Blacksmithing Projects Journal

[Big Pete]

Just a quick one for anyone interested in making a forge, the guys here

http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/forum.php

have home brewed all sorts of furnaces and forges, up to and including gear that will do cast iron.

 

[DoghouseForge]

hey guys this is pasted from a jalopy journal thread I started, its was suggested to post over here.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=810045

I went to a yard sale today put on by an old timer who was doing a final yard sale before he closed on his home he was selling. I didn't see anything worth while but decided to see if he had any vises. He said he had a vise on his bench and if I liked it I could have it for $5. He said to walk into the back yard where I would find his garage.

I really didnt have high hopes for the vise but it turned out to be a 50s 4 inch craftsman, the end of one of the jaws had cracked off and it needs a retaining clip on the screw so when you back it off the jaw follows it but it was well worth the $5.

Anyways I nearly tripped over an anvil with no horn when I backed away from the work bench with the vise in hand. I've been looking for a anvil and did want one with a horn but decided to ask if he was willing to sell it. I asked and he said yes he would sell it, told me he had no need for it, needed it gone and if I could pick it up and haul it away I could have it for $5, he also included a really nice body dolly with the $5 anvil and two vise grips for a $1 each...... Yup, you could be stupid and realize it was the deal of the century.

Now I know little about anvils, The corner has been damaged and I looked to see if the horn had been knocked off. Nope it never had a horn, I dont have a head on picture but trust me it never had one, which I find strange. I see no maker marks and the guy said it was really really old.

I'm completely guessing and I do know my own strength, I'm ******* this anvil at 125+ lbs

Any info on the anvil would be helpful, have you seen old anvils without horns before?

It looks like a English colonial anvil and it wouldnt have had a horn.. its very old but in very poor condition so the value is minimal. In excellent condition it would be a collectors item and fethch a pretty penny.

Below
is a link for . - Steve with Matchless antiques blacksmith supply. Message him with a photo and he will tell you exactly what you have.

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...iques&ftab=AllFeedback&sspagename=STRK:ME:UFS

 

[DoghouseForge]

Just a quick one for anyone interested in making a forge, the guys here

http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/forum.php

have home brewed all sorts of furnaces and forges, up to and including gear that will do cast iron.

Thanks Pete, looks like alot of useful info.

 

[Guster]

Plenty of anvils made without horns. At the onset of the industrial age, anvils were produced for a variety of purposes and in many applications the horn was either considered a waste of money or much needed steel. It even got to a stage where anvils and swage blocks were combined for specific applications like making large chain links for the shipping yards etc.

Thanks for that link. There are quite few sites – I’ve been scanning through this one at the moment: http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/65-gas-forges/

 

[Southernbuild]

Home Made Forge

My only critique is that my uncle built it twice as tall as my drawing called for....I never really asked him..he did it for free and has helped me more than I can remember so I just took it in stride and worked with it..

JP

Could you add an additional layer of fire brick in the bottom of the forge, to effectively make the inside closer to the size you need? It seems like that would help with the heat issue, without much trouble.... Just a random idea.

 

[DoghouseForge]

Could you add an additional layer of fire brick in the bottom of the forge, to effectively mayhke the inside closer to the size you need? It seems like that would help with the heat issue, without much trouble.... Just a random idea.

Absolutely, my issue at the time was that it had to live in my trailer. As pictured it weighed over 50lbs. Another row of bricks would have put it close to 70lbs. The swing arm its mounted on is for a 35lb whisper momma.. so it would gave bounced and destroyed itself.

As a permanent shop forge it could have been successful. The only real issue you would run into is it taking two years to cool down enough with all that brick. Admittedly I don't let mine cool completely befre I leave but a decent off period is needed to bring it down to a safe temperature.

Thanks
JP

 

[DoghouseForge]

Custom made Pintels

Custom Pintels for hanging antique doors on a fancy chicken coup

A client from my Farrier Service asked if I could fabricte some new pintels for her chicken coups vintage front doors.. The catch was she needed them to look like they were as old as the doors if possible and be "heavy" in the design aspect..

