Eventlessbox Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 Went to the flea market before work. Please don't tell the wife. Almost came home with a hand crank coal forge. Sadly they had sold both of their anvils already. But I did get my first proper cross pen hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Got these to day from my local supplier. 3, 5/16" square bare unknown tool steel. 1, 1 1/2" x 1/2 flat bar, O-1, and 1, 1" round bar and the 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 square both W-2. The numbers on the bars are weight #4 each. All for $10. That 1 1/2" square looks like maybe a new hammer in the future. I did use a piece of the 1 1/2 x 1/2" flat to make my first hardy tool. Just a hot cut, but it is my first i made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Hasn't yet followed me home but will be on pay day next week. While at the local hardware store buying nails today I noticed a bucket next to the chain cutter with the broken links of chain. Always on the hunt for steel to practice on I asked what they did with the broken links and then (and i think this was the most important part) explained why i was asking. After some conversation was offered about $500 in mild steel of various thicknesses and cross sections that had rusted very slightly prior to arriving in the store for $100. All told I counted over 50 4ft lengths of flat, round, angle, tube, and box steel. The lesson being that sometimes just talking about smithing will open up opportunities you would have never had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 That's pretty steep for stock they can't sell. Let's see 200' = 10ea. 20' sticks of low quality "mild" steel in not so handy short lengths. $10/stick? for too short for building with shapes. Flats and rnd. good at the anvil and might get some use from angle, okay. The rest? You'd be paying them to save them a dump run. The angle and "structural" shapes only look like structural steel, it's home handyman, hobby, bottom of the barrel (quality wise) steel. I'd counter offer $25 to take it off their hands if they tossed in the chain links and other trimmings. It costs hardware, etc. stores, especially Big boxes, many times more balancing the accounts if they try to collect scrap prices. That means they have to pay an employee to haul it to the scrap yard and dump it. Pay the accountants AND deal with tax on received $. OR there's a guy who collects their scrap and worries about his/er own paper work. I get things like steel thread protectors from the local plumbing, HVAC service and supply for the asking. I use them rather than a flare on my burners and needed 5, I came home with a bucket I could barely carry. Plus a couple buckets of nubs of various Dia. iron pipe to short to make nipples. I used to have free rein at the state DOT maintenance shop's scrap bin. Gvt agencies have a worse nightmare accounting for $ received anywhere unofficial. Were I you, I'd take my $100 and hit a steel supplier for sizes I will most likely use. At the anvil, 1/2" rnd. is the same as 3/8" sq. A stick, 20' of either runs $21. Alaska price. 1/2" sq. runs $33. last I bought. 3/16" x 3/4" angle IIRC about $25 a stick. Buy whole sticks, asking to cut for transport at the counter and they have to charge per cut. The guys in the yard will whack it all in half gratis. I've never been to a steel yard that the yard dogs wouldn't cut for transport. They're also pretty easy about letting a person grab drops so long as you don't get greedy. A box of doughnuts and they'll load your truck till the srings bottom out. Hmmmm? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 2 hours ago, BillyBones said: my first hardy tool. Just a hot cut, but it is my first i made. The best first thing to make! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Frosty, Once again thank you for the advice. Thought it might be a bit on the steep side. Plus I had the local mechanic, who I have spoke with a few times during the forge build, drop off two large truck leaf springs to me this am. Said he was In the neighborhood and thought I might like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Event, I rebuild tranny's for a living. We have several scrap barrels in the shop. One is full of clutches and steels, while the other contain parts not going into a trans or aluminum. Many transmission shops i have worked in just give the scrap to the "scrap man". A guy that comes about once a week to pick it up. It is more economical for us to have him just get it out of our way. (we do take the aluminum, brass and copper ourselves) But the "other than trans" barrels will contain axles, coil and leaf springs, sway bar links, ball joints, tie rods, tie rod ends, brake drums and rotors, bearings and races of various sizes, etc., etc., etc. So get your self down to the local AAMCO and ask what they do with their scrap. Keep in mind though that some shops do return it to the scrap yard themselves. So you may have to go to more than one, and even the ones that do may not mind you rummaging through the scrap for a few pieces. Especially if you let them know what you do and maybe gift them a bottle opener or something you make from the scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 I always ask my steel dealer if they have any steel that is "damaged", short, rusty, etc. I once went home with 90' of 1/4" cold rolled sq stock for the cost of 36' feet of it and they were very happy indeed to clean out their stock bin for it! (I always bought hot rolled 1/4" sq stock as it was cheaper; but they stopped handling it anywhere local down here.