October 17, 2025Oct 17 I started a new project. A balcony railing. No need to forge anything; I bought ready-made pieces. I made a feeder next to the cat house. The owner of the house is getting ready for winter. And a shelf for the washing machine.
October 17, 2025Oct 17 I made a snakeskin keychain from an old rasp for the trade item at tomorrow morning's Free State Blacksmiths Club meeting. I really wanted to add some "stitching" along the sides with a chisel but I'm demonstrating at an event this evening and won't have time. Would be even cooler if I had the time (and skill) to inlay the stitching! Wow, there's an idea. Anyway, here is the pattern and then the finished item:
October 17, 2025Oct 17 This is where a inexpensive set of diamond needle files and a carbide punch would come in handy. An automatic punch makes a center punch mark when you push it down past the "break" point and the spring loaded hammer strikes the punch. These are usually better for marking accurately but can make a decent size punch mark with repeated application. The needle files will make quick work of thread lines. The automatic or spring punch below is the best pic from a quick web search, they vary in price from $0.63 to in the $40 range. IIRC the one pictured was $30 something but ones in the $8-10 range should serve fine for a while. Check pawn and 2nd. hand shops but laugh at them when they ask new prices. A carbide tipped one might be necessary if a file hasn't been normalized far enough, some modern alloys are just plain hard no matter what. Anyway, you'll never regret having one of these punches in your tool box. Frosty The Lucky.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Not a lot of foot traffic at the event tonight but the shop I demonstrate at had his kids there and one of them was hanging out with me most of the evening. She really loved the skull keychain and said she wished she could buy it. I asked if she had ten bucks. She sadly said no. I asked if she had any cool rocks. Her eyes lit up and she took off in search of some worthy rocks. Came back after I had finished my dinner (about 10 minutes of searching!) and presented me with the best rocks she could find. They even color on the parking lot! She threw in a nickel for good measure, lol. Her mom (whom I've known since the late 90s - oof) was also there and had a vendor space for selling her yummy treats. She refused to let me accept rocks as payment even though I insisted that's what I asked for - and sent me home at the end of the night with 6 various cocoa bombs and 2 mini loaf cakes.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Good PR is good PR Shaina though you might've held out for better looking rocks, maybe a payment plan. I still really like those fobs. Frosty The Lucky.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Shaina, Not being a structural element, what's to stop you from drilling the holes, as opposed to punching? You can then drill the holes, insert the tenons, head them, and continue on.
October 19, 2025Oct 19 Darn Alex, I was expecting to hear about forming all those acanthus elements. Of course buying elements like that is a lesson in itself. The cat house still gives me a chuckle. Will this be it's first winter? Frosty The Lucky.
October 19, 2025Oct 19 got the forging done on some medieval looking torches for a coworker of mine, he's setting up a haunted house for halloween and asked me if I could whip something up real quick for him, he specifically stated it didn't need to be anything fancy so I took several shortcuts and left the burnt finish on for a more eerie and worn-out look but I highly doubt that it'll be visible, I'm really excited to see how it'll turn out once he's got it all set up. the arms are a little bit wonky due to a calculation mistake I made, turns out when you cut a lenght of steel in half and add a plate between them, it does indeed increase the diameter which can be a bit of an issue if you already made the ring before making those adjustments. I got to spend a good while with a cross peen on the horn to get that ring to fit again but he's very happy with how it looks
October 19, 2025Oct 19 Worked on a couple of double helix test pieces (for a railing for a pair of biologists), one freehand and one less so.
October 19, 2025Oct 19 Frosty- You mentioned that I should use the knowledge of someone who knows what they're talking about in regards to etching-I have Steve Sells' book "Introduction to Knifemaking", in which he has several paragraphs on said topic. I'm going to use ferric chloride, following his practices for knives, but applying that to my ring. I'll test on a section of the parent bar before I do my ring. Jason
October 19, 2025Oct 19 18 hours ago, Frosty said: Darn Alex, I was expecting to hear about forming all those acanthus elements. Of course buying elements like that is a lesson in itself. The cat house still gives me a chuckle. Will this be it's first winter? Hi Jer! If I make these parts myself, I'll have to at least double the price. And extend the lead time. The client isn't willing to overpay. According to the cat house owner, this will be the third winter. She's happy with the result. Today I installed the canopy for the gazebo and barbecue area.
October 19, 2025Oct 19 Good book Jason. Though Steve doesn't participate often he does keep an eye on things and might answer a few questions. When I say might, I mean MIGHT, he's an electrician and works crazy long hours so if he doesn't answer yell at me not Steve. I suggest a PM and patience. Of course not Alex I was trying to make a joke. I should stick with the native English speakers for the silliness. Were it me I'd decline the job if the customer wanted me to hand form those elements. The price would have to be high enough to pay for the other work passed on and potential loss of business from previous customers wanting work. Does the canopy hang from the hooks showing from under the roof flashing? The small entryway roof over the door hardly covers the BBQ area unless folks in Russia BBQ in doorways. Frosty The Lucky.
October 20, 2025Oct 20 Had a good weekend at the festival doing demonstrations, even in the rain today. (You know it’s really hard to forge weld 1/4” stock on a wet anvil, I did get it by clamping it with tongs in the fire.) Saturday was nice weather with a lot of foot traffic, but not many sales. Sunday started wet and stayed that way. Sorry, not many pictures, but here’s the handle of a fire poker that I was pretty happy with: Keep it fun, David
October 20, 2025Oct 20 6 hours ago, Frosty said: Does the canopy hang from the hooks showing from under the roof flashing? The small entryway roof over the door hardly covers the BBQ area unless folks in Russia BBQ in doorways. Jer, this entire structure is a barbecue area. Inside are a grill, a smokehouse, a cauldron, and a tandoor. In our climate, many who can afford it build them as a separate building with heating. Behind this door is a utility room. The canopy is secured to the wall with sheets.
October 20, 2025Oct 20 I probably should have stripped the paint off as Step 1. This Harbor Freight paint was surprisingly tenacious. Oh well, it's cleaned and Ospho'ed now. Can't paint until this weekend.
October 21, 2025Oct 21 heat resistance paint I hope? The paint near the opening will burn away, I can see the paint on my forge around the opening that is gone. Was gone the first heat it went tru. but looking good
October 21, 2025Oct 21 Good morning, all. It's been a while since I've been online, nice to see all the projects. I like the bird sculpture Gewoon. Yesterday I started something to go behind the little door I posted earlier I can't decide if it needs a mouth or a moustache...
October 21, 2025Oct 21 I vote for the mustache, seeing as I've had one since 1984. I can’t control the wind. All I can do is adjust my sails. ~Semper Paratus~
October 21, 2025Oct 21 I think we could all take inspiration from the marvelous ‘stache of Martin Rose, founder of Rose Iron Works.
October 21, 2025Oct 21 I'm happy I scrolled farther than just past your text, the bottom of the window stopped just below the bottom of the nose and I was thinking S O M E B O D Y ' S going to get moderated hard. Fortunately I've developed the habit of "usually" scrolling to the bottom of a post before reacting, replying or reporting! I heartily vote Mustachios! It could use something to delineate the stopping point of the nose to complete the image. Make sense? If you can pull off forging a Martin Rose I'll be a long time follower! Frosty The Lucky.
October 21, 2025Oct 21 Fun fact: both the towns where Martin Rose and Samuel Yellen were born are now within the borders of the modern state of Ukraine, about a nine hour drive apart.
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