The coup was built from cedar and reclaimed wood so some Faux Wrought Iron Pintel Hangers would look better than the simple bolt or screw in types availble at the store.


These doors were heavy and the female portion of the hangers was only 1/2" so I was concerned about the weight on such small stock.. To help this and add some design I cut 3" x 5" plates from 1/8" thick sheet, drilled them for 1/2 lag screws and hammer finished the tops to make them look good and worn.

Its not a very complicated job but heres the process:

I aplogize that this post used mostly phone pics instead of the good camera..I will try to remeber it in the future.




Because I dont have alot of fabrication tools I needed to use what was available to achieve the strongest results... My welder is a cheap HF stick and although it claims to be up for weding the thicker material I have found it cant really penatrate anything.

So Included in this process is what I have learned to overcome this issue untill I save up enough to get the shop welder I need.

To begin my helper and I cut post and bases for the pintels


Using the vice I tacked them together in order to make the next step possible.. With a decent welder this would be "the step" and you could just weld the peices together but I needed to go a little further to get complete penetration.






Hot metal will make the crappy welder into a good welder...or well it at least will alow the crappy welder to penatrate like a good welder..Crappy is as crappy is I guess...

So all the pintel post got a little heat put on them



with a nice red heat the metal blends together like butter


So afterwards I reheated and quenched to re-harden the steel and then used the grinders to clean up the seems and make the outside edges rounded for a more pleasing appearence.


With those finished, I hammer forged the steel plate sections just as I did in the previous wrought iron replication post...


The next step was to create a repeatable jig system so I could get all the intels at perpendicular angels to the backing plates... My helper Laura actually came up with the 3/8" bar stock and clamp idea and it spaced them perfectly.


just as before the pieces were tack welded and heated before the completed welds were made




welded and very solid...again the peices were heated and quenched to reharden the steel



The hammer forged back plates looked good and old but the pintels themselves looked really new so the 4.5" grinder and a flap disk roughed them up nicely


Pilot holes were drilled. Before Im corrected for my WD-40 lube I normally have 3in1 cutting fluid but was out so wd-40 came to the rescue.


(because of the uneven surface I use a center punch to set the starting locations this keeps the drill bit from skating on the uneven surface)



The 1/2'' holes were finished and the piece was put back in the fire to be brushed... This heat was alowed to cool down naturaly during the brushing. It helps to bring a bit of flexability to the peice but still keep the strength we have added during the many hardening quenches


Brush and more brush


Coated with a good, thick layer of Hoof packing oil


After cooling completly I wiped the excess oil away and double checked that they all stayed straight during the process.


Not to shabby and sturdy to boot!

And here is the nicest Chicken Coup Ever Built


She was supposed to take a close up for me but I will get one and add it after I do theie barn next week.


Stuff like this is fun and easy...the client was happy and I actually charged someone for something I made outside of the Farrier Buisness.. $20 per pintel and she comissioned a BIG! chandler for her entry way... Its got to be completly made from recycled and reclaimed materials... Im stoked about the job and will post the process as I get each phase done.


Thanks for checking it out and as always feel free to ask questions, correct bad habits, or offer advice for making life easier in the future..

JP

 

[BD1]

Cool, that is some coop for sure. Nice job.
What kind of vise is that ? Looks like it is foot pedal operated; pretty slick.
It's nice having cool toys !

 

[DoghouseForge]

Cool, that is some coop for sure. Nice job.
What kind of vise is that ? Looks like it is foot pedal operated; pretty slick.
It's nice having cool toys !

Thanks and yes its a pedal vise.. if you look back a page or so in the thread there is a post about it.

Let me know If you need any measurement off it

JP

 

[BD1]

DUH !!!!!!!!!!!! I just clicked on the last page. Thanks for being so polite about it !

 

[DoghouseForge]

Knife Making Updates

New tempering process and grinding lessons



Got to work on a couple more knives this weekend. They turned out really nice, and the grinding process is starting to get easier. The Tempering process has also evolved quite a bit since the first blade was forged so I thought a technical update would be viable.

