Gandalfgreen Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Went to JHCC shop today learned so much it was great. Got to make my first hammer and am so pleased and thankful so far. cooling in hotbox now couple days I will finish the surfaces and then attempt my first 2 heat treats chisel first then hammer. Also first true use of a sledgehammer overall I believe I did pretty good just need to remeber i can hit it harder lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Very nice.. JHCC is a long timer with many connections from some of the best. Bet it was super fun. Hammer looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 thanks apreciate it and it was amazing honestly dont know what it is but I am at so much peace and brain thinks about nothing else I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Great to have you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Finished recycling a claw hammer into a handled punch. Whittled a piece of kindling, I think it was kiln dried fur for the handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 that looks great thanks for a new project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hefty Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 When it comes to gas forges I've probably been the slowest on the forum to start. I think my first questions about gas forges were over 2 years ago and I've bumbled around with burners in between. But yesterday I finally made a start!! I've cut the front opening and the rear pass through and also cut the whole front end off just before the curve and welded some tabs on so I can bolt/unbolt it for ease of lining and future re-lining (just wired together for the photo). I also recently got an old overhead projector trolley that our school library was throwing out (haven't used them since I was a student there but they still had them stored away!) so I'm hoping I can mount it on there for versatility. I've got kaowool, rigidiser and duracast ready to line it and I'm about to start holidays! Excited!! Thanks for looking! Jono. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiley904 Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Made it around the bend and to the home stretch. Been working on this knife to occupy time for a while now. Old leaf spring for the blade, all other metal is from a ride spike. Walnut for the handle. Through tang peened together and gorilla glue reinforcement. Today's task was heat treat and attach handle. Next is the finish grind and finally sharpen. Triple normalized, quenched twice. The first quench may have been a bit too cool and didn't fully harden. Tempered with a torch. Slightly blue back and edge is on the soft side of straw colored. Hope I got it right but I feel the torch temper was tricky and possibly not the best way. Whatever, it's done now and we're pushing forward. This will be my first completed blade that isn't a knife shaped object. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Looking good! Make sure to keep a light oil coat on it when you're done grinding- im not sure from your pictures whether that's scale or rust, but you definitely don't want rust in your final project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiley904 Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 In the first Pic, it's rust. In all other pics the blade has gone through heat treat and had the handle attached and been ground enough to run colors all while glue was still wet and oozing. It got a little messy but all will be addressed after it cures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Yesterday I had 3 friends out to work on pattern welding. The 2 beginners worked on BSB&PS billets and the other guy and I both worked on drive chain billets---sledge hammer for striking. Two of them made it back today to continue work on their projects. I welded up 4 barbwire basket icicles for Christmas presents---a big change from a massive fire to weld large billets with sledge hammers to a small fire to weld *rusty* barbwire for baskets. We hope to get another day or two at the smithy before the holiday is over! (And while waiting their turn at the coal forge; they moved some of the stuff around in the smithy for me getting ready for the powerhammer.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 that's sounds fun would love to see. after swinging a sledge I really liked it and definately want to try a large project again. when get in a groove the sound is calming to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 It's amazing how much power can move a project along! I have short handled sledges to 9#; but a striker with a full handled sledge is a joy to work with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 I know JHCC told me the wieght but cant remeber couldnt go full swing with area working in and I need more practice never swung a sledge for proper use really but after learning and doing I want to go full power with one and really get into a groove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 We ended up doing both the "hit where I hit" and the "I'll hit the same place on the anvil and you'll move the piece back and forth". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 we did the hit where I hit with little hammer or hit the tool we were using and tap the anvil stop. simple just need keep practicing my swing had a few hits off center but I knew it instantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 We also use: "flip" => hold I'm turning the piece 90 or 180 deg and "cold" => stop hitting it's going back into the fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 makes sense. wish I would have tried way earlier in life hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 You used the ten-pounder (front). Next time, we’ll put you on the sixteen-pounder (back). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 sounds excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 on Friday I started a batch of 1/2in steel dice based on a video I saw from black bear forge a while back and cut 13 blanks, planning to do a 2 sets of 6 with one done then due to the fact our band saw doesn't cut square I then spent the time to true the cut sides on the lathe this resulted in the loss of 2. Then when placing the dots on the 6 i ruined 2 more with bad placement after that I ruined a further 2 by placing the centerpunch on points that where not there due to poor lighting of the work area I brought in a work light and saved these 2 from a similar death then sanded them. can anybody recomened a way to cut them straight? also is it normal for Kast-O-lite to crack after heating and cooling cycles? its been going back and forth from heating iron to 8-(-10)*C at night M.J.Lampert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 MJ, square up the band saw. There should be an adjustment somewhere. The dice, you do know the numbers have to be in a certain sequence right? The number you look at plus the opposite side should equal 7. So if you are looking at the 6 the side opposite is 1. how many years till something becomes a tradition? 3 years in a row i have made a new fork for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. This is my offering this year, along side the one from last year (cant find the other one) just to see progress. I have come to like to flared sides when i do them, i think colonial style. Anywho it is the one on the left. So while i was making my fork my hold fast was not holding fast. Good for larger stock but the flat bar that is the fork was bit small. So new hold fast was in order. Not the prettiest thing, and a bit longer than i wanted, but it works quite well. What i am excited about most is i almost got an upset corner. i am having a .... of a time time with them. And i thought welding was hard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 That's a really cool tradition honestly might have to try that. ask me that corner looks really nice has me thinking how you even did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Griffin Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 Mark Aspery has a good video on making upset corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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