madwing Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 thanks, frosty. i am going to try them on a tin can tonight. and it keeps coming. so, saturday I picked up that sander/grinder. I was joking with my friend (and blacksmith mentor) Michael that I bet the next thing to come would be a grinder to replace the one I'd traded to him for a bottle of rye whiskey (a bit before I started setting up my forge). sure enough, sunday I was kibitzing while my neighbor across the street was trying to get his car started, talking with his dad. in their little shed where we were standing there was something that looked like an old belt-driven grinder half-buried on a shelf caught my eye. turns out to be just that, left behind when a friend of mine who is a bass luthier moved from their house to the house next door (he was renting it when they bought the house). and he told me it was mine if I wanted it. of course!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 It's funny how that works, once word gets around things just seem to start showing up. I hope you have enough room for the tools and other good stuff you're going to accumulate. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 well, we live on a half acre :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 well, we live on a half acre :) Not for long, I know guys who could cover that 15' deep in a few weeks. I built a 30'x40' shop and it was getting crowded before I got the roof on it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Madwing, the "snips" you show in your picture appear to something made from Bernard parallel jaw pliers. They made a few different models but I am not sure if that is one of them and most likely a shop made adaptation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 frosty, most things have to fit in the garage, or pass muster of MLW. so i know it won't overtake. i just know it. really. i do. gazz, you might be right. i've got to pull them out and play; i didn't have a look last night due to other time needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Madwing, I hope MLW is easy on you and yur accumulations of 'stuff'. I have five acres here and fortunately for me, my wife doesn't care how much scrap I bring home as long as it stays out of view of the house. Happy to oblige. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 cheers, ausfire. this is a brand-new thing. she's been pretty good with me bringing in tons of other stuff (for woodworking, valve stereo rebuilding, etc.), but neither of those have the bulk factor. i'm going to be making her stuff, that has worked in the past, too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DuckDave Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Here you go Frosty, here's my railroad anvil all cleaned up. I left the radius on the one edge and just blended it into the face after cleaning it up. I might put a horn and a shelf on it when I have more time to work on it. Thanks for the encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 It looks ready to go to work to me Dave. A horn can be handy but a shelf isn't much use that can't be found where the flange and web come together. If you're thinking a chisel plate make a saddle, steps/shelves/etc. aren't a must have to be an anvil. From what I see most European anvils don't have steps and they're been at it long enough to have a handle on what's necessary. <wink> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bill Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Dave, this RR rail enthusiast would like to hear how the top was machined if you would. Did you have an indication that the top was indeed work-hardened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 and if you are really gung-ho on RR rail anvils "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" Weygers has a chapter on making them including all the bells and whistles (horn, heel, hardy...) including how to heat treat them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DuckDave Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Randy Bill, I machined the face with a indexable flycutter/face mill on the Bridgeport. To be honest I'm not sure that the track is very hard or work hardened at all. It machined pretty easy, and a file left a mark pretty easy as well. From my machining experience it reminded me of machining a soft (not heat treated) tool steel like D2. So it's tough but I wouldn't say it's work hardened. I think it will work until I can aquire a proper anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DuckDave Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Thanks ThomasPowers, I'll add that one to the reading list. I'm reading The Blacksmiths Craft by McRaven currently I'm not really gung-ho about the track anvils, but since I'm just starting out I'll work with what I have for the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 3duck, beyond mcraven is randy mcdaniel's "a blacksmith's primer", and thomas mentions, weyger. both fun reads, and inspirational. not as much as taking a class, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DuckDave Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Thanks madwing I'll that one to list as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 My first real wrought iron! lol... I know it isn't huge, but it's cool to me. Especially since it was pure chance. I stopped at the bay on the way home today to look for driftwood for a project, walking along I saw a lumpy straight 'stick' in the edge of the water. Picked it up and could then tell it was metal under the clumps of rust and stuff. I whacked it against a rock to knock off some of the junk off it and saw it... the beautiful wood-grain texture. Now to save it till my skill is up to a worthy project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I was given this Canedy Otto No. 16 Post Drill Press recently if I would use it in my new shop. It was removed from a woodworking shop of an old fellow I knew. It worked when it was taken apart to move it out. I also got a post vise from there as well. It was delivered on the pallet and according to an original ad it weighs 362 lbs without the electric motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Aah one of my weaknesses, big boy puzzles! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Aah one of my weaknesses, big boy puzzles! :) Very early in my career ( as a Manufacturing Engineer ), the Company I was working for, bought a Cincinatti "Twin Grip" Centerless Grinder, at a Public Bankruptcy Auction, of a machine rebuilder. All the "rebuilding" was complete, but the Grinder was still unassembled. It arrived on 47 seperate pallets, ... and i was handed a box full of Prints, and told to put it together. :rolleyes: About a Month later :rolleyes:, ... it was successfully running parts, ... and I've never been intimidated by a "Basket Case" project, from that day, to now. I too enjoy the process of resolving that sort of "puzzle". . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Playing and being paid! Even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I've been assured all pieces are there, already noted the drive belt is missing, and have located pictures of what it suppose to look like operating. I grew up in my dad's auto shop where we were always receiving engines & transmissions in boxes all apart from those who could "fix anything".Only problem is finding time and something to lift the dumb thing to work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazeyladyfarms Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 I just got these this week at rummage sale for 20.00 could not pass it up Not sure about the drill thing but the man says they go together an have same name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 that drill is fantastic for drilling holes in pipe slow and steady but she will get you there i have used one for a job off the grid and now its on my list of tools to add to the shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazeyladyfarms Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 do u know if it is all there he said it was but it does not look like it to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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