Gearing up for hot iron.

                                                       REALLY FOR BLACKSIMTHINGING!!!

I can't wait to get everything together, and start working on something I have always wanted to do here's some of the tools, and other things I've gotten.  

Here's my 70lbs anvil.  Its in really bad shape, but it is a anvil.  The only thing is when you use a anvil that is in bad shape in makes you work bad, so I needed something a little better. 

Ok this is a picece of railroad track.  Its about 45 to 55lbs, and it makes a great anvil.  Good steel, and clean edges.  The next photos down tell the story.

Here's the anvil.  And you can really see how bad the edges are.

Here's the rail.  Nice clean edges.

And here's my forge.  Home made.



I can't wait to get started!  Its going to be great. =)



Merry Christmas

Here are some of the finished gifts 1 Cutting board 2 you should know what that is ;-) 3 lap board.

I had a lot of fun making all the gifts I did, I hope everone had a awesome Christmas.
Happy new year, and God bless.

A cut above the normal

Cuting boards made from Purple Heart and Rock Maple this is the rough stock. 

Here's the stock milled down to the right size.

Here's the order of the wood.

And now the glue up.

The fire inside

This is the sand that you use to sand cast with.  Its fine grade with clay added to keep it togather.  The mix is 80% sand 15 to 18% clay and 5 to 3 % water. 

Ok this is know as a break test.  Take some sand and make a ball, then break it in halve, and if it breaks cleanly then you have good bonded sand.  If not then you need more clay or water.

This is the flask its in two parts the cope ( top halve ) and the drag ( bottom halve ) and they fit right as one part then togaether.

Now the pattern goes in the drag, and the drag is upside down so when the flask is turned upside down the pattern can be romoved.  And use what is know as parting dust ( Baby powder or flour) to keep the sand from sticking to the pattern, and molding board.

Now sift some sand so the finest sand will be around the pattern.

Now use a ramer to press the sand in all the voids.  This ramer has two sides one you see here is the wedged end, and the other is the blunt end or flat end.

After raming up the drag use a strate strait edge to make the bottom of the flask flat.

Ok now the drag is fliped over, and now you can see the pattern.

Now the cope can go on.  NOW this is something to remember use a lot of parting dust, the sand will try to stick from the cope to the drag, and thats bad...

Now ram up the cope as the same as the drag, but there are two things different don't ram as hard you don't have the support like you did when the drag, and also you have to put what is know as a "Sprue" its a path that the metal can got to get into the mold.  Its the PVC pipe that you can see.  The sprue is put into the drag before the sand is added.

Now remove the pipe, and use your finger to make a funel so its easier to pour.

Next take some wire, and go down into the sand almost to the pattern.  These are air vents for the gases that come out from the metal, and the sand.  Poke 1 for ever inch or two over the pattern.

Now then the cope can come off.

Next a "gate" needs to be cut so the metal can flow from the sprue to the casting.

Next the patten is removed showing a nice clean parting line.

Almost there dust the whole pattern for a cleaner pour.

Now then the blast fouge.
Ok I will warn everone reads this.  WARNING this not something that is a toy.  If you are not careful you can lose a foot or a LOT worse.  Fire is energy, and without the right understanding you can, and will get hurt.  So do your research fine someone that knows about this, and above all use your common sense.  Other than that have fun and be careful.

And here is the finished casting. =)

The new color is purple.

Still coming along on the Chirstmas gifts.  Here's one

Oh, and like I said the new is purple.  Take a look at this, I bet most of you have never seen purple heart before. ;-)

Oh, and the crosses are coming a long very well.

Runing on fumes

This is my busiest time of the year, and I hope I can do everthing I need to, most of everthing I have done has gone very well, so think I think I'am going to make it.

As far as Christmas gifts go. I've got 7 of the 9 going, and will soon the others will be going too.

Oh, awesome news I have some of the coolest wood at the shop (Yes wood can be cool.) Purple heart, rock maple. For some awesome cuting boards.

I will have pictures soon.