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I Forge Iron

JLP Blacksmith Teaching Center.


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On 8/10/2020 at 2:45 PM, Red Shed Forge said:

I just want to chime in briefly and say that this post is very encouraging to me. I am one of those who started outside my apartment building with a converted version of my dad's old grill for a forge. I too dream of building my own facility (and experience) to teach others the craft I have come to love, one day.

Today I teach myself in my humble Red Shed. Hopefully some tomorrow will see me building something awesome like this. Thank you for sharing. 

Alex

 

On 8/10/2020 at 2:49 PM, ThomasPowers said:

I'd start a book on if it would be enclosed before snowfall; but I'm afraid JLP would hurt me...I'm so glad we paid for my first part of my shop to be done.  Amazing how well a group of trained people used to working together can do a project.  My next part was MUCH cheaper but "fits in" with the local vernacular buildings, (including the 4 different shades of blue on it).

Not at all..  :) 

It is funny you say that because this is one of those projects where if things can be stretched out time wise they certianly have been.   Making Book right now might not be such a bad idea as long as I get a percentage.. :)   Say 40%..   LOL..    

It really is amazing how a group of people can show up that have worked together and are on the same page how fast things go.   

Even with paid help there is a lot of hand holding and direction giving which chews into time..   In some ways it's faster to just do the work myself and lot less headaches and worries about people getting hurt.. 


I do know some pretty good workers but the aging out process has gripped them last few years. 

On 8/10/2020 at 2:53 PM, Steve Sells said:

gotta wonder which end the Dojo is going into

Ah, you saw that coming..   There will be a section for sure. Mainly for climbing and blade throwing but also for balance work.   I haven't figured it out exactly as the Automotive and machine shop side hasn't been worked out completely..  I do have some nice rubber matts to, but really it will be to dirty in there for roll practice.   

I think there will be a sectioned area outside for training too.. 

21 hours ago, arkie said:

They'll be breaking boards to start the coal fires with. LOL

Love..  for sure.. Also working on Inton-jutsu and iron hand practice.. :) 

Today I got the bases of the front section aligned as per the foundation drawings so the next step is to make the new fabricated center section.. 

I've been hitting it work wise pretty hard and it's been mid 90's with high humidity in direct sun..  So, my heat tolerance is a little low today. 

I did the squaring up at the bases and changed out a joystick on the manlift and I was spent so called it quits. 

I can work pretty crazy in the heat for about 4 days pretty well but then the 5th and 6th day I am dragging.  By Day 5 of the heat.. I usually need some time off.. 

I'm still working at the Farrier biz full time so the added heat function there plays in big time. 

Tomorrow I figure out the needed spacers for the center section and get moving on that.. I measured the CL which goes in a space to fill up a void for the wind bent.. 

Tomorrow I will cut that and get it bolted in as well. 

Good stuff for sure. 


 

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The "trained group" I was referring to was the contractor's crew  who had been building steel building together for years working for the same guy.  I just stepped back and offered cold water every once in a while...My contractor's "brag" was that every building he had built was still standing.  I wasn't that impressed until after the first spring when we had 80MPH straight line winds...

If I were to cut you in on the book; the temptation to skew the results or to have other folks claim they were skewed could be great;  I'm just looking after your reputation!

My big "before winter" project will be getting wood; we generally buy it from a guy on the reservation; but they are locked down pretty tight for good reason.  Looks like all the big ugly pieces laying around will finally get subdivided and sawn to size---by hand.

 

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That’s my favorite brand of chainsaw. Now most of you know that my first name is John, but I don’t know how many of you know that the “H” in my initials stands for Henry.

 That means that John Henry is a Stihl-driving man. 

(That tremor you all just felt was my wife rolling her eyes.)

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John: I could feel your wife's eyes roll up and down my back. I think you should send Anvil something nice for that straight line.  

I've owned and used Stihl chainsaws for close to 50 years. Hard to beat them.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Today I got the bases of the front section aligned as per the foundation drawings so the next step is to make the new fabricated center section.. 

I've been hitting it work wise pretty hard and it's been mid 90's with high humidity in direct sun..  So, my heat tolerance is a little low today. 

