June 3, 20197 yr I appreciate the encouraging words, thanks! I bought the plants at Home Cheapo which accounts for the plastic pots, but I'll re-pot when I get something nicer. Aus; those brass inlays are very easy to do. I just drill a hole the same size as the stock, then run a taper half way through each side of the hole. This gives a slight hourglass shape to the brass when it is hammered in and locks it in nicely. I cut the brass about a 16th oversized then grind it flush. Marc: Since I'm close to the ocean, any unfinished metal self textures quite rapidly all by itself. Also, being new to this work, I usually don't have to try very hard to have a well textured look as it is. I'm still working on clean.
June 3, 20197 yr I had a chance to work on my uncle's old forge this weekend, the bottom of the legs are rusted and splitting, but I wanted to leave it original instead of replacing the legs,so I built a stand around it, with wheels so I can move it when not in use. After mounting the blower I fired it up. First time it was fired up since the mid 50's and the first time I ever built a fire in a forge. Thanks to all on here who have supplied instructions on how to light one up, everything went like I knew what I was doing except my paper mushroom looked more like a squashed zucchini. Then forged my first object, my coal rake. The forge has been leveled in the frame since I took the first picture and I still have a few adjustments and tool racks to add on before cleaning it up painting it, but I had to try it out.
June 4, 20197 yr Decided to give a try at a small grappling hook for the kayak when fishing. Some spots on the river have a smooth bedrock bottom, so i wanted something i can hook onto the roots protruding from the shores. Def a good learning experience for the next.
June 4, 20197 yr Very well done bryson. I'd put a pull ring off the hook side so it's easy to retrieve.
June 4, 20197 yr Good stuff Bryson! Funny you posted that, I've been thinking about treble hooks these last few days. But for no particular reason.
June 4, 20197 yr Thanks guys, i had fun making it. I really like the pull ring on the hook side idea. Thanks!
June 4, 20197 yr Bunch of little projects. Made a jig for the spiral tong clips: Straightened a coil spring and made an experimental scrolling wrench I’ve been thinking about: And made another knitting bowl for Lisa: I got lucky with the drop bin at my steel supplier and found this five foot piece of 1/8” stock that tapered from about 9/16” to about 3/16”. Perfect for this application.
June 5, 20197 yr Not really what I did in the shop today, but what happened in my shop in my absence. I arrived at work to find that my joker workmate had rearranged a couple of things. A scrap art bird (that looks a bit like a Roadrunner) was placed so that he was looking at some 'free birdseed" and an anvil swung above his head in the manner of a Wylie Coyote ruse from the well-known cartoons. It's a bit hard to see from the jumbled background of my forge, but you get the idea. Gotta have a sense of humour.
June 5, 20197 yr I love it when I can start my workday with a smile on my face. Congratulations to your workmate on a good one.
June 5, 20197 yr That's great Aus! Hmm... might be a permanent display somewhere. just need a coyote watching from a cliff.
June 5, 20197 yr Do a Blacksmith version with "free Coal"; (free Beer works better but it's hard keeping the bait stocked...).
June 5, 20197 yr A stuffed Coyote as a sound damper between your anvil and stand is a classic salute to the Roadrunner and Wile E Coyote. It's good to have associates who are comfortable enough to go to that length for a laugh. Good mates are worth gold. Frosty The Lucky.
June 5, 20197 yr Funny thing was we had one visitor who commented that the anvil did not look very secure and she was very concerned for our safety working under it.
June 5, 20197 yr Your visitor is correct. Be careful working under the coyote hammer. A safety helmet might prove very inadequate. Cheers, SLAG.
June 6, 20197 yr Slag, her fears were allayed when I told her that I just about doubled the anvil's weight when I painted it!
June 6, 20197 yr I use it to fool the school kids all the time. They are amazed at my immense strength when I pick it up by the horn with one hand.
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