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What did you do in the shop today?


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On 10/7/2020 at 2:27 PM, Frosty said:

By paint stick I'm referring to the squeeze tube of paint with a ball point end

Yeah, one of those would be perfect. Will have to pen a grid on it, for sure. Paint pens, my mom would call them when prepping for her flea market in the morning. Little spooky faces painted on 4x4's, this time of year! Thanks for the memory. 

I picked up some craft and speaker magnets today and started work on a recently commissioned machete. Working on that and a stand for the drafting table has really gotten me acquainted with my new coal forge. As a result, I think I will be practicing forge welding soon because my uncle would like a tomahawk. I want to wrap it and weld it to a mild steel edge.

I am also learning to balance and manage gift projects with personal-need projects with commissioned projects! Of course, I couldn't ask for more.

 

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On 10/6/2020 at 2:42 PM, Goods said:

Speaker magnets will most likely be too strong just to hold you drawings down. Whatever generic magnets you can get cheap would be better. 

Just to add my magnetic input.... Desktop computers with the all-glass fronts use small but very strong magnets to hold the glass in place.  Before sending those off to recycling and after wiping the hard drives, remove the glass face and pull the eight or so magnets from the mounting.  Leave one or two to hold the glass in place for recycling or just tape it in place; our eTrash collectors don't seem to care.  However, before stacking them up, remember they are small but powerful, I have had to use a chisel to pry them apart.

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Just a couple of bits and pieces, as I had a lot of stuff to do around the house. Added some rings to the tong rack to hold bedrail tongs:

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And put golf ball handles on a whole bunch of flea market files (moved the rack to a more convenient location, too):

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(Also did some planning for a new type of tongs, but that’s a story for another day.)

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I recently committed to making a couple hooks and bottle openers for a local charity auction, so I got the hooks done and started on a slot punch for the bottle openers. I needed a slot punch anyway, so this is a nice excuse to make one. I also hardened the little skinner integral knife thing I’ve been working on. It got some real nice martensite formation and it skates a file easily, so I think it hardened alright. On top of all that, I made a prototype for a door opener/button pusher keychain  

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Edited by Owen Hinsman
Forgot to mention the keychain
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Good Morning Owen,

If you taper the ends before you do the curl, you can put a nice looking piggy-tail on each end. Don't be in a rush to make production, learn the basics, first.

When drawing out the material, use the rule, S.O.R. Forge Square (only a quarter turn of the wrist), forge the corners into Octagonal, Forge it Round. I prefer to use the "Braille Test", if you roll it around in your hand, you musn't feel any sharp edges.

Good Luck, Neil

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Looks miighty tastey, Shabumi.

Started Restoration three sets of ball slide/rail assys from a scrapped Kearney Trecker NC mill.

Ball slides are very forgiving of corrosin, up to a certain limit.

Robert Taylor

 

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Edited by Anachronist58
oversize image
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On 10/10/2020 at 9:35 AM, pnut said:

Do you mean the monitor or the tower?

The ones without the tower, just the large flat panel monitor with the innards behind the screen.

These oval magnets are set into the edge of the case. A thin metal frame on the back side of the glass panel holds the glass in place.

IMG_4682.thumb.jpeg.9eabc220ec74ad8a34a7602b3f051ec9.jpeg

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Finished the handle of this 8 inch chef's knife.   Just used bee's wax on hickory with brass pins.  I have a few touch ups to do before delivery but I'm pleased with my results and my own progression.  I'm going to try pouring some epoxy scales soon but I've always preferred wood, and I have enough hickory to keep me in  scales for nearly a lifetime. 

 

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On 10/12/2020 at 4:37 AM, SLAG said:

It looks like it might be patentable.

If I were in the tong-making business, I might consider it. However, I'd rather have anyone who wants to, to be able to make a pair without legal ramifications. Rather than going to the time, trouble, and expense of getting a patent, I'd prefer to spread the knowledge around, in the hope that others may find it of benefit.

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Don't think the market would support the cost of patenting those tongs.

Saturday I went back to the fleamarket for MORE METAL, well the previous weekend I took out 865 pounds; this weekend I took out 6 pounds.  Mainly wrought iron and an old corroded file,   I did ask them to move a coil spring over to the side for me for next week.  1.5" stock and a bit heavy for me to fish out of the pile!  Memo to self---get power to blankety blank shop!

Saturday afternoon I had a new smith come over and work on some of his projects, I did some power hammer striking for him---using the sledge hit the same spot on the anvil's sweet spot and allow him to move the item back and forth as he thought it needed.  As it was HC, my main  input was to stop and say "COLD"! Seriously sped up his project. 

I worked more on my chandelier project, I tried several different ways of getting the starter hole to drift to size.  Turns out hot punching it with a flat bottom punched worked faster and easier than any of the "fancy" tricks I tried.  Had an S7 pharmaceutical punch just the right size.  Once punched and drifted I started the bends on the strips that hold it on the ring(s).  Doing it hot and I had one fail.  I thought it odd so looked it over and saw evidence of prior corrosion; so a crack in the original stock finally propagated.  Par for working with scrap; luckily I had forged a bit more that I needed making the straps and so have enough to make another one.

Sunday was driving my wife shopping after church, (waiting on her online Driver's License renewal to be processed), and picking up the new dishwasher---we're too far from the store for delivery. Got home with just enough daylight left to get it unloaded and a path excavated to get it into the kitchen.  Tonight after work comes the installation!

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Slick tongs JHCC.

Been at it with the shop the last several days. Trying to get it done before the snow flies.

While I am no framer, there are a million things I would've done different, I am happy. If I were to do this by myself, at this scaIe, it would've been a disaster. 

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Hello everyone, it's been a while since I posted. Worked a ton of overtime all summer so no blacksmithing. I finally got back into blacksmithing thanks to the owner of our country mom n pop store. This is the second batch of hooks he asked me to make him. I didn't feel right taking money from him, but he insisted and seemed a bit offended by that. I'm too green to be selling anything yet imho. 

 

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I would feel more comfortable if I had more experience under my belt is all. The real payment is creating something that is being utilized and enjoyed. That alone means the world to me! The great thing about this hobby is our work will out last us. Thanks for your input sir!

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