CrazyGoatLady Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Tomas W said: Great setup. I do have a question. Is the base made from a bunch of 2x4s? Or what wood setup? Thank you to everyone. He said that it is made from blackwalnut that was about 1.25 inches thick and 14 inches wide. Sawmill lumber. It was sealed and filled with around 8 gallons of river sand. And the legs are angle iron. He can't remember how thick it is but it is 3 inches wide on both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomas W Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Awesome. It must weigh a ton. Great work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Thank you. It is heavy. Didn't move an inch. Just got done with my first session on it. The consensus is, I LOVE THIS ANVIL! Didn't make anything fancy. Just things I know how to do already. A horseshoe heart and a gate hook. The hook is not heavy duty. It was a 10" piece of 1/4" round stock I had laying around. Squared and twisted. It's the best eye I have ever forged. A pointed horn is fantastic. Didn't have that on my old anvil. Finished it in paste wax. And it's so quiet, it was almost scary to me. I guess my old setup was a lot noisier than I thought. It doesn't thunk, but it's very pleasant to the ear. Can't wait to work on it again. Probably tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 (Envy!) Well, I asked for pictures of the first project and got it. Good work, CGL. Looks good. Really nice eye and I like the taper on the hook. Of course I've seen your neat horseshoe hearts before, but that'n there's a good'n. I know you must be tickled pink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 I am Chris, and I appreciate the nice comments. It's been a good day all around. I saw my best friend from high school today for the first time in years. She's a nurse, and she works at the nursing home my mother is in. It's great to know someone I know like that is helping to take of her. Then getting to work on this anvil and it being such a fun experience is the icing on the cake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 That's a great looking stand and the projects look good too. Just don't let the new anvil take all the credit for the work. You might give it a swelled head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Thank you Irondragon. This setup is great. Worked on it again. Boring horseshoe stuff, so I won't include a picture. I've just got a lot of them and not a whole lot of other steel right now. I need to replenish. I'm also not using a glove on my tong hand. I think it was JLPSERVICES that was talking about not using gloves and let the calluses build up. I hate wearing gloves because I have small hands and finding some that fit for forging seems impossible. It's a hindrance trying to hang onto something with one on. I don't use one on my hammer hand anyway. So, my left hand fingers feel raw, but it's sure a lot easier not wearing one. By the by, did I mention this anvil is awesome? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 7 minutes ago, CrazyGoatLady said: did I mention this anvil is awesome? No CGL, we hadn't heard that yet! Must be fun havin' a nice shiny new toy in your shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Yes sir! And my old man has been cleaning the shop out today while I've been forging. He's been finding things we've had for years, that turns out comes in handy for smithing. And bits and pieces of usable steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Beautiful stand and the gate hook looks very nice, your heart is as always excellent. A good anvil is a joy to work on. Never be sorry to share your pain with us, we're friends, sharing pain with friends helps ease it. Just like sharing your joy increases it. Funny how giving the: shop, garage, basement, attic, etc. a good stirring turns up stuff you knew you had but couldn't find. Maybe I should think of my shop like a compost pile? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 Frosty I appreciate your kind words. I do feel like I'm among friends. I've just never been one to talk about feelings much and it still feels a little strange talking about my grandkids in particular. I'm just now getting to where I even talk to my husband about it. It kinda comes out of left field sometimes. People don't know what to say either, so it seems best not to mention it. I don't like to make anyone else feel awkward either. But it's nice to know there is place to talk to friends like you guys. Tommie is excited y'all like the stand. All I wanted was functional, but he wanted to make something nice for me as well. He's one in a million. The shop cleaning has been an ongoing thing. So many projects and things to do, not to mention just regular maintenance. There's just two of us to do it most times, and he works long, odd hours some weeks. But it sure looks good and doesn't feel claustrophobic now. Cleared me more space for my smithy as well! I was sweeping up a pile of sawdust out from under the table saw the other day, and this frog came hopping out. Nearly gave me heart failure...a little while later, another one jumped out. They got relocated to the garden. Better than a snake popping out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 4 hours ago, Frosty said: Never be sorry to share your pain with us, we're friends, sharing pain with friends helps ease it. Just like sharing your joy increases it. A burden shared is a burden halved. A Joy shared is a joy doubled. I think that's the saying. