LarryFahnoe Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Just now, GhostTownForge said: how would one get a swage block? Holland Anvil is one source. --Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostTownForge Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 okay, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad J. Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 That's where i got mine. They have multiple sizes so I recommend thinking about what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 I really like the gate pulls Alex, how big around are they? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 3 hours ago, LarryFahnoe said: Holland Anvil is one source. --Larry I just got 2. Holland is a great company.. Supports many a blacksmithing groups.. there are a bunch of companies now offering them.. NEB or New England Blacksmiths ( I can get you one or put you into contact with someone who can) they have a model. @hikerjohnson used to have them for sale. He cast his own pattern.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Hardy hot cut, made from a short section of jackhammer bit. That was some though material to forge by hand. I decided not to harden it -- better to have to resharpen it than risk damaging a hammer face. The golden hue is due to the beeswax coating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 17, 2023 Share Posted August 17, 2023 I like this shape for cold hardies and a very narrow one for hot work. My only concern is the shoulder on the hardie hole to hardie is not that big.. You have to be careful about damaging the hardie hole and getting them stuck together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted August 17, 2023 Share Posted August 17, 2023 The edges of my hardie hole are pretty rounded. Nor straight, and slightly twisted. The previous pictures are a bit deceptive about the width of the shoulders. I still wish I could have upset the stock more, but I don't think it will be a problem, particularly for cutting hot steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexandr Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Measured roof area, 250 square meters (2500+ feet). I work alone, but there is still not enough space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Very nice. No leaks now. Hopefully. Do you have people that you can call to help with projects like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Frosty, thanks for the fireweed advice! I'm like George's wife - my bites swell up (not a silver dollar but about quarter coin size). Arthur, my hot cut hardy was cut from a mason chisel and is shaped much like yours. I left my stem a bit longer than the heel so I could hammer it out if needed. Turns out, it's needed just about every time I hot cut. My hardy hole is in worse condition than yours, lol. Not just rounded but chipped areas are smooth. It's been chipped & worn for decades I'd say. I'm currently working on the second paper towel holder for the park bathrooms at the family reunion this Sunday. Hopefully I'll have pics to share tomorrow evening. I volunteered in the blacksmithing tent with BAM at the Missouri State Fair on Tuesday. 10 hours of smithing. Every time I do something like this that allows me to just forge all day long, I start thinking of how I would make that work as a full time job. I don't think I'm there yet, skills wise, but it's definitely a dream to strive toward. Anyway, I made a TON of nails because most of the kids (and some adults) thought it was just so cool and it's the one thing I know I can do fast before kids lose attention and wander off. I gave them all away. The night prior, while waiting at the airport, I made notes from 'Objects I forge with children' thinking that would be easy enough to try even though I'd never done it. I made a heart on a stake to use as a garden decoration, which someone wanted to buy but asked me to alter to have a hook at the end for BBQing. I obliged, lol - so I have no picture of that. Looked like the one in that post I linked to though. I made a few of the other different style hearts with no intention, a simple S-hook, tried a few skeleton keys but didn't have the right tools to finish the teeth, and started a bottle opener out of a piece of wrought iron another blacksmith gave me to play with. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do on the design so it's sitting in my bag. I think I've decided today that I want to try another skeleton key with it. That would look really cool if the etching brings out that old grain texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 On 8/16/2023 at 6:59 PM, Arthur210 said: Hardy hot cut, made from a short section of jackhammer bit You could do a whole lot worse than using the collar of a heavy jackhammer bit as the shoulders of your hot cut (or any bottom tooling, really): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur210 Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 3 hours ago, JHCC said: You could do a whole lot worse than using the collar of a heavy jackhammer bit as the shoulders of your hot cut (or any bottom tooling, really Actually, I'm keeping the collar for the next tool I plan on making, namely a bick. Felt it would need the shoulder more than the hot cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 I finished the magnet mounted paper towel holders for the park bathrooms. These are for the family reunion on Sunday and I have plans all day and night Saturday so they had to be finished tonight. Whew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Very nice. I hope that everyone in the family knows that you made them. My only suggestion is to make the wall mounting portion longer so that the nice ends are not hidden by the paper towel roll. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Looks good Shaina, I agree with George you need to showcase your beautiful fancy work. Next time eh? Arthur, trying to make two tools from a jack hammer bit will lessen the utility of both. Instead drop by tool rentals and ask what they want for dull and broken jack hammer bits. At my local Home Depot rental counter, the guy at the counter sold me a few for $1 ea. They went well at the club meeting so I dropped in again. This time the rental manager was at the counter and just gave me the bucket and told me to come back every week they'd put my name on them. I picked up about 5 a week for a few weeks and ran out of anybody who wanted one. I have all the buckets though. Anyway, ask at rental counters, even if they wat a couple bucks jack hammer bits are excellent medium carbon steel in an excellent size. You can forge yourself as complete a set of bottom AND top tools as any smith could want and get all that experience and practice. Hmmmm? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 6 minutes ago, Frosty said: trying to make two tools from a jack hammer bit will lessen the utility of both Depends on the tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 True, I hadn't thought that through before I sent it and my edit window closed. One jack hammer bit = 1 bottom and 1 top tool. Ayup. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Shainarue, you are doing a lot of complex forgings. Great way to improve. An organic mosquito/fly repellent that works is to take a shot glass of cider vinegar every morning. They dont like the smell as it when it comes out of your pores. Works great for horses as well if you add a cup or so to their water trough. Show horse folks learned this trick long ago. They would add the vinegar to their horses water to make water taste the same wherever they went. Then noticed the flying critters stayed away. I then tried it on myself and it worked a treat. I recommended it to all my clients and many tried it. I could always tell those who did. If a shot of vinegar doesn't appeal to you, just eat oil and vinegar salad dressing on your salad on a daily basis. Takes a few days to work its way thru your system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 You can also take your vinegar in switchel aka haymaker’s punch: water, vinegar, ginger (fresh or powdered; if using the latter, shake vigorously before each drink), and a bit of molasses to taste. An excellent thirst-quencher for working in the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Yep... apple cider vinegar is great in repelling mosquitos, also in maintaining gut health. However it will attract those annoying little fruit fly's. Although they don't bite or spread diseases, they drive me bonkers when trying to concentrate on a task. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 This is true. In fact, I once made some fruit fly traps and baited one with vinegar and one with honey. Contrary to popular wisdom, the former attracted more flies than the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Sounds like an automatic lizard feeder to me. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexandr Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 On 8/17/2023 at 12:45 AM, Frosty said: I really like the gate pulls Alex, how big around are they? Jer Are you talking about this diameter? On 8/18/2023 at 2:42 PM, jlpservicesinc said: Do you have people that you can call to help with projects like this. I can invite an assistant from a neighboring village. But I did this roof alone. I hired a company that filled it with foam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Those look like the ones Alex, the glare makes it hard to read the scale at the ring but I make it to be about 18cm? Thanks, I need to replace a couple doors on our old barn and pulls might be just the thing. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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