when they do fail.

Oh..and keep a separate set of junk tools for people who borrow or to take to job sites where tools sometimes may walk away.  That's where the crappy stuff is actually of benefit.  

Buying top quality used, but not abused, is often better than buying low grade new---for one thing the better grades are usually designed to be repairable and parts are available for them.

A few years ago I discovered that there are three separate part numbers for every individual component in an appliance.

The first is put on the part by the factory.  The only internet search results that will return this number are repair blogs, and people selling salvaged or "new old stock".

The second internet search result, is the "replacement part" number.  The sites selling these will charge 30-40% less than the next option in my list, but they do not allow returns, nor do they provide appliance make and model information to confirm the replacement part's compatibility with a given appliance.  I'm guessing that these internet retailers are catering to appliance repair technicians.

The third, is the part number you'll find if you search the internet by the make and model of the appliance.  The sites selling these will charge roughly 5% below whatever an appliance repair company will quote to furnish and install the component.  They do however, provide verification that the part will actually fit a specific make and model of appliance.  Everything about this seems to be geared towards the do-it-yourself customer.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no publicly available cross-reference between the last two part numbers.  It seems entirely possible that one part retailer might have separate "internet storefronts" for repair techs, and DIY people. For what it's worth, I noticed that both types of sites use the same stock photos of the part which virtually never show dimensions, or definitive component characteristics like an end-on view of connection points.

So what does all that mean?

A do it yourself person can very likely repair their appliance for half the cost of a repair company.  However, the part number tags are typically mounted in the appliance so they cannot be read without major disassembly.  That's half the work of replacing the part, and if you buy the wrong thing through the "replacement part number" retailers, you can't return it.

However, if you wanted to roughly approximate the service guy's repair cost for a given part, you could search by the appliance make and model.  Add 5% or so to get yourself in the ballpark, so long as you keep in mind that we're talking about component level (pumps, sensors, control boards, etc), not individual washers and screws here.  

I've found similar schemes with replacement parts for common power tools as well.  Commutator brushes and drill chucks are a great example.  If you search by the make and model of the power tool, the parts often cost more than if you search by the part's actual number.

 

 

Repair costs also depend on where you are.  We often have an 75 mile each way drive cost added to the quote.

I know its been some time, but I have some contributions. 

 

If you find good blacksmithing coal (burns hot, clean and welds nicely), buy as much as you can. There is no saying if you will ever find it again. 

 

Wipe your tools down with oil when the weather changes, unless you are in the desert. The changing temperatures can cause flash rust on big heat-sinks like anvils. Oil helps. (or wax or whatnot)

 

Slack tub water works for poison ivy. This in no way guarantees that it will not cause an infection since it is dirty water. 

 

When you need nuts and bolts for a project, buy one extra. It saves a trip. 

 

Learn when your body wants to sit down, lie down, drink water, drink gatorade, go inside etc. Most injuries occur because you did not listen to your body's cry for mercy. Don't ruin a piece because you refuse to take a break. 

 

Eye protection. Everyone, every time. 

Not bad thoughts. 

Buy what coal you can because Coal companies are being smothered with regs and many are shutting down domestic sales to escape.

Buy extra hardware, nuts, bolts, washers, etc. is standard practice if you've been doing any kind of mechanics. You always drop something you need. UNLESS you have another one on hand. 

I strongly agree with learn to take breaks BEFORE you NEED one! Working till you're tired, hungry, etc. need a break is a good way to make mistakes that take way too long to correct or hurt yourself.  Another thing to add to this don't do it list is. Don't work angry. Anger distracts you from what you are doing, you know that argument that won't go away. Soo you miss something and injure yourself, someone else, ruin a piece, damage a tool or jackpot all the preceding. 

Frosty The Lucky.

The coal advice is true for most everything.  If you find something you really like/need, buy two or more because they will stop making it.

