Above 1200 Sq/FT Cleaning Up My Shop

[drivesitfar]

ANDY: WELL DONE SIR!! making a cool tool out of spare scrap is maybe one of my favorite things to watch and someday do more often myself. even though i've been a bit busy lately i have been watching and reading your daily SATUR day adventures. fighting bulls, making steers, making tools, CLEANING UP, but it's hard to get the image of shifting your truck all day with a nice gal next to you smiling (nope i don't need you to get banned showing me pictures of that).

anyway keep up the great work and i hope you have something cool to make out of all these aluminum cans you are melting.

cheers

 

[jimreed2160]

That's our dad, Andy.

How do you know Andy is our dad?

Look how BigBull acts. He knows Andy is in charge.

Well, I guess Andy IS our daddy. He looks small. Is he really a bull?

Of course he is. Momma said Andy was full of bull.

 

[Craptain]

That's our dad, Andy.

How do you know Andy is our dad?

Look how BigBull acts. He knows Andy is in charge.

Well, I guess Andy IS our daddy. He looks small. Is he really a bull?

Of course he is. Momma said Andy was full of bull.

Another gem from Jim.

 

[Guster]

Awesome day. Nothing better than flames and melting stuff!

Couldn’t find those tapered MIG tips here but the Tweco style ones I have works fine too. They don’t fit my MIG welder either but they were cheap and very consumable. Would like to make a better air adjuster than what I have now. In fact the whole injector adjustment needs to be redone now that I know what I want to do.

But first I had to put a set screw in the air adjuster and make an end diffuser to speed up the mixture. This helps keep the flame at the end of the burner, not back in the burner tube. The guide I was using recommended a 1:12 taper and it is not critical that it be a tight fit. So the heavy large tubing I have fits with about a 0.030" gap and I used it for the air control (left) and the diffuser (right). It was thick enough I got a couple of inches of taper.

I like the idea for the burner nozzle. My burners have been on the backburner(bad pun I know) while I make a tapered drift and find enough stainless pipe to make them. I don’t really have a burner hot enough in the first place to heat them… on the other hand I have steel I can turn an ID flare into… at least to make one working burner to make the nozzles for the 3 burners.

But now I have to hurry, 3D printers will soon make all this work nonsense.

Some 3D printing perhaps. Media is hyping it up more than it is. Laser sintering can definitely do things not possible with conventional casting but the costs are way beyond most of our current means. Just have a look at the Koenigsegg One:1 turbo video as an example.

I see a lot of 3D printing guys now get into smelting and casting for the very reason that 3D printing augments mould making that previously required deft sculpting etc. Allowing you to produce an actual usable metal component rather than a plastic trinket that resembles a component. Same could be said for CNC machining. At the higher end it replaces casting but at the low end it is a complimentary capability to have alongside casting etc. There are a lot of other industries it is also affecting this way. On the other hand CAD, 3D modelling and 3D artistry is still beyond many consumer’s capability as much as crafting a complex wax positive. As a result 3D printing is in slight decline as this reality slowly sets in. Good for a 2nd hand market though.

Almost the very reason I got into doing some R&D fabrication in the first place. Few people comfortable combining machining, welding, mould making and composite construction required for some products. You’d typically have to deal with 3 different companies at a cost and scale that very few could afford unless you were in the specific market or industry that makes the goods in question. CNC could also make my work more efficient but also much more complicated as it introduces new constraints and dependencies. Like hours in front of a PC instead of just in the shed making it to see how it could work.

Soon as I have my gas forge going I will be looking a source for casting sand to justify building a smelting forge too! Where it sits in my list of priorities amongst a 3D printer and a CNC router table is still to be decided though.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I see that the tests were successful

One step at a time! With my fearful eyes. Thanks for stopping in!

Andy: Glad to be along for the ride as you get your forge and foundry business up and running. The round ingots should fit in a piece of 3" PVC pipe for stacking. When you get your mini ingot mold from the dollar store, a 1 1/2" piece should work. Cap the ends for storage.

You said you have to allow room for rising, but you did not mention if you used self-rising, yeast or baking powder for your muffins.

