Cowboy Rich Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Hello my names Rich, been lurking around for a week or 2 and wanted to say hi. I've been doing some looking around at some tools which led me to this wealth of info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Welcome. Eastern WA is a big place---can you narrow down the region? Spokane has a couple of places that run classes and a blacksmith's association of sorts which may be of some help to you but I don't know of any others this side of the mountains. Smithing stuff does come up once in a while but you have to keep a diligent watch. There is still a ton of stuff hiding in barns but you only hear about it if you ask around (Look up the subject of "TPAAAT". That stands for Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique, a method of seeking out smithing tools (not just anvils) in areas like Eastern WA. The Walla Walla Farrier's school also does/teaches some general smithing. Let us know a bit more about yourself. Ya never know when someone might be able to toss out something helpful...the more we have to go on, the better the feedback you get. And update your profile to include your location because in 15 minutes, we'll all forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Glad to have ya Rich. I always recommend this READ THIS FIRST To get the best out of the forum. It's full of tips like how to do the best search (the forum search leaves a lot to be desired) and how to keep the moderators happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 2 hours ago, Kozzy said: Smithing stuff does come up once in a while but you have to keep a diligent watch. There is still a ton of stuff hiding in barns but you only hear about it if you ask around The Walla Walla Farrier's school also does/teaches some general smithing. I am in between Dayton and Waitsburg about 25 miles north of Walla Walla. I am looking for tools (who isn't?) I have however done my share of work on hammer heads, trailer balls whatever but I'm thinking that adding a decent anvil and possibly a forge would make things easier. I was not aware of the Walla Walla Farriers school. I also have 3 nephew's that like working with their hands and have a huge imagination that are interested in trying it also. Unfortunately schools don't teach anything about these days sadly no shop classes or home economics and I'm sure I'm not the only one here to take both!(without metal wood auto and home economics I'd still be in high school 50 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Glad to have ya Rich. I always recommend this READ THIS FIRST To get the best out of the forum. It's full of tips like how to do the best search (the forum search leaves a lot to be desired) and how to keep the moderators happy. Thank you! I did check your recommendation when I signed up #1 I think I did (I'll make sure) #2 always #3 well....that's how I got here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Welcome. I’m just north of Spokane. If you have any scrap yards nearby just go find a big solid chunk of steel and use that till you find an anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 35 minutes ago, Cowboy Rich said: between Dayton and Waitsburg We won't remember that once leaving this post, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show location. Jasent made a great anvil out of a piece of bulldozer, check out the improvised anvil thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 22 minutes ago, Jasent said: Welcome. I’m just north of Spokane. If you have any scrap yards nearby just go find a big solid chunk of steel and use that till you find an anvil. Thanks. Dont really have what I consider even a decent scrap yard that I've found so far, but I do have some good hammering spots.lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 I'm one town north of you and have a hand crank forge for sale. It needs to be taken apart to get the blower going (blower is frozen) but might be a cheap and usable item for you. It actually belongs to the museum here but I'm in charge of selling it and some other farm items for them. Might have a second larger forge for sale but I have to check and see where it came from--it just appeared in that area one day and I didn't hear the source. Right now I don't know of anyone who wants to let an anvil go unfortunately. As to scrap yards...you'd be amazed what is in some of these farm scrap yards if you start talking to people and getting friendly. I know specifically in your rough area that there is some stuff that'd make a decent anvil. But the real thing you need to do is look up and follow the TPAAAT system I mentioned. It really works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 I have a chunk of rail you can have if you come this way. It’s not big but it worked till I found better. The little one I want to keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 Kozzy and Jasent you have my attention!! Is there a private message feature here. Kozzy I'd like to know a price if you can and see pictures. Your not far away certainly doable and could be put to work again. Jasent I'd be interested in that chuck of rail aswell next time I'm up there (frequent) I'll try getting in touch with you. THANK YOU FOR THE VERY WARM WELCOME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Yes there is a PM here. Just click on the persons avatar/log on name and it brings up their profile, there is a message button there.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vern509 Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Welcome! I am bit west of you over in Ellensburg, glad to have another friendly face here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Have you started giving your nephews tools for their Birthdays and Christmas? My parents started doing that for me when I got to High School age---my Father was an Electrical Engineer; but we come from farm stock. When I went off to college none of *his* tools disappeared with me..."a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel!" In turn I did the same for my kids; one Christmas both of my Daughters got 3/8" VSR Drills---only girls in their High School that did I was told. They still have them and I've started giving tools to the grandkids... