ThomasPowers Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Tess hardly ever visits; Mariah lives out here; 15 mph is considered a light breeze and during spring "gusts to 55 mph" are common and at least once we had 80 mph straight line winds. Hard to find a day calm enough to burn the brush pile and the neighbors get so persnickety about range fires...The standard joke out here is "How do you tell when it's Spring in New Mexico? When your neighbor's concrete blocks start blowing into your yard!" Helps, it was in the upper 70's degF yesterday but with a nice breeze through my shop---aligned 10'x10' roll up doors and open gables in the forge part. Having 10' walls helps too. What we have to watch out for is SUN and so having steel walls and roof is "SPF almost enough". Saturday I visited the scrapyard; they have stopped buying scrap so pickings are not so good as the funny old coot with the horns on his floppy red felt hat has already picked over the piles a couple of times. A little more wrought iron and a section of livestock panel that was then installed cutting off my scrap pile from open range. Since it looks like I will have to live with the stuff I had planned to sell off from the hoard, I've started working on cleaning up the shop to mine space with it inside. I now know what so many oldtimer shops have stuff all over the walls; as you get older you don't have anything you can't see... Sunday I forged some stakes to hold down the bottom of the fence in the "guest dog yard"---really the "keep the neighborhood dog pack out of more of our yard!" The part between the house and the shop. Funny driving T posts one handed with a 6 pound sledge---short handle. We are in Rio Grande and mountain out wash sediments, so one stake I drove was sinking *4* inches every hit in deep clean sand and another was sinking 1 inch every 4 hits in adobe clay/gravel. Good exercise. I noticed that when I went to the forge my regular hammer felt light. I also started working on the "tentacular bud vase holder". took some 3/8 round stock and put a "claw" on the end and then used an eye punch to set a "knuckle" every couple of inches. I wanted somewhat like: ( (O) ) but I didn't have a curved chisel small enough so I took a piece of H-13 also about 3/8" and forged it down and curved it and touched it up with a bit of hot rasping and it worked well. The vases will be Oryx horns I happen to have hanging around for 16 years. Why yes we are fans of the work of Chas Addams. Also I started the day with laying out and taking photos of some of the stuff I want to sell. Kind of heavy but I only need to take pictures once---I hope and moving stuff helped with the clean up. (Now if I could only figure a place to store the flat belt wall mount drill presses...) I also recreated the scenario that I think resulted in a lot of anvil horn abuse---moving heavy stuff and I rammed my thigh on one. Luckily it was "pre flattened" so I'm just limping a bit today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 What are you doing for heat treat on your H-13? I made a hot chisel with some I got at the last Quad-State, and it is NOT holding an edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 So far just an air cool; it was intended as a single use tool as with no power to the shop I couldn't make it pretty. 64 "(" so far and still working OK. It was originally used in plastic molding dies to push the items out. I picked it up a couple of Q-S ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 JHCC I love the big hammer.. What she weigh.. I ended up with the 9lbs for about 2hrs on the hardie.. I was tired after the fact.. i now know I can swing the 6lbs for at least 5hrs though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 The Beast is eight pounds. I haven't used it for quite a while (not since I built the treadle hammer), but it's great for thick sections of tough material. I was swinging it for a couple of hours yesterday, and my hand is definitely feeling it today! I actually did a thread on its conversion almost exactly four years ago. The original sledgehammer was in the garage when we bought our house, so I sometimes joke that I payed over $200K for the hammer, but they threw in a house for free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shabumi Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 3 hours ago, JHCC said: they have four kids, and the dad is a homebrewer How many kids are you looking to trade it for? That triangle is worth at least 1.5 -2 kids, depending on their age and how well they earn their keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Beautiful hardie tool Jennifer. Don't think I could swing any hammer for 5 hours, let alone a 6 pounder. That's what a desk job will do to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Ted, It's only taken me 3 years part time and picking larger and larger/more detailed objects to forge to get back to this point within the last few weeks.. I need to forge more often for me to use the larger hammers. Once enough is not enough. I've been able to get out and forge several larger items so the forging time adds up.. It really makes all the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Shabumi said: How many kids are you looking to trade it for? I'm looking to trade for beer, but willing to reduce the amount if they're willing to take one or more of my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shabumi Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Either way it'll make life easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 4 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said: Ted, It's only taken me 3 years part time and picking larger and larger/more detailed objects to forge to get back to this point within the last few weeks.. I need to forge more often for me to use the larger hammers. Once enough is not enough. I've been able to get out and forge several larger items so the forging time adds up.. It really makes all the difference. My hat's off to you Jennifer. Your combination of talent, desire and work ethic is obvious in the pieces you produce. Watch out though, I'm retiring in a few years may catch up by the time I'm 90. