Try connecting the holes in the guides with some tube with the same inner diameter.

Thanks for the tip! I thought of that as well, but don't have the right size stock on hand. I was thinking of using copper tubing for that, I will have to find some. For now it's not much of a problem.

~Jobtiel

Three or more pieces of flat bar would work as well.

17 hours ago, JHCC said:

simple blacksmith math

I'm adding this to the inside cover of my notebook - thanks!

 

12 hours ago, JHCC said:

fairly straightforward trigonometry

Reading this as someone who has zero exposure to trigonometry, this was quite humorous to me. Maybe I'm just easily amused.

Tongue very firmly in cheek on that one. 

Or, to put it another way, what is straightforward for trigonometry is by no means straightforward in general.

Being easily amused is a top shelf saving grace.

Frosty The Lucky.

Yep, and the corollary is "easily offended is just a step from perdition."

Dragon I've been working on.  Starting to think I did a better job of making an image when we did it on film.

I think my trigonometric education was more recent than many of the other good folks on here. I also have an innate love of math that I have found not everyone shares 

Dad had to quit school and get a job before the 8th grade. He could do, geometry, trig and the calculus he needed in his head. Which sucked, it'd been so long since school he couldn't remember how to do math on paper and was zip for help with my homework. Mother wasn't much help, girls didn't need to know math when she went to school. She read, understood and taught herself algebra from my books in an evening but couldn't explain anything. <sigh> 

For me, higher math means taking one of my shoes off.

Frosty The Lucky.

Finished up my kiritsuke with a bit of mahogany. Not thrilled with the handle, but happy enough. Lessons for next time. 

Very nice!

Finally make some progress on the drawing saddles for my power hammer dies:

Still more work to do on them before I can heat treat and use them, but the will have to wait. Hammer in tomorrow, then family time.

keep it fun,

David

Another nephew, another wedding, another knife and roses. The blade is cable-feather Damascus. The guard is brazed on. The scales are from a root ball of osage orange. I've tried to make scales from it before, but found them too brittle. I made a vacuum chamber from a disc, a stainless bucket and a venturi vacuum and used a UV resistant epoxy to stabilize. There was already a crack in the scales, but after stabilizing in epoxy they seem pretty strong.

Congratulations to your nephew. I like the kukri esque blade

Normal people have a rest on weekends, and as usual I'm at work.  Finished two objects.

Alexandr, the quality and quantity of your work continually amaze me.

You are one busy guy Alexander. Impressive as always.

Wonderful railings!

 

I forget the thread where I talked about it, but that steel in the frame is the last thing my father-in-law’s thumb ever touched. His joker of a nephew was the one who took the piece out of the scrap bin and had it framed for him. Below that is the punch die that took it off. 
 

This morning I did a prototype for a thin slot punch to put a slit in pieces of old wagon tires. If it works I will make a better one. The small piece of leaf spring I used had a crack in it in the where the bolt passed through to hold the spring bundle together. I don’t think it should affect my experiment. 
 

I have a slot punch that I used to punch the hole in the wagon tire I used to make the raven’s head cane. It worked ok, but I am thinking a wider slit would allow me to drift the slit for a hatchet or axe eye without having to stretch the sides too thin. 

Before I try to use the punch, I will heat the struck end and try to upset it till it is maybe twice as thick as it is now. 

DHarris, i find that kind of morbidly cool. I cut my pinky off at the first knuckle by a truck frame, kind of hard to frame that but if i could have i would have. My finger was able to be saved but the tendons on top were severed so it has a permanent almost 45* bend right at that knuckle.  I can straighten it if use my other hand and bend it straight but as soon as i close my fist it goes back to bent. 

 

Worked a little in the "shop" today (that is, in my carport).  Fiddled with some Ken's Custom Iron tongs that needed fitting to stock, and tried to start on the v-bit tong blanks I have.  didn't like how I was doing them, so put them aside and made these instead.

From left to right:  an attempt at a flux spoon, in case I ever learn to forge weld (it's way too big), my first attempt at a penannular brooch, two barbecue skewers, and yet another piton bottle opener (this one actually came out like I *want* them to come out, so maybe I finally have the process down).

 

Guys, thanks! Sunday! And I'm back at work. Finished 2 projects. Table in the hallway and lamp-lantern in the hall.

It's all so beautiful alexandr! 

Today I spent a titch over 2 hours forging my second brooch. This one with same quarter inch stock but smaller circle. For the pin I used 1/8th inch stock instead of tapering to that size with the quarter inch. 

First time working with 1/8" and I couldn't keep it from splitting on the end while trying to make the point. After the second split, I decided to just file it to the point instead. 

I intentionally faced the scrolls inwards. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

I'll find out when Ashley gets home if it will work at this size or if it's still too heavy. 

3rd attempt possibly tomorrow evening depending on how my body reacts to this latest covid booster shot. 

Welded up another bowl form from the end of the tank from which I’d made my big cone mandrel. (Discerning viewers will notice that I cannibalized the base of the latter for the base of the former.)

And used it to made a new bowl. The narrower form makes it easier to sink a taller bowl from one of my standard blanks. 

I’m fairly happy, but I do plan to weld on a thicker rim, as improved my scuba tank form. 

 That bowl looks nice. Very symmetrical, and no cracks from work hardening. 

Attempting to come up with the "perfect" set of tongs for a small wood stove. Was planning on wrapping the tapered ends but didn't have enough material. So last minute change was to scroll the ends of the handle, didn't get them to match.