BillyBones Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 We did a lot of camping at WPAFB when i was a scout. My scout troop was part of the honor guard that was there when they piggy backed the space shuttle there back in the 80's. There was actually a small jamboree at WPAFB one year. I remember it now becuase one of my troop busted the bottom out of the cast iron skillet using it for a hammer to drive tent stakes. But living in Fairborn we just ran home and got another one. With the upcoming quad state anyone that is attending and has sometime needs to go to the museum at WPAFB. Pretty cool place full of aviation history. They have a kite festival also that i used to think was lame then i went and was blown away at the kites. Some were mind boggling as to how they fly. Fun fact about WPAFB, there are only 5 planes on that base. One more, there is no hanger 18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Back in the day; that SAC wing was loaded with nuclear weapons! I also once worked with a fellow who was at WP during the 6 Day War in the middle east, the USA was providing heavy logistical support; but doing it fairly undercover. The museum had more than 5 planes as I recall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donal Harris Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Got this in the mail from eBay today. I believe it is the book one of the members here consulted when building their press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 I told Lucky that if all else fails I could always turn my tongs into a candle holder. Well, here it is. Features include: sturdy upset base, movable rein for easy candle replacement and it's completely fireproof. Sits nicely on the side table of the anvil too. The smart blacksmith motif will easily fit into any shop. Great to have on hand for those annoying power outages. No shop is complete without one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 This was something I made more than a few days ago, but I just got these post-installation photos from the client. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 8 hours ago, DHarris said: Got this in the mail from eBay today. I believe it is the book one of the members here consulted when building their press. I'm thinking seriously about building a press. I've done some research, but there's nothing like having all the little details in one place. How do you like the book so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 50 minutes ago, Ted Ewert said: Great to have on hand for those annoying power outages. I have candles, candle holders and oil lamps, flashlights and a generator among other things, just incase. Nice work. I really like how it tightens up on the candle. A catch pan would be an excellent addition to the base, but wax always seems to find it's way off the base anyway, doesn't it lol. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Thanks Das, I made it as sort of a joke, but turned out better than I thought. Should have made the reins shorter as it's a bit top heavy. Funny thing, the tongs turned out a lot better when I wasn't stressing about every detail. I was having fun building it instead of judging every step. JHCC, nice hanger and hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Then a plate or cup on the bottom will even out the weight. Either way, a little shorter couldn't hurt. Then you should relax and not stress while making tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 What did I do in the shop today? A lot less than I expected before I ran out of propane! I did manage to make the spiral for a scroll form, though, even if I did have to finish it cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 I appreciate scroll work but it has never really grabbed me as something to make. Same thing with knives. Nevertheless, I still enjoy seeing the nice pieces turned out here. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 So far what I've done today is SWEAT. Got to the scrapyard 3 minutes past opening time only to find chained gates. Called the owner up---"Not opening today." Turn around and head home to work on rearranging the shop for POWER TOOL USE! Wish for more breeze; a steel building in NM can resemble an oven without a lot of air flow! With a good 20+ mph breeze it's more like a cutting torch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 It’s the extra oxygen that does the cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donal Harris Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 16 hours ago, Ted Ewert said: I'm thinking seriously about building a press. I've done some research, but there's nothing like having all the little details in one place. How do you like the book so far? I haven’t been able to do more than skim through it, but it looks like it will be very useful. Mainly I wanted it because someone here said it was good AND I wanted to be able to understand at least half of what my Daddy says when he helps me build it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Worked on the vise project some more. Got the screw and spring temporarily installed. It works pretty smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexandr Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 The clock has taken its place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donal Harris Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 What next for the other side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 On 6/18/2021 at 11:35 AM, ThomasPowers said: The museum had more than 5 planes as I recall! Guess i should have said 5 planes in service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 JHCC - the hook holding the lantern is really nice. And Alexandr once again - amazing work. I got a really cool project idea from my grandmother this morning. She asked for an anchor to hang on the front of my grandfathers grave as he was in the Coast Guard. Making a tenon freehand at the anvil is tough! And yeah … I drilled the hole in the bottom piece BEFORE bending the points up. Lesson learned. It got totally deformed lol. But pulling off even a crappy tenon, making this horrible “spring fuller” spur of the moment to do the end of the hook parts and joining two pieces with a tenon for the first time were all really fun. First time punching a hole through anything thicker that 1/8” or less and then stretching it out over the horn too. Learned a lot this weekend. If I was more confident in my welding and grinding I would fill the gap in the bottom where the tenon didn’t fill it from the deformation but it’s not too ugly. I’m assuming there’s some formula for setting the correct tenon length…help? I also keep getting this brownish residue when applying paste wax. It’s becoming really aggravating. It will rub off but not completely and it’s just doesn’t look right. I supposed it could just be the type of paste wax I’m using but I also thought it might be this little brush I’m using to apply it - I do that because I’ve seen others a use paint brush. What do you guys use to apply it if you’re using wax? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Not bad Pat, your next one will be better. Next time the chain loop doesn't want to be that big and it should have a ring, welded would be proper. For the next mortis & tennon jooint, punch and drift the mortise out to maybe 1/16" smaller than the shank and swage the tennon just enough to make a shoulder on the mortise. Yes, the rule of thumb for a peined tennon is the same as for a rivet. 1/2" the diameter of the tennon / rivet protruding through the mortise. The hole for the cross arm needs to be enough wider it can slide easily for storage. Again, punch and drift, the cross arm doesn't need to be as heavy as the tines. What kind of wax are you using for the finish? I use carnuba paste wax by name of Trewax and apply it to a piece at a minimum of fresh coffee temp for a clear hard finish. I wipe the excess as much as possible and keep that rag in the can on top of the application rag. (old T shirt) If I want a black finish I apply it at smoking heat, I gage by touching the piece with the waxy (application) rag. If the Trewax on the rag spreads at high speed and smokes I wipe the piece with the waxy rag, wipe it off and let it cool in air. The temp of the piece you're waxing will determine the color the wax turns. Bees wax naturally ranges from yellow to brown and application temperature can darken it. Age will yellow it as it will carnuba. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donal Harris Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 I don’t use a brush. With the piece at a black heat, I just rub the stick of bee’s wax over it and wipe off the excess with an old t-shirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Pat Masterson said: JHCC - the hook holding the lantern is really nice. Thanks, Pat. This is from a set of hooks that run the length of the fence, to hold their bird feeders and a string of LED lights. Nice work on the anchor! I agree with what Frosty said about the wax; you can also touch up the color with some black shoe polish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 I saw a picture of an old boxcar somewhere in Georgia covered in Franklin vines. It inspired me to make a wreath of Franklin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Wow Ted, nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Nice work, Ted! I’m sure the Queen of Soul would appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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