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Moose Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Well if it's not a saying, then it is now. Lovely work CGL. Nice clean lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 That's a great saying pnut. The gang here is such a wonderful, generous community. I'm proud to be a part of it. Mr Moose, thank you for the compliment. My work has come a long way since I first started. It was more mashed than anything then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 21 hours ago, CrazyGoatLady said: I'm also not using a glove on my tong hand. I think it was JLPSERVICES that was talking about not using gloves and let the calluses build up. I hate wearing gloves because I have small hands and finding some that fit for forging seems impossible. It's a hindrance trying to hang onto something with one on. I don't use one on my hammer hand anyway. So, my left hand fingers feel raw, but it's sure a lot easier not wearing one. The only reason to wear a glove is as protection from heat. If you're using tongs, they generally provide the necessary protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 One reason that I smooth tong reins that are scaled or rusty, a rough rein is hard on the hand---also why I dislike rebar for tongs as many folks leave the reins as hand eaters! Of course my favorite set of tongs has polished reins from being handled so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 I prefer not to wear gloves unless I'm exposed to the possibility of being burned. However, the fellow helping me in my blacksmithing journey scolded me for hammering without a glove..........................said I'd end up with blisters. Hmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 JHCC I used them when I first started and it became habit. Never crossed my mind that I didn't have to wear any until I read the comment about it duh! I've never made rebar tongs, but I sure wouldn't now. Thanks for that tip Thomas. I couldn't imagine wearing a glove with a hammer. I'd never be able to hang onto it. I've got weird calluses on my right hand. Now it's time to build them up on the left. Which I've got a doozy going on my left index finger. I already had callused hands, but smithing has put them in places I never had before. It makes you tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 17 hours ago, CrazyGoatLady said: Tommie is excited y'all like the stand. He did an outstanding job on it. If you would please tell him we miss his presence on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 Aww, thank you Irondragon. He said he would, but he doesn't feel like he has anything to add to the forum. He doesn't smith because he has very little time to. But he would love to be able to go for it again. He's very pleased the stand came out so well and said to thank all of you for your kind words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 13 hours ago, pnut said: A burden shared is a burden halved. A Joy shared is a joy doubled. I think that's the saying. Pnut That's it or close enough. Nobody thinks you should talk about problems just because you have them, we aren't a psychotherapy site. Still beating the stuffings out of screaming HOT steel is a pretty psycho kind of therapy. I like it. What I really meant to say is, if you feel the need go ahead, we're here. It's often much easier to talk about hard topics with relative strangers, maybe it helps distance painful things. I often wear glove on my tong hand as propane forges tend to blow HOT exhaust out the doorway along tong handles. while I can cool the tong handles easily enough having HOT exhaust gasses or flame depilate my hand, by time it gets to my arm it's not so HOT and I'm moving out. I wear thin leather gloves for better feel and if I heat shrink one to my hand they cool and get water logged floppy loose quickly with a dunk in the slack tub. I don't wear a glove on my hammer hand unless I forget to take it off, being thin doesn't interfere with feel like thick ones like welding gauntlets. Yeah, tell Tommie I gave him an attaboy on his anvil stand too and he doesn't have to be beating hot steel to join the gang, we're pretty friendly. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 Frosty it is good therapy and I had a hard time just being able to enjoy it for awhile. But talking with you guys here has helped me more than you know. That's the thing with a gas forge is the heat coming out of the end. I did burn my finger once yesterday, but it wasn't anything major. I did have to cool the tongs more often. Using the wolf jaw or bolt tongs wasn't too bad because I can get the piece in and out faster. But I was using some fire tongs on the horseshoes. Takes a little more effort to grab them out with those and it got hot real quick. Tommie was real happy to hear ýou like the stand. Y'all made his day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 He could always hijack a thread once in a while, as you know happens all the time. For that matter there are many sections that don't deal with smithing and we would be happy to just jibber-jabber with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker77 Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Congratulations on that sweet anvil and stand, CGL, and nice work! Dang, the one-up-womanship on here is getting hard to keep up with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 Thanks Picker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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