What did you do in the shop today?

[alexandr]

20 hours ago, Gandalfgreen said:

if I  may ask what is the diameter on those circles if wood and how much do thise weigh when done?

Big ring diameter 100 cm (40) weight about 50 kg.

 

21 hours ago, George N. M. said:

, my wife, Madelynn, wants to know how many folk you have working in your shop or if you are turning out this great work all by yourself.

Hello to your wife. For the last few years I have been working alone. Sometimes I hire a welder, once or twice a week, he makes garden supports.

Today I took the bench to its place. I plan to finish the staircase before the new year.

[George N. M.]

Alexandr, Madelynn is amazed that you are able to do this "inspiringly beautiful" (her words) work largely by yourself.  She also says that you have taken craftsmanship to the "realms of true artistry" (again, her words).  And she is not prone to giving idle compliments.

GNM

[alexandr]

13 minutes ago, George N. M. said:

she is not prone to giving idle compliments.

I'm flattered

Парни, спасибо за вашу оценку!

[ThomasPowers]

Samael; rifle barrels are usually NOT high carbon steel alloys as High C alloys tend towards brittleness and for some reasons gun users tend to dislike their guns exploding in their faces.   Medium Carbon alloys are usually used, like 4140.  Now if you want to use a rifle barrel for special reasons; using it in a pattern welded billet or as the jacket in San Mai is suggested. (Or use the metal for a blade's fittings: guard, pommel, etc.)

As you have noticed: even medium carbon steels take a whole lot more hitting to make things of than mild steel does.  Also as the alloys get higher in carbon and various other elements they can be trickier to forge and work.  I've demonstrated the danger of contact quenching in the winter to new folks wanting to do blades: I heated a piece of blade steel up and put it in the postvise to "straighten it". It broke in three pieces from contact quenching.

What I suggest for new bladesmiths is to take a automotive coil spring and cut down one edge or a diameter depending on size and forge all the "(" pieces into blades. Such springs are generally 5160 which is a decent alloy for blades and you can practice the heat treating on a number of blades all the same alloy!

[JHCC]

Did a LOT of surface cleanup on the bracket and welded on the rooster. Got a little more filling and grinding to do, and then we’ll be ready for paint. 

[Gandalfgreen]

looks great John. Too windy couldnt get forge rolling very well  hopefully tomorrow. getting ready to see how I want to finish my hammer going to take some sweat only got a file.

[Daswulf]

Looking good John!

Alexandr, stunning work as always. I so wish I could push through great work like you do.

[Daswulf]

Have an event tomorrow. With everything else going on I'm behind on new stock. Got a little bit done tonight. Not nearly what I wanted including forged items. It is what it is. I still have totes of stock. 

Made a new style cross that I'm liking.  

[Frosty]

Nice cross Das, I like.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Les L]

Das, Great job on the cross 

[Daswulf]

Thanks guys. One of three sold so far.  I'm At a friends hand made local craft event. Not too many people showing up but its a nice small relaxed event. It also didn't cost me anything but time to setup so even a few sales is good. 

 

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

M.J.Lampert , if I was making dice I would be milling them square.  The tolerance on ones used in the casinos here is.0005" and they also check them for balance.

You mentioned using a lathe. If you do not have a mill, you could do them in a lathe and face them to size and squareness in a 4 jaw chuck. A lot more setup time, but it would work.

For the dots you can make a pattern for putting them on the die.

[JHCC]

Started painting the bracket and rooster. It’s about 34°F, so I’m going to have to uses lot of thin coats and let it sit a good while in between.

[Daswulf]

John, might want to make sure the paint will work ok at that temp. They usually have a recommended minimum and max temperature range for use. It could have issues down the road if it isn't warm enough. 

I've pushed boundaries with paint and it turned out fine, or not lol. I try to be as careful with it as possible with something out of my care when done.  

[JHCC]

Worst case scenario, it should last until spring, and I can repaint it then. The good news is that the shop it’s for is only a couple of miles from home. 

[alexandr]

Today there were 2 objects, I installed supports on conifers and made templates for the porch railing.

[bluerooster]

Spent better part of the day replacing right front wheel bearing on the SUV.  (I hate press fit bearings)  I now have some 52100 for a blade or two. :D

[Chimaera]

Amazing as always, Alexandr. Your work always blows me away. 

I spent a few minutes yesterday making a bonfire to roast some keilbasas and anneal some leafsprings. I'm preparing to make a broken back seax and maybe a couple squirrel tail knives with a friend this weekend. My first time working with 5160, and first time doing a blade this large, so it should be a lot of fun. While most of my blades I quench in canola, I simply don't have enough for this seax. However, I have plenty of used motor oil. While I've heard plenty of people say not to use old motor oil, I've also heard others say it's ok. I'm operating under the assumption that it is far from ideal. However, if I were to use it, (with a respirator- don't want lead or zinc) how bad might it be? This does not have to be an excellent quench. As long as it passes a file test and is relatively tough, I'm alright. I really don't want to spend any money to get more veg oil, as I don't plan on doing blades this big on a regular basis.

[BillyBones]

Chimaera, how do you plan on tempering the blade? If you are planning on using the stove that used motor oil will stink up the house. Hope the dog can make room for you when the wife kicks you out. 

Ask the local restaurants. They may have used fryer oil they would be willing to part with. The bonus of that is that if it is from a fast food place it will smell like fries, fish joints will smell a bit fishy and doughnut shops, well you get the idea. Mine has a good dollop of bacon grease in it so when i quench my shop smells like bacon. 

A lot of folks deep fry their turkeys for Thanksgiving and will be looking to get rid of that oil also. 

[Frosty]

Visit your delicatessen dept at your local super market and find out when they change fryer oil. Ask if they'll fill a clean jug for you. Write your name and what it's for in felt pen on it and be sure to pick it up the day they change oil so they're not tripping or having to move it around. 

I get all my  quench oil from the local Safeway deli counter for taking it off their hands.

Besides toxic smoke and residue on the blades you put in the air grinding, used motor oil is too heavy and provides a slow quench media. You'll need to guess at how much and with what to dilute it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Chimaera]

I was planning on doing a torch temper or using a heated steel block. I figured that not even the dog would appreciate motor oil in the house. I considered the route of asking some place for oil but wasn't sure how to go about it. And also wasn't sure how to dispose of said oil when I am finished. However, it seems that that is going to be my best bet, so I'll try to find somewhere.

[JHCC]

I think there are a couple of places in the Cincinnati area that take used cooking oil to use for making biodiesel.

[Chimaera]

John-

were you suggesting that for acquisition or disposal?

[Frosty]

It would be for disposal, the folks making biodiesel try to get exclusive contracts so folk like us can't get used fryer oil. Some advertise but you have to have a considerable quantity for them to pick it up. One around here used to accept old oil in plastic gallon bottles, mild, juice, etc.

When I make a dump run I can drop it off in gallon jugs for no charge, paint, motor oil, 1 car battery at a time, old appliances, etc. Check with your local dump or transfer station and see what you have available.

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

Yes, disposal.