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What did you do in the shop today?


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On 2/2/2019 at 12:07 AM, pnut said:

I should be more specific. What did you use for the holes in the castable?

Crayons. Here’s the mold before the pour:

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I took the twin precautions of peeling off the paper wrappers and coating them with cooking spray before adding the refractory. 

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The cooking spray as release agent sounds like a great idea. Does the refractory create a weak exothermic rreaction or does it dry by a different process. 

I realize it can't be producing too much heat as the crayons don't melt. The reason I ask is that a slight exothermic reaction would make the crayons warm and easier to release from the refractory. I'm assuming that since you sprayed them there's no exo-reaction but you know what they say about assuming. 

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A mini seax type i intend to give as a gift. Iv been putting 15-20 mins each day after my 12 hour graveyard shift... Sharp enough to shave my beard and my tan right off but the finish is gonna take away. Its cru forge v and it thinks the abrasives are a joke but ile keep whittling away at it.

Hondoran rosewood scales, gonna do simple cutlers rivets and i still have to make a wax mold for the bolster and melt some copper... Debating skipping that though.

Once the blade section is done ile tape it drill the holes and work the tang down on the belt sander.

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If there is any exothermic reaction from the curing, I doubt it's enough to make a difference. Even if there is, I suspect any heated components would have cooled to ambient in the recommended 16-24 hour curing time before removing the mold.

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In addition to forging a couple of bits and pieces for the shop (some more successful than others), I made an annular brooch for Lisa to use as a shawl pin:

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Also did some bladesmithing, forging the parts for a folder with a 1080 blade. I also started making a blacksmith’s knife out of O1 and learned a valuable lesson about its working range. 

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Change of plans! (I think there’s enough to do a hidden tang.)

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Haha sorry anachronist58, I could have sworn it said anarchist. This is my inability to read correctly without just quoting on the forum. I proofread multiple times and still got it wrong. 

Today I worked on the stand for my new to me vise, spent about 5-6 hours on it. One hour was removing a broken 3/8-16 tap, I should have known better trying to thread 1" plate. Then drilling the 1" plate took a while also.  I don't trust my 120v flux core welder to do the job, so I used a mix of m8, 3/8, and 1/2 inch nuts and bolts. 

It was around completion, that I realized I forgot one of the legs.  

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stand is 55lbs 

also got to weigh the vise. 

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It will ultimately look like this, plus another leg. 

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On 2/1/2019 at 1:18 PM, Chelonian said:

Is there some technique for this sort of thing that might help? Or do I just have to wait until the ground thaws in the spring?

There are a few methods, some inexpensive, some not so. You're going to need to be patient or spend some money. Fast and easy is call a steam thaw outfit and have them thaw it with a stinger. (straight pipe used to direct steam straight in) A banjo might work if it'll fit over the block. (A ring of pipe with holes drilled in inside, it's used to cut large spaces like man holes but not so good in open areas.) DRATS, stupid tree! I can't recall what the one we used to cut ditches, etc. it looks like a giant pipe coat hanger with holes drilled in the bottom. Bottom being in the same orientation as a coat hanger with a coat  hanging on it. 

Yes, I've used all of them, a rat is wicked fun  to watch work but useless in this case.

Okay, that's fast and money. Yes? If it's even available of course but if you have stuff frozen to the ground I'd put money on steam thaw companies being available.

You can put your pinch bar back under the edge and hang a bucket of rocks on the end. Constant pressure WILL free it up given time. I'd think maybe a day or two but maybe longer.

A hot pressure washer will work but you have to worry about the hose freezing and have a warm place to keep the washer when you don't have water moving through it and a fire going. You DO NOT want it to freeze, that's as costly as buying a new one for the rental outfit. Yes? Now for the BAD part, you'll be pumping high pressure WATER in freezing temps you'll want better than rain gear and be prepared to to get soaked anyway. I've run a steam cleaner in cold weather too. When I was young and dumb I tried steam cleaning an engine outdoors rather than have it done or renting a stall. I shall never forget the experience! :o

You should be able to free it up in an hour or so with a steam pressure washer. B-U-T, see above.<_<

The problem with thawing ground with a fire is almost all the heat goes up or is radiated out while the ash insulates the ground. Folks ice fishing build fires on frozen lakes they keep burning sometimes a whole weekend. 

Here's a thought that's not great but might work. Buy an electric warming cable, the kind you wrap around your plumbing to keep it from freeing. Wrap it around the bottom of the block and cinch it in as it thaws the ground. That's darned iffy though so don't quote me as the person who thought of it please.

I thaw small things out with a large watering can that has a spout rather than a sprinkler. A short piece of hose so you can direct hot water under the block and a way to keep water baled out so it doesn't refreeze the block down. If you don't care about making the ground there infertile you can add salt to the water. Do NOT use antifreeze! It's WAY toxic and tastes good to mammals from voles to horses/cattle. Renal failure is an ugly way to die.

Frosty The Lucky.

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On 2/2/2019 at 3:03 PM, Laynne said:

Step 1 in my charcoal process. 

Love that PTO Saw!!

On 2/2/2019 at 9:50 PM, JHCC said:

I made an annular brooch

Beautiful work. And looking forward to more on that ribbon burner!

On 2/3/2019 at 3:20 AM, Mudman said:

I don't trust my 120v flux core welder

I have been called worse. I enjoy a good faux pas. What make and model is your welder? There are "tricks".

Alas, I must leave home again for the job in Santa Barbara, but over the last few days.......

Made charcoal via the Aerobic Method. The pine cones, although not completely charred, are good as-is for forging. It has been raining, but this unit burns wet wood (To clarify for you Wise Guys, I can put soaking wet wood against the chamber walls. It will dry out and ignite without impeding the central burn).

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The seals, fore and aft, allow me to quickly stop combustion:

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Installed a pop-up canopy on the shop tent:

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And added a leg vise to the receiver hitch.

This Thread runs so fast, who can keep up with it?

Welcome to the Forum, Predator Ink!

Robert Taylor

 

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Thanks, JLP, That box was originally intended to be an ash dump, or to install the tuyere at a lower level. Been running the thing off and on for about 20 years (hobbyist level, and it used to heat my shop).  I rerun my ashes in it, and it is amazing how little ash has accumulated. This was never (consciously) meant to be a forge, and I have no idea what possessed me to install a tuyere pipe (which is a scrap 4340 steel Boeing 737 thrust reverser piston tube) in the thing in the first place. Maybe I was tired of using a blow pipe in a previous incarnation.

As my appetite for forging has grown, my project list has outgrown this unit. I will keep it for melting iron ore from the mountain that I live on.

Still trying to find time to track down that spec for square tubing sans the internal weld seam........ any takers?

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