my setup

[theevilmike]

Just thought id post a few pics of my setup, i was getting alot of ringing from my makeshift anvil so i rethunk the process
With a bit of help from the chainsaw, an ash log i had laying around and alot of hammering i have an improved anvil, lots more quiet, and seems to take impact alot better
So after posting this, im going to go and finish trying to rough out a hawk head, and maybe a knife blank

One problem i seem to be having is, while trying to lengthen and compress a leaf spring section, it tends to fold over instead of compressing, so all i really get is to widen and lengthen
Any thoughts on how i can change this?

 

[church&son]

Hey Mike, here's a link where the Gentleman explains drawing out iron and a lot of basic blacksmithing techniques. A round headed hammer moves metal in all directions at the same time. A cross peen has a narrow, wide end that moves metal in 2 directions.
http://www.stormthecastle.com/blacksmithing/blacksmithing-lessons/drawing-out.htm

The last RR anvil I made was turned upside down. The bottom is a lot flatter. I like your forge. I think if you chop your wood a little smaller it will get to useable heat faster. Heat it and beat it.......Randy

 

[COAL CREEK FORGE]

Mike get your forge up in front of your anvil so you don't loose so much heat walking back and forth,and like randy said use small chunk's of wood,when i forge with wood i use 2x2x2 cube's.When you draw the edge ,turn work work flat and draw it that way also continuely rotating back and forth.

 

[theevilmike]

i had just piled a bunch of larger stuff on as i was taking a break to eat and make this post, just to keep everything goung, i tend to use peices about 2x2x4 or smaller
Didnt make it too far on the hawk head yet, but i did make one small knife, but im not done yet
Thanks for the advice Randy and Steve

mike

 

[church&son]

One other observation while the old dudes have you on the hook, it appears the air supply is blowing in at the top of your fire. If you can come in at the bottom or even the side your forge will be much more efficient, not only in fuel but in heat intensity. I have a build along thing on my site of making a charcoal forge, pics may explain it better. Sorry, I get very excited when I see someone using the ways of old.....Randy

 

[theevilmike]

I agree randy, if you look close at the forge youll notice a small hole in the side, i would usually hook my air compressor in there, and that will blow directly up thru many small drilled holes
The setup ive used with the compressor needs work, i havent been able to get very good air controll, either way too much, or not enough pressure
I tried a hair dryer for air today, just to see how well it would work
It worked ok, Im going to try it again, with some fine tuning, and if i get good results, ill revamp the forge to accept a 2 inch line
The link you posted earlier has a build along for a forge along the lines i was thinking
Your build along looks great ive wanted to try it for awhile, lack of funds to get what i need for it right now
i have another as well, its umm well, an old oil furnace and i insert my tiger torch into the combustion chamber, and put my material into the exhaust, that one really seems to work well
Im just suffering from a lack of propane at the moment
Really appreciating the advice guys, Thanks

mike

 

[COAL CREEK FORGE]

I agree randy, if you look close at the forge youll notice a small hole in the side, i would usually hook my air compressor in there, and that will blow directly up thru many small drilled holes
The setup ive used with the compressor needs work, i havent been able to get very good air controll, either way too much, or not enough pressure
I tried a hair dryer for air today, just to see how well it would work
It worked ok, Im going to try it again, with some fine tuning, and if i get good results, ill revamp the forge to accept a 2 inch line
The link you posted earlier has a build along for a forge along the lines i was thinking
Your build along looks great ive wanted to try it for awhile, lack of funds to get what i need for it right now
i have another as well, its umm well, an old oil furnace and i insert my tiger torch into the combustion chamber, and put my material into the exhaust, that one really seems to work well
Im just suffering from a lack of propane at the moment
Really appreciating the advice guys, Thanks

mike

Try to find an old 2 speed leave blower,SHAZAAM-just stand back away from the blowing ash and ember's when you kick it on

 

[church&son]

Hey Brother, I know about the no funds for hobby stuff." We just paid the mortgage last month, I want a new anvil" Here's some from a Boy Scout campout/cleanup years ago where I made the forge with stuff off the trash trailer, an old broken grill filled with dirt and a shop vac using the exhaust side for air with a dimmer wired in to regulate it.

That's two pieces of RR iron sort of bolted together for an anvil. The hammer is a flooring hammer out of my work bag.

We made thirty of these little cutters for the Scouts that day from scraps of re-bar and made the sheaths from a set of saddle bags. We used the first knife finished to cut the leather. Heated, beat and hot filed. Quenched in the water bucket.

This was the day I found out regular building bricks will explode at heat. That night it was all back on the trash trailer.
Creek wrote " Everything I needed was laying around, all I supplied was the desire"......Randy