Have a good day and enjoy your Saturday. I am off to finish up what I couldn't on everyone else's Saturday (electrical supply house was closed and the box stores didn't carry the breaker I needed).

Nice idea to store in PVC pipe Thanks! Right now all my aluminum resides in an ice cream box.

Those are ounces marked on each pill.

I forgot to put any leavening in the aluminium

ANDY: WELL DONE SIR!! making a cool tool out of spare scrap is maybe one of my favorite things to watch and someday do more often myself. even though i've been a bit busy lately i have been watching and reading your daily SATUR day adventures. fighting bulls, making steers, making tools, CLEANING UP, but it's hard to get the image of shifting your truck all day with a nice gal next to you smiling (nope i don't need you to get banned showing me pictures of that).

anyway keep up the great work and i hope you have something cool to make out of all these aluminum cans you are melting.

cheers

Thanks! Still looking for a wedding!!

 

[oldironfarmer]

That's our dad, Andy.

How do you know Andy is our dad?

Look how BigBull acts. He knows Andy is in charge.

Well, I guess Andy IS our daddy. He looks small. Is he really a bull?

Of course he is. Momma said Andy was full of bull.

I laughed my donkey off!! But they call me "the farmer", I've never told them my real name. When they see me coming it's "uh-oh, there's the farmer, and he doesn't have feed, let's run".

Another gem from Jim.

I thought he insulted me but my wife just said he knows me. How does he know me?

Awesome day. Nothing better than flames and melting stuff!

Especially when the goal is to melt stuff.

I've melted stuff when that was not the goal

Couldn’t find those tapered MIG tips here but the Tweco style ones I have works fine too. They don’t fit my MIG welder either but they were cheap and very consumable. Would like to make a better air adjuster than what I have now. In fact the whole injector adjustment needs to be redone now that I know what I want to do.

I seem to have lost my link to your thread. Would you kindly post some pictures of your burner here? I don't have a convenient nozzle location adjustment, just put it a little past the air openings and it seems to work well. I could use better air adjustment too. Works ok if I loosen it and tap it gently with a wrench so it doesn't slide too far.

I like the idea for the burner nozzle. My burners have been on the backburner(bad pun I know) while I make a tapered drift and find enough stainless pipe to make them. I don’t really have a burner hot enough in the first place to heat them… on the other hand I have steel I can turn an ID flare into… at least to make one working burner to make the nozzles for the 3 burners.

As you know it takes a lot of force to get a drift into a pipe. I flare on the horn of my anvil and it works pretty good, then sometimes clean up on a drift. I had made a 3/4" stainless flare but when I found the mongo burners I went with the larger burner. My plan is to use a flare in the refractory and leave the burner tip off - after I understand how it runs. I've got a needle valve on the way and pressure gauges. That one came from Walmart - off a $5 air pressure gauge.

I need pictures!!

Some 3D printing perhaps. Media is hyping it up more than it is. Laser sintering can definitely do things not possible with conventional casting but the costs are way beyond most of our current means. Just have a look at the Koenigsegg One:1 turbo video as an example.

I see a lot of 3D printing guys now get into smelting and casting for the very reason that 3D printing augments mould making that previously required deft sculpting etc. Allowing you to produce an actual usable metal component rather than a plastic trinket that resembles a component. Same could be said for CNC machining. At the higher end it replaces casting but at the low end it is a complimentary capability to have alongside casting etc. There are a lot of other industries it is also affecting this way. On the other hand CAD, 3D modelling and 3D artistry is still beyond many consumer’s capability as much as crafting a complex wax positive. As a result 3D printing is in slight decline as this reality slowly sets in. Good for a 2nd hand market though.

Almost the very reason I got into doing some R&D fabrication in the first place. Few people comfortable combining machining, welding, mould making and composite construction required for some products. You’d typically have to deal with 3 different companies at a cost and scale that very few could afford unless you were in the specific market or industry that makes the goods in question. CNC could also make my work more efficient but also much more complicated as it introduces new constraints and dependencies. Like hours in front of a PC instead of just in the shed making it to see how it could work.

