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

The fan sounds like the best solution. The wood stove is probably moving more heated air out then forge can give up. Probably a pressure/temp thing.

 

I guess time and some redneck engineering will tell. I'll keep you posted.

 

I finished the second English trade knife. Walnut handle, half tang, 3 iron pins. Shellac and beeswax finish. The blade is longer than the handle, just the camera angle throws it off. The handle is wider on this one, than my last one.

 

That looks great Jon truly authentic! Was that the knife that you were making when your son was making his?

 

Here's the start of the pipe for my new draft blower.



This was all done with the help of Scotty Overkill . Thanks Scott! Now it's just up to get it installed turn on the fan and build a fire.

 

I started this one two weeks ago when a friend stopped over when I had the big forge set up outside. My son made his in the soup can forge in the shop.

The walnut was really nice to use. I was real careful setting the pins.

 

I have some walnut to that I plan on using for handles myself. If the forge smoke is taken care of my son said he wants to make a knife. I think he's kind in anxious now, I hope anyways.

 

That should get the smoke moving up the pipe. Your barometric damper should help keep your stove draft from getting too crazy of a draft.

Nice Wilton bullet vise ya have there.

I have a regular Wilton bench vise on a metal stand and a Columbian on the bench.

 

That was actually at Scotty Overkill's shop.

 

Just found this thread! Really make's me think if we all were neighbors, we'd be heluva good friends.
I had/have some friends down in MD that are heavy into knife making. One was close friends to Bill Moran, a pretty well known bladesmith in the area. Another has found a drop hammer and is playing with making Damascus blades.
Metal is cool chit to work with and I just give all the post's here a big LIKE.

 

Did you get anytime to watch some of the old school videos that I posted? If you have some time check them out they are cool! And welcome to our blacksmith thread it's always nice to meet up and talk to a fellow smith.

Although I don't claim to be an expert, I know enough to get myself in trouble. I'll post some pictures of some strap hinges that I made for my blacksmith shop.

 

Video's? my internet is (like I just posted on Gasifier's thread) a tin can pointed to a spaceship in the sky, with a string running across the yard to the computer. I have to get up real early in the AM when I'm un-throttled or whatever they call it. Usually my CRS is fully kicked in at that time of the day and I forget what I wanted to watch.

 

Here are the strap hinges thatI made for my shop. I think it took me abou 80 hours to make 6 hinges. I used 1/4" x 4" flat stock and 1/2" round stock for the hinge pins.

Everything was done by hand with the anvil, hot cutter and hammer. I hot cut the taper. And used a square drift to pinch the holes for the carriage bolts. Hand rolled the socket for the pins.

The doors are 4ft x 8ft and very heavy so I wanted some big hinges. And I knew that I couldn't buy hinges like this at Lowe's.

The hinges fully opened up are 4 ft long.

 

Very nice! I'm glad you mentioned that they were 4' opened up.
I've been half azz collecting old strap/barn hinges for years. A lot of singles and stuff that's been through a fire but still looks cool. One of these day's I'd like to make a frame of some sort to display them. They are mostly from old barns & farm buildings in the MD/PA area that were too far "gone" to save.

 

Me and Scotty Overkill tore down a barn a few years back that I believe was built in 1874 or 1847 I can't remember, I know it was carved on a corner stone along with what I assume is the builders name that Scotty has. He took video of the barn coming down. I hope he can find it and post it, we pulled it down with a truck that was quite comical! I saved some of the timbers to build my 16' x16' blacksmith shop which I put back together just like the old timers did. I had to make wooden pegs and all new mortise and tenons to fit my dimensions. That was a fun project.

Anyways getting off subject Scotty got a few really cool strap hinges off of it they are still hanging in his shop. I'll have to ask him if he can upload some pictures on this thread.

 

Finally got the flue put back together and the fan installed. This is one heck of a fan that will really move the air! Here are some pictures.





I tried it out today and I don't understand there doesn't seem to be much of a change! I mean the fan that I installed moves some major air. I wonder if my spark arrester is helping to impead the flow? The fan is at the top of the pipe above the tee so if anything is pulling from both flues. So in my mind I don't think that there should be an issue!

I wonder if I need to make longer sides on my hood and make it wider above the forge? The bottom of the hood is only about 12" above the fire.

As you can see in this last picture the back of the hood comes down past the forge in the back. Mainly to keep coals from jumping out onto my wall. I thought that this would also help increase the draw?

 

Can you take a burning stick or incense stick and hold it around in different places. Start up under the hood and lower it down to check the draw.

 

Hey fishingpol what kind of coal do you use? I was using Clearfield nut that is washed and screened. It seems to peter out kind of quick. I feel like I am always pulling new coal on the fire. This time I am trying Kittanning coal (not washed and screened) the guy at the coal yard said that it puts out more BTU'S I am going to give it a tryand see how it works out.

I know that can order blacksmithing coal but it's quite expensive from what I can remember because I did look into it.

I'd appreciate any info that you have.

 

I guess that I could do that. I never gave that a thought.

 

I went to the scrap yard today. No coil springs, but I picked up some files and a wrench for twisting. I'll weld an arm on it.

Here is the table to pick from for the smaller stuff. Mostly tools from house cleanouts. Plenty of higher carbon steel here.