ThomasPowers Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 You can probably get a listing of what coal was in that mine; that's the stuff that state geological surveys love to post info on! "See we really are an economic plus to the State!" sort of thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3ssure Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 How can you tell? The picture is a little fuzzy but it all sneezed the same just some was dirty. There was red dirt or something on a few pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 I can't. . . I was thinking the coal available to us locally, it's in thin seams many only a foot or so thick and all a little different. My bad. Nevermind. Thomas is exactly right, USGS will have more info than you'll ever need, especially where old mines are concerned. Heck the basic maps are available online. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3ssure Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 I've actually looked at a map before. This entire area said bit coal and the anthracite was up in norther PA, I think it even had the different grades in different colors and it was solid here I believe. I was drooling when I was by the mine. Entire hills of coal as far as I could see. If only I could get some without it being illegal. I might try driving up to the office one day and see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 (edited) That's what I was about to suggest. The mines here in KY don't take kindly to non employees roaming around active mine sites looking for loose coal. You may get blown up depending on if there's gonna be any live shots that day. You probably would get arrested for criminal trespassing at the very least. I don't know anything about mining bituminous, but with anth if it's above ground they use anfo filled drill holes to blow apart the active face. Be careful. Pnut (Mike) Edited May 4, 2019 by pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3ssure Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 I just looked it up, the map says high volatile bituminous, not entirely sure what that means. Is that the high BTU coal?. I'm not going anywhere near the mine. Down past where they weigh the trains and for probably a mile or more after that I was finding a bunch of really big pieces like pictured above. So I don't think they would say anything. A few people drove by and I just waved and they waved back. If they do say anything I'll just let 'em know whats up. Edit: just looked it up, low volatile is higher btu. I believe so at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 It's got a high volume of volatiles in it that have to be burned off in the coking process. Pnut (Mike) It's extra smoky They fall off the cars during loading and when the trains start moving. Have you ever heard the cars slam together as they stop or start? You can hear it start at one end and work it's way down the line like dominoes Pnut (Mike) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Just got back from the library and borrowed these welding books and the usual suspects practical blacksmithing, New edge of the anvil, and the art of blacksmithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Another book came in the mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 You're teasing me John, you're a cruel CRUEL man! How many more do you have coming? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Four -- for now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Looks like a happy birthday. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Not blacksmithing related other than it is two and a half tons worth of steel and cast iron. 1956 Imperial (second year of the Imperial as its own line of cars) with the 354 HEMI. Pretty complete car, that I needed like a hole in the head. But, he was getting a lot of offers for just parts, and I didn't want to see it hit the scrap yard after the front clip and engine were ripped out. Solid floorboards, and trunk. Just surface rust on the body since it was a California car then stored in Nevada. Now what to do with it...... get it running and drive it as is, hot rod it... restoring would cost a ton, and would be more than its end value would be, so I now contemplate flipping it, building it as a patina driver, or hot rodding it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Cocker Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 That engine has a lot of potential. My vote would be turning that baby into a sleeper. Leave the patina, give her some new suspension, get the motor purring and then wait for some punk in a Honda who thinks he's fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 I'd get it running and drive it as it looks. Has a great rockabilly look that I'm sure someone would love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 That old Imperial looks like it is in really great shape. Does it run? Tranny, auto or stick? That would look great with some skirts, lowered a tad, chop an inch out the body and 2 out the top. Flat black paint, maybe with some ghost flames. Put a spark plug in the exhaust and get the blue flames going on. Like a 50's tail dragger. (go greased lightin, go greased lightin.) With a flat black paint job you can also get away with polishing or re-chroming the bumpers and just black out the rest of the chrome if it is in bad shape or missing. Also from my understanding the 4 door hard top is a rare car. I will have to ask the old man the name but there is a place here in Dayton that specializes in finding old hard to find parts. I will post it when i find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 My advice would be to get it running and stopping properly, give it a clear coat and leave it stock. This car will never be made again and it is an artifact of the past. Once it is chopped, channeled, frenched, lowered, supercharged and whatever, it is just another fantasy vehicle and you will never recover the money you sunk into it. If you want a ride that is a hot rod, buy one that somebody else already dumped his hard earned green backs into and let them take the loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 A friend brought me a box of random stainless roundbar. The small rods on the left are magnetic, so not sure on them. The bigger stuff there is 7/8". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Cocker Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 That's one heck of a good friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 Strong magnetic stainless is usually a 400 series - 440, 416, etc. but there are other alloys like we used at the shop 15-5, 18-8 if I remember right is also magnetic. 304 is supposed to be nonmagnetic, but it can have a slight attraction. As for the Imperial. I need to get it home and really go over it to see what is missing and what it would need. Definitely engine, trans, brakes. It runs around $3K to do the engine in a stock version, and up to $2K to do the old cast iron Torqueflites. The values of these cars are not what Caddys and Lincolns of similar vintage could bring, and to get it 100% would exceed the value when done. I like the resto mod way myself. Upgrade to disc brakes that are easier to work on and easier to find, maybe a modern fuel injected engine -- a Cummins straight six would fit The 354 weighs in at 720# while a 504 Cadillac is 666# and produces a lot more torque. The old HEMIs do have the cool factor though. That motor in a 2,000# 41 Willys coupe would be more effective than in the 5,100# Imperial. But considering what I got it for, I may just flip it if the market looks good enough, The first thing when it gets home is to open the trunk and see what treasures may be in there. He didn't have the key, so he never opened the trunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 Stopped by the Las Cruces Fleamarket today; looks like it was "Hammer time"! 16# Charles E Hall sledge in excellent shape, 32 oz Fairmont ball peen in great shape and an intermediate weight cross peen: total US$13 Should have picked up the 8# sledge head for $4 but that was my first row----it was gone when I came back with the 20+ pounds of hammers . where was that 16#'r when I was hunting a pair of them for folks in TX? Heading to AR end of this week. Spending the prime fleamarket days on I-40 unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3ssure Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 So I went to TSC today to get something. I was looking around. They not only had square stock, lowes only has round around here, but it was a 4 foot piece instead of 3 foot. So I got a 1/2" x 4' piece of steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 He brought it over during my daughters party yesterday and we didn't have much time to chat so I didn't really even "know" it was stainless till I unboxed it and suspected, so I checked with a magnet. The small rods are very attracted to the magnet while the other stuff has no noticable attraction. I'll ask him next time I see him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 Grabbed these at a barn sale for a song, $1 for the hammer and $0.25 each for the punch and the chisel. They both need some dressing but for that price I could care less. The cross pein is the weight of a light claw hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagr8tim Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 While not strictly blacksmithing, it will need some blacksmithing work. I picked it up at an auction yesterday for $50. It's missing a tine, and I'm hoping I can have one made that looks similar enough to pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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