Its not something you would think of or realize untill your in the middle of making a knife blade but the sides of the blade have to be ground not only equally thick but the angles of the blade needs to be the same from the top of the blade all the way to the cutting edge. Its hard because its not easy to see such a minute difference. What I've discovered is that if its not spot on you will only be able to get one edge sharp... That meaning that when you check it with your thumb it will be razor sharp one direction and feel dull in the other. no matter how many times you re-run the dull side it wont take and edge, and when you use the knife it pulls to the sharp side instead of cutting straight...

By lining up the edges at the same angle so that they meet uniformly at the cutting edge you can sharpen the combined point instead of just one side and in turn the knife will cut in both directions... Just something to ponder and work on in the future...

Another new update is with my tempering process.
I have adopted this process from the advice of my mentor(he builds some of the nicest Hoof Knives in our industry), and while it seemed a little overkill I cant convey to you the difference it made in both the process and finished product..

Before i was doing the "estimated" forge tempering based on color and was running the tempering after the grinding was finished. The knives in my home have stayed sharp and durable so it must have worked to some extent to soften the blade enough to have some flex and alow the hone to touch up the blade... BUT... as i am learning I didnt understand the actual reasoning behind the tempering and with my blinders looking only forward to the end result I missed some important reasons why tempering is valuble not only at the finish but also before the process even really begins..

The new formula is as follows:

1. Heat and forge the rasp into flattend , level blanks
2. After final heat allow the blanks to cool naturally and air harden slowly
3. Bake the blanks at 425 deg for 1 hour in the oven (using an internal thermometer to assure temp not the display)
4. Allow to cool in the oven completly
5. cut out blade pattern on the Band saw at very low speed 200fpm and 18tpi...(108" blade so temp buildup is minimum)
6. Proceed to grinding, cooling in water after every other pass or so.
7. Grind through grits to final edge at 800grit dry
8. Bake finished blades 2 full cycles in the oven at 425deg for 1.5hours allowing to cool completly in between cycles.
9. wet sand and polish blade to finish

So thats the new formula...the early tempering after initial forging is really the biggest noticable change. The band saw didnt have to work nearly as hard to cut the tool steel, and the grinding was noticably easier and quicker.

The finished blades have more flex than before and took the final edge easier. (some of the sharpening changes were because the grinding has improved)

In all the knives spent 7.5hours in my wifes oven...this was not ok with her. but it did get me the green light to buy a used oven to keep at the shop for stuff like this. YES!!!

So the final step is re-hardening the cutting edge and it's under experimentation. One the two knives I made this weekend one was re-sharpened at 400, 600, and 800 grit after the final tempering process. It was not cooled during this step and the edge was allowed to get very hot. After the final pass at 800grit I dipped the bottom 1/4" of the blade in mineral oil from the tip to the ****. This oil cooling could possibly be the best way to reharden the cutting edge. Since its out of my budget to buy a "rockwell Hardness" tester; usage and monitoring the blades ability to maintain the edge and its ability to be resharpened (or not) will provide more needed info.

The other blade was left untreated at the cutting edge with a uniform tempering to see if it holds up to usage and resharpening.. Im kinda using it as a controll for future experimentation.


So thats the technical stuff. I realze that folks like pictures and finished products, but just in case someone is trying this stuff on their own I want you to be up to date with the process behind the photographs.

So here are this weekends finished knives. Started on friday mid afternoon and all the steps were completed around 6pm this evening...Patients is being forced upon me...










So you might notice the cool new handle design... the idea came from the process of gluing the Cutting boards together. I decided to try it with lots of scrap pieces and thanks to the new band saw re-sawing is a real possibility. The grizzly ate my glued cube like swiss cheese. (2800fpm is scary and exhilarating at the same time!)










and then cut and sand just like its any other piece of handle wood. I used brass pins on the Padauk handle and copper pins on the mixed wood. Cant really see it in this picture but the copper really looks great!




So thanks for checking it out and I hope you guys arnt totally bored by the heady stuff.

As always let me know if you have any questions or if you have a better way to accomplish something Ive been working on.

Thanks and have a great week

JP




A little something to think about while your working next week (this photo goes out to my man "Aggierailroad" !

WOOD ****!!!!!