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 Thomas, they have all 3 been getting some tools for awhile, we started cheap when they were younger as a way to start teaching the things like putting it away when you're done with it dont just leave on the driveway after you fix your skateboard or whatever. So we start with yard sale (I keep the good stuff:))or HF then move up. When my dad passed a couple years ago they inherited some of his and I'll tell you what they are protective of them. They really like working with their hands which is hard to find these days so we try to help with motivation when we can, our 10 year old changes the oil in the lawn tractor even...I thought for sure It would blow up the 1st time as it hadn't been done frequently, next compression release is on his to do list! May as well let them work on a 30+ year old lawn mower. Vern thanks for the welcome I get over that way quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 I was at the scrapyard last year and found that a organization had scrapped all their rusty tools as part of a clean up. I took out over 100 pounds of wrenches and sockets everything from USA to Japan to Taiwan to India to China. Sending a bunch of good ones to my SiL's and lesser ones to the younger Grand Kids as "learners" I suspect that the lawmower will find a few of them. Lawnmower repair is a good skill to learn for kids as there is summer $$ to be made that way. Used to be you could start them on old cars; I knew a guy who rebuilt his first engine while he was in single digits.(His father was a Hudson dealer and would "give" him wrecked cars to "play" with and when he got them going good again sell them out from under him.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Just shoot me a message next time you’ll be in the area. I’m sure I have more stuff I don’t need anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 28 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Lawnmower repair is a good skill to learn for kids as there is summer $$ to be made that way. A retired friend in town here always had far more work repairing small engines than he had time for. Had he wanted to, he could have made a pretty reasonable income from his shop. For him, it was just puttering to keep busy so he never pushed the work. He passed away about 2 years ago and people in town are still scrambling to find someone to do that work. Were there some youth in this small town with the skills and drive, I'd bet it'd be a pretty good side hustle for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 I've noticed you can find folks that give away non-working mowers in the fall and buy working ones in the spring... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 Jasent will do especially if I know in advance with my job it can be pretty sour of the moment sometimes. Thomas, that would be great find for tools for sure. The lawn mower thing actually started as an accident (its 30+ and new to me so just dump more oil in) because he wanted some folding money so I told go the lawn and we will get you some cash....well quick back story my dad was a long haul trucker and he had been working with about checking oil changing it and cleaning the air filter....now I dont have to do it even for my pickup(that work is supervised) Works out pretty well all around, I can do something else and they are learning. WIN-WIN in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 And learning that maintenance *pays* in more than one way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 5 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: I've noticed you can find folks that give away non-working mowers in the fall and buy working ones in the spring... I've noticed that also it makes no sense to me but...I fix stuff. Just now, ThomasPowers said: And learning that maintenance *pays* in more than one way. Absolutely Kozzy it honestly would not surprise me if one of them ends up in your area when they can. I'm trying to help give them some skill sets to help. The youngest (6) was with me in town 1 day and said it was to big.....its Dayton he likes starbuck of all places for a kid that grew up in Vancouver and Richland, both Wa. For those that dont know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 I used to own an old mower when I lived in the inner city in Columbus OH; it became sort of a personal bet on if I could get it working each year. Sheet metal riveted on for replacement wheels to attach to, cleaning out the carb jets every spring---usually took me longer to get it running than it did to mow our postage stamp lawn. Then when we were getting ready to move to NM---it got stolen; not worth US$5 even as scrap metal... Out here grass cost money in water bills so I just burn off the yard/desert every year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rich Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 Those replies stacked on each other thought I sent them separately sorry I hear that Thomas, I wouldn't likely have a lawn myself if the irrigation cost me money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Back about 5 decades ago a friend of my wife moved out to Los Alamos and the first year their lovely suburban yard ran them about US$600 dollars for water. They started xeriscaping the next year. I'd rather spend water on stuff I want to grow instead of stuff I'd have to mow... As for the weirdness of people: Back in Columbus OH I noticed that there were some residents of German Village that would buy a new propane grill every year and then trash it in the fall---with the tanks semi full! They had no storage space for it to overwinter and could afford the annual cost. I learned when to wander the alleyways to pick up free propane tanks & fuel. (We were just south of that "Historic District", much bigger house and yard for much less money and creeping gentrification helped a lot when we had to move away.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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