I tried to walk out to my smithy today, but had to turn back.  It is just too treacherous out there!    I've lived here in Pensacola area for 33 years.  This is a first.  We've had frigid weather, but never accumulation like this.  It's wild!

We're breaking a record set in 1895, which was 3" of accumulation.  We're getting around half a foot.

The first time I saw snow was in 1971 in Dothan, Alabama. I was 8.  It was the first time in 54 years that town had gotten snow.  All I knew about snow was what I saw on cartoons.  Light and fluffy, like a mattress.

I ran out onto the back patio, jumped high into the air and onto my back the way I'd sometimes jump into bed.  Nope!  Not soft at all.  In fact, it was like landing on solid ground...which I had.  Knocked the wind out of me like I'd never experienced.  Took me a half hour to get my breath back.  

Weirdly enough, this 2025 snowfall in Dothan is 54 years since the last snowfall.

Happy New Year,

Relax, soon it will be gone. Don't overexert yourself, don't build up a sweat!! If you sweat, then relax, it can start a Cold!!

Enjoy the quiet!!

Neil

On 1/18/2025 at 8:21 AM, MeltedSocks said:

I moved the painted frame out into my new smithy just in time for the bitter cold that is coming.

Hello  hope you're enjoying the snow.  I might be a bit late to the party, but I went back a few pages and didn't see any questions.  
I'm wondering how you chose the frame material for your press; did you do any stress/strain calculations?  The reason I ask is that it looks to me like the frame is not much different than the hydraulic shop presses that one can buy at any box tool store for pressing bearings.  If that's what it is, I'm going to recommend that you pause and rethink your build. 
I don't have the numbers in front of me, but a 25-ton forging press exerts MUCH more force on the frame than a 25-ton bearing press.  Folks who have tried to use these bearing presses find out very quickly that they underbuilt the press.  This can result in an extremely dangerous catastrophic failure.  
If you have taken the above into consideration and sized your frame members accordingly, then good on you, carry on and good luck!

Edited January 22, 20251 yr by Mod30
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10 hours ago, MeltedSocks said:

It was the first time in 54 years that town had gotten snow.

A bit different but when i went to Saudi for Desert Storm in December we went advanced party to the border waiting on the tanks to get there. We had a thunderstorm one night with so much rain and wind we had to go out and bury the tent pegs a foot in the ground. I heard that winter was the most rain the desert had seen in 100 years. Part of my memory of the desert is cold and wet. 

9 hours ago, BillyBones said:

A bit different but when i went to Saudi for Desert Storm

I was in Bahrain mostly (EA-6B Prowler NFO/USMC), but spent some time TAD (TDY) in Jubail, SA.  Bahrain was much better. 

I had to look up the Prowler. Was not sure what it was. 

Ever seen the movie "Flight if the Intruder"? 

15 hours ago, billyO said:

I'm wondering how you chose the frame material for your press; did you do any stress/strain calculations? 

I built the frame from scratch using the H-frame format similar to Coal Iron Works 9 ton (what they call their 12 ton).

My engineering degree is so old (1986) that it's just vague memories covered in cobb webs, but my nephew is a recent Mech-E grad and he did some stress simulations on the 1" x 4" cross members, but he was also in the job hunt, so that's about all he did.

I did stress calculations on the 3x3x1/4 angle irons and the welds (using worst case scenarios) and it's way overdone for a 12 ton (it's not 24 tons).  I bought James Batson's book Build Your Own Hydraulic Forging Press and AI was good at backing up my calculations.

I do own a Harbor Freight 20 ton bearing press (that I converted to a air over hydraulic forging press). It moved quite a bit but didn't move metal very well.  But it was a good exercise in pneumatics and Rube Goldberg mechanisms. 

 

2 minutes ago, BillyBones said:

Ever seen the movie "Flight if the Intruder"? 

Great book.  Movie was pretty good. 

I got the best fireworks show of my life from an A-6.  I was a forward air controller with the grunts for a year.  Went to NAS Fallon, NV, for live fire exercises. It was night time.  The A-6 dropped 20-something 500 lbers at one time. Jaw dropping. First the heat on your face, then the deafening sound. 

At other live fires I controlled at Camp LeJeune, the AV-8B Harriers would check in "Callsign, two 500 lb-ers, 15 minutes time on station."  The F-18s be like, "Callsign, four 500 lb-ers, 30 minutes time on station."  Intruders be like, "Callsign, twenty-six 500 lb-ers, 90 minutes time on station."   Something like that.  It's only been 35 years.