 

[Amitygravel]

Good stuff JP.
Great idea in making a laminate out of the small handle material leftovers.
I hate throwing stuff away no matter how small.

Craig

 

[aggierailroad]

You ****.

But the knives rock! Finally got my hands on some padauk and I love it. Are you using shellac on the handles?

 

[DoghouseForge]

You ****.

But the knives rock! Finally got my hands on some padauk and I love it. Are you using shellac on the handles?

Teak oil.... wear mask when sanding the padauk its dust is fine!

And thanks !

JP

 

[BD1]

AWESOME ! That multi colored wood handle REALLY dresses it up. Keep posting, those knives are amazing. About how much time does it take for each one ?

 

[gus1962]

You have awesome boards and knife! I like the forging work you did on the horse shoe! It's cool! Nice band saw too, what blade size does it take?

 

[aggierailroad]

That padauk got all over my shop when I cut it. I just got done rolling everything out and blowing out the entire garage. Looks really good witho mineral oil on it- which I know because the bottle leaked all over my scrap...

Did you ever make another cutting board?

 

[DoghouseForge]

About how much time does it take for each one ?

The answer is TOO LONG! I need a real belt sander because the majority of the delay is in the smaller grinders limitations. If you break it down the actual "working" time frame is : forging takes about 30 min, the bandsaw cutting takes about 15min, the grinding takes about 1 hour, and the handling takes about 1 hour.

So that = 2.75 hours of actual work into each knife

The non working ,non negotiable times like tempering and epoxy setting etc = another 8 to 9 hours

So the honest answer is between 10 and 12 hours.

Nice band saw too, what blade size does it take?

108" long and can handle up from 1/8" to 1" width.

That padauk got all over my shop when I cut it. I just got done rolling everything out and blowing out the entire garage. Looks really good witho mineral oil on it- which I know because the bottle leaked all over my scrap...

Did you ever make another cutting board?

pretty much no getting around that. I guess if you have one of those vacuum based operations it might help but I would be amazed if it didnt still dust everything..

The wood in the "woodporn" pic is actually for just that. I got Oak and Poplar to use as my base fillers. They are 1"thick and in various widths from 1" up to 6"
The the fancy woods are there to make things interesting... Purple heart, padauk, bloodwood, cherry, cocobollo, walnut, and yellow heart.

I need to go pick up another couple vise clamps before i go at it again so I can do it right this time.. Another 2 hours of sanding out the crest isnt really what I want to do. I will keep you posted though. Should be soon now that I have the wood. Unfortunatly, Woodcraft is 2 hours away and the only place around here that sells anything other than the oak/pine/ceder/poplar selections. That kinda made it hard to get around to with everything else going on..



Thanks for the compliments!

JP

I have a fun project that im working on. I think you guys are going to like it. Should be finished by next week so Ill get it posted when its done!

 

[Guster]

Do you have a tempering/annealing oven or do you just run the forge at a lower heat for a long time?

Bandsaw before beltgrinder? Just got your priorities wrong. Time to make a decent beltgrinder!

 

[DoghouseForge]

Do you have a tempering/annealing oven or do you just run the forge at a lower heat for a long time?

Bandsaw before beltgrinder? Just got your priorities wrong. Time to make a decent beltgrinder!

Im using an oven. details on the tempering process are in the last post.. It seems to really be helping

The forge cant be on at all to temper.. Even at the 3lb mark and cracked just enough to keep the mixture solid is running 1000plus deg in there after 5-10 min.. previously I was running it and shutting it off, then putting the blades in and going off of color as to how hot they were getting.. This method doesnt tell you or allow you to controll how long they stay constant at temp. Thats not good enough for blades that I intend to sell or use so I got some help and ammended the process.


The Bandsaw was a great deal and I couldnt pass up the oppurtunity, Belt sander is in the works. Just got to take the shops outfitting one step at a time.. Im thinking of building one of the polorbear forge sanders that a few of the guys on here have posted about...If not that then Im going to just save up the rest of the maoney I need to buy a Bader...

Thanks

JP

 

[Guster]

I've heard of guys using their forges to temper and it goes against my understanding of how tempering works(for larger objects anyway) not to mention being inefficient and costly. I do seem to recollect you had an oven which is why I asked.