I did the squaring up at the bases and changed out a joystick on the manlift and I was spent so called it quits. 

I can work pretty crazy in the heat for about 4 days pretty well but then the 5th and 6th day I am dragging.  By Day 5 of the heat.. I usually need some time off.. 

I'm still working at the Farrier biz full time so the added heat function there plays in big time. 

8/11/2020 Tomorrow I figure out the needed spacers for the center section and get moving on that.. I measured the CL which goes in a space to fill up a void for the wind bent..  


8/12 Well tomorrow came and went and I did not get it done. Went to look at a pickup truck instead.. 2003 F350 7.3L 

When I got back I did go to the back 40 and grab some 3/8X6" CR  which is what I will need when I cut the existing CL in half to make the 2 new ones. they need to be 4" wide to fit the narrower opening going with a full 12Ft span. 

8/13 Today I will price out a new W8X18X14'  I beam and if it's reasonable enough will make  new one vs an adapter.  the adapters would need to be nearly 5"wide x 14" tall X 4" thick on their own merit..  I don't carry much structural steel in larger sizes.. 

If I make a new one I can just buy the 1/2X5" for the end bolt plates, add the beam and then put on a corner brace at each bottom.  Faster cleaner work other than prep. 

As for Stihl..  My main saw is an  O45 Super.  Shes old and beautiful.. 


 

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"made from good iron. It called Stihl"    

Naw;  we call iron + carbon  "Steel" round these parts!    I worked one High School summer at the local Aboretum, mainly weeding as I recall.  My boss had retired after 30 years working for a tree service.  Well that summer a Hurricane came up the coast and *everybody* was reassigned to road crews to clear things up!---I got to watch this old guy standing ontop of the cab of our truck dissecting limbs out of live power lines with a chainsaw---one handed!  I did not have the urge to do likewise, nosiree.  In fact I remember my Father getting me up early that day and telling me to take my bowsaw and clear the street to the main road so he (and I) could go to work.

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11 hours ago, JHCC said:

That means that John Henry is a Stihl-driving man. 

Awesome! One more keyboard goes down the drain!  But well worth it.

9 hours ago, Frosty said:

I've owned and used Stihl chainsaws for close to 50 years. Hard to beat them.

Me too, and I'm "Stihl" on my second one.  ;)

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So today I got the clips done and ordered the needed I Beam parts to get that done tomorrow.  I'll go over and pick up the materials about 1pm so with any luck I'll have the beam installed by this time tomorrow night. 

Got a call to pick up the planner and bandsaw before they went to scrap at my Father house.  So started the day with getting these. 

 

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And today was front center beam. 

Doing it this way I gain some extra clearance as the original was only spaced mid section on flanges.  I moved the beam to the top and put the diagonals in. 

Was a bear getting the welder dialed in today..  I haven't been welding much and especially on larger stuff. 

The original Binzel push pull gun I have been using for the last 7 years was over heating so checked the water flow to the gun and there was none. 

I then switched out to another push pull gun assembly and the cooling setup works well again.   I'd guess there is a kink in the hose in the old guy I tried to blow it out with air and it would hold pressure which is usually kink related. 

The new gun worked very well and was direct plug and play.   I've found Binzel items and even knock offs are pretty much standardized so cross reference works well. 

As for the fabrication of the beam..  I measured everything and the original and compared the measurements to the original bill of materials.  The original beam was 11' 3 3/8" long but the BOM listed it as 11' 3 1/2"  to fill the 11'4" span.  The end plates decrease the overall length between the uprights by a 1/2" overall.  

I made the assumption that they made the beam shorter at the factory on mistake as the BOM had it listed at the 11'3.5"..   Turns out the beam was in need of being a little shorter.. 

Reason why I even saying this is because it just goes to show even at the factory things aren't accurate.   

I was able to get the beam in my loosening all the bolts and slipping it in but it was a tight fit. 

1/2"X5" for end flanges and W8X18X12' for the beam.  

I painted it once it was installed.  

Not one extra bolt on these larger sized 5/8" grade 8.  Had just enough. 

 

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