What did you do in the shop today?

[JHCC]

I think the HP rating on the motor is of the "theoretical maximum achievable under ideal conditions in the best of all possible worlds" rather than how much power it actually puts out.

[HojPoj]

Oftentimes the ratings for the motors are in a stall condition since that's when the maximum amperage goes through 'em.  Totally not representative of where we're using 'em, though.

[JHCC]

I'm starting to think that my best plan of action is to replace the 1-1/2 HP / 1725 RPM motor currently on the Pressciousss with a 3 HP / 3450 RPM motor and move the former to the bandsaw.

[jlpservicesinc]

That's a good call..

I had mentioned the stalling problem on the gas booster with the 3hp 1800rpm motor.

But if you all ready have one it would be a good swap.  

If your buying a 3hp. Wait and by a 5hp.

[alexandr]

Another project is completed. It remains to pack.

 

[Chris C]

Beautiful..................as always.  You are a work-horse to say the least.

[JHCC]

Added some more capacity to the punch rack on the side of my post vise stand. 

[CrazyGoatLady]

That's a great idea JHCC. I like it

[JHCC]

Also made another shop stand. 

[jlpservicesinc]

Naginata build at Demo. 

[Frosty]

Fierce looking demo there Jennifer!  A naginata is a lot of blade, how long did it take to forge?

Frosty The Lucky.

[jlpservicesinc]

I came at it backwards working off the previous build from 1990.. the geometry was all wrong but proceeded to refind the geometry anyhow. 

So, all told maybe 3hrs..  I've got another hour or 2 today and will then have it finished forged. I'll post back photo's later..  will have a 24" long blade.. Problem with this is the tang is nearly as long as the blade.. 

Always easier to get the base line geometry and then forge the edge.. 

[alexandr]

In the morning I went to work, in the afternoon I was engaged in a garden.

[jlpservicesinc]

Had a great day at the last day of the bolton fair.  

 

got the Naginata finish forged.. Still need to clean it up. Got the larger steeled face wrought iron hammer nearly (75%) to finished shape (thanks to Joe L.) and gave a quick "how to" forge a creaser for one of the farriers.. 

Photo 1 you can see the difference between the starting of the Naginata vs the end photo..    Crazy as it would have been easier to start over.. 

[Chris C]

Wow, Jennifer.  Looks great.  Are you planning to also steel the peen on that hammer?

[ThomasPowers]

Pictures 3 and 4 looks like the peen is steeled to me.

[Chris C]

Your eyes are younger than mine, Thomas.  I can see the steel face on the flat side, but not on the peen.  Maybe Jennifer will chime in.  I've watched her video on how to do that several times.  I need to ask her why she uses wrought and then steels the faces instead of just making an all steel hammer.  Hmmmmm.

[jlpservicesinc]

Chris.. All ready done. all of those actions have to be done when the chuck is still whole before the eye is punched.

I didn't clean the fire all day.. I pulled out a clinker the size of RI..  Just lazy.. and by the time I got to the hammer I didn't want to build the fire all the way backup.. It's the reason why it looks so scaley. 

Here us a photo you can see it in. 

Chris as to the answer as to "why"..   It's challenging and fun to me..    It's a unique skill set few possess.   the ability to apply a high carbon steel face onto an item and have it become a fully functional tool is pretty cool and frankly, it's because making a regular solid steel hammer is rather boring.. LOL.. 

I can forge a solid steel hammer (2.0-3.0lbs) by myself in about 45minutes to 1hr by hand.  A german style is about as easy as it gets. Starting with 2" sq and it becomes a 45minuted deal.. 

I don't really enjoy forging plain items unless its helping someone to understand the action/skill, etc, etc. 

I pretty much like difficult if not impossible to do type things.. Like welding together completely pitted, with huge chunks of rust still attached wrought iron into a new bar when most would just say it's really scrap..  big holes rusted through.. etc, etc.  These types of troubleshooting aspects are both fun and challenging..   I especially love when someone comes along and says " Oh that can't be done".. so and so said so..  

[Chris C]

Kewel..................sure hope my skills someday make it possible to be able to do that.  But I've a question:  Why do you use wrought iron and steel the faces instead of just using steel for the entire hammer head?????