Figured that much. A deal for a bandsaw like that is not to be passed on. Fortune never favours finances or priorities. What you have achieved using what you have is impressive. My belt grinder is gaining momentum since I got a better motor last weekend. Drive wheel and tracking wheel assemblies have been done months ago. Finished painting the stand/frame that will host both belt grinder and linisher. Should get on with putting it together this weekend so I can decide on the layout for the half finished tracking/tensioning idler assembly.

 

[DoghouseForge]

I've heard of guys using their forges to temper and it goes against my understanding of how tempering works(for larger objects anyway) not to mention being inefficient and costly. I do seem to recollect you had an oven which is why I asked.

Figured that much. A deal for a bandsaw like that is not to be passed on. Fortune never favours finances or priorities. What you have achieved using what you have is impressive. My belt grinder is gaining momentum since I got a better motor last weekend. Drive wheel and tracking wheel assemblies have been done months ago. Finished painting the stand/frame that will host both belt grinder and linisher. Should get on with putting it together this weekend so I can decide on the layout for the half finished tracking/tensioning idler assembly.

Im looking into one of the "polar bear forge Belt sander kits"

http://www.polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit_assembly.html

I have an extra baldor motor 1.5 hp but not the Variable speed controller and they are a bit costly... Once I get a few other things off my plate Im gonna pull the trigger and build a proper one.

send me some pics of yours when your finished!

Thanks
JP

 

[Garage Dog]

JP - nice work, I have been working to acquire enough blacksmith tools to have a set-up as I run across stuff. Your thread has been useful.

Hope you keep posting as time allows!

Just curious, what is the approximate diameter of the springs on the pedal clamp? They look smaller than the standard garage door springs.

 

[DoghouseForge]

JP - nice work, I have been working to acquire enough blacksmith tools to have a set-up as I run across stuff. Your thread has been useful.

Hope you keep posting as time allows!

Just curious, what is the approximate diameter of the springs on the pedal clamp? They look smaller than the standard garage door springs.

Thansk man , appreciate it!

Ill measure them for you next time im at the shop. I believe they sell them in "weight" loads so I assume that changes the diameter...

Thanks

JP

 

[aggierailroad]

I'll take that motor off your hands.... I'm needing a nice new disk sander!

 

[DoghouseForge]

JP - nice work, I have been working to acquire enough blacksmith tools to have a set-up as I run across stuff. Your thread has been useful.

Hope you keep posting as time allows!

Just curious, what is the approximate diameter of the springs on the pedal clamp? They look smaller than the standard garage door springs.

I measured those springs for you and the are 1.5" in diameter. Not sure of the load value..it was 5 years ago that I bought them...(it is still just as taught after ALOT! of use) as mentioned in the post this is 1 spring doubled over because it was tighter than two at normal length... That being said if I was going tomorrow to buy a new spring I would get a much stiffer version... In fact the stiffest they sell!

Thanks

JP

 

[DoghouseForge]

I'll take that motor off your hands.... I'm needing a nice new disk sander!

"You"ll get nothing and like it , Spalding!"



JP

 

[DoghouseForge]

Serviced the horses feet at the "Fancy Chicken Coup Farm" , you should see the rest of the place..over the top to say the least!


Just wanted to update the pintel photos now that they have had a couple months in the elements to rough them up a bit:

The faux wrought Iron looks pretty good next to the worn out rustic stuff... another 6 months and they are going to really look great!







Must be a 4-H project for one of her kids. The sheet on the left is time specific for each chicken and the eggs collected as well as water and feed records! Intense...

The owners of this place just finished building a huge new house and ask me to make a bunch of pieces for the inside decor. Hopefully, I can accomodate the requested items because I could really use the extra loot. The Belt Sander and sheet metal brake I need are not exactly "important" items as far as the wife is concerned.

Thanks

JP

 

[Garage Dog]

I measured those springs for you and the are 1.5" in diameter. Not sure of the load value..it was 5 years ago that I bought them...(it is still just as taught after ALOT! of use) as mentioned in the post this is 1 spring doubled over because it was tighter than two at normal length... That being said if I was going tomorrow to buy a new spring I would get a much stiffer version... In fact the stiffest they sell!

