July 21, 20241 yr I can't wait to use one of those in a sentence at the next meeting! Frosty The Lucky.
July 21, 20241 yr The new yarn shop needs more business card holders, so I’ve started raising the small brass domes from which they will be made. I’ll be using chasing and repoussé to texture these like yarn balls, cut out openings in the top, and solder in holders for the cards. (I do like working outside when the weather is nice.)
July 21, 20241 yr Alexandr, Beautiful work. Spent the day filing. I'm about worn out. I now wish I'd forged to a finer finish, and at least started the bevel. Dyekem has become a good friend to me. Put a coat on the blade, scribe a line, and file to it.
July 22, 20241 yr The proximate meeting, not the distal? Bill Bryson has a lovely book, the Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer's Guide to Getting it Right, chock full of words that are a lot of fun to drop casually. I always like Mr. Bryson's work and I have enjoyed books on grammar and etymology ever since I figured out that they're full of dry humor. The latest is a book on Old English and Middle English - The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English. Loving that stair rail, by the way.
July 22, 20241 yr Beautiful as always Alex. Do you ever rest? You REALLY should take up metal spinning John, a brass sphere that size shouldn't take 15 minutes, not counting the time to anneal. Then again I'm probably think in scissor tool shop spin time. I never learned how to stick spin. It's worth learning if you're making vessels though. Absolutely, Bluerooster, Dyekem is your friend. I had to edit that short statement heavily. We used blue dyekem in Dad's shop so I couldn't call you Blue. WHEW that was a close one! Frosty The Lucky.
July 22, 20241 yr Yesterday I was doing a demo and was too hot and tired to post my attempt at a rasp snake. I need to put the bottle caps on the trail still and maybe curl the body more. It was requested by one of the volunteers who was looking for a snake for her grandson.
July 23, 20241 yr While it's true that most of us don't need certification to enjoy the craft but it is nice to have. Making the gate latch to spec is more of a challenge than it appears at first glance. It took me at least 10 tries before I got it right. One thing nice about doing the certification is that it gives you goals to work toward. After making dozens of hooks, bottle openers, and fireplace sets I'm ready to have a series of goals and challenges. I'm currently working on the 7-inch flat ring and the forge welded fire poker for level II.
July 23, 20241 yr finished up this wind vane. I designed and built it for a local new old windmill. The original mill was built in 1400 something , then burned down in 1480 something. It was rebuilt in 1730 then burned to the ground in 1959 and now they are about to finish the last rebuild. The 3 trees in the vane is the former city coat of arms.
July 23, 20241 yr Very cool. Did you use a modern bearing for it to pivot upon? And will the mill actually operate with Sails, machinery, millstones, etc.? GNM
July 23, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, 528E12 said: now they are about to finish the last rebuild. Given the mill’s history, perhaps “latest” would be a more prudent word choice than “last”!
July 23, 20241 yr 40 minutes ago, George N. M. said: Very cool. Did you use a modern bearing for it to pivot upon? And will the mill actually operate with Sails, machinery, millstones, etc.? GNM I used a 4"long bronze bushing to slide into a tube that will be mounted on the rear top side of the mill. The bronze has a collar on which lies a thrust bearing, if that makes any sense... Yes it will be a fully operational flour mill. 21 minutes ago, JHCC said: Given the mill’s history, perhaps “latest” would be a more prudent word choice than “last”! yea... I meant last in my lifetime...lol
July 23, 20241 yr Even cooler! I recall Francis Whitaker (1906-1999, one of the gods of American blacksmithing) saying that bicycle bearings (wheel or pedal) were good for weather vanes. GNM
July 23, 20241 yr There's another type of bearing used for wind vanes and similar but I don't expect they're as long lasting and free turning as the right kind of modern bearings. They're very simple, the standard shaft has either a point or a centered depression similar to a center punch mark where a ball bearing rests. The shaft has a brass or bronze cap or end plate that rests on the bearing. I believe modern versions use bearing bronze. I've mounted gates this way a couple times, once while I was in high school but I got fancy and put a grease zerk for lube. I don't know how easy it is to access the roof on a wind mill so a lubricated bearing may not be appropriate. As much as powered machinery was needed in the old American farm belt and south west there was one very good reason they rarely ever used. Frosty The Lucky.
July 23, 20241 yr Well it's not today since I don't work when it's so hot outside like 40 Celsius , those using imperials will have to excuse me . I only moved bellows to corner so I have more space in shop.
July 23, 20241 yr I finished up the cattail sculpture which is a gift to our new neighbors. They had come over to welcome us and gifted us a plant which she said she started from seed on the day she found out the house was on the market! They are super friendly and complimented the cattail sculpture on our front porch. I didn't make that one but figured I could make one easily enough so I did! Tonight I start on a pole stand for Ashley to hang her stacked fiber drying rack from. I just found out last night that she wants this by Monday, lol (anyone else hear that whip snapping? )
July 23, 20241 yr Nice sculpture Shaina, the neighbors will love it. Ashley wants her drying racks YESTERDAY ! I'll bet the crack of the whip is to tell Ashley to hold her horses and wait her turn. Deb's drying rack takes up a big chunk of the living room in front of the wood stove. Frosty The Lucky.
July 24, 20241 yr Very nice, Shaina. We remember when you were proud of a basic S hook. "You've come a long way, baby." Are the cat tail heads solid or made out of pipe? I've seen them done both ways. G
July 24, 20241 yr Lol Frosty, I will tell her no such thing! George, the cattail heads are made of pipe. I was concerned that the weight of solid bar would be too much for the rods I had for the stems. The first one, I tried to taper to create the sharp tip. I didn't love the look so the next two I only rounded until the hole closed up just barely smaller than the diameter of the stem. Then I hammered the stem through.
July 24, 20241 yr 3 hours ago, BillyBones said: The smartest thing a man can say to his wife "Yes, dear". What would husband refer to wife as dear , isn't that animal
July 24, 20241 yr The English language is confusing enough without us U.S.A. citizens use of it. Words sound the same, but with different spelling have different meaning. Then, you have people like me that don't spell correctly, or do not use proper grammar and it makes it much harder to understand for those of you on the other side of the ocean.
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