Big Barn’s Retirement Farm Shop

[TMGT]

I didnt have time, happened to have the money though.
I worked all night, picked up the rollback and drove 1.5hrs, loaded the compressors and drove home, unloaded, finally ate about 1500hrs. Luckily I didn't need to go back to work at 1900 but I didn't know that until a little after 1500 so I was able to get about 4hrs sleep.

Then woke up, left early and returned the rollback which was a 1/2hr in the wrong direction so I could pick up my car and head back to work.

 

[Big Barn]

Ugh. I was more fortunate. The compressor was only 20 minutes away (in traffic) so with loading and strapping it down, round trip was under 90 minutes.

 

[Big Barn]

I had a sheared off 1/2” bolt seized in a piece of angle iron. It required wailing on it with a punch and hammer and would have most likely caused damage to even a BIG bench vise.

Resting it on the corner of an anvil didn’t provide the support for punching it out.

The hydraulic press would have worked but setup would have been finicky and time consuming as the “pushing” needed to be performed on the outside face of the angle.

This is where the swage block (designed for forming metals in blacksmithing) worked nicely supporting three sides of the hole.

First pic. Seized bolt displayed upside down partially punched out.



In punching position on swage block



Bolt removed with punch and BFH



Swage blocks on stand. 200pounds each.

 

[dfkrug]

Swage blocks on stand. 200pounds each.

Wow, nothing like the right tools for the job. And that's in "retirement".

 

[Rustyiron]

I doubt I'll ever reach 100k on mine, ..........

Although they only cost me $500 each and both came with refrigerated dryers

Now it makes sense. I was wondering what you guys needed that much air for in your shop, but that's coming from a guy (me) that mainly uses air to blow stuff clean and air up tires and the blowing part is rapidly being replaced with a cordless Makita blower:laughing:
Great buy!:thumbsup:

 

[Big Barn]

Wow, nothing like the right tools for the job. And that's in "retirement".

The irony is not lost on me...

 

[TMGT]

Theres an gorgeous pair of never used swage blocks for sale near me, wish I could justify the over 2k asking price. Although the price has been dropping......

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

View attachment 608724
Ours has turned over so add 100,000 hours to that.
But in all fairness, it has a rebuilt screw at about 58,000 hours.
The synthetic oil is excruciating high.
Some say it is higher than female giraffe anatomy

It is an Ingersol Rand 25 or 30 hp scroll. We run it at about 105-110 psi. 104,000 hours but like I said, a rebuilt screw was installed around 58,000

Quincy are d a n g good. But I love Kaesar compressors.

There is an English made IIRC compressor called Hydrovane, which is a rotary vane compressor. I saw 2 with about 50,000 hours on each and the guy said they were great.

 

[Big Barn]

Now it makes sense. I was wondering what you guys needed that much air for in your shop, but that's coming from a guy (me) that mainly uses air to blow stuff clean and air up tires and the blowing part is rapidly being replaced with a cordless Makita blower:laughing:
Great buy!:thumbsup:

Pretty hard to beat a cordless blower for shop cleanup.

I have a little one just for that purpose and a bigger one for yard cleanup.

 

[Big Barn]

Theres an gorgeous pair of never used swage blocks for sale near me, wish I could justify the over 2k asking price. Although the price has been dropping......

How big/ heavy are they? I’m surprised they’re not sold. This blacksmith craze has driven prices beyond the reach of regular shop guys.

I was very fortunate to find most of my stuff at extremely good prices.

If I was serious about blacksmithing I would rather purchase a brand new (quality of course) anvil than pay a ridiculous price for used.