Thanks

JP

Thanks for the measurement - I could have saved many a garage door spring replacing old doors but never saw the need for saving them (very odd for me). Now I will have to save a set or two for future projects.

GD

 

[bluebolt]

Hey Doghouseforge any idea who made this anvil? Its about 178 pounds, not much use marks on it. It has raised letters USA and IAF on it.

 

[DoghouseForge]

Hey Doghouseforge any idea who made this anvil? Its about 178 pounds, not much use marks on it. It has raised letters USA and IAF on it.

Im affraid i dont and couldnt find it in R.Postmans book so its probably not very old. Looks like a HF anvil but its way to well made looking and the USA marking throws me off... Kinda has Vulcan/Arm n' Hammer shape as well but im honestly not sure since its missing the standard raised side piece logo.

Although its a very nice one, I think this falls into "ASO" territory.

Its not been used though, or at least if it has the blacksmith never missed a blow...

As far as the functionality of it is concerned it's probably a cast Iron base with a steel faceplate. 178 lbs is good weight for forging and the face looks clean. So making knives, leveling, and drawing steel would work with its design. The horn looks basicly useless to me, but Im a snob ... it could handle basic turning stuff but would be hard to set a true radious with it.

There is another thread in the tools section that could very well have what your loking for as far as reference:

Show your anvils:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33788

Thanks for giving me a shot.

JP

 

[bluebolt]

Im affraid i dont and couldnt find it in R.Postmans book so its probably not very old. Looks like a HF anvil but its way to well made looking and the USA marking throws me off... Kinda has Vulcan/Arm n' Hammer shape as well but im honestly not sure since its missing the standard raised side piece logo.

Although its a very nice one, I think this falls into "ASO" territory.

Its not been used though, or at least if it has the blacksmith never missed a blow...

As far as the functionality of it is concerned it's probably a cast Iron base with a steel faceplate. 178 lbs is good weight for forging and the face looks clean. So making knives, leveling, and drawing steel would work with its design. The horn looks basicly useless to me, but Im a snob ... it could handle basic turning stuff but would be hard to set a true radious with it.

There is another thread in the tools section that could very well have what your loking for as far as reference:

Show your anvils:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33788

Thanks for giving me a shot.

JP

Thanks Doghouseforge. Best guess I could come up is it may be a anvil made in Alabama that apears to be out there. Could not find any more info on that. IAF could be I? Alabama Foundry possibly.

 

[bluebolt]

Just did the 1" ball bearing bounce test and it scored way better than I expected, about 85% average as best as I can tell.

I checked my railroad track anvils and they were maybe 45%, I can see the difference that would make after an hour or two at the forge hammering away at a piece of steel.

 

[palmetto slim]

What an incredibly neat and interesting thread. Thanks for posting this.

 

[DoghouseForge]

What an incredibly neat and interesting thread. Thanks for posting this.

Thanks!

JP

 

[DoghouseForge]

Ok, So i havent posted any new projects in a while but Its not for lack of production. The "Doghouse" has been in full fabrication mode for the last few weeks as I try to get ready for the October/Novemeber street markets here in lakeland Florida. (even had to put the Jeep resto on hold, **** is serious! )

Heres some of the stuff thats been finished.

New cutting/Serving boards
New knife work
Hand forged and Turned handles (this will be a fun post to look at)
Handmade Good luck Horseshoes (Not shown as finished in these pics but close to it)
New Shop Sign layout
and some wall pendant ideas that will be finished this week

Some of the inventory


















Over the next few evenings Ill try to get the individual post put up. I have detailed postings for the truned handle forge work, the mini chefs knife and cheese knife build, and some general details about the cutting boards.


For tonight I have a cool Fun post to share as I made a brand for use on my wood working items.

It looks like this


So since my "mark" is established on all the finished products in the shop I thought it would be Fun to include it in the Shops Sign design. I finished the forging of the recycled horseshoes today and will post an update when I get the sign completed.



