That's a nice twist gewoon. The ensuing convo thread on bending has been insightful as well.

I FINALLY got out to do a little hammering on hot metal last night! I wanna say it's been maybe 2 months?! Crazy.

Anyway, the repair of the gas forge refractory had been drying in our living area for a week so I figured it was good to go. I got that all set up just outside the basement doors. Then hauled the railroad rail up from the temporary shelter lower down on the property. Then hauled up a spare anvil stand to set it on as well as a mounted bench vise. I do have an extra post vice which was intended for a portable setup. But I didn't want to take the evening finding a way to mount it & get it set up. For the little I was doing, the bench vise was going to be fine.

No pictures of the progress - what little there was anway, lol. Because once I got everything hauled up and set into place, I only had about 30 minutes to actually DO anything, lol. I upset one end of small round bar to act as the receptacle of the flower for Glenn's memorial. Then I reduced the remaining length of bar to make the stem longer and not so bulky. I kept the base of the stem a titch larger because it looked more natural that way - even though it will likely be hidden inside a bouquet, lol.

I also started splitting a piece of flat bar to make a hanger for my friend's bird food stuffs (suet cage & bell shaped bird seed cake). She just wanted something simple that would mount to the fence post above her bird camera, then extend out so that the hanging things would be in view of the camera but hopefully deter the thieving squirrels. I'm going to recommend she vaseline the arm because those squirrels can totally climb fences and bird feeder poles, lol
Anyway, about 3 heats into the splitting process I asked myself why on earth I was doing this by hand instead of using a cutoff disc. LOL. I continued on by hand because I decided I just wanted to. It's been too long and I desperately needed this outlet. As evidenced by the rag in my split, I also desperately need some hot cut practice, LOL

I know shaina i sometimes hot chisel a part, wondering why I heated it up so I can split it hot with a chisel, when i could already be busy finishing the part if i just cut it with a cut off/ hacksaw. Need to make some hinges amd did the same thing. They are in scrap, not because of the split, but because I &@# all the rest up.

Thanks everybody for the tips and hits. Even if you think i don't read and just discuss. That is me. I listen and think out loud (or in this case, i read and typ it out ). Please don't stop just because. I like it and learn a lot ( if not blacksmithing, it is english)

 

 

Last night I finally was able to get in the shop again.   Good thing, I was starting to get a bit twitchy and was threatening random computers at work with hammers.  Starting on building up summer inventory for fairs and the makers markets I had stuff.  Made a nice little calla lilly as well.   Actually best I've made yet.  Working small is hard,  it was a 3/8 inch round sock. 

38 minutes ago, Chad J. said:

Made a nice little calla lilly as well.   Actually best I've made yet.

Bet that would fit right in the bouquet we are trying to get made for Glenn's memorial.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

It's not too late?

Very few things have been sent in so far.  I dont know what is wrong

let me see if there is anything else i can make

I finished assembling the flower for Glenn's memorial tonight. I need to dig out the Dremel to get it cleaned up, hit it with a clear coat, and then I'll ship it off to Steve. 

Chad, you should definitely send in that calla lily.

 

Steve, for me it has been winter preventing me from getting out to the shop.  We are coming into a somewhat warmer cycle and I will try to get out there in the next few days.  When I have something I will PM you for a mailing address.

George

I thought it had been finished as well. Now i have a reason to try something i have not done to much of. 

Ok, I'll get this one finished and do a few more of various sizes.

Yesterday, I met one of the owners of Prospect Hill Forge in Waltham, MA, and he invited me to come over to see the place this evening. I ended up observing a beginner’s class, which was quite as informative for pedagogical technique as for smithing. I also picked up a couple of ideas that I’ll be posting in the “Tips and Tricks” section. 

I liked their warning signage:

 

Carl is a great smith..  He's even more pedagogical than I am, if that's possible.. 

Reminds me of a sign at one of our vet's office. Children who won't sit stay will be given a puppy and a candy bar when you leave.

Dad would've dropped me off without a return address if he'd seen the above sign.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Got a little forge time in today.  Decided to make a blade from a piece of 94 year old leaf spring. (I have a bunch of that stuff from Model A Ford)  Got started thinking of micro fractures and what-all.  So, rather than give up on it, I thought about giving it a low carbon internal "spine" to hold it all together.   So, I hot cut a length of about 10", then folded it like a hotdog bun, and set it aside.  Got a piece of 5/8" square stock and made about 9.5" of it to fit the "bun", and left the rest for a handle.  Got it all cleaned up, and fluxed, then decided to put out the fire, clean the forge, and be ready to weld it all together tomorrow.

I don't know how it will work but I'll know more tomorrow.

A couple of quick grinding jobs: converting two double-jack hammers into a straight peen and a rounding hammer (the latter of which also needed the gluing and reinforcing of a couple of handle cracks) and grinding a taper into the underside of the saddle tool I welded up a couple of weeks ago. 

Saddle tool or anvil bridge?  I don't get anything similar with that name searching the web. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Anvil bridge. 

 

I've repaired many hammer handles that way while on the job.

Got my door latch finished and... set the thumb latch to high. It will work but the hole through the door will have to be cut off center. Lots of small fiddly work.

Pretty nice.. but aren't you missing a piece?  The part that acts to keep the bar against the door.. Also known as a staple or bar keeper.. 

Derp... yes, thank you for catching that, i completely forgot. I also forgot to scroll the bottom back around after taking some out to set the rivet. 

That latch is coming along nicely Billy. That style of door latch has been on my project list since I saw a demo at a meeting last February. 

I've done a few little things this week. I finished the flowers for Glenn's memorial bouquet and they're packed up ready to mail on Monday.

Ashley asked for a few coat hooks so I made those tonight and then did a bit more work on the bird feeder hanger for my friend.

Another finished job.

Nice work alex.

How to you finish your work? Hotwax, paint, ...?