Michael Cochran Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Just now, ausfire said: Check Mark's profile and you can work it out! This boy has wisdom well beyond his years. Not to mention his skills. I'm used to nobody putting that info on there so I didn't even look. Thanks for the pointer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share Posted March 28, 2017 Thank ya'll very much, I hope to meat all ya'll some day. man, i would pay people to hang out in the shop. I really enjoy blacksmithing with others. I'm not much of a people person, but I will talk your ear off about blacksmithing if you even mention anything about steel, knives, coal, forges, anything that I could possibly relate to blacksmithing! I'm 14 turning 15 this year. yeah, it really is amazing how attached you get to them. And man, she used to shed like crazy. My dad even shed a few tears for her which I have never seen him cry until then. I think that this week is just going to be one of those weeks. Today we had one of the four STARR test. basically a 4 hour long test that determines weather or not you move on to the next grade. today was math, tomorrow is reading, then science and history are later in the month. weather won't be the greatest; rain. time to go finish that hot cut. Littleblacksmith I really wish more people used there hands for more than texting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 As a priest I know said once, there's nothing like working with your hands to bring you in touch with what's going on inside your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Yes sir! I didn't get around to lighting the forge, mothers orders, ya'll know how that goes. Here is the pattern welded steel I forged last weekend. I'm not the most pleased with it. I did do a cub twist and folded it over, but the pattern looks as if i never did even fold it. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 I agree with Frosty, i'd like to tell people I knew you "When..." And if that hot cut is still available, i'll buy it from you. Do you have a touchmark? I want to prove to people it really was one of yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Pm sent! Thank you! Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Mark, you are an inspiration to smiths, young and old. You do beautiful work. Sorry for the loss of your dog....BTW, tears have no age limit You'd be surprised how many old dads sneak off in a dark room and shed a few when no one is looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancho07 Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 First project in the new shop, still needs some tweaking but I think it's usable as is. Got the idea from the DF in the shop YouTube channel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Back is still a bit dodgy, so restricting my demos to the light stuff for now. I call these bottle openers spaghetti twists. I have found that people like watching twists - ordinary barley twists, pineapple twists, cubes, whatever. Also forged a couple of snakes from rusty old 3/8 all-thread. No zinc left. Getting better at the heads now - a centre point in the eye and a slight depression over the eye socket gives the mean look of a taipan. Kids like watching snakes forged. They come alive with a hiss in the quench tub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Got my chisel holder finished and two candle holders put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beech Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 I forged my first "for sure" weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 6 hours ago, beech said: I forged my first "for sure" weld. Was this at Rockville? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Started forging out some bolt jaw tongs for C-1. Then had a friend come over and he hung out for a while. He had been having trouble forge welding, so we made a coal rake. we made it out of 3/8" round, and so for the rake end to have enough material to spread for the blade we folded it over and did a forge weld. then we made a round punch and a chisel 'cause he didn't have any. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 This link is as much for Bubba as Matt or heck anybody who's lost a four legged family member. Bubba describes the close side of the Rainbow bridge. I don't know what's to come so I choose to believe this one, I'll be the guy having a giant party with scores of dogs, cats and horses. It'll be loud joyous and everybody's welcome. http://www.rainbowbridge.com/Poem.htm Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 Thanks frosty. my mom was looking at dogs that are up for adoption, and came across one named "striker". I couldn't convince her. I've been needing a striker..... Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 58 minutes ago, littleblacksmith said: Thanks frosty. my mom was looking at dogs that are up for adoption, and came across one named "striker". I couldn't convince her. I've been needing a striker..... Littleblacksmith Oh yeah, rescue a dog! Rescue dogs never forget, NEVER. I like mutts too, fewer health issues, live longer generally smarter, it's the whole hybrid vigor thing. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Michael and Lola agree. (Michael was a stray; Lola was born in a crack house.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Which is which? You've posted pics before but I don't recall if you named them. Good looking pair. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 In the Black Country, the home of chain and nail making industries, the blacksmiths all kept Staffordshire Bull Terriers as fighting dogs...the breed became known as the blacksmiths' dog. The family I stayed with when training had one and it was amazing how it could lie on the hearthstone of their inglenook fireplace with its feet almost in the fire. The Staffys also gave rise to the old Black Country chestnut, which sounds best in the dialect.... "I've got a blacksmiths' dog" "How do you know it's a Blacksmiths' dog?" "Well if you kick it up the backside, it will make a bolt for the door!" Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 5 hours ago, Frosty said: Which is which? You've posted pics before but I don't recall if you named them. Good looking pair. Frosty The Lucky. Michael in the back, Lola in the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 Lily had been a stray, walked up our driveway. We found out who owned her. They didn't want her because she had gotten hit by a tractor, and they said they don't want a dog that isn't smart enough to move out of the way. In the 11 years we had her I never experienced her even resembling dumb, just a limp. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 That's pretty crappy dog ownership, but the good news is that she ended up with you. So sorry for your loss. And returning to the original subject of the thread, this was yesterday's work: converting a vacuum cleaner into a forge blower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 And here it is, ready to go. The styrofoam, fiberglass insulation, and steel box (scavenged from an Omaha Steaks delivery, a friend's remodeling project, and the grocery store parking lot, respectively) bring down the noise level by about 15db, from 97 to 82. A bit more noisy (by 6-7db) than the old shop vac, but more compact and out of the way. Plus, now I can use the shop vac in, you know, the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Put it outside and just run the air into the shop? Or do you need to keep the neighbors happy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 1 minute ago, ThomasPowers said: Or do you need to keep the neighbors happy? That's the general idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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