Dale Russell Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Scott , your gettin' S L O W in your old age mate ..... Dale Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I took my forge to an SCA event for 5 days last week out in the middle of nowhere---nice to spend 5 days not hearing a cell phone ringtone! Anyway a fellow comes up pulling a wagon with 9 1.25" square apx 2' long pieces of steel in it and wanted to know what he could forge out of some of it...upon learning that we would need a bigger forge, anvil, sledge, etc he sold them to me cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 What?!?! The guy couldn't haul them back? Whatever, at least you got some nice steel! Whatcha gonna make from it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I notice you didn't tell him he could weld them into an anvil large enough to forge something with them. Nice score. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Caradoc Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 This my first post but I wanted to wtell what followed me home the other day. I stopped by a truck repair place and asked if they had any brake drums they were going to send for scrap so I can make a forge. The guy said sure and took me around back. There were 3 16' brake drums sitting there. I only toook one home though and boy was it heavy. I am going to weld 1/4' plate to the bottom to close up the holes and create the hole for the blower. I am also cutting 6' off the top to shallow out the bowl. The left over ring I am going to turn into punches and chissels. I can't think of anything better to do with 1 1/4' tool steel. BTW this is my first post and this sight is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrynjr Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Welcome Justin, great score and good plan for brake drums. I have several I've gotten from the bus garage where I work. Are they tool steel? What are you using to cut them? My Ox/Ace torch didn't seem to like it much, a bit thick it was and wasn't cutting through, just puddling up. Perhap a larger size nozzle would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Caradoc Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 a #2 cutting tip for the ox/ace is supposed to cut through 1-2' material. I was using a #1 cutting tip and it cut but had a hard time going through I am picking up the #2 tip and a larger oxy tank to finish the job next friday. The little oxy tank I was using lasted about 15 min and cut 6' I will post pictures next week sometime. I am photo documenting the construction of the forge and going to make a how to web site or blueprint for the brake drum forge. I also got a 115 amp blower from centaur forge that ways 5 lbs that I am going to use on it with a speed control. I can't wait till it is done. I have the hammer, iron and forge now I just need something to hit it on also I have a line on 1 ton of anthrosite coal for free. The will follow me home soon. I am bad at spelling so I am not sure the name of the coal is spelled right hope you can figure it out :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Brake drums are cast iron, not HC steel. They're high quality cast but cast they are. A torch isn't going to do a good job of cutting it no matter what tip you use. If you can get it close to even finish with a disk grinder and call it good. The scraps won't be good for anything but weight unless you cast iron. It'll make a fine forge though, better than steel in fact, they're designed to take heat. The anthracite coal may not be any good for forging but I'm sure you could use it to keep your shop warm come winter. Welcome aboard. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrynjr Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Wow, if they are cast iron then that's probably why the welds on the base of my post vice snapped off while I was pounding on some metal in the vice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Well these follwed me home today. The larger of the two set me back $15 but I needed it. The smaller one I got for $3. Just had to dress the face a little. Heres the mark on the larger one.. Now these were a gift from my cousin..Full to boot. Already had a small 122cf oxy tank but I can let the lease go now. I was burning propane but Ill go thru this freebie tank of acetalyne for now:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 KYBOY, That mark was used by Woodings Verona Tools, I believe. Should be well made. They made a lot of wood splitting tools, also. Mauls, wedges, and the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayco Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 KYBOY, looks like you found some good stuff! I like using handled punches like the ones you found. I have three of different sizes.....took me years to find them! James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Jayco that big US23 flea market thing going on this weekend is where I found them. The guy that had one of them had two whole complete forges for sale. Large tables and pots. Blowers with stand. He wanted like $350 each for them though. Would have needed cleaning real bad too Im gonna look around this weekend and see if I can run across a post vise.