[jlpservicesinc]

Ok..  I did answer it..   But I will assume you are asking why in terms of mechanics or engineering as solid steel being better or such and such.  Solid steel is better for longevity as there is no possibility for face separation. Also, there is no risk of the neck cracks like with thin cross section wrought iron hammers.. 

It's a pretty crazy thing and I'm not exactly sure why it is..   there is something about the way a steeled wrought iron hammer feels in the hand vs solid steel.. Be it the kinetic energy or what have you.. 

I have the original hammer I started forging with 43 years ago and it is a 2.5lbs True temper German pattern.. I have a million hours on it..  I also have a China made 4lbs hammer I used nearly as much as the 2.5lbs hammer.. Both solid steel hammers..  and both used for 43 years or so.. 

Yet my go to now is nearly always the 2.75 steeled wrought iron and the 4.5lbs Special production Blu hammer as my second only because my new hammer isn't done yet.. 

there is something that each one of us has a favorite hammer.  Most if not all can not for the life of them tell another person why a particular hammer is their favorite and this is even true with the same make and model..   Someone will swear their hammer feels different.

Anyhow the simplest answer is "Because"..  Maybe someday you will indeed come to my shop or we may cross paths at and ABANA conference and you wil get to try the hammer..  

FYI a steeled wrought iron hammer of a fancy design like I have done has a finite life span.. when the face finally cracks and falls off (just like an anvil) it will become scrap..  it's one of the reasons the german or french patterns were popular. A new face can be welded on in short order.  The Swedish designs are a little more difficult but can also have a new face welded on.. 

the Design of hammers changed as steel replaced wrought iron very early on.
 

[Chris C]

Thanks for the thorough answer Jennifer.  I think I've mentioned to you previously I'm like a sponge at this point and am soaking up every bit of information my feeble old brain will hold. 

[jlpservicesinc]

My pleasure.. It's why I come here and make the videos. I may not have all the answers as I don't know everything.. But I am pretty good at relaying my experiences. 

My sledge helper for the hammer today was the same guy who brought me the wrought iron I made the 2.75llbs hammer from and we together forged 90-% of it last year at the Bolton fair.  finishing it a week later at the Hardwick fair with help from another buddy.. 

This year that original bar he gave me was welded into this hammer blank and today he helped me again with much of the sledge work to get to this point.. 

I will be again finishing it at the Hardwick fair.. funny right.  I work really fast.. 2 hammers 1 year apart. 

When we were winding down and I thanked him for his help, he turned and said.. ""What", it's a free lesson.. LOL..  Most have to pay for this kind of education..""

[ThomasPowers]

It's a traditional method of making a hammer.  In the UK some even thought that welding up a WI "jelly roll" and then steeling it made for a better hammer.  Also even as late as the ACW "steel" could be 6 times the cost of Wrought Iron and so tended to be used sparingly.  Especially cast steel---the Huntsman process.  With the rise of the Bessemer/Kelly process the switch was on but it took decades; 30+ years after the B/K process was "invented" they were still discussing how to work with the "new" steel---(Practical Blacksmithing, Richardson, 1889, 1890, 1891).

And for me I would have to mention metric tons of Bragging Rights!      I've collected a number of *old* steeled tools over the years and still use them; something nice about using a tool as old as some of my anvils.

[George N. M.]

Dear Jennifer,

I suspect that our favorite hammers are the ones we use most often and for which we have developed a muscle memory of its size and balance.  I use a 2.5 lb farrier's hammer and it is just right for the size work I usually do.  If I use a 2.5 lb cross pein it just doesn't feel the same because of the slightly different balance.  If I'm working on something larger or smaller than average a heavier or lighter hammer feels right for the work.  I think that there is a feedback loop that we use a particular hammer most because it is our favorite and it is our favorite because we use it the most.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Goods]

Make a few hooks in preparation for a Labor Day demo, felt odd not having anything to sell last time I did it. (Still a lot more things to make!) Also, hardened and temper a hammer made yesterday at an IBA chapter hammer-in. I brought both the face and the peen to non magnetic keeping the eye relatively cool, quenched in warm oil, then tempered at 400F for 2 1/2hrs. It started life as new 1.5”x1.5”x4.75” 4140. I had the help from a couple other members striking. Overall, fairly pleased with it, but plenty of room you improvement. (Next time I need to make a smaller slitter!)

Someday, maybe, I’ll make it to Jennifer’s level.