arftist Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 When I first found this site I read a lot of the blueprints and I have to say, nice work, and thank you. But, I look to this spot every day, and nothing personal, but I am not interested in crowd control. How about some shop tips now and then? I will start with something simple, which many of you probably already know , but maybe get the ball rolling. When I need to make a simple jig for hot bending, I use a piece of angle iron as the base. Then when I use it, I just clamp the bottom leg of the angle in a vice. If this is a repeat, please ignore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinD Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 I just wish I had a shop..............with air conditioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 I do the same and pretty much all of my scroll jigs are on angle iron bases. I can put them anywhere in the shop in a vise and go to work. My small bending jigs (pins and other forms) are on square stock made for the hardy. Although I haven't built one, I have seen a rig that dropped in the hardy and held multiple tools simultaneously around the edge of the anvil. It was locked into the hardy by a bolt and fit the heel of the anvil. IIRC, about 4 tools could be held. This was a production setup in craft shop so they might do several hundred similar items before switching to something else. Kevin, I hear you...some days down here are miserable. Fortunately, my shop is on a slight hill so I catch a few breezes when the Gulf winds are blowing. Other than that, it's usually 100 in the shade...even a swamp cooler would be better than nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 HWooldridge, what is a swamp cooler? I am a swamp yankee, but I've never heard that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 A swamp cooler a big radiator with a fan behind it. No chilled air, it just acts as an evaporator. They are good for about 20-30 degrees below ambient in very dry areas (hence the popularity in Arizona) but aren't worth much where it is humid. We have a couple at work and they probably only drop the air about 5 degrees. On the other hand, moving air at 95 F is better than still air at 100...it's all relative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 Right, guess I just never heard the term before, thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 we call em mold spreaders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobae Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 But, I look to this spot every day, and nothing personal, but I am not interested in crowd control. Oh?! There's threads here on crowd control (I don't usually read this section). I'll have to go look for them. Cool! Thanks for the heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 This is not something I invented, I borrowed this from somebody else, but I guess that's true about everything... On my actual hardy tools (hot cut, swages, fullers, etc.), I use a traditional solid shank. However, with some of the tools that sit on the anvil face (guillotine, spring swages, etc.), I simply use a piece of 1" angle for the hardy shaft. I put the new tool on the anvil face and a piece of angle in the hardy hole, clamp it up, tack it, then take it out and weld it. On tools like this, where the purpose of the hardy shank is simply to keep the tool in place, the angle is a cheap, quick, light weight solution. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Don, cool idea on the angle for hardy stock. I am "lucky" enough to have a HF russian submarine for an anvil with the diagonal hardy hole. so making a post to fit is a bugger. But, while typing that in I realized I could weld the angle on the edges and it would work fine. thanks for the helpful inspiration!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 (edited) I took a round, heavy duty magnet, and mounted it to the 4x4 steel post under my vise just about where my hand is when I reach foward ...put my hot rasp there comes in real handy Edited January 9, 2009 by jimbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainsaw Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 after using all kinds of firetools around the coal forge, I found a small pointed concrete trowel is really a great tool for maintaining your fire. Doesn't look quite as good as a pineapple twist fire rake with a dragon head on the end , but it sure is a handy tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveh Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 my wife dug up a real old garden trowel and i use it a lot to maintain my fire.like chainsaw says it is very handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Don't work outside in the rain... the steam pops from between the anvil top and hot work spray really hot water everywhere... and working in the rain is not much fun on a good day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukellos Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 There are few things that can't be improved with a few blows of a hammer! Don't tell my WIFE that! I use the magnet trick to keep my chuck key and center punch on top of my drill press. I never thought of using one to keep my files/rasps at the vise. THANKS JIMBOB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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