Buy as much coal as you can afford, haul, and have room to store inside.  It will last forever inside.  Do not store it out in the weather, water and freeze/thaw cycles will cause it to "slake."  That is, break down into smaller and smaller pieces until you just have a pile of black, coarse sand.  It will still burn but not as well and the coking ability will probably be reduced.

GNM

George, I paid the price of not being able to get something I loved- Trader Joe’s used to have a seasoning blend called Ajika- it was the best for eggs. But they stopped making it and I haven’t had it in half a year.

George

Do you have to worry about spontaneous combustion due to oxygen absorption from the air? The oxidation causes a hot spot deep in the pile possibly causing it to ignite. I don't deal with coal I use propane in my foundry? Just curious thought this would be the best place to ask others opinion.

Find mentors, and glean everything you can. (Applies to most skills…)

Keep it fun,

David

Goods you figured out my plan. Hey an asset is an asset.

This coal question might be another misnomer like the back flash suppressor that Frosty schooled me on so I thought I would ask.

 

FL Man,  I hadn't given spontaneous combustion much thought and I have never heard of it happening on a blacksmith level.  I have done some research and it is a murky and complex subject without a lot of clear indications of what to do or not to do.  Here are some facts that I have been able to gather, in no particular order:

-Some coals are more prone to SC than others.  Some coal seams have experienced SC in situ when exposed to atmospheric oxygen.  Generally, it seems that lower grade coals such as peat, brown coal, lignite, and sub-bituminous coals which have a higher volitile content are more subject to SC.

-The finer the pieces of coal the more chance there is for interaction with atmospheric oxygen and more likelihood of SC.

-Larger piles of coal (hundreds or thousands of tons) seem to be more subject to SC because the centers of the piles are more well insulated.

It seems to me that in blacksmithing contexts and back when many homes had coal furnaces (amounts of a few tons at maximum) that spontaneous combustion is a pretty low risk but not zero.  I have only heard of it happening in the context of large coal storage piles and steam ship coal bunkers (it is probable that the USS Maine blew up in 1898 due to a coal bunker fire overheating an adjacent magazine).

I'd like to hear if anyone has any stories of SC occuring in blacksmith or home coal piles.

GNM

   I appreciate the time you took to research the coal question George. I mainly came to the same conclusion but figured I would ask the right person their opinion. I know you're a recovering geologist so who better than you. Like you said it is murky water when it came to trying to research online. Not to mention throw in the confusion about true coal or charcoal aspect and all the warning to get rid of any bags that have gotten wet only muddied the waters more.

 

Definitely a recovering geologist.  It's one day at a time and you're never completely cured.  Whenever I get an urge to make a map or hit a rock with a hammer I call someone up and they talk me out of it.  "Hi, my name is George and I'm a geologist." (applause) "I've gone 27 days without hitting a rock with a hammer." (more applause)

Unfortunately, Martha, my late wife, and I were codependent since she was also a geologist (and an attorney).

On the other hand it has been an interesting and useful field of expertise.  I was hired for a couple of legal jobs which involved regulation of the oil and gas industry because of my geology background.  In hearings I was the oil and gas industry's and the invronmenalists' worse nightmare, someone who was advising the legislators who knew about the industry and could see past the smoke and mirrors.

"What a long, strange journey it has been."

G

Make/buy/find the right tongs for what you are doing.

It will save you a lot of time and effort and your face for hot flying metal. 
 

Also if you are melted something with a propane torch it is very helpful to put a brick or something to cover the top of your crucible or whatever you use the metal. 
Even just a brick makes a big difference in holding heat. 

One of my stock answers is in a conversation, music came up and asked what my favorite rock group was. Was/is "Sedimentary though metal sedimentary is up there too."

You don't do melts in a melter? It doesn't need to be much, just a few insulating firebricks. I don't recommend kaowool unless you rigidize and cover it with a proper refractory or you end up with vitrified ceramic fibers in  your breathable air.

Frosty The Lucky.