Soon as I have my gas forge going I will be looking a source for casting sand to justify building a smelting forge too! Where it sits in my list of priorities amongst a 3D printer and a CNC router table is still to be decided though.

Great comments! I would love to work on prototypes. And the list is: forging, casting, machining, welding, grinding, polishing, and what is composite?

You reminded me I need to retrieve my CNC router table. I never figured out a reasonable programming language and gave it to my grand son. He never tried.

Casting sand is easy, clean sharp sand with 10% fine bentonite added (ground kitty litter) makes a good cheap green sand, they say.

Thanks for stopping in, guys!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Another great Saturday!! Had a rain last night so there's a bit of mud in the cow lot. Pretty good exercise sticking to the mud and muck and manure (they've been eating here all winter) as you're walking along dumping a 50# sack of feed into the bunks and trying not to fall on your ****. I had just finished dumping water out of the feed bunks and took you guys a picture.

Got to the shed by 10:00 and broke for lunch at 2:30. My goal was to make a set of tongs for a crucible I have but have sold a broom needle so I had to do that first, then made four more forgings (out of the curled part of the springs)

I normally make 6" needles but a lady wants two 9" ones. We'll see how that goes. I guess I got them pretty straight by eye on the anvil, for a farmer. (I don't pound on my reference granite)

Set about to make the tongs and they came out ok. (no fabrication pictures, just the same old stuff)

They will fit on a gallon paint can and a smaller crucible. The contact points on the jaws are rounded.

Just in case you guys think I picked these up at Walmart, I took a picture of my maker's mark: AM in Oklahoma.

I used the fly press to make those bends and had the wrong tool in it so one bend has a sharp V. Still plenty of strength.

Can you say "ugly rivet"?

I may replace the rivet. I don't have a 3/8" rivet header (3/8" hole in a heavy plate) and didn't want to make one so I did my best. (I've had these results before and it will work, just looks like a bull's **** ******* with a log chain, and I hate using a bolt, this design is tightened up with a hammer whack)

I keep telling myself they work well and are serviceable. I think we're going to make a proper rivet. On the other hand, this looks quaint...

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: i guess you haven't clicked on the link in my sig line or just had any time to check the WEDDING CHAIR THREAD? or maybe you want me to give you details over here? i have a new son in law as of February 14th and we did a little thing for them to show them off to their friends and are family on the 18th.

cheers and I'm sure i have more to say, but it's your thread and leave the talking and BULLSHITTING to you.

 

[krcoomer]

One step at a time! With my fearful eyes. Thanks for stopping in!



Nice idea to store in PVC pipe Thanks! Right now all my aluminum resides in an ice cream box.

Those are ounces marked on each pill.

I forgot to put any leavening in the aluminium



Thanks! Still looking for a wedding!!

I think I have had your biscuits with no leavening. Good idea to mark the ounces on the castings but if you offer me ice cream I maintain my option to pass.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy: i guess you haven't clicked on the link in my sig line or just had any time to check the WEDDING CHAIR THREAD? or maybe you want me to give you details over here? i have a new son in law as of February 14th and we did a little thing for them to show them off to their friends and are family on the 18th.

cheers and I'm sure i have more to say, but it's your thread and leave the talking and BULLSHITTING to you.

Last I checked the wedding date was a secret, and I think that was the 13th, because the 14th seemed so obvious. I struggle to find time to respond to the few threads I follow in Garage Gallery. And so many more here I'd like to follow but I am a slow reader and time is short

Glad she's married! And from what I know of her, she will be happy regardless of any glitches minor or major, which could have happened.

Congratulations!

I think I have had your biscuits with no leavening. Good idea to mark the ounces on the castings but if you offer me ice cream I maintain my option to pass.

I hear aluminum chip ice cream is pretty cool!

Thanks for stopping in! Cokes are still a dime at the Skelly Garage.