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Kyboy, I don't mean to insult your intelligence, but you will need different tips for the acetalene than what you are using for propane. Nice punches and FREE gas bottles are always good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Wow, if they are cast iron then that's probably why the welds on the base of my post vice snapped off while I was pounding on some metal in the vice! Larry, brake drums for forges and truck wheels for bases. Years ago the would put concrete in old truck tires and put a piece of pipe in it for a tool base. The school I went to back in the 60's had these for vollyball net poles. Just tilt and roll to move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 (edited) Kyboy, I don't mean to insult your intelligence, but you will need different tips for the acetalene than what you are using for propane. Nice punches and FREE gas bottles are always good! Its good that you mention that as many people dont know...but Ive been a welder and fabricator for over 15 years...Ive been around a torch a bit.. Edited May 30, 2008 by KYBOY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Great! I've been at it since '73. I figured you knew but used the opportunity to mention it. I saw a propane cutting tip that had been used in a acetalene torch just last weekend and the memory was still fresh on my mind. Some young, inexperenced guys had used it on the night shift. My friend who owns the company was not real happy but glad no one was hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Ayup, some things are best repeated often for the new folk and not the least for those of us who've been doing this for a long time as we may still forget. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 (edited) It is a good idea. You never know. Its a good idea to check up on people even if they say they know. My work place hired a guy once and he swore up and down he could weld stainless. After about two days on the job he came to me and asked "Which gas do I hook up to the TIG?" We had about three torch handles blowed out(gaskets) because of people running to high pressures. Im amazed someone didnt get hurt. Edited May 30, 2008 by KYBOY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I think if you will check brake drums more closely, you will find that a good many of them the outside only is cast iron and the center is steel as it is thin and needs to have the ability to hold the outside cast part without breaking and thin cast will not hold up to that much stress, Large Semi truck and trailer drums may be all cast. If you want a nice almost complete firepot, get the rear bolt on housing from a rear axle, they are usually cast iron but occasionally cast steel, the ones from cars and light trucks are pressed steel. Or find an old 40's ford rear axle from a car or light truck and use one side of the housing as your firepot, they were cast iron and the two side piece with the axle tube were bolted to a center cast section that held the pinion. Just cut off the axle tube the proper length and put a gate on it to hold the ashes, clinkers, etc and weld an air inlet pipe to the side at a convienent location, there is even a row of holes around th top lip (mating surface) to bolt it in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Keep your eyes peeled at factories and other places that use a lot of Large V belt pulleys, they wear out often and need to be replaced and make excellent bases for stock stands and third hands Whenever possible use a scrap piece of plate or other iron to bolt the standard (upright pipe) used to mount things on big brake drums or V pulleys as there are no welds to fail expecially if you are an inexperienced weldor and its easy to unbolt and alter or replace the standard withe something else if need be. The easiest vise mount with a very small footprint for a permanent vise location is a piece of pipe with a weld on or screwed on flange as shown in this picture. One of the holes needs to be enlarged maybe for the vise's post leg and concrete anchors in several of the other flanges holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I've never run into a composite brake drum, steel and cast iron. I turned a lot of them in my mechanic days 30+ years ago and we're currently breaking up a bunch for an iron pour and none have had steel in them so far anyway. This doesn't mean I'm right; the guy who donated the drums may have separated them first. And there's a 30 year gap in my experience and things change. Or so I've been told. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Ill probably use a drum in next forge but it will be a drop in firebox for a table. Not a stand alone. A saw two forges for sale this weekend with blowers. The guy thought they were worth WAY,WAY more than are though:mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Zietman Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Today two of those squiggly raidroad clamps, a big wire brush, a small hacksaw, and a ten pound chunk of steel which would make a good cutting block all followed me home for free. Yay! I also spent the day forging s-hooks and nail-hooks and drying hooks and coat hooks for the summer craft fair, good fun all in all! be merry, Archie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 A while back I had a bucket of wheel weights find it's way into the truck of the car on the way home. I finally got tired of the bucket splitting the weights spilling onto the floor. Now the lead can be stacked on a shelf, somewhere, as I have not figured out just where to put 150 pounds of lead ingots. Maybe paint them gold, box them up in 50 pounds to a box, and hide the boxes in deep storage for someone to find one day. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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