[TheForge] A small project, questions from a new hammer.

[Dan Scheid]

> Dave skrev:
>
> > On Tue, 2002-06-04 at 16:05, Phlip wrote:
> > > Not sure how big it is- do you know, or does it have markings? but if
it
> > > rings nicely, you may want to use something to dampen the sound- it
can
> > > really get on your nerves after a while.
> >
> > The markings are obscured, it needs a good solid cleaning and a couple
> > hours with a hand grinder.  I'll throw up some pictures soon as I can.
> > The ringing comment was more along the lines of "This isn't dead iron".
> > I'll probably dig up a decent sized stump to mount it on, most likely on
> > a flat creeper so I can move it around (its on a creeper now, but
> > sitting on a pair of I-beams.  Too low for me.  [I'm 6'6"])
>
> OK, FWIW- standard working height for an anvil is to have the face level
> with where your knuckles hit with a closed fist. This is because that's
just
> about the ideal spot for max power and accuracy at the end of your swing.
>
> Depending on your physical strength, rather than putting the anvil on a
> creeper, which has the unfortunate habit of moving at the most irritating
> times, you might want to go with a rounded stump, with the feet well
> anchored into it, and you can roll the entire thing on edge where ever you
> need it in the shop. Duke Andrew's were set up like that, and I had little
> difficulty moving them around as necessary (150 +), and it was often
> necessary, since at the time, he was in a wheelchair and I was afoot, so
> comfort for either of us was very different.
| I put my anvil on a telephone pole (cut to height not the whole thing :-))
set in concrete in a old washtub you can with work move it and it is solid
under the hammer .. at 250# I am not planing on moving it much
Dan Scheid
Flying horse forge
http://home.earthlink.net/~chevalvolant/flyinghorseforge.html
>
> I have my stump cut and set up for just that purpose, although I still
need
> a proper anvil. But, for the meantime, I can configure my two RR track
> anvils and my vise for amazing comfort in doing projects.
>
> > > Ummm, not a good idea for a first project. I'll tell you why in a
> moment.
> >
> > Several folks have pointed out that reheating tempered and potentially
> > annealed steel is going to cause it to lose its temper ("Bad smith!  No
> > hammer biscuit!"), so I'm going to shelve the old blades and just pick
> > up a new set.
>
> Good choice ;-) It's not that it couldn't be done, or that it even
couldn't
> be done by a very careful, well guided, new smith, it's just that unless
> done _precisely_ right, it could be extremely dangerous. I'm assuming
here,
> from your name, that you are a male, and an intact male, and would prefer
to
> stay that way. Even if you don't, I suspect you'd prefer dealing with Drs,
> sterile blades, and anesthesia. I've seen those things go a couple of
times,
> and they usually fly at waist level ;-)
>
> > Using the metal for other projects will be good though... I'll start
> > accumulating my scrap pile :)
>
> Look around- you may have more stuff than you think you do ;-)
>
> > > [comments bout building a coal forge]
> > > You'll also need some kind of blower.....
> >
> > This has puzzled me a bit.  From looking at Ken's forge, and other
> > models I've seen, it looks like the blower blows -directly- up under the
> > coal grate... is this correct?  It sounds like it would blow ash and
> > crud everywhere.
>
> Well, it can- depends on the air volume you shoot through it. But most of
> what you're burning turns into either smoke or clinkers. Clinkers sink to
> the bottom, and ash and smoke go into the top of the building, like any
coal
> fire. Remind me to tell you sometime, about having to get up into the top
of
> a well-used smithing garage, and coming back down in full blackface (and
> hands, and clothes...) That one's at least a two beer story ;-)
>
> Old blow dryers can work fine for a blower, btw- you just need to put a
gate
> in to control the air flow.
>
> > If I build my own coal arrangement, which I must admit appeals to the
> > traditionalist in me - even though I'm sure I'll be working gas as well,
> > I can put something together with brick and stone that'll have a passage
> > for air under the grate, pointing 'up', next to the smoke chimney - I
> > understand the concept of offsetting the chimney behind the heat point
> > and using its 'draw' to pull smoke and cinder away from the smith...
> > (seems eerie, but I've seen it work.  Neat :)
>
> I'd suggest starting with a simple brakedrum forge. They're cheap enough
to
> make, and by the time you finish tuning it to your preferences, you'll
know
> enough about what you want in your permanent forge.
>
> > > Actually, you could make worse choices than charcoal briquettes ;-)
Bad
> > > coal, for one ;-O
> >
> > Interesting.  I got a brief on coal from Ken - use small chunks (1 to 1
> > 1/2", rather than the 3+" pieces that are usually around now), and have
> > a lot of fine material... powder / grit is -good-)
>
> Well, yeah, but different coals have different amounts of heat they give
> out, and proportions of garbage to carbon. What you really want is coke,
> which is easy enough to make on your forge, while you're working, as part
of
> your fire management. Too much clinker is a pain to deal with.
>
> Myself, I want to work more with charcoal, since it's what was used as the
> primary fuel source in the periods I'm reenacting, but so far, I haven't
> found a good source around here.
>
> > > > Thanks, and I'm officially addicted.  Alas.
> > >
> > > OK. You have several problems here. First and foremost, is that you
> don't
> > > really understand what you're doing, the nature of the materials and
> tools
> > > you're working with, and so forth. Basicly you know that if you heat
> metal,
> > > it gets soft and you can shape it with a hammer.
> >
> > That's... a pretty good analysis of where I am.
>
> Been there- we all have ;-)
>
> > > Where are you? Maybe one of us is close enough to help you get
started?
> >
> > Akshully, Marc Godbout is in Derry, and we're talking about doing a
> > gas-forge assembly soon.  I'll need firebrick and plumbing, not to
> > mention decent workspace in the garage (which I don't have at the
> > moment. Gotta move some old projects.
>
> Well, maybe we'll meet up some time. You might look at the
> Smithing/metalworking event I've been talking about in Mass. It's SCA, but
> we'll be making accomodations for non-SCA smiths- my household has agreed
to
> take care of y'all, and help you fit in. Myself, I figure anyone with a
> hammer and a love of playing with fire, will do just fine....
>
> Phlip
>
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