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What did you do in the shop today?


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9 hours ago, CrazyGoatLady said:

A trip to town makes me feel like I need a sedative

I feel exactly the same way. And it seems to be getting worse the older I get. 

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Thanks for sharing your stories everyone. I've always been a loner type person. Then life beats you up and that doesn't help. It's amazing to me that I ever even had a family. And Chris, I'm with my 2nd husband but he's the best any woman could ask for. The first one, I wouldn't wish on anyone! Blacksmithing is a great community of folks as proven by IFI. Now, to just actually get around people may be a challenge, but it sure helps to know your not the only one

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I have a decent balance with working in the Las Vegas metro area and living out in DaBoonies. I can have my solitude if I want it, or I can go to the city and enjoy some nightlife.

I am pretty comfortable in large crowds, and my Mom used to say that I was born with the gift of gab, and that I could strike up a conversation with anyone.         Well that is unless is a woman I am interested in, then I just can't get the words out at all....

I am also very content to just being alone working on a project.

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My wife has always accused me of communicating by grunting. After she has attended a couple of years of BOA meetings, she has picked up on the dialog and says it's a blacksmith thing.:)  I'm an introvert and she's an extrovert and sometimes will say about herself " I'm talking and can't shut up".:lol:

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IFC said:

" My wife has always accused me of communicating by grunting. After she has attended a couple of years of BOA meetings, she has picked up on the dialog and says it's a blacksmith thing.

:lol::D

49 minutes ago, CrazyGoatLady said:

I've always been a loner type person.

Well CGL, I think you'll find that's one of the finer aspects of this blacksmithing "thing".  It's definitely a loner type hobby.  Oh, you can get together with other smiths at meetings and conventions, but the main concept is being "at one" with your thoughts and your craft.  I, for one, like hobbies like that.  I want to be left alone to do things I love doing.

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Made a bunch of random hooks today but I’ve been wanting to tackle a RR spike something or other. I made a steak turner (I use them for bacon) this go around. It’s different material to work with for sure. Then I tried my hand at a cheese slicer and finished up my little circular saw blade knife that I’ve been putting off forever. Was good to spend some solid time in the forge! I learned a ton and should sleep good tonight. 

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Well, I put the first finish coat on 6 wood carving knives I'm working on. :)

I also finished up the temporary stand for my blacksmith vise.  It's bolted to a piece of 3/4" plywood right now, but as soon as I get the propane forge up and running and decide on a proper layout for the forge area I plan on bolting the I-Beam it's mounted on to the concrete floor.

Also started cleaning out the area for my proposed forge.  It's inside a 1-car wide by 2-car deep room literally filled like a storage unit that is attached under the same roof as the rest of my shop.  I'm trying to clean out the front 20 feet.  It's enclosed for now because I can't get to the garage door, so I'm working in a closed, hot building in 105 degree temps. :blink:  As soon as I can get to the garage door, I should be able to set up a fan and at least get some air moving.   Think I lost 30 pounds in sweat today.  Small wonder I yearn for the cool air of the mountains.  (How, in God's name, did I ever NOT manage to move out of this Hot Hole?):wacko:

So all-in-all, I'm pleased with what I accomplished today.  Tomorrow morning I'll get out to the shop and put a second coat of finish on the knives and then continue clearing and cleaning the forge area while the temps are at least a little lower.

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4 hours ago, Frosty said:

Pictures Chris. Hmmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

Okay, just for Frosty!

This stand is only temporary.............but "it we-e-e-l hold". :lol:  The small plywood platform it's bolted to is bolted to a 4 foot wide piece of 3/4" plywood.

p3561137575-4.jpg

This image is of one of the 6 similar knives.  They "we-e-e-l cut!"

p3561137646-4.jpg

 

 

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Hmm I can't see the pictures of Chris' work... 

