Nolano Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Railroad spikes are a bit small for hardy tools, also too low carbon, really. My old anvil had a half inch hardy, a railroad spike went into that all the way to the head. So, RegionalChaos, is bear doing his open forge every week? He was saying that he might only do it every other week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmaster1766 Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 these 2 small (and very old)horizontal milling machines followed me home last week, they both work and arent in to bad of condition, i just couldnt think of them going to the scrap yard, so they now reside in my shop, give me something to make some metal chips with till i can get the big milling machine here Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Thomas Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 metalmaster: Excellent score! I didn't think I needed a horizontal mill, but when a Hardinge dropped in my lap (shop, really), I was amazed at how often I used it. It paid for itself several times over on it's very first assist to a blacksmithing project. I used it to mill out the back pieces of some fancy chalkboard sign holders. The cutters are cheap and plentiful on ebay and easier to sharpen than the vertical cutters. The second mill actually looks pretty beefy for a home shop. VERY cool. For a blacksmithing shop, I think these type of older tools are awesome. We don't often need much precision, and they work hard. Did you ever see the directions on using a horizontal mill to scarf flat belt ends for a precision glue fit? It works like a champ. Here's the description and some pictures:http://www.metalworking.com/DropBox/_2000_retired_files/Belt.txthttp://www.metalworking.com/DropBox/_2000_retired_files/Belt1.jpghttp://www.metalworking.com/DropBox/_2000_retired_files/Belt2.jpghttp://www.metalworking.com/DropBox/_2000_retired_files/Belt3.jpg I don't do it quite that way. I use a wide horizontal cutter and welding clamps, but the jig works well, and the principle is the same. Thanks for saving the old iron and sharing the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Nolano: Pretty much. I had to take a week off though. I'm not sure if I'll be out this week or not. The fiancee wants to go dancing in Portland... ( A man can only take hearing "We never go dancing anymore" for so long.. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I went to see my parents this weekend and my dad mentioned getting a new air compressor. So I offered hauling this one off for free. He actually said ok! Ha! So a 5hp compressor for free....Not too shabby. Notice the ifi.com sticker on the back window of the ol' truck too! :-) Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 SWEET! OH YEAH!(Kool Aid) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmaster1766 Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Ed Thomas thanks for the info on the belts, if in a pinch i may hafta try that, a good friend of mine has a belt splicer/stitcher, what ever its called, uses metal links to tie the ends together, and that machine isnt as beefy as it looks, im working on trying to get a bigger one, and an old lathe, i was a machinist for years, and hope to do part time machine shop work after the 1st of the year, and yes, something about old machines i just love, after all, they used those to make most of the precision machines that started everything ill hafta find a picture of my home built lathe to show ya's, guess i should post it in a different place tho Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Thomas Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Ron, The Practical Machinist board: Practical Machinist - manufacturing and machinist forum - home page has several forums, including one just for older machinery. Your mills would be welcome as pictures there. That board does not accept pictures directly. You have to post them somewhere on the internet and provide the link. Not difficult, but not quite obvious either. Since you already posted them here, you can link to the gallery from the machinist board. I use hide glue for the belts. That way if I need to change the belt or remove it, I apply a heat gun for a few seconds and the belt separates easily with no damage. Everything is SOOO much quieter and smoother when I got away from the alligator clips. I still use those on the power hammer because the belt is wide and synthetic, and wouldn't fit in the mill. But I might glue that one someday also. I'm not trained as a machinist, but have been learning a lot, sometimes out of necessity. I just made a roller bearing on my 1911 13" Southbend to fit my ???? (probably 1900 or earlier) Beaudry power hammer. To make steel wedges for fitting screens in a fireplace, I stuck 1" square bars in the vise of my 1943 Steptoe Shaper and and shaped them right up. The SB was free, and the 16" Steptoe (with auto downfeed and universal table) cost $100. I got a slotter (vertical shaper) for $250, and was "forced" to take a camel back drill press with it. A 1950 9J Gorton came for $600.... you get the idea. For less than the price of ONE power hammer, I have a fun and useful machine shop in which I can do just about everything I can imagine. Horizontal and vertical mills, shapers, and bandsaws, and two lathes. I go to the Practical Machinist and read the threads there to learn how to use these tools, and I bought about a dozen older text books and other references for dirt cheap to learn how the older machines were intended to be used. None of these tools exactly followed me home, being pretty heavy and all.... but they were worth the effort to go get at prices that were irresistable. I'd love to see your lathe pictures. Maybe start a new thread with that one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one_rod Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 these 2 small (and very old)horizontal milling machines followed me home last week, they both work and arent in to bad of condition, i just couldnt think of them going to the scrap yard, so they now reside in my shop, give me something to make some metal chips with till i can get the big milling machine here Ron Ron, about the machine in the left hand photo; does that long lever on the front of the machine control the left/right (long axis) table feed, by