JHCC Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Go back and get the rest of it! As you say, it’s great trading stock, and it doesn’t go bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Old wood and Old metal sounds like some GREAT projects to be made down the road a bit when you learn to work it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavpilot2k Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Brand new small Swage Block! 11" x 11" x 2" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Where'd you get that? Never seen one with square cutouts on the edge before. Looks like a custom plasma or waterjet cut job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Looks like it's made from A36 steel if that's whats written on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavpilot2k Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 1 hour ago, JHCC said: Where'd you get that? Never seen one with square cutouts on the edge before. Looks like a custom plasma or waterjet cut job? A Guy on Etsy makes them. Not sure of his process, but it surely involves high heat (scale and discoloration on the surface). $100 54 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Looks like it's made from A36 steel if that's whats written on it. It is. Cut from a solid chunk of A36. The maker also does them in 4140 for $50 more. After much deliberation, I went with A36, as it might deform a bit on a misplaced edge blow, but the 4140 could possibly chip if it work hardened (they maker said he does not heat treat them, but some hardening could occur due to the heat from the cutting process). Anyway, at $100, it's a no-brainer for someone who doesn't already own a swage block. I can send you a link if you PM me. I think he is currently out of the A36 ones but has some 4140 in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 The ones that my Dad made at the college years ago had cleaner edges. We had a small CNC/optical eye torch at the college. It could be run either way, programmed, or follow a drawn line. The cuts were so clean that the edges just needed to be chamfered a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavpilot2k Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 35 minutes ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said: The ones that my Dad made at the college years ago had cleaner edges. We had a small CNC/optical eye torch at the college. It could be run either way, programmed, or follow a drawn line. The cuts were so clean that the edges just needed to be chamfered a little. MOST of these edges are pretty clean in person. The discoloration and large scale flaking off gives the impression of roughness. That said, some of the smaller ones on the right side in the picture are less-than-perfect, but nothing a little file work couldn't fix. They are close enough for my needs. The maker did mention some sort of CNC process, but I don't recall what it was and didn't ask details. But that said, if you can find a swage block in better condition (most of the antique ones I see are in far inferior condition to this one) for anywhere close to the price, you should definitely jump on it. Swages are worse than anvils these days for price. I don't have any skin in the debate - just pointing out that I see what you are saying, and not all of the edges are perfect, but they are better than they look in the pic and better than most antique cast swages you will find. At a fraction of the cost. I'm super happy with the purchase. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Gonna have to set some traps if i find these in my shop i guess These are my twin granddaughters. They decided to come out to the shop. Dont know why grandma made them wear coats, its only about a 110 degrees in my shop with the forge running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Cute kids, but don’t let them hammer on a bare anvil! If Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 When to the town dump the other day and saw this lying on the ground by the scrap metal pile. I'm going to guess it weighs about 75 pounds and will need some added weld to replace a missing chunk and to repair a short crack. A few years ago, I found two tubes of ni-rod there too so all set with repair material! It looks like it mounted on a plate and that it could swivel by loosening and tightening the bottom bolt. I think the bearing is a later addition by the previous owner. It may also need a spacer on the screw to take up some slop at the jaws. The quarter is for scale and the jaws are 4.75" wide. It may end up as my outside vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Check if it is cast iron, or cast steel. If it is cast iron I would not use the nickel rod, as there are better options today. They are not free , but well worth the cost. Depending on the rod, some will need a preheat, or not. Grind the area to be welded, then use a file to take that last bit off if you can, or use a die grinder with a burr. This is suggested to remove the graphite the abrasive grinder smears over the joint. Lay a short bead down-short enough that it is still red hot end to end- then peen the weld as it cools. I use a beefy inline pneumatic needle scaler that does a wonderful job. Remove any remaining scale and repeat as needed. The issue with cast iron is that it shrinks at a vastly different rate than the rod. The peening spreads the weld sideways and keeps it from tearing away from the edges. When all welding is done I heat it up until it is too hot to touch (400f or so), and bury it in gray wood ashes to cool overnight. Now having said all of that, some cast iron grades are not weldable - white for one.. I have also had exhaust manifolds so burned out that there was nothing left. When you ground the crack there were very few, if any sparks coming off the manifold. Brazing rod is the solution for the nonweldable grades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 I was going to use the ni-rod because I have it. I had also thought that I might put down a layer of ni-rod and then use 6011 or whaterver else I might have. I haven't run the stick welder in a few years since the MIG is quick and easy. And as I write this, I wonder about just using the MIG - I've welded up cast iron things with it before but do not know how durable they really are. I do plan on buying a needle scaler too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 Grabbed a few pounds of 1/4” x 1/2” bar from the drop bin at my steel supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HojPoj Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Went to the Boone Pasture Party today, and won a few things at the Iron-In-The-Hat. The humongous flesh fork has a double wheat twist on the handle, the steak turner a pineapple twist. And for a reasonable sum of money I got this from someone's boxes of junk- er, stuff: I'm starting to think I need to cobble together an electrolytic cleaning vat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Thanks for the advice BGD. I began the vise repair yesterday and tried MIG first. I preheated the part with the rosebud and put just a small puddle on the jaw, peened it and then tried to knock it off with a chisel and hammer. It wasn't going anywhere! So I continued my build up and peening and noticed that just the added weld material was getting red while the vise part remained dark. Tapped the added weld and it popped right off. Oh well, I was out about 10 minutes of my life but did learn something. Switched over to braze and added bits of steel rod which is working but I only had one fluxed brazing rod. I'll go to Tractor Supply today to see if they have any. Fortunately, the location of the repair is really not structural but is just a shelf for the replaceable vise jaw to sit. The missing chunk is a product of abuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 On 2/22/2019 at 11:13 PM, JHCC said: Grabbed a few pounds of 1/4” x 1/2” bar from the drop bin at my steel supplier. I’m guessing Aztec steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Good guess. Nice folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 I’m shocked, I’ve never seen anyone looking through the drops there. How’s their selection looking lately? Last time I went (few months ago) it was all big structural steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 So, so. It’s mostly the big stuff, but sometimes you get lucky (like this time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Whats in the box?? happy birthday to me!! and the #100 Vulcan she is putting out to pasture I plan to take a bunch of pictures and srart a thread on anvils by brand after I get it cleaned up and beaten on. First reaction - OMG!! Rebound appears 90% plus and the ring is shockingly loud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eventlessbox Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 What a beauty. I have a pasture she can be put out to if ya wanna come out to florida. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Nice... You might want to resize the pictures you are going to post to something like 640x480 or better yet 500x375. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Will do. Im not very tech savvy and didnt realize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 It's easy, after you post the picture double click on it and a popup box appears that will let you resize it. BTW your Vulcan looks to be in good shape, I would hang on to it and use it for some operations that it may be better suited for than the Kanga, like the step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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