I got in the shop for the first time in nearly two weeks. Geez, I'm rusty. Along with some of my tools... working on an idea that I really have to think about. Had to quit after about an hour and a half of working on it, because I made a dumb mistake and burned my hand... dunked it in water for nearly half an hour. But I can't hardly tell it's there. Thanks Glenn! Started reshaping some old tongs. Going to make them fit large round stock. Shaved down the handle on my newest hammer. I had already done it before, but it still didn't feel comfortable. But it's good now. Anyway, a pretty productive evening. I don't get to get out there much lately, so I try to make as much of it as I can

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The short version: If you get burned enough to say ouch, the affected part goes under water for 15 minutes. Room temperature water is all that is needed. 

There is a thread on the site on the subject.

CGL I am glad you remembered what to do and things turned out ok.

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9 hours ago, Chris The Curious said:

This image is of one of the 6 similar knives.  They "we-e-e-l cut!"

They look kinda like sloyd style carving knives. They are my go to knife for carving. I have a couple made in Norway that just seem to fit my hand like it was made for me. They only have blades between 1 1/2- 2 3/8 in. I love them.

Good work Chris I hope whoever gets them enjoy them and  put them to work making beautiful carvings. It's one of my favorite ways to relax at night.

Pnut

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10 hours ago, bill duckworth said:

Nice looking vice, why the copper jaw pieces? Jaws have cuts in them?

Not many teeth, but hey, I'm a newbie and just do what I'm told I'm supposed to! :D  The guys at the Thursday night open forge all asked when I was going to make copper jaw covers, so I did. ;)

Thanks for the compliment, Pnut.  It's my favorite shaped handle and blade, so that's where I started when I started making wood carving knives.

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Copper vise jaw covers are soft and protect anything they hold in the vise from scratches, marks, etc.  Being metal the heat of the project does not bother the copper jaw covers.

Cutting an old hose or radiator hose to cover the vise jaws grips the project and does not mark. Wooden inserts can be used for some projects. 

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Thanks, Glen.

Thanks, CGL.  I try!

WHEW!!!! I mentioned a few posts back that I was clearing the area of my soon-to-be forging area.  I've lived here on the property for 20 years.  Never once has that room been straightened up or even swept.:blink:  I use it to store things not used, all sorts of automotive jack-stands, floor jack, oil, gardening tools, tow chains, unused furniture, ladders, etc., etc., etc.  The list goes on for miles.  Can't tell you how many times I've been in there when we've lost electricity and all the lights have gone out.  Dang near broke my neck more than once tripping on stuff.  Just "get" that it's a jumbled mess of crud!  I worked yesterday until I had to get cleaned up for the weekly "date" with my little wife.  I've been out there for the past 2 1/2 hours and I'm just now finding the floor in about 20% of it.  May I say "WHEW" again?  The heat is the worst part.  It's a closed room and the exhaust from the shop window air-conditioner exhausts into it, so it's even hotter than the outside.  I'm gettin' close to being able to opening the garage door and putting a squirrel cage fan outside blowing in..............but not there yet.  It's going to be a nice area to work in, I think.  I'm in the house now to drink some electrolyte infused water and try and get cool.  What a mess one acquires in 20 years! :wacko:

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Actually, I knew that, Glen.  Just so hot my brain is befuddled.

I'll get 'er cleaned up, eventually.  Much of what is presently in my shop is forge related and when transferred will make my shop, once again, more usable. (I've too danged many hobbies!!!) :lol:

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Well, I'm exhausted, but I ended up with a 12' x 17' forge area, minus a large metal covered work bench against the wall and the forge tools themselves.  I'm pretty pleased.  Think it will serve me well,  Not making large items, so space shouldn't be a real problem.   Tomorrow I'm planning on starting to level the top and bottom of my 20" diameter stump.  It will have to do until I can afford to have a metal stand built.  And there's really no need to do that until I get a larger anvil.

Hot here today.  Digital thermometer says it's 101 degrees here................but with the moisture we have from living on the marshes of a large lake, it's humid as all get out.  Talk about miserable.  Anyway, I'm one giant step closer to pounding steel.

A friend is going to do some welding on my forge body on Monday so I can start working on the brick and Kast-O-Lite stuff.  That's exciting.  With the Thursday night group shut down, I'm even more pressed to get my forge up and running.

"Onward and upward!"

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