Did a Little Forging Today

[crash325]

I needed another tire spoon. Torch & tanks were stolen some time back. So it was time to fire up the old forge.

So fire up the forge, simple enough right!!
Have some home made charcoal in a 20 gallon can & a few bricketts, put them in an old pan dump on some starter fluid & I'm good to go.

Well maybe not. Forge has not been fired up in several years. Fire grate plugged solid. Hammer crap out of the slots. That is after digging it out of the wet sand. OK now we're in business. Got the charcoal burning & looking good. Dump on some ( Old & Wet ) coal. OOPPS a little too much, puts everything out. Clear out things a little, more lighter fluid & we are good to go. Dann the old blower gear box needs oil, loud grinding noise. Another small set back, pouring oil through a 1/8" hole, but got er done. Fairly soon most of the wet coal is starting to burn, a Little.

Prop 3' by 1/2" cement form stake in the fire. & Crank & crank & crank. Wear out both arms, but making progress. Now hand cranking a forge, banking the fire, + keeping the metal in the right spot does keep one busy. Now a person would not want to do this without a little breeze. Of course it blows the smoke & heat right in your face as you crank. I Have to bend over to reach the crank, Dann my back is killing me. Hey that rod is turning red, not as hot as it should be, maybe the rust is hiding it's color. Time to try the hammer. Nope not a hot as it should be. Back to the fire with it. Fire is really going good now, most of the coal is coked up. Lets give the ole back & arms a rest, Sip a beer in let things simmer. Dogs need more petting anyway. at least that is what they think.

Back to cranking, more coal & the nice breeze. Ah the color is coming up, past red & starting to yellow. Crank a little faster. Hammer away, some progress. Repeat 5 or 6 times. Back is hurting & arms tired. Yes sir it's thin enough, a little grinding & I'm done.

Well maybe not, will look at it when pain is not telling me what to do.

For years I have planned to hook up a electric blower of some kind. Got to get that back on my "To Do" list.
Had my torch not been stolen, in less time than it took to get the forge burning I would have been done. Might have even worked on the tire a little.

The fun goes on.
Jim

More to the story in "Bad Day at Black Rock - Bad year"

 

[LD1]

And at this point you are probably wishing you just bought another spoon right?:laughing:

BTDT. Too many times I decide to make something, and midway through realize it would have been easier just to purchase one.

 

[Gary Fowler]

And at this point you are probably wishing you just bought another spoon right?:laughing:

BTDT. Too many times I decide to make something, and midway through realize it would have been easier just to purchase one.

Usually it is both easier and cheaper to just buy a tool than trying to make it, BUT, you don't get the satisfaction that comes from making it yourself.
Some folks will be up -hit creek when we no longer can buy anything we want as the preppers predict. I do think this will come about some day, perhaps not in my life time though. I am not paranoid enough that I am going to stock up like the preppers.

 

[LD1]

Yes, there is a certain satisfaction to making something yourself.

I was thinking about buying or making one of them manual tire changers like harbor freight and norther tools sell for ~$100 (actually the HF one is on sale for $39).

But even though you can swap tires on a car, still need to take them in to spin balance them but that aint saving much.

But I do have issues with tractor tires. Flats from thorns, or a stick poking in the bead letting air out, or the most recent, stick breaking valve stem. It seems everytime I have an issue, I start off with the though of doing it myself. Out comes the hammers, spoons, prybars, etc. After an hour of sweating and getting no where, I end up loading the tire up and making the whole whopping 4-mile drive to the shop, watch them fix the tire effortlessly in 10 minutes and charge me $10. The whole time thinking I will never attempt tire removal again with how easy/cheap they can do it. Yet everytime I insist on wasting my time and energy trying anyway:mur:

 

[Xfaxman]

Did a Little Forging Today, You can go to prison for forgery! :laughing:

 

[crash325]

Did a Little Forging Today, You can go to prison for forgery! :laughing:

They have to find me first.:laughing:

I pretty much shot my wad on propane & heaters this month. Buying a spoon is out of the question for now. Town is 25 miles away & I hate to go there or even leave here. Too much of a hermit.

The 1 spoon I have was made the same way several years ago. But think I had a helper to turn the crank. There is a certain pleasure in making your own tools, so most of the time I make mine.

It was a lot more fun when I was younger & in better health.

 

[Stimw]

Most shop vacs have a port so you can use it for a blower.
Saw my Dad do that with a canister Vac back in the 60's!

 

[Msamt]

Gotta leaf blower handy? Did wonders for my last bonfire

 

[crash325]

I remembered that there use to be a canister vacuum in the motor home. Well it was gone, but there was a small hand held vacuum. An "Orix XL", Pretty wimpy as a vacuum, but seemed about right for a forge Blower.

With judicious use of a cold chisel ( OK I used a big hammer.) the hand crank blower was removed. Lots of duck tape & other fillers got the small hose up to sealing the air duct to the fire grid. More tape to hold it in & I'm good to go.

Clear the grate, being out of boy scout fluid ( Charcoal lighter ), built a fire the old fashioned way. Paper, kindling & a few larger hunks of wood. Once the larger stuff was burning, turn on the blower. Now we have lots of fire. Let it settle a little & add some coal. Fairly soon it's time to put it to use.

Little blower a tiny bit strong, lots s heat. Within just a few minutes I am hammering away & fairly soon have the spoon finished.

Yes in less time I could have had the spoon done with the hand crank. But now the blower is ready for any future jobs. My shoulder & elbow don't like the hammering, now to find someone to do that while I have a beer or 2 & tell them what to do. :thumbsup:

 

[Underdog57]

Yes in less time I could have had the spoon done with the hand crank. But now the blower is ready for any future jobs. My shoulder & elbow don't like the hammering, now to find someone to do that while I have a beer or 2 & tell them what to do.

Now you need to train an unpaid "apprentice" to pass this valuable skill on to the next generation!