I was sad to see them retired.  The Prowlers stuck around for a while, but were eventually replaced by a far less capable, but infinitely sexier EF-18 Growler. You see what they did there? 

17 hours ago, swedefiddle said:

Happy New Year,

Relax, soon it will be gone. Don't overexert yourself, don't build up a sweat!! If you sweat, then relax, it can start a Cold!!

Enjoy the quiet!!

Neil

My buddy in Maryland asked me if I had a snow shovel.  I replied, "they make those?"

Fun to see the Prowler be brought up.   My little sister started her Navy career working on those.   Got to visit her on Whitbey Island and she was actually deployed to Iwa Kuni when I was there with MWSS 171.  I'm getting out to the shop tonight now that it is back above 0.  If you aren't b used to the cold and snow please be careful.  Make sure you have plenty of milk and bread, and 4 wheel drive just makes it easier for you to start moving,  not stop. 

Chad,

Whidbey Island.  Deception Pass.  That's God's country!

I witnessed the perils of black ice while I was there.  A yahoo in a pickup truck was very impatient with my cautious driving (driving the speed limit).  Tailgating. Crossing the centerline scoping out a chance to pass. Just as I went through an area of shade, he jerked a little and started spinning. He hit the oncoming vehicle head on.

I had to stand there immobilizing his neck while gasoline poured all over the place.  I was not happy with him.

I made a beverage run this morning, not milk though.  It was fine. Everything is turning to water. But my 70 year old neighbor who run his home like a frat house decided that tonight was a good night to have a bunch of people to party.  They'll drive home late at night, on that refrozen water.  Good idea, guys.

Official snowfall in Pensacola. 8.9"

Oh yeah.  Don't touch my moustache! 

Best arial show i got was the A-10s doing attack runs at night. You could not see them but you could hear them, then the chain gun would open up, then you would hear them pull up out of the dive, when they banked over for another pass you could see the lights in the cockpits. I was an Army tanker with A-10 support, they became my favorite plane. 

I live near Dayton and being into planes i would have to assume you know the Dayton Airshow and the Wright Pat. AFB museum? Those are both pretty cool and if ever in the area i would highly suggest checking out. 

When i was a teenager my grandparents house was right along the WPAFB approach. I guess that is what it is called when they are coming in to land. I have seen the SR-71, space shuttle piggy backed, stealth, and a few others coming there. The house i lived in i could have thrown a rock and hit one of the presidents planes when it was being serviced, the ones that are used for AF-1. Every once in a while a couple F-16s will come in and we get a bit of a mini airshow, those guys  like to show off. 

Definitely be careful in the snow. A lot of people have heart attacks when shoveling snow. Black ice is a PITA, watch out on bridges also. Bridges are the first to freeze over. 

i can not stand the idiots that think 4WD makes it so you can drive like it is a summer day. 

4 hours ago, BillyBones said:

I live near Dayton and being into planes i would have to assume you know the Dayton Airshow and the Wright Pat. AFB museum? Those are both pretty cool and if ever in the area i would highly suggest checking out. 

Definity am aware.  It's the largest airshow, right? 

NAS Pensacola is the home of the Blue Angels. I rarely go see them anymore.  In July, Pensacola Beach parking fills up at 4:00 am.  Between the crowds, the heat, and that I've seen them countless times over the past four decades, I just can't do it anymore, even though we have the homecoming show in November on the base when it's pleasant outside.  It's absolute madness getting a parking spot.

I can hear them from my house though. 

I do not have the experience (or honor) of military service, but I do have one small tale of an air show to contribute now that the thread has made this pleasant divergence. I went to college at Ripon College, which is quite near to Oshkosh WI and thus the EAA air show was always a thing to see in the summer. Years later with more money available, I was at the air show and had it in mind to see if I could get a ride in a P-51, one of my favorite planes. I wandered around the warbirds and noticed a pilot attempting to assist a rather large gentleman into his P-51, so I watched from a distance. Once it became clear that he wouldn't fit, I walked over and asked about a ride. The pilot gave the typical speech about not selling rides etc, but eventually came around to mentioning "cost-sharing" for gas etc. I was horrified when he said $1000 but knew enough to accept it as realistic & was excited enough at the prospect to quick find a cash machine and get back before someone else came along. When I got back and was sitting in what was essentially a modified lawn chair wedged in behind the pilot, the pilot told me we were in for a bit of a treat if I was up for it. He'd been given the opportunity to fly in formation with a couple of other P-51s, with Chuck Yeager flying lead (I saw him standing by his plane) so of course I said yes. Oshkosh is super busy during the airshow, so we had a lengthy wait in line, but once we got to the end of the runway things happened fast. Flights were coming in and going out on the same runway, so as soon as the most recent plane touched down, the three of us were cleared for takeoff. I knew of the huge torque of the engines, but to feel the airframe flex under its might is really something. In short order we were up and doing gentle rolls (no loops, don't think my stomach would have stood for that) and other maneuvers in formation over the Wisconsin countryside. All told I think I was in the plane for around 90 minutes & it was the experience of a lifetime.

