RogerrogerD Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Will do. :- ) I suspect that the vice has been cranked tight closed for a few decades. Spring looks OK but perhaps all that time under pressure will have deformed it a bit. I dunno... My plan is to clean it all up, fit it together and then check if the spring has enough oomph (technical term round these parts) to push the vice jaws apart. If not, I’ll whap it in the forge, warm it up and bend a bit more of a bend in it. I’m guessing I dont need to worry about heat treating it after, should be enough stiffness there with a simple air cool. Once done I’ll post a before and after pic on the vice thread. Seems greedy to have two post vices, but I couldnt walk away from it. Its a bit bigger than my current one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Not greedy; efficient. I have two work benches each one has a 6" and a 4" postvise and I have another heavy duty one mounted by itself for heavy work---I once twisted a RR spike in it---*cold*! I have one for my travelling kit and a sturdy one mounted at my casita as I got tired of the travelling vise not being as rigid as I wanted for doing larger work at my other location. Back in the '90's I was buying post vises for US$20 a piece in central Ohio. I finally put a limit on the number I'd own and sell off extras. However there are some tasks where the smaller vise is easier to use---like closing it with your knee working the handle. Other tasks require a larger more robust vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerrogerD Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Thanks TP I’ll use that reasoning when my wife asks. :- ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Remember to spell my name correctly in your will *first*! My wife has a craft she is passionate about as well; so no problem either way with a spouse explaining to the other spouse *why* they need another XYZ when they already have a half dozen of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerrogerD Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Got it apart after an overnight swim in wd40. As you predicted TP there was some odd pitting and unevenness on the pivot joint cheeks. Strange. I’ll make a new thread with pics in the vice section and get off this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Coal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enewguy Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Given to me by a friend... Never even used yet. Mower blades for a 5 foot rotary mower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Check; may be one of the new boron alloys and so NOT suitable for blades! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Sell the mower blades off and get some known steel. Many mower blades are a high boron alloy that takes a very specific heat treatment to be used. That is, if you are making something along the lines of a knife. If you are making hinges, plant hangers, etc... forge on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 I sold my wood cutting bandsaw and bought a Makita metal cutting chop saw. This thing goes through steel like butter. It has a carbide blade, 15 amp motor and spins at 1300 RPM. Much faster and more accurate than my portable bandsaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enewguy Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 On 1/24/2019 at 5:23 PM, BIGGUNDOCTOR said: Sell the mower blades off and get some known steel. Yeah, I was kinda thinking the same thing. Not sure of the content of the metal. I've personally hit 6 inch shot rock with the same style and type while morning along the highway right of way and didn't dent them. (not on purpose of course) I'm not into making knives yet. Since I'm just starting out. Since the blades are perfectly new and I was thinking since I live in farm country I know a few folks that might like to buy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Or trade the blades to them for scrap metal at a very enhanced ratio! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADHD-forge Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 I had some scrap from a former project at work and a slow day so I ended up with a striking anvil, a pair of tong blanks and spring fuller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 Several bits and pieces that followed me home during the last couple of month: 1 - "dead steel" I found in the fields, broken harrow disk, rotavator blades, pipe cut-off, wrench, tank (or some other military vehicle) caterpillar pins, all sorts of pins. The ruler is 60 cm long. What steel is this caterpillar pins made of? 2 - Hand crank blower, a friend gave it to me, British Alcosa F40 gear box, F56 blower box. It Runs very smooth despite the gunk on it. 3 - Other friend gave this to me as well. It looks like a stand for a hand drill but it is massive. The ruler is 60 cm long and the stand weighs 30 kg. I do not know a hand drill massive enough to be used with this stand, so what machine was it used with? Looking for ideas how to use it beside with the hand drill... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 I find a lot of pins that are used for hitches for farm equipment. Usually medium carbon at best, like 4140 or 4340. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 Look what came in the mail! Courtesy of Lou L, kaowool and Kast-O-Lite 30 for my ribbon burner and gasser. Thanks, Lou! (We had originally packaged the refractory for me to take home after one of my visits, but decided to the TSA wouldn’t be too happy about me carrying half a peck of gray powder in my luggage.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 NICE! Now go forth and make ribbon! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Glad I was finally able to get the goods to you. Sorry it took so long but I promise life has been a rush. I decided to take the late hours and get back to IFI. Feels like home. I posted my notes for you just a few minutes ago in the gas forge section. The only thing I didn’t add to them was Frosty’s account for measuring quantities in the pouring of a ribbon burner. Here it is: ”Current ribbon burner form gets 3 lbs of kastolite and 8.25 ounces of water” Frosty found that measuring pure volume was not enough and he ended up having to mix another batch. Figure out your volume and add a bit more to account for settling. His measurement should get you darn close or right on though. Have fun! Lou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Saw this too late to make use of it, but I’d found in another thread the useful detail that since one cubic foot of mixed Kastolite weighs 90 lbs, that’s 19.2 cubic inches per lb. My mold measures 7-3/4” x 3” x 2”, which is 46-1/2 cubic inches. That gave me a starting point of 2 lbs, 6-3/4 oz of dry Kastolite plus between 6-2/3 oz and 7-1/4 oz of water. It’s been very dry, so I ended up using very slightly more water (about 8 oz total) to get what felt like the right consistency. I didn’t add more to account for settling, but I also didn’t subtract any to account for the volume of the crayons; those seem to have canceled each other out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 I saw the pic. Looks great and can’t wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Today’s mail brought a used copy of Stuart Durant’s Ornament. Almost no metalwork as such, but lots of good visual reference — and at $6.72 delivered, you can’t beat the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laynne Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 $25. The 30 gallon drum will be the burner for my charcoal operation. The vise is soaking. Just have to see how long it takes to free it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 If you have a torch, heat the pivot points which should free it up. I believe those are cast iron so it will not hurt it. That said, I have had one for about 45 years or more and have never used it. I have seen one in use as a tail stock clamp sort of thing on a shop built twisting machine though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Those plumber/pipe fitter vises come in handy for holding round stock, although I seldom use mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 3, 2019 Share Posted February 3, 2019 I took a quick swing through the local fleamarket before the new student arrives, (got my IFI T shirt on "you hold the cold end and hit the hot end---get it right next time!" my favorite teaching shirt!) Anyway steel block to make an "edge tool" for the hardy hole and a shallow dishing form: total US$4 (16 pounds, weight for the block ) I stopped counting sledgehammers for sale somewhere in the 20's. Everything from brand new to antique (tells you about this fleamarket that they tried to make the antique ones look new) Saw 3 items that would be dropin hardies for $2 apiece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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