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: the wedding was actually on our REAL SATURDAY the 18th and they went down to the county to fill out paperwork on the 14th to sort of make it official then.

yep i think they might be the happiest couple i've seen in a while and i hope he survives the Army cause i think he's got 15 years left or about that. i'm really hoping that they live a long happy life cause they have a lot to give and you should have heard a couple of their friend's speeches about them it might have made your old eyes a bit wet.

cheers and thanks again for your support of my little girl. if you have time in a couple weeks to click on the Wedding chair thread there will maybe be professional type pictures of the wedding instead of my fuzzy cell phone pics i only had a little time to take cause i was a little busy taking care of my 84 year old parents and a few other things.

 

[Guster]

I've melted stuff when that was not the goal

Don't you hate it when it does that?

Hehehe… I was flycutting a thin plastic wedge for a spacer on Saturday(the day before Sunday this time) Plastic stock was superglued to a piece of aluminium which is a handy way to hold thin plastic stock. I was rushing things along and being hot day already it didn’t take much for the plastic to warm up just enough for the glue to let go… guess why they call it fly cutting??

Not quite the destructive type of melting but I thought you'd get a kick out of it!

I seem to have lost my link to your thread. Would you kindly post some pictures of your burner here? I don't have a convenient nozzle location adjustment, just put it a little past the air openings and it seems to work well. I could use better air adjustment too. Works ok if I loosen it and tap it gently with a wrench so it doesn't slide too far.

As you know it takes a lot of force to get a drift into a pipe. I flare on the horn of my anvil and it works pretty good, then sometimes clean up on a drift. I had made a 3/4" stainless flare but when I found the mongo burners I went with the larger burner. My plan is to use a flare in the refractory and leave the burner tip off - after I understand how it runs. I've got a needle valve on the way and pressure gauges. That one came from Walmart - off a $5 air pressure gauge.

I need pictures!!

Another +1 Lyndon!

I’ll try take some pictures on Saturday(the day before Sunday) and post them up. Just basic 3/4” pipe burners with a 1.5” adapter fitting on the inlet with a bracket welded on the side to hold the injector in the mouth. The airflow control was planned to be a sliding gate across the inlet. Since the injector is essentially 10mm all-thread drill out with a MIG tip in the end, I’m making a large washer out of 1/4“ plate threaded to match the all-thread to give you very fine adjustment. My brackets are too short though so they will be ground off and new ones made to suit the purpose re-using the all-thread injector part.

Yep… drifting. Was hoping to employ the aid my hydraulic press a little bit. Both getting the drift in and then trying to get it back out.

One question though… does that area where you have the pressure gauge fitted not get very hot over time? I have some very nice needle valves but they have plastic stem glands and plastic knobs so have to be a little carful of transmitted heat. Hard finding them as they don’t sell gas fittings like that to public here.

Great comments! I would love to work on prototypes. And the list is: forging, casting, machining, welding, grinding, polishing, and what is composite?

You reminded me I need to retrieve my CNC router table. I never figured out a reasonable programming language and gave it to my grand son. He never tried.

Casting sand is easy, clean sharp sand with 10% fine bentonite added (ground kitty litter) makes a good cheap green sand, they say.

Thanks for stopping in, guys!

Composites… carbon, kevlar, fibreglass, dyneema etc. construction along with all the different resins. I would include FRP/GRP and other plastics like elastomer and rubber into the mix too. You can throw in core materials like all the foams, plastics, honeycomb and of course a lot of woodwork. Then there is all the mould making and the coatings…

CNC router… Oh YES you do!!! Not so much a language as some software that will work along with whatever controller it uses. Mach3 and LinuxCNC is quite popular. I’ve been playing with Autodesk Fusion360 for the very reason as it is free for personal use, great 3D modelling and very useful post processing features. Idea is to start small using GRBL with Ardiuno microcontroller and step up to a proper LinuxCNC with a breakout board as funds permit.

