MarcBaldwin Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Hello all, thanks for having me. I’ve been lurking and reading, reading and lurking (for long enough that I even filled out my location in my profile... I think) I’m a commercial food photog/designer in Palm Desert, CA put out of work by the scenario we are in currently, and I decided this was a good time to start something I’ve always wanted to do. I am a passable welder in Tig and stick, have a plasma rig and a few tools...and am at least marginally ok with my hands, so with (probably a lot) of help I should be able to at least do a little something. Basically another new guy just setting up, going back and forth on my first forge build. I also have a cheapie “Accacio” anvil, a 60kg. Reading the forum, I learned to ask around at tool rental shops for broken pavement breaker bits and scored nicely - the shop had a decommissioned 400 ton 22’ Pacific press brake hidden in back. For some good beer and a couple bucks I now own (guesstimate) a ton or so of 4140 in dies and stock, some mild stock and a smattering of plow steel. So thanks for the tip. I really appreciate this forum, so again, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Hello and welcome to the forum. I think you should know that the forum traffic is so high at times that posts can slide off the front page and get lost. Also, people, such as myself, may be away doing other things, sometimes for days! There are many here eager to see you excel, and also, to learn from you. Palm Desert is not far northeast of my town in San Diego County. I am interested in hearing more about your loot, and I believe you have your most important tool in good working condition....... Welcome, Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcBaldwin Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 Thanks, Robert. Glad to meet someone new from the SD area! Everyone I know with any excuse to leave is down your way right now. My poor old Jeep said it was 122* driving along hwy 111 last week. She doesn’t like it much this time of year either. Yeah, beginners luck or whatever but I have an embarrassment of riches in 4140 by new guy standards. Looking forward to heating up some steel. Attached images are maybe a quarter of it, the rest is trying to cave in the floor of my storage space. Thanks again for the welcome! Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Great googely moogely - a pressmans' dream! I swore that I would make it out Ocotillo Wells way this past winter, but alas, it got hot again......... be out there as soon as the heat breaks, believe it! Embarrassed to say, I covet your iron Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcBaldwin Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 Wow that got awkward fast. But seriously - I am happy to share. LMK. Some of the pieces are already perfect to go into a guillotine frame. (note to self - build a guillotine frame) and I suppose I can make a couple hammers, axes, drifts and hardy tools with a little left over... The cool heavy wire stock baskets were thrown in on the deal. Fairly sturdy. Some of the composited pieces in that basket are up around 100# each. Jeep is still mad at me from those load carries. I also got an out of date forklift LP tank thrown in that would make a good forge shell - but I’m not sure about that process so I’m not messing with it yet. Blowing myself up would really slow down my forge build. I see you like the Russian calibers btw. I’m a 7.62x51 guy myself. Time for a little shut eye. Again, thanks for the kind words. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Before I cut any of those press brake dies I would shop them around. The dies could pay for some very nice tooling. I outfitted my machine and fab shop from auctions, and guys would fight over racks full of dies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Totally agree. That stuff is quite valuable. Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcBaldwin Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 That thought, gentleman, has crossed my melon a couple times. Thank you for bringing it bubbling up to the top again. If I hadn’t stumbled across it he was going to scrap it at $65 a ton. I felt that would be unfortunate at best and my frugal Scot nature kicked in hard. I’m not in a hurry to mess it up, I got a fair amount of round and bar stock in the deal as well. Thank you. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 It's definitely worth a lot more if you know the exact machine it was made for and can get the word out to others that have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 10 hours ago, MarcBaldwin said: Jeep is still mad at me from those load carries. This thread has dropped down about 3 pages in everything else. My old Jeep would need a vacation to make a trip like that at 45 mph top speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcBaldwin Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: It's definitely worth a lot more if you know the exact machine it was made for and can get the word out to others that have one. Ehh.. about that. It’s a little ol girl. (My sublime humor) 400 ton 22’ Pacific. Research says they come in a lot of lengths. That’s a fair big one. Note...the crates of dies in front aren’t there any more ...along with a good bit of stock that might or might not be 4140. File says hard. Yet to do a spark test. Apparently there is a forklift fork waiting on me now as well. The power of gifted craft beer is strong. Again thanks for that scrounging tip. Pretty sure I read it here. My scrounging game was already pretty good. Nice addition to the quiver, that. My mood has improved somewhat as this day progresses. Marc 3 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said: This thread has dropped down about 3 pages in everything else. I did decide to break it into (much) smaller trips after I noticed I was riding flat on the rear axle. Breaking an axle would really turn the value of the find upside down. Mines an ‘04 LJ. She’s been needy lately as payback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 16 hours ago, MarcBaldwin said: I have an embarrassment of riches in 4140 Holy xxxxxxx now that's a steel of a deal. There's a bit of everything in there! I think you ought to be set for a little while.... Glad you saved it from the scrapper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Well worth even a case of "brown pop"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 6 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Well worth even a case of "brown pop"! I HOPE I can assume you aren't talking about the morning after drinking a glass of tap water in Mexico! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 I can send you some chilies to go with that water to make it seem like a White Sands Engine Test! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcBaldwin Posted August 13, 2020 Author Share Posted August 13, 2020 Nice. 4 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: I can send you some chilies to go with that water to make it seem like a White Sands Engine Test! This is what friends are for, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 Most of the Trinitite being sold is actually fused desert glass from rocket engine static tests out here. Easy to tell though, the real stuff is an alpha emitter! Of course some folks are faking that these days too. (Fused desert glass from the first atomic bomb test!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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