These are going to be welded this week some time but this is the basic idea,







So, there is alot coming your way from the Doghouse in the near future. Keep checking in and Ill do my best to answer and questions you guys have.

Should have the handle forging demo posted sometime tomorrow night or tuesday.

Thanks!!!

JP

 

[aggierailroad]

Good stuff - your cutting boards are looking pretty good these days

Never caught on that you lived in Lakeland - that's the only city I've been to in Florida. Used to race in the Hooter's pro cup at the track there. Small world.

 

[DoghouseForge]

Good stuff - your cutting boards are looking pretty good these days

Never caught on that you lived in Lakeland - that's the only city I've been to in Florida. Used to race in the Hooter's pro cup at the track there. Small world.

Thanks man,

Is that the Aurburndale speedway or USA speedway...They change the name alot these days. Ive never been to the races there but have a client who's farm is just down the road. Sometimes I have that apointment last on Fridays and you can hear all the cars warming up for the night.

The Boards are coming along nicely. Truthfully, your post about how to clamp properly saved me a ton of time and material since they dont bow up in the middle anymore. The prep work is much more precise now as well. Ive been using an carpenters square to get the miter saw perfect and every piece gets trimmed once the pattern is layed out. I also have a much better grasp of how to manipulate the table saw for the long cuts. Still alot to learn but at least understanding this much has helped. Im going to play with relief work using the table saw on the next board i build. Fingers crossed!

Im affraid that im may be taking it a bit far... Its a cross between overkill and torture device.


Thanks and Ill post the pics of the board builds soon. Got home late tonight and the wife needs some time with an adult instead of just a 1 year old so the detailed stuff will have to wait untill tomorrow.

JP

 

[aggierailroad]

I'm guessing here, but it looks like you are cutting the individual pieces to length then gluing them up, trying to keep them in alignment.

Instead, cut them a little long, or more or less within 3/16" of each other. Glue them up, then, since you have a table saw, cross cut both ends square. Less to fanangle with while gluing up and you will have square corners and straight edges with less sanding.

Be sure to measure from the leading and trailing edges of your blade on the table saw to the fence. That lets you know your cuts will be square to the fence.

I think it was USA speedway when I was going... ? 2007ish

Mo' clamps is betta' clamps!

 

[DoghouseForge]

Well, Im burning both ends trying to get the Markets product line finished by next weekend. Im making some stuff so it can be ordered and some stuff to be sold outwright. All I can say is Im glad i decided to do it this way because its been hard enough to finish what Ive got.

So tonight my wife has retired to bed and my kiddo is long asleep so I think Ill start putting the post I started first of the week together. If I dont get finished dont stone me, Ill get there eventually.

So to break it up there will be 3 seperate post.

A quick look at the most recent knives
Forging/turning the handles
and
Forging a steel rose

So, to begin...The knives:

The system and procedure are the same as the previous knife update. Only difference for this one is that i didnt use the rasp steel. The cheese knives dont get sharpend like my normal knives do and since they are for serving spreads and cutting gewwy stuff regular old steel was adequate.

Drew out my patterns



Cut them out:





since they are supposed to look like mini chef cleavers they got the traditional hanger hole drilled into the upper front corner


Picked handle woods to match the boards they were going to be paired with.


trace and cut


epoxy and rivit ( i used a cool aluminum tube (3/16" ? it think)) I like the pass through look. Adds another aspect to the finihsed design


Paired with the board - Padauk handled knife with padauk inlayed cheese board.


I ended up creating a second knife handle from the trimmings of this board. Im really digging the laminates right now. Its super cool! and its scraps otherwise...


its oak, paduak, and poplar with copper rivits ( my drill press popped a chunk out of one of the rivit holes so i figured better to grind the copper into it than to leave it ragged. Its not perfect but i still think its a nice knife for a frilly serving board.


This is the bloodwood handled knife with theBloodwood centered board. The other woods are walnut, oak, paduak and purple heartwood.



These will be special order items at the market. I dont have the time or resourses to make a stack of these boards or knives. They will go along with the bigger knives and boards as custom ordered pieces.



So thats the end of the first post, I will start putting the Handle forging and turning post together now and get it up in a little bit.

Thanks

JP