I actually have some fine bentonite that I use to make a refractory coating along with silica but not enough to make a good batch of green sand. Just found a new local supplier that sells industrial green sand by the 30kg bag and it is cheaper than the little bag of bentonite I sourced from a pottery supplier.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy: the wedding was actually on our REAL SATURDAY the 18th and they went down to the county to fill out paperwork on the 14th to sort of make it official then.

yep i think they might be the happiest couple i've seen in a while and i hope he survives the Army cause i think he's got 15 years left or about that. i'm really hoping that they live a long happy life cause they have a lot to give and you should have heard a couple of their friend's speeches about them it might have made your old eyes a bit wet.

cheers and thanks again for your support of my little girl. if you have time in a couple weeks to click on the Wedding chair thread there will maybe be professional type pictures of the wedding instead of my fuzzy cell phone pics i only had a little time to take cause i was a little busy taking care of my 84 year old parents and a few other things.

I'll be checking in. It is such a great thing you were able to do for her, and you know you had many many folks here pulling for you. Congratulations again!!

Don't you hate it when it does that?

Hehehe… I was flycutting a thin plastic wedge for a spacer on Saturday(the day before Sunday this time) Plastic stock was superglued to a piece of aluminium which is a handy way to hold thin plastic stock. I was rushing things along and being hot day already it didn’t take much for the plastic to warm up just enough for the glue to let go… guess why they call it fly cutting??

I do know why it is called fly cutting! I also know a surface grinder makes a great launch pad.

Not quite the destructive type of melting but I thought you'd get a kick out of it!

Another +1 Lyndon!

I’ll try take some pictures on Saturday(the day before Sunday) and post them up. Just basic 3/4” pipe burners with a 1.5” adapter fitting on the inlet with a bracket welded on the side to hold the injector in the mouth. The airflow control was planned to be a sliding gate across the inlet. Since the injector is essentially 10mm all-thread drill out with a MIG tip in the end, I’m making a large washer out of 1/4“ plate threaded to match the all-thread to give you very fine adjustment. My brackets are too short though so they will be ground off and new ones made to suit the purpose re-using the all-thread injector part.

Yep… drifting. Was hoping to employ the aid my hydraulic press a little bit. Both getting the drift in and then trying to get it back out.

Years ago we used a drift to wedge an 8" OD Inconel 800 tube out to match 8-5/8" OD pipe. With a 100 ton jack. Took four guys with rosebuds to get it hot enough to move. It's easier to get it out, just tap around and around and it will come out.

Much easier to get it red and tap around on it over a mandrel. You can't keep it from flaring. By the way, you know "don't force it, get a bigger hammer"? Lots of guys think that's a joke. But if you visualize a 4" diameter steel bar 4 ft long on a bench, you can peen the end over with a two pound hammer and never move it. But a 16 pound sledge will bump it right along and never damage the end.

One question though… does that area where you have the pressure gauge fitted not get very hot over time? I have some very nice needle valves but they have plastic stem glands and plastic knobs so have to be a little carful of transmitted heat. Hard finding them as they don’t sell gas fittings like that to public here.

I'm not worried, it has a cooling stream of both air and cold propane cooling it. I only run mine about 45 minutes but the tube never got above 80F AFTER the air holes. The thermal connection across the ligaments at the air holes is nicely cooled by the air stream. Just not a problem. A longer mixing tube also does not hurt. The only issue would be thermal radiation from the furnace and if you design the furnace to get hot you should be keeping the radiation down.

Composites… carbon, kevlar, fibreglass, dyneema etc. construction along with all the different resins. I would include FRP/GRP and other plastics like elastomer and rubber into the mix too. You can throw in core materials like all the foams, plastics, honeycomb and of course a lot of woodwork. Then there is all the mould making and the coatings…

Duh! I knew that. At least at one time.

CNC router… Oh YES you do!!! Not so much a language as some software that will work along with whatever controller it uses. Mach3 and LinuxCNC is quite popular. I’ve been playing with Autodesk Fusion360 for the very reason as it is free for personal use, great 3D modelling and very useful post processing features. Idea is to start small using GRBL with Ardiuno microcontroller and step up to a proper LinuxCNC with a breakout board as funds permit.

I was using Mach3 on a dedicated computer bought for the purpose. The controller plugs directly into a parallel port. I need some consulting when I get my CNC router back. I'll just drop in on your thread.

I actually have some fine bentonite that I use to make a refractory coating along with silica but not enough to make a good batch of green sand. Just found a new local supplier that sells industrial green sand by the 30kg bag and it is cheaper than the little bag of bentonite I sourced from a pottery supplier.

