January 22, 20179 yr This is the spot where you can post the stuff you made recently, that isn't quite big enough/interesting enough to create a new topic about, but you think is still worth sharing. I'll start it out with what I did today. Today I made a bottom fuller and a cupping tool for my striking anvil, and a business card holder for the guy who I ship my 2,000lbs of coke to (because he has a fork lift) and then we bring it to our house. Littleblacksmith
January 22, 20179 yr Most of the day was taken up by taking my son to a swim meet and taking out the Christmas tree, but I did sweep up, re-organize the scrap bins, and clean out the forge. Found some missing wrought iron that I'd been looking for, which was nice.
January 22, 20179 yr Had to go into work today windy and rainy crossing the border going in and VERY windy crossing the border returning; one of those days when 1 ear is packed with sand. (top gust 61 mph about an hour before I was crossing)
January 22, 20179 yr Author Wow Thomas! Here its been in the 70s (Fahrenheit) for the past few weeks. I'm really missing the colder weather, it makes forging so much nicer. Tomorrow it's supposed to be about 40 mph winds. Windiest it been here in a while! Littleblacksmith
January 22, 20179 yr I made some hooks and a treble coat hang before promptly falling asleep, I think I'm getting some sort of respiratory infection or maybe my diet of hamburgers and snack cakes has finally caught up to me.
January 22, 20179 yr Used the treadle hammer to smash another couple of 55 gallon drums worth of smashed aluminum cans......I have lost count of how many I have done so far, somewhere around 15 drums full of smashed cans.. I either need to get them cashed in, or start doing some casting. There is probably around 1,000#+ of aluminum.
January 22, 20179 yr Tried to forge a rose a different way than I have made them. Just about got it done an two petals went thunk. Not a failure but a learning experience.
January 22, 20179 yr Son's basketball game....track meet (I'm a coach) then daughter's basketball game. Fed the kids put them to bed....now I'm drinking bourbon. It's been like that for a while. I did work a little on a design of a wall sconce for a friend. The reality is that I am so busy parenting and coaching that I haven't found the time to set up my indoor shop. JHCC saw my cluttered garage which has since been cleared and cleaned. Now it is stuffed with my forge, anvil, tools and coal and need a major reorganization. I've only been doing little sessions...holding out until I can set up as I want it.
January 22, 20179 yr discovered that I was out of forges so had to get one done for a potential customer, a second one nearly done and starting to make 2 more this morning, plus made 2 more bend tools, tested an extractor fan
January 22, 20179 yr Demos this morning until I bailed out early - just too hot to continue. Forged a few hooks, a big nail toasting fork and a lizard. Some interesting visitors to the forge though. A French couple were very interested in what I was doing. I have a basic knowledge of French if it is spoken very slowly. I learned that a blacksmith is a forgeron and the anvil is l'enclune. I'm thinking of putting up a signboard at the forge with all the names meaning blacksmith. A guy from Israel the other day showed me the Hebrew name. We get a lot of international tourists.
January 22, 20179 yr Made this top tool tonight, it's 1045. I'm out of any tool steel now aside from spring steel. Made 4 or 5 tools, couple Fuller's and a small drift since the one I used for this was kinda short for my liking
January 22, 20179 yr Hi all, just starting out. Made a hot cut hardy out of some spring steel and a piece of square tubing. It's ugly but it should work. Need to read up on how to heat treat and temper now.
January 22, 20179 yr Had a friend stop by; we worked on 3 spears that he had in project, I made a couple of pipe chili peppers and started work on a wrought iron fork; but the WI was bad (had signs of prior abuse; but I was hoping....Well it will get welded up in a billet and forged back out to clean it up and refine it some) Also worked on a spring for his new to him postvise I picked up at Quad-State this last time.
January 23, 20179 yr TheGZA, no need to heat treat that hot cut since it is a HOT cut. It will be harder than hot steel, and hot steel would just pull the temper anyways.
January 23, 20179 yr Author 3 hours ago, TheGZA said: Need to read up on how to heat treat and temper now. I wouldn't bother with heat treating it if you will be using it for hot steel. Especially if your are just starting out and your hammer control isn't that good (or even if you are experienced) and you hit the hot cut with your hammer, it is better to have the hot cut get dull than to have a nice deep gouge in your hammer. (for me) It is easier to sharpen a hot cut than to regrind a hammer face. Today I spent some time from about 1:00Pm to about 6:00pm out in the shop. Made a (in my opinion) really nice hammer eye drift. Also made some other stuff-2 horse shoe hearts, a horse shoe pot hanger, 2 punches, and re forged a drift I made a while back so that now I can use it. Will try to get pictures tomorrow! Littleblacksmith Whoops, Biggundoctor and I replied simontaniosly, and already addressed the hot cut and heat treating it.
January 23, 20179 yr Wanted to have my son strike for me today on some bottom tools, but had trouble getting the forge up to temperature (mostly because of a dirty batch of coal). Ended up making a new forge rake and a bottle opener.
January 24, 20179 yr Author Today I filed in a new touch mark, and to test it out I took a piece of copper tubing, Unfolded it, and made some little name plate thingy. All that matters is that I had fun testing it out! 23 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: Today I spent some time from about 1:00Pm to about 6:00pm out in the shop. Made a (in my opinion) really nice hammer eye drift. Also made some other stuff-2 horse shoe hearts, a horse shoe pot hanger, 2 punches, and re forged a drift I made a while back so that now I can use it. Will try to get pictures tomorrow! Here is some pictures of stuff that I made the other day. Littleblacksmith
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