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 It's a sad day today, as the welder that had served me so well for the last year or so finally had to follow me away from home and return to the theater of the college where I work. I shall miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrike Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 2500lb of a36, in 3 pieces. One is 2.5"x9"x20'. Our "local" surplus auction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoreland Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) Hello all, newbie here and this is my first post. I've never even struck iron with a hammer but it's something I've been jonesing to do for a long, long time now and I've been patiently waiting for the right time to jump. Anyway I happen to ask a local antique mall owner friend of mine if he's seen any recently, said he had one coming up in an estate sale. So I went today and had some things 'follow me home'. If anyone can tell me anything about this guy I'd appreciate it, I'm pretty sure it's a Fisher and pretty sure the year is 1888. It's in rough shape sure, but I talked them down to $75 for it. All of that for $119. Doesn't seem too bad! Got a vise, railroad chunk, some punches, an old saw and the anvil. My son is probably more excited than I am, now to design a forge (JBOD probably) and obtain a good hammer, apron, safety equipment, tongs and a grinder Edited February 13, 2019 by Mod30 resize photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 16 minutes ago, cmoreland said: newbie here Welcome to IFI... I always suggest reading this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST BTW... your little Fisher is in usable shape, just don't do any milling, welding or grinding on it. Hot steel hammered on it will shine up the face just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Where in West Texas? I have a new student coming over to forge Sunday over here by El Paso.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoreland Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Lubbock, we say West Texas all the time but we're more northwest/panhandle area I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 Texas is big enough to have a number of "wests" in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JME Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 After looking for way too long a post vice found me. I was fixing a heater for a customer and we were talking about building things and he asks me if i have ever tried blacksmithing. So we chat about that for a while and he shows me his shop. He has 5 of these. Different sizes, rusty, missing a spring etc... Then he asks if i want the smaller one for what he paid. Of coarse i said yes for $75. 4 1/2" jaws. Not sure of the make. I am going back to pick it up saturday. We are going to make something. Not sure what but it should be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 SWEET SCORE! A complete post vise AND someone to work with! I hope you bought a lottery ticket, it's your day! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 Talking to everyone is the heart of the TPAAAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADHD-forge Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 A customer didn't wont a scrap pin so i took it home with me. 100mm thick and 700mm long piece of 42cromo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Scrap pin for the scrap bin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADHD-forge Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Custumer orderd new parts and didn't wont the scrap so i'm happy with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 More Kastolite has arrived, courtesy of Lou L. Looking forward to finishing the lining on the gasser! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 To be honest, I'm just as likely to be interested in the pretzel rods as the Kastolite. Those really are some good rods! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiltedWonder Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Pretzels made in my hometown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarroll_us Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Was out helping a friend and spotted some old steel in a building falling in next to his shop. After getting the story on the building and settling on terms I gathered several pieces and took back to my buddies shop to try to see if it'd be useful. As it turns out, it's all wrought iron, not the mild steel I thought it was. It's a shame really, seeing this building full of giant old heart pine and wrought pieces here and there just crumbling. I made a deal to salvage some of it, but using the wrought is out of my league. Maybe I can find someone around the Mississippi or south east area with an extra post vice that'd rather have some cool old metal to play with - because as hard as I've looked, one of those escapes me, but this hundred year old out of production iron fell right in my lap haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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