jlpservicesinc Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 You might be my diet twinn.. Well except the coffee.. I'm ready for a nap about 12pm.. sheesh.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 On my desk at work, I have a mug that says “A FUNDRAISER IS A MACHINE FOR TURNING COFFEE INTO PHILANTHROPY”. When our last administrative assistant was turning the reins over to our current one, part of the instructions she had put together was a dire warning about making sure there were enough dark roast K-cups for the office coffeemaker: “If John and Misty are both in the office, we can go through a box in a week.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Picked up this stump for 10 bucks. Measured 3 times. Never occurred to me the base was not level. Ended up being 2" shorter than I planned for. Oh how I wish I had a chainsaw. However the combo of hand saw, and reciprocating saw worked much better than I thought. After 5 years of debating and putting away pennies, I am happy to say that very soon a Nimba Centurion will be on this wonky stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Mudman, Ah, to be young again.. Learnt always to check the base to trunk first before cutting off for the correct length.. I used to leave about 1/2 taller than I thought and would whittle this down over time as I also found the floors were none to level either.. You could always add in some plywood to make up the difference.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Step one: trim the bottom of the stump to make sure it sits flat on the floor. Step two: in half a dozen different places around the circumference of the stump, measure up from the floor to the proper height and mark. Connect marks to make a continuous line around the stump at the proper height. Step three: cut to the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Dont forget some anvils are not parallel top to bottom. And keeping the face flat to the ground surface is then level.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Good point; worth checking the anvil first. In this case, I strongly suspect that the Nimba anvils have parallel tops and bottoms, or at least close enough as not to make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 However a good point in general for new smiths who may not be lucky enough to get a NIMBA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jclonts82 Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Today I pulled my first cryo treated knife out of the LN2. Tempered, and started the long slow hand sanding process... at 180, still a ways to go. D2 kitchen knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Hans, I have some of those cases with the magazines still in them ,although I believe mine are marked Mk II. Over here you can buy firearms like Brens that that have had the receivers torched or saw cut to BATF specs. These are then parts for legally owned MGs or can be rebuilt into semi auto only versions. I have a MKI kit, but it was upgraded at some point and I am slowly tacking down the correct parts to make it like it was originally. Some cases can fetch a nice price from collectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Thanks fellas, I really had a brain xxxx on that one. The guy I got this stump from had several, so I may pick up a bigger one and work it down to the proper size this time around. This one should still work if I add some thinner pieces of wood below it. Using the completely wrong tools for the job, ended up with some cursing, and a sore shoulder. So I caved in and picked up a budget chainsaw today, what world of difference. Very good point on the parallel faces on anvils, I suspect the Nimba should be close enough. My floor isn't perfectly level either, so my plan is to wait on the anvil first. Then get more into the leveling after. Once everything is in order, I plan to use a few pieces of angle iron to bolt the stump down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 2 hours ago, Mudman said: My floor isn't perfectly level either, so my plan is to wait on the anvil first. Then get more into the leveling after. One of the best leveling techniques I've run into is to drive 5-7 1" lag screws into the bottom of the stump, as close to the edge as you can. You wouldn't think it'd make much difference, but getting little legs under there takes a lot of the guesswork out, keeps moisture from wicking up the end grain and prevents wear from the concrete floor. The bolt heads aren't so thick that it raises the anvil enough to bother, but they're thick enough to last for ages against rust and abrasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave in pa. Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 I finished up a wedding gift for a friend. I know he'll like it but I'm not too sure about the new bride. The ball started as a 3 inch long piece of 3 inch diameter pipe, 1/4 inch wall. It ended up about 2 1/2 inch diameter. 3/8 inch round stock with one end upset, inserted through the ball, and looped on the other end. 1/4 inch round stock for the chain links. 3/16 by 1 inch flat stock for the shackles. Finished at 3 inch I.D. 1/4 inch round stock for the rivets. Finish is candle wax applied to warmed steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Vaughnt, haven't heard that method. Odd approach but makes sense. Although my stump is pine, I wonder if this method might speed up cracking. When the backyard floods from rain, we get up to 2'' of water in some spots, so the bolt heads won't do much other than help with leveling in my application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Do you plan on stripping the bark off the stump, or plan to leave in on the wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cincinnatus Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Great wedding gift but you may be right - you may be in hot water with the bride... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 My cousin's first husband did some kind of gag at the reception with a prop ball and chain. Note that I say her first husband. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave in pa. Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 I do plan on having distance and/or a heavy table between the bride and myself. But I think she must have a sense of humor, given who she is marrying . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Well, at least you didn't fur line the cuffs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 10 hours ago, VaughnT said: One of the best leveling techniques I've run into is to drive 5-7 1" lag screws into the bottom of the stump, I leveled my anvil stump(LiveOak) with a router, and routed 3 "feet" at roughly 60 degrees around the base of the stump, a little less than an inch deep so there's a tripod-y sort of base to the stump. then I set each "foot" into an empty tuna can with a bit of polyurethane in it and left it for a few days to wick the poly into the end grain. Flipped the stump over to let the poly dry and painted the last of the poly over the end grain between the "feet". Stays pretty stable on the uneven concrete of the smithy and no rot from the leaky patio roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 5 hours ago, Glenn said: Do you plan on stripping the bark off the stump, or plan to leave in on the wood? Undecided, the wood is not completely dry. Stripping the bark would speed things along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 I haven't really done anything IN the shop recently but I've been a busy little beaver outside it. Yesterday a clubmember ad I split about 2 cords of wood from some of the beetle kill spruce we had taken down this spring. I sure wish they'd stacked the rounds closer to where we can get the pickup. I still have a couple cord to move closer to the wood shed but I'm using power tools this time. I have a back hoe rented for Labor Day weekend, that's 4 days use for 1 day rental plus delivery. Deb took her RV to work and plans of spending the weekend away from home so it's nowhere near me and heavy equipment. Plus she won't "help" with "suggestions." I'll be able to take my time and do things right. My "if I have time to" list is long but a proper place for Deb to park her RV is almost as high as power to the shop. What's this have to do with the shop? I'm finally laying a buried elec line to it, I'll have 100 amps. I didn't even get the trim finished before the accident and have been limping along on a long 10 ga. extension cord. I'll be able to turn my power hammer on without dimming the lights. So, if you guys don't hear from me for a few days I'll be WORKING! on and around the shop. Later, Frosty The Lucky. Yeah, I know. Pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Richter Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Great gift, Dave realy like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OcHavac Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Well a friend at work who knew i just started blacksmithing as a hobby asked if I could make a heart with a V in it for his child's upcoming wedding. I told him that I am completely new to this but would give it a try. First thing I learned was that i need a larger scrap pile...only had mild steel rounds that were adequate length. Secondly I need to make a hold down tool . Not the prettiest of things but I got a little more experience using the horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 No matter what size your scrap pile (resource center), it never contains exactly everything you need, all the time. The project looks good to me and she should enjoy the one of a kind piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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