--Larry

The Growlers are a lot less sexy when you have the newbs at the training squadron buzzing your house 70 feet up at 140 plus decibels and thrust at full-tilt boogie because they're deliriously happy they just got their wings. Can always, always tell when they're the ones flying. Touch and goes are supposed to be boring if they're done right.

I mean training is a necessity, and as for being happy over finally getting to fly the real deal I get it, but when I got my first LMTV license I didn't drive through people's yards while redlining the engine. Meh. Still beats the Iraqi pilots with F-16s in Balad. I do love the Warthog brrrrt, but my favorite was the AC-130 laser show.

When we flew into Saudi it was in the back of a cargo plane with jump seats. An entire battalion crammed in so tight we were shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee. 

When we flew out it was on a commercial airliner, one of those double decker ones. During the flight almost all of us asked for those little plastic wings they give kids. Me and my room mate decided to check out the upstairs. It was almost empty, one guy all alone. It was cool and dark and a great place to catch some shut eye. While up there we got to go in the cockpit and talk to the pilots for a minute, then took our nap. 

I look back on it and there i was in a cockpit with an M-16 and a 1911. Not many people can say that. 

 

  I spent a few fun hours watching harriers doing touch and go landings when I was in the Navy.  I was on an LPD which is an amphibious ship with a tiny flight deck designed for helicopters.  It was in rough sea, I think by design.  It burned up parts of the deck which I think pissed off the Captain.  

1 hour ago, Scott NC said:

It burned up parts of the deck which I think pissed off the Captain. 

Nah, it gives the swabbies some chipping and painting to do to the Chief's satisfaction. Happy Chiefs and the smell of fresh paint make happy captains.

Frosty The Lucky.

Larry, the closest I have come to that P-51 experience was at a little air show/WW2 aviation exhibit at Ft. Morgan, CO.  I got to fly backseat in a AT-6 which is nowhere near as cool as a P-51 but does have something of the same feel.  Because it has dual controls the pilot let me have some stick time.  Nothing fancy except a few turns and mostly straight and level but I can say that I've flown a WW2 vintage radial engined warbird.

Ya know, If you don't have so many hours in an AT6, there ain't nobody gonna cut you loose in a P51.  Then, after talking to some folks that fly the P51, they say that after the AT6, handling the P51 is a non-event.

No forge time for several days. But, I did spend the past couple days hammering steel, and bending it to my will.  An old Ford pickup, with rusted corners on the bed.  They make patch panels, but the boss didn't want to spend the $100 for a pair. OK, I'll make them, but it will take longer, and cost you more.  I didn't think about any "before" pics, but I got the after. 

 Here's the left side

And the right side

And the box of rust that I cut out

 I allways save what I cut out, to show the customer that I didn't just pack it full of Bondo.

 

 

Been having fun making a dog leash hook for a friend.  Here's the back plate:

Here's a test fit-up:

And a quick peek at the first etch:

Have a good rest of the week all!

Awesome! James T would be proud. 

17 hours ago, BillyBones said:

the chain gun would open up,

Ya the M-61 Vulcan gun on the Warthog will raise the hair on the back of my neck.

I can’t control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails ~ Semper Paratus~

2 hours ago, bluerooster said:

OK, I'll make them, but it will take longer, and cost you more.

Reminds me of the story of the old farmer and the blacksmith. I am sure many know this. 

An old farmer had a wife who broke her sewing needle. She asked for a new one from her husband and him being miserly he said no it could be fixed. So he took it to the blacksmith who said he should just go across the street and get a new one. The old farmer refused and insisted the blacksmith fix the old one. The blacksmith agreed and said it would cost $1 and come back in an hour. When the old farmer left the blacksmith walked across the street and bought a new needle for a dime. 

1 hour ago, Irondragon Forge ClayWorks said:

Ya the M-61 Vulcan gun on the Warthog will raise the hair on the back of my neck.

I was definitely glad they were on our side.  

Brrrrrrt!!! I love that damascus pattern. But between that and the body work I just can't stop thinking what a damascus rat rod build would look like.