a rack and pinion rather than a feed screw? If it does, then what you have there is not a milling machine, as such, but a Clock Wheel Cutting Engine. An interesting piece of industrial history in it's own right. Some horologist somewhere might be very interested in a machine like that. Is there any dividing or indexing gear still with it? one_rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmaster1766 Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 Ed Thomas, i put a picture of my lathe in the "Member Galleries" in the Metalmaster1766 album, if you do a search in the gallery, type in "homemade lathe" it will go to the picture, it is a Dave Gingery homemade bench lathe, i still havent finished it yet, still need to cast the tailstock and finish it. One_rod, both of the machines have a rack gear feed on the table, no screw, the machine on the right has an air feed cylinder on it, and no they didnt come with any dividing or indexing gear, i can only wish they did Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 On a trip to Kansas (from Oregon) to visit my son-in-law's family I was followed home by a large Buffalo Forge, complete with working blower and arm and the one legged stand that attaches to the forge to hold extra long pieces in the forge. This belonged to his great grandfather as did the two large post vises I was given. The one on the left is 70+ lbs. the other is 90+. Glad we took the trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 I have converted your images and reposted them into your comments for you. They were saved as bmp and should have been jpg format. For the images to be viewable, use 640x480 in size and in jpg format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredlyFX Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 A friend gave me this recently. It was dragged home by his brother years ago when a pier was being torn down somewhere. He said it has been sitting behind his moms garage for close to 20 years. It rings well and I think the top portion is solid, but the legs are hollow. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it actually. It weighs close to 300 lb, and is pretty flat on top, but it is too long to be useful in my shop. Currently it is just sitting in my storage area until the new shop is built some day and I have more room to move around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Fred, that is some PEICE!!!!!!!! That would be neat for working deep things like pitchers and stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gronk Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Any chance that is a mooring cleat, Fred? You can use it to tie up your battleship. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one_rod Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 It is indeed a mooring cleat, and as such will almost certainly be made of cast iron. In spite of the shape I would be very reluctant to try to use it as an anvil, (if that is what you were thinking). Cast iron and heavy hammers do not mix safely. one_rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GobblerForge Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Fred. You have to have at least one friend wirth a pond, rowboat and a sence of humor. Unless someone has a real use for it, sneak it down to the dock some night and tie the boat or canoe to it. Thats the stuff stories are made of. Gobbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Just picked up quite a bit of heavy angle (2.5"x2.5"x0.25") A local antique dealer, knowing that I blacksmith, said "Hey, I have some old angle iron in the back of the garage, ya wanna stop by and look at it, there's probably 80 or 90 feet if I remember" Sure, I'll stop and look. Ended up being over 250 feet and I got it for about a dollar a yard...The kicker? the stuff has never been exposed to the elements, no rust , and straight as an arrow. Practically new! And of course there's always the beverly B-1 in excellent condition that followed me home because i was the only one at the auction that thought it was worth ten dollars :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredlyFX Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I don't think it is cast iron, it rings like a bell when struck with a hammer. I really think it is cast steel. You can see a bit of a parting line down the top center at one end. I don't plan to use it as an anvil, but will probably set it up once I have a real shop built so I can tap on long stuff, or bend things around it etc. Nothing that might break it, as it is too good of a conversation piece. According to the friend who gave it to me it used to have luxery liners tied off to it in its previous life. I am planning to build a deck on the back of the house some day, and may create a spot for it as part of a railing or seat or something. Time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Fredly; mount it on the deck and get a short piece of 2"+ cable to tie to it with a frayed end---then you can talk about the gullywasher rain you had back in.... Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 This is a 50 lb drop hammer that I came across or rather it came across me, in any event I am now the proud owner of it. I made a bracket to support the rope pulley so that I can move it around but originally the rope pulley would have been mounted overhead on the ceiling or rafters . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan DuBoff Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 That's a nice thing to have follow you home...I felt lucky to have a cast iron forge follow me home, but your gloat takes precedence.:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 yesteryear, Congrats on a very interesting find. What is the intended application of that drop hammer? What type of work was it designed for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 For the light little ones they were often used in the jewelry trades for coining and ornamental die work. I saw the use of a large one (250 kg?) in Germany where a smith used it to turn a chunk of 2" sq stock into a hoe. The drop hammer was used to take each side out of the main piece with a single blow. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 A little better photo of the working end of the hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.