Frosty Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 Nah, it's hardly cheating to use your brain. The good lord gave us great big brains and thumbs for a reason you know. Power tools rule! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 Cheap garage sale finds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I have been known to stick a couple of 4x4's with one end trimmed at an angle under some heavy items and drag them with my pickup till we get under a tree branch stout enough and then use a chain and come-a-long to lift it till I could back the truck under it and let it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobb0042 Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Found these two at our local flea market on saturday. £7 for the pair a bargain I couldn't leave behind. Wife on the other hand not too impressed but I see diamonds in the rough where she sees rusty old metal haha and I cannot leave a good bit of crafted steel hanging around. Or steel that has untapped potential for future uses and projects for that matter either. After a bit of a clean up and they are looking much better. Now I have to decide now on the finish or paint. Your thoughts? span widget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Leaves green, stems brown and cups yellow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Crew Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Several years ago i rented an excavator with a jack hammer attachment to break rock for a job. While using it the point broke on the hammer. The rental company tried to charge me for it but there was existing cracks in it so they had to fix it for free. I kept the broken piece for years and recently had it tested , it was 4142 which should be good steel for tools and hammers and etc. Yesterday I stopped to get my truck inspected and while there went next door to a shop that repairs the BIG jack hammers that are used on backhoes and excavators. I asked to speak to the owner. I told him that i was starting to get into forging and that some of his scrap was good steel , i asked if he would be willing to sell me some . He pointed to his scrap bins and said to take what i wanted!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Crew Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 While i was dumpster diving i had to exercise restraint!! The bin had massive amounts of strange and unusual and most likely quality steel. I won't even begin to describe some of the strange things that i did not {sadly} pull out of his dumpster. The things i did pull out are for me and a friend to play with. My friend is friends with a renowned smith and metallurgist Rob Gunther who tested the material from the jack hammer point I broke . Assuming that these points are the same as the one I broke and had tested , there is a lot of good steel there !! The large one is 4-1/2 diameter , the next is 2-1/2 which i will probably make into a hardy cone. the next is 2 " which might make a good hot cut? The plates are 2" thick by 5"-1/4 wide by 9-3/4 or 11-1/2 long. They are made of the same steel as the points and are used as the retainers for the points. one is used on either side of the point to retain it into the jack hammer. If you look closely at the points you will see the flat spot where these "retainers" go. My freind wants these for top plates on striker anvils. After loading up my harvest (more than i need / less than i wanted) I went back and asked what type of beer he wanted and he wouldn't take beer or cash !! It was just scrap to him and he was happy to help , since i was willing to ask and explain what and why I wanted his "trash" I WILL RETURN !! He had up to 8" diameter Jack hammer bits in that bin and all sorts of other treasure. The large stuff would most likely make excellent die stock for a power hammer !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Or an improvised anvil! Or a treadle hammer anvil, or... Many places have to pay to have their scrap hauled off now days as the steel market is down. If you ask and are safe and leave it cleaner than when you got it; you may be doing them a favor too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Picked up this bench top crimper. Gonna make some dies and use it as a guillotine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Interesting! Let us know how it works. This was in the mailbox when I got home: replacement tires for the horizontal bandsaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 A little hint I learned when replacing the tires on my bandsaw, was to take a half inch round dowel between the wheel & tire and roll the tire around the wheel to even out the tension on the tire. Boy it was a tight fit and the directions said not to use any adhesive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Yes, that was mentioned in the instructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Sale Saturday at the industrial surplus warehouse: a magnetic-base lamp ($6), a small drafting table on casters ($5), some kind of grinder/buffer ($6), a 5hp/230v/1ph motor for The Pressciouss ($49), a big C-clamp ($10), a 1/2” portable drill ($10), a 16gpm hydraulic pump ($2. Yes, $2), and a ~10 gallon oil tank on casters ($9). Need to do some modifications and tweaking to get everything the way I want it, but a good deal overall. The casters on the drafting table are probably going under my old belt grinder. The clamp has a chunk of angle iron to cut off. The grinder/buffer has a DC motor attached that I can’t use, but I think I can adapt the 1” wide drive wheel, bearing, and lovejoy connector for something else. The tank has an internal baffle with holes for overflow, so I think it will make a good quench tank, especially if I add a hinged lid. The pump isn’t moving now, but I’ll take it apart and see what I can do with it. The drill works, but the cord is pretty chewed up. The biggest thing is figuring out how to connect the motor to the existing pump in The Pressciouss and get the right power to the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 My first thought was you're getting carried away there John, what WERE you thinking? Second thought is I'm REALLY glad I don't live as close to that place as you do! Tell the truth the surplus sale outfit stopped recognizing my login so I can't buy anything. That really ticked me off at first, now I'm kind of thankful. Did you see the 40" x 40" x 60" granite surface plate? It was in the last chance for $49! What a bargain, I wonder what UPS charges for 7 - 9 tons? (I'm ball parking the dimensions and weight, I don't recall precisely.) Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Went to one of my local tool mongers today. Grabbed some smalls. He had this waiting for me gratis. Someone gave it to him in case he ran into a smith. Any advice and info on what on earth I can do with it is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 That's a chainsaw bar. Spark test it some are in the 60+ pts carbon range and make decent knives. I don't know how it'll etch but it could make a good component pattern welding. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Depends upon the age & manufacture. The old one's made good knives. I read somewhere they were equivalent to 5160. Make a couple of test pieces. Heat to nonmagnetic, quench in water and test with a file and do a snap test to see. If it doesn't harden heat & beat into what ever you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Thanks for the advice yall. I've been meaning to start learning heat treating anyway. And lord knows there is enough stock to dial it in if its hardenable and still have plenty left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 17 hours ago, Eventlessbox said: Any advice and info on what on earth I can do with it is appreciated You could spread butter on the world's largest biscuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Went to the scrapyard Saturday 0# in, 136# out; mainly a large very heavy welding gas? tank. Bell from the top, dishing form from the bottom and the middle makes shells for propane forges. (Way heavier than needed; but it's nice to be able to weld gizmos to it. Mine currently has a movable stock rest, actually 2 one for the front and one for the back and I'm thinking of building a twister that works with the stock piece inside the forge. Might work with some pattern welded billets...) Also the usual old files, punches, 1 VERY old rock chisel looks to be real wrought iron! Probably from the mines around here. I also bought some 3/4" round stock, probably sucker rod pieces but I need to test it. I figure the student who wants to make tongs from 3/4 stock is about ready for another piece after he spent a lot of time forging the hinge plate too thin even after I warned him several times... Almost forgot. I also got a drive chain from an old John Deer hay baler to try in a billet for a neighbor who works as the local JD dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Good Morning Eventless, If you ever find yourself up a creek without a paddle, fasten a chunk of tree to it and bail yourself out. LOL Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 18 hours ago, Eventlessbox said: Any advice and info on what on earth I can do with it is appreciated. Troll's tongue depressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Sewing pins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobasaurus Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 My friend saved me some scrap chain, gears, and axels/shafts from his workplace. The heavy double-strand roller chain makes for a great hold down, and the hammer head I'm working on is from one of the shafts. No idea what steel, it was 1 5/8" diameter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dax Hewitt Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 JHCC, that drill in the photo looks very like one that did its best to kill me. The torque was massive and when the bit stuck in the hole it dragged me round with it. The one I was using had a 3/4 chuck on it rather than your 1/2 chuck but I thought it might be worth a heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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