The 4' led lights I've been putting in each have a pull cord switch so if I wanted I can turn each off individually. There are two main switches for the lights and they are each for half the shop. 

I use the same lights for plant seed starting and they get the job done. 

LED's are much more durable and safer. I changed all my fluorescents out the 2nd time (yes it always takes me 2 or 3 times) that i raised something up only to hit the light and have a shower of glass rain down on me.  

 

Worse, the phosphors coating the inside of a fluorescent tube can prevent wounds from healing and don't forget the metal ions that allow a plasma column in the tube are mercury. Broken tubes are double dangerous and if you live in a place as anal about hazmats as AK. more expensive to dispose of than buy.

Frosty The Lucky.

My charcoal forges are bottom blast and side blast.  Bottom blast when I use charcoal in my coal forge and build a trench forge in the firepot with hard firebrick, hand crank blower.

When I go and do Y1K smithing I build an adobe trench forge blown by twin single action bellows pointed at the tuyere in the side.

So far today I mounted the 2 electrical boxes on the west side and wired the 1 220V receptacle  and 4 110 V outlets.  Still have to do the final connection once I get the ring extension for the box over on the other side of the shop to make the final connections!  I don't like jamming 220 circuits in a small space as the heavy wire doesn't like to bend. (None of the stores in town or the scrapyard had one; but one ordered it and it's supposed to be ready to sell at 3pm today.)

I have my fingers crossed that nobody else is waiting for one, Thomas.

Fellow said he would put it aside for me...

Was the bribe . . . Uh tip generous?

Frosty The Lucky.

14 hours ago, natkova said:

How does your forge look foe charcoal is it side blast?

Yes, it is a side blast with hand-operated box bellows.

Here's a picture of the forge in operation:

Tonight I spent 2 more hours on the tongs, drawing out the reins.

I assembled a guillotine kit from Roy at Christ Centered Ironworks on Sunday, and its maiden voyage was drawing out the body on a flatter. Flatter is made from 1.5 inch round, squared the body to 1 inch, upset the head in my hardy hole and squared it to a 2 inch square with heavily broken corners. I'll punch and drift the eye next time I light the forge and touchmark it. Then all it needs is a little filing and a heat treat. 

P. S. Do you guys wedge the handle on a flatter, or let it float a little and rely on the taper as its a struck tool?

For top tools that aren't swung like a flatter, punch, top fuller, etc.  I just jam a piece of wood in with a fiction fit.  IMO it does not need to be as secure as a hammer head.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

I do about the same as George, variations depending on the top tool's eye, they were punched a little more casually than hammers. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Good Morning Chief,

A Struck Tool should not be wedged, You don't want the force to travel up the handle and hurt your elbow. Some people like to wedge anything, some people like Purple with Orange Polka-Dots too. Think about your body, not trying to please someone else!

Neil

30 minutes ago, George N. M. said:

I just jam a piece of wood in with a fiction fit.

How true. 

11 hours ago, Frosty said:

live in a place as anal about hazmats as AK.

Fortunately no. To get rid of one we have to call for disposal... unless it is broken then we can just throw it in the trash. It is pretty common to see people busting the bulbs in dumpsters around here. It has been a couple years since i worked in a garage but back when i did we were allowed to pour antifreeze in the sewer. 

Top tools, i wedge mine but with a small wedge that is kind of loose. Just enough to hold it snug but you can wiggle it with your hand with medium effort. A couple handles are just a branch from the tree out back whittled down on one end. The handle just needs to be something you can hold onto and keep the tool in place where you want it. 

5 hours ago, Arthur210 said:

Yes, it is a side blast with hand-operated box bellows.

A further question: Do you have a picture of your actual firebox and tuyere/connection to the bellows? It looks like it's folded/welded sheet/plate with tabs to drop it into the table. If so, this is similar to what I'd like to create to eventually replace my JABOD.

Cheers,

Jono.

It is indeed a firepot I welded together, because I got tired of reworking the fire zone of my jabod.

Here's a picture I posted a while ago when I replaced the back plate with a thicker one:

It is about 9" by 5" on top, with the bottom about 2" square. The tuyere is still the same as for a jabod, a 1" black pipe surrounded by a mix of sand and clay.

11 hours ago, George N. M. said:

For top tools that aren't swung like a flatter, punch, top fuller, etc.  I just jam a piece of wood in with a fiction fit.  IMO it does not need to be as secure as a hammer head.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

When the handle on a top tool loosens with use, you hold it vertically and slam the back end of the handle on the anvil face to tighten it up. Old hockey sticks make great top tool handles.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I was leaning towards not wedging it, so you just reaffirmed my plan. I actually really enjoy making handles. From the cabinet shop I work at I have pretty much unlimited access to hickory, maple, and oak. Although the hockey stuck idea is a really good one!

Hickory is my preferred handle wood, with ash a moderate second. The fact that I've got a decent supply of both is just gravy.

As for the handles of top tools, consider them to be a consumable and expect to replace them as needed. In other words, don't get fussy, and don't spend anything on the material.

Note that air dried is better for handles than kiln dried.

I got my hammer handle stock from a cabinet supply that closed a few years ago. He used to keep a couple 5/4" x 4" pieces of clear straight grained hickory for those of us who made our hammer handles. I don't know what I'll do when my last few feet is gone. <sigh> 

Yeah, hockey sticks make perfect top tool handles, I use a whittled wood wedge to keep them from just falling off. 

You can "tie" the top tool to the handle in a pinch, I recommend baling wire.

Frosty The Lucky.

Small forged to finish (except edge) hotcut from mobile home spring.

Be careful with that; you don't want it moving around too much.

Finished the wiring in the north 1/2 of the shop.  Now I have: lights (2 2 row 4' LED shop lights), 110 GFI outlets (4 on west side, 4 on east side, on 2 20 amp circuits) 220 outlets (1 60 amp welder/powerhammer on the east side and 1 20 amp Bader outlet on the west side.)  So far pretty much everything except the wirenuts came out of my already scrounged stuff (plus the sq D breakers from the ReStore).

I think I will wait on the second half a while.  The easiest wiring plan involves flipping the shops contents from side to side...

Also I tested all the outlets in the shop; a plug in deal for the 110 and a meter for the 220.

After having bent over to pick the head of my flatter off the ground for what seems like a thousand times, I am about ready to drive in a wooded wedge. Shock be darned.