"Backyard Blacksmithing" pounding iron on the forge this evening!

That's way too much for a spoon with a riveted handle!

 

Well, bang some out, and put them on Etsy! Or the FHC swag shoppe, I'd be a buyer.
Not for $250 though. Maybe $75?

 

Not sure I get the $250 price tag on the spoon. Sounds like trend-setting to me.

Now there is something to be said about open hearth cooking with a live fire and watching the food cook.

 

Scotty, that spoon looks to be for organic quail eggs. I'm thinking about $350 for that specialty spoon.

 

Well I finally had enough time to finish my "hot counter" in my kitchen (steel counter to set hot stuff on when it comes out of the oven so it can cool) I guess it's more of a cooling counter. Here's the pictures. I know a few months ago when TurboDiesel and Redfin came down to do some smithing themselves is when I started making the brackets.

The brackets before finishing.



Placed some oak trim on the wall as backer boards and decoration. As you can see I still have no trim in my kitchen, it should be here at the end of next week that's the last thing that my kitchen needs then it will be totally done! I can't wait!




Brackets mounted. Secured with three 3" 5/16" lag bolts in each bracket. Yes I know the brackets are not evenly spaced with the counter top but that's where the studs were. If I knew that I was going to be putting in a counter like this back in the fall when I gutted my kitchen I would've installed some nailers!




All of the holes drilled in the top are top let the heat circulate in the winter time because the radiator is under the counter. This way the heat won't be trapped under the counter. And it can also help cool what ever hot stuff that we place there a little faster.


Closeup of the counter. I sprayed it with a silver hammered paint to give it a textured look. I already know that I am going to be repainting it at the very least ever year because it's paint but that's the look that my wife wanted!

 

And how many holes?

 

Nice work on the scrolling. Not easy without a scrolling jig. What size bar stock is that, 1/2"?

An idea hit me while reading this. An ornate cast iron floor register would make a great top. That's just the repurposing thinking in me.

You could always forge a large iron trivet to save the paint. Weld some small pins to the underside that go in a few holes in the counter to keep it from moving around. Just another reason to make more stuff.

 

I stopped and grabbed a picture of this anvil marking the location of a smithy back in the day. Looks to be an English pattern, maybe 300lbs? It is very stout.

 

238 ?

 

with the radiator under there it is more of a warming rack to me.....................

 

Happy Birthday blacksmith!

 

119 holes but I had to drill them twice, once with a pilot bit then finished with a 1/2" bit.

 

Thanks fishingpol. Yes it was 1/2" square stock. I'll keep the trivit in mind for when I have some extra time to mess around at the forge.

 

It would only be a warming rack in the winter time. Or as this year clear into April was when my heat shut down till fall! Otherwise cooling / warming rack depending on what time of year it is. I was going to build this counter top regardless of where it was going but with how my kitchen is set up that's just where it ended up above the radiator. The original idea was more of a cooling rack for stuff coming out of the oven.

 

Can anyone else see the homemade buns, bread and caramel rolls rising and smell the baking goin on?

 

Mmmmmm I can but getting too fat and need to push that stuff away a little more than I already do!

 

And the guy reaching his arm in through the window to snag some...

 

Here are a few pics of the Old Man of the Mountain fire poker I made for Well Seasoned as a thank you gift for hosting the GTG this past weekend. It was an idea brewing for several weeks.

It started out with a rail spike, grinder and files. Lots of filing to get the profile close.



I used 1/2" stock and and folded a few inches of the stock back on itself to make the point. I drew out the point and tail to make a symmetrical look.

I tried 3x to forge weld the point. It took the first 1 1/2", but kept springing open midway up. I ended up welding it together.



The shaft got two 1/2 turn twists, one in each direction. Lots of satisfaction making clean, symmetrical twists.



My plan was to weld two pieces of round mild steel into the old man's head. That went fine.



I ran into trouble when I forged the handle. The area where I was supposed to drill the holes work hardened, and I could not get holes through without different drill bits. After smoking two bits, it was welding time.



The top of the handle was turned over and I ended up making a twisted 1/4" square stock ring. The length of stock was twisted pretty consistently and then made round on the anvil. I made a careful cut and welded the ends to finish the ring. I filed the weld and it almost looks continuous.

Here it is all done. The phone auto focused on the background, sorry about the fuzzy pic.

 

That looks awesome fishingpol. I really wished that I could have made it up with Scotty so I could meet you. Hopefully at some point it will work out and I can make it up your way.