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 I've know a smith still smithing in his 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Yep... Ike Doss was 90 and still in his shop 6 days a week. He had no intentions of slowing down, until he was hit by a car while walking to the shop one sad morning. He never recovered from that and passed away at 91. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welshj Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Got my 100lb tank filled this afternoon... after I stayed home from work with a migraine. Wife wasnt too happy with me to say the least when I fired up the forge. But the difference from the 20lb is night and day. Got a high yellow easily. Started forging on a blade for an army buddy who was my truck mechanic in iraq. He gave me my anvil, so the promise was that he gets the first good blade from it. It's being made from a piece of a leaf spring from an army truck I've held onto since 2007 when I got out. It's slow moving... 3/8" thick, with a 4lb hammer. But its moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Ted, I will be waiting in anticipation.. I've got 9 years till the house is paid off so 9 years more of working my back and hands to the bone.. Nothing I do is special.. Anybody can do it.. Desire really is the key to great works.. I figure if I continue with the slack schedule it will take me 2 more years to get back to where i was 14 years ago.. If I get into forging 3 or 4 days a week even for a few hours it will bring it into only about 6 months.. I'm just now starting to feel better about my skills compared to where I used to be. After that I will be able to relax on my laurels. Kinda the once you got it, you keep it.. Anyhow, i've seen your work and it's inspirational.. Theres a great group here that keep me moving forwards.. Thomas I knew 2 guys still shoeing horses that were both in their late 80's. One guy was 87 and the other guy was 85 I think.. Both had to use a cane to get up and down from shoeing position but they were both doing a few horses a day.. They were also instrumental in setting up the best smiths for the shoeing competitions. It's how I met them.. My Boss wanted me to compete.. I had no desire to back then.. I was really shy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 After hitting a nail with my chainsaw I resorted to the good ol' bearded axe I made a couple years ago. I love using tools I made....there is something satisfying about it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Nice axe Benona. All I've made recently is some hooks for folks who requested them. I've also been practicing making feathers. I am once again rebuilding the power hammer, which has taken up most of my time. I'm converting it from mechanical to pneumatic. I'll post it when it's done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Ted Are those dots on the two hooks brass inserts for decorative purposes or for some other function Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Nice feathers Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 15 hours ago, yesteryearforge said: Are those dots on the two hooks brass inserts for decorative purposes I seen some hooks with decorative brass or copper inserts yesterday on Reddit. It's a nice touch don't you think! I might try it myself. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Just decorative. They show up better with a black finish, but I decided on a clear coat instead. Thanks Rojo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 9 hours ago, Ted Ewert said: All I've made recently is some hooks for folks who requested them. I've also been practicing making feathers. Nice looking hooks. I've got a reference picture I took on a trip of some hooks like that. Have planned on making some like that some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I met Isaac Doss when he was in his 80's; my wife thought I should meet him as she used to drive him around his route before he got his cataract surgery. I also knew Emmert Studebaker of SOFA and ABANA fame. JLP; I bought my Champion #1 from a shoe'r; I was tracking down power hammers one Saturday and was directed to his place. He was in his late 60's IIRC and said sorry he was still using it every day as he made his own shoes---no keg shoes for him! He asked for my card as he might know of another hammer that was available. A couple of weeks later I get a call: "My wife says I have done been kicked in the head one too many times and that I'm retired now---come get the hammer!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Benona, I like the axe. Looks like it does a fine job of making matchsticks out of that wood. I think it's highly satisfying being able to make things yourself period. Ted, I love the hooks. Nice, smooth finish and the feathers are great. Good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Ted, nice clean work.. See, inspirational. I've never made a bottle opener nor a feather.. I"m way behind the times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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