Yeah, it's probably been around since Plato or was Aristotle the teacher of the duo?

Sounds good, weathered "barn" wood was or maybe still is popular this side of the ocean. I messed around with fractal burning a little while back and with practice you can really make the grain stand out without the lightning bolt patterns. All in all I think acid washing or stain is way easier and looks just as nice.

Frosty The Lucky.

32 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Yeah, it's probably been around since Plato or was Aristotle the teacher of the duo?

Sounds good, weathered "barn" wood was or maybe still is popular this side of the ocean. I messed around with fractal burning a little while back and with practice you can really make the grain stand out without the lightning bolt patterns. All in all I think acid washing or stain is way easier and looks just as nice.

Frosty The Lucky.

This is the texture that is obtained.

It was a while but I'm almost there with my jellyfish.

now only finishing work (and drilling holes to install the piece)

That is a popular and attractive way to distress wood. 

That's coming along Gewoon, is it a hinge or is my memory it's usual inaccurate self? 

I'd say something about the interesting combination and number of arms and tentacles but there are so many different kinds of cephalopods I'm sure one just like it is out there somewhere. FYI squids have palmate tentacles like your's.

Don't forget the eyes! 

Frosty The Lucky.

On 3/13/2025 at 5:07 PM, BillyBones said:

Been watching this kid on youtube for a couple weeks now. He mostly does wood working and is very talented. This video he make a loy or a spade like tool for digging potatoes and the like. There is a bit of smithing towards the end. I love the way he creates a tool by combining the crafts of wood working and smithing. Take note, there are no pins or anything holding the spade bit on. 

Also love that sweater.

 

Şaw this guy too, from him i learned that you can use WD-40 t remove rust from tools, i only used it when i want to unscrew something wich is tight.

 

Finished a little bending fork for the anvil:

 And continued work on the latest sign project:

Until I read the text I was thinking someone was going to ask how to repair a small statue, it reminded me of a couple legs broken off above the knees. Then I scrolled down a little, bending forks!

The bends are pleasing, I think they'll look good on a sign.

Frosty the Lucky.

10 hours ago, Frosty said:

a couple legs broken off above the knees

Two vast and trunkless legs of…steel?

Something like that but looking at it this morning it kind of looks like a person hit the anvil head on, smooshed in  and it's legs broke off mid calf. I might have to come back and look at the pic every morning for a new view. A Rorschach forging?

Frosty the Lucky.

 

Psychological questions aside, if this works well, I plan to make another, larger one.

From past experience I suggest scaling up gradually. I made an adjustable scrolling fork and almost never used a wider setting than the stock fit loosely. It was also too weak and the pins bent bending larger stock even when very hot so scrolling 1/2" x 1" wasn't practical.

Frosty the Lucky.

17 hours ago, natkova said:

WD-40 t remove rust from tools

 The WD in WD-40 stands for water displacement. For rusted bolts and the like i use PB Blaster, if you can find it in your country i suggest trying it. Sea Foam also made a spray for a while, i do not know if they still do, that worked quite well. 

So i started making some more quilt clappers. These are pretty fun to make. Just a nice piece of wood, sand and oiled (you do have to make test pieces to make sure they do not stain). Attach a handle. The handles are mostly 1 off unless you make a matching set. It is taking me longer now to come up with ideas for handles than it is to actually make them. 

This one is of alder, i like the way the handle came out, yes it does have enough room for my fingers to barely fit under so my mom should be able to grasp it nicely. 

Not bad Billy but I think more space under the handle will be more comfortable to use for anybody. It's an easy tweak though.

Frosty the Lucky.

I had to Google what a quilt clapper was. Fascinating. Looks nice, Billy. Good idea on testing for staining prior.

1 hour ago, BillyBones said:

For rusted bolts and the like i use PB Blaster

Very good for loosening rusted bolts and the like. If you just want something to get rid of rust, take a look at the Homemade Evaporust Alternative thread.

A crowbar that fits in my toolbox. Made from cars coil spring. 

3 hours ago, Davor said:

A crowbar that fits in my toolbox. Made from cars coil spring. 

Good work its hard to straighetn those coils espceialy in charcoal forge.

 

That is a nice pry bar Davor. It looks much like what we'd call a "speed bar" though it's much different. The angle curve behind the point is perfect for driving it in with a hammer.

I like it!

Frosty the Lucky.

I upgraded my 2 x 72 grinder with aluminum wheels.  I tried to build this on the cheap, so I bought nylon wheels.  The upgrade is noticeably quieter.  Now I need to switch out this 1700 rpm motor for the 3400 rpm motor sitting in the corner of my shop.  Different mounting plate, so it's not going to be simple. Plus it's 230V so I need to add another circuit.  I might just punt the idea and get a 115V, 3-phase VFD one of these days.

 

2 hours ago, MeltedSocks said:

I might just punt the idea and get a 115V, 3-phase VFD one of these days.

Do it, you won't for a minute regret having the variable speed.

I needed a different way to hold 1/2" square stock for the hooks I've been making so I had to break down and make another set of tongs, which are one of my least favorite things to forge.

 

Progress on the sign project. 

Good afternoon all.  Finished up another flower for a gift:

That looks great Billy! I can't get a sense of scale though. How big is it? Are the petals textured with a cross pein or do you have a specific texturing hammer or die set?

Beautiful flower Billy. You  keep getting better at this.  Tongs look good too.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your sign come together John.

Frosty the Lucky.

Thanks Hefty and Frosty

1 hour ago, Hefty said:

I can't get a sense of scale though. How big is it? Are the petals textured with a cross pein or do you have a specific texturing hammer or die set?

It's about 5" in diameter, and the texture is done with a small (~1#) cross pein with ~1/8" dia pein.