Thanks 

If I said i'll finish a project I mean it! You don't need to remind me every six months.

Nice work 4elements. I like the paint job. 

4elements:  Nice project and humor associated with finishing it!  Your coloring of leaves and flowers.....was that done with colored Renaissance wax?  Also reminds me of baked on enamel coating.....Thanks for sharing.

The coloring was with Testors model paint followed with 2 coats of clear coat. I tried to do a dry brush job so it wouldn't be boldly overpowering colors. Now my wife wants more towel bars 

Haha, the list only grows the more you check things off.

"He had not yet learned that if you do one good deed, your reward usually is to do another and harder and better one.” - C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

Slowly getting there with the most recent project.

Almost all the pieces roughed out, then need to clean them up, get everything more closely matched, and assemble.

Unfortunately ran out of gas, so shall have to continue another day.

25 minutes ago, JHCC said:

"He had not yet learned that if you do one good deed, your reward usually is to do another and harder and better one.” - C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

Or, "no good deed goes unpunished". I've noticed how my shop output has gradually turned into her gift list. Tooling is the only safe bet, so I built this bending fork yesterday. 

 

On 10/4/2018 at 8:46 AM, Beavers said:

  I had a tough time putting the groove in the jaws, and kinda knocked the alignment of them off a little. 

Making easy tongs from flat metal.

Heat up the jaws of the tongs and place the stock you are picking up into the jaws. Whack it with a hammer or stick of wood to bend the jaws to a nice fit against the stock. Keep the rivet and reigns cool so you do not distort them. Straighten as needed and let them cool.

Thanks Glenn, I'll give that a shot.

Finished up a hammer for myself. This will be the first hammer I’ve kept since the first. 

Wow, beautiful job Ben.  You have the knack for great looking work.  What is it, about a 2# er?

Ben, that is a really nice hammer.. i'd be proud to make or buy a hammer like this.. Well done.. 1045?

Thanks Arkie. That one is 2.04lbs so I’ll call it a 2 pounder. I’ll probably keep it til someone wants it. 

Thanks Jennifer, that’s quit a compliment. I’ve been playing around with a more refined finish but still handmade look. That’s the look I’m going to stick with for a “production” hammer.  I’ve also been tinkering with my 1045 heat treating and am at a point I’m really happy with how it’s holding up. I’ve lent a few hammers to some farriers I know that are notoriously hard on tools. After a month or two of full time daily use, they’re happy and after hammer inspection I’m happy. The farrier supply in Amarillo put in an order to start carrying hammers today. I guess that makes me a professional?

I guess it does. Good for you!

Nice hammer.

                                                                                                                                        Littleblacksmith 

Thank you. Professional certianly doesn’t mean making a living though. I’m not going to be quitting my day job ever. 

 

Thank you Mark. 

Me, I’m just trying to sell enough for the hobby to pay for itself.

1 hour ago, Ranchmanben said:

Finished up a hammer for myself. This will be the first hammer I’ve kept since the first.

Beautiful work. I'd definitely keep that one too.

Al (Steamboat)

I’m still at that point. If it does more than pay for the hobby all the better but I want to keep it hobby and fun. Plus, It’s not like the store is going to list my hammers on the website and sell them all the first day. If all goes like I think or hope it will, I’ll only be making a hammer or two a month to restock. It might not even be that often though. 

 

Thanks Al

Lol Ben, when you can make it, it's all for sale " at the right price". It just feeds the addiction. And you just price the stuff you want to keep accordingly.

Nice work.

Thanks Das, you’re exactly right. For the most part I’ve put fair prices on things because I can make another. I did make a cross pien that I particularly liked. A guys asked how much and I threw out a silly number and he pulled out his wallet and handed it over. I learned to not price things I don’t want to sell. 

I was told that to be a professional you have to be able to turn loose of your work.  If you don't want to---put your name on it as a "personal piece".

Made a hanger thingy for my foredom.