Great!! I cannot find green sand available less than a pallet, 40 bags. I've got a friend who says his dad's estate has 60 tons of it but he has not yet been forthcoming so I'm still looking and planning on making my own. And this is oil country, a bag of bentonite is less than $5. I just don't have any contacts but I'm working on it.

 

[BBChevro]

... I struggle to find time to respond to the few threads I follow in Garage Gallery...
...

I know what you mean Andy, but I always wonder where you find the time (all those Saturdays probably help - but you get a lot of "real stuff" done too).

... And so many more here I'd like to follow but I am a slow reader...
...

Sorry Andy, I'll type a bit slower.


Great work on the burner.

.

 

[Carsandguns]

Been lurking on GJ for a while but this is my first post. Logged on this afternoon to research re painting my garage floor and came across this thread. Read the majority of it and really enjoyed your stories and seeing the progress you have made. Thanks for sharing!

Headed up to your great state in a couple weeks for the Big Meat Run in Disney Ok. (Jeep Event) Hope these warm temps stay around a little longer.

Wife has been wearing me out to take her to see the Pioneer woman's place also. Glad to hear you approve before I make the 5hr drive each way.


Look forward to following more of your adventures.

Take care,
Chris

 

[Guster]

Nice job on the crucible tongs and yes, that rivet will not compete in any beauty contest. But like my grandfather used to say "doesn't need to be pretty to be functional". He was a farmer too - taught me a lot about practicality and understanding the human condition!

Years ago we used a drift to wedge an 8" OD Inconel 800 tube out to match 8-5/8" OD pipe. With a 100 ton jack. Took four guys with rosebuds to get it hot enough to move. It's easier to get it out, just tap around and around and it will come out.

Much easier to get it red and tap around on it over a mandrel. You can't keep it from flaring. By the way, you know "don't force it, get a bigger hammer"? Lots of guys think that's a joke. But if you visualize a 4" diameter steel bar 4 ft long on a bench, you can peen the end over with a two pound hammer and never move it. But a 16 pound sledge will bump it right along and never damage the end.

Pheww.... lucky I only have to do a gentle flare in 1" SS pipe with ~3mm wall.

I'm not worried, it has a cooling stream of both air and cold propane cooling it. I only run mine about 45 minutes but the tube never got above 80F AFTER the air holes. The thermal connection across the ligaments at the air holes is nicely cooled by the air stream. Just not a problem. A longer mixing tube also does not hurt. The only issue would be thermal radiation from the furnace and if you design the furnace to get hot you should be keeping the radiation down.

True. I have a slightly different issue in that the gas forge burners are overhead, in the convection path so will naturally transmit more heat. Why many of them tee off to the side a bit before the valve is attached. Definitely want valves as I don't always need three burners in my small forge. Those are merely brass ball valves for on/off and then a needle down the line for fine control.

I was using Mach3 on a dedicated computer bought for the purpose. The controller plugs directly into a parallel port. I need some consulting when I get my CNC router back. I'll just drop in on your thread.

Well you are already 90% there. Mach3 just needs a good configuration file with the preset parameters for your controller then you can feed it G-code to control it. Unless you have a desire to learn G-code I would just skip it and go straight to Fusion360 to learn modeling and post processing. More youtube modules on the topic than you can shake a broomstick at which is another good reason to go with Fusion360.

Oh and don't think I missed that one! That was another point for the scoreboard Lyndon... Lyndon, are you even keeping score?

Great!! I cannot find green sand available less than a pallet, 40 bags. I've got a friend who says his dad's estate has 60 tons of it but he has not yet been forthcoming so I'm still looking and planning on making my own. And this is oil country, a bag of bentonite is less than $5. I just don't have any contacts but I'm working on it.

All those tractors and trucks and you never offered to help him 'move' his pallet. Did you even mention that you have a caboose to store it in?

This company wasn't there when I searched last year and is down the road from my machine tool supplier. Just need to ring and see if they are open on a real Saturday. They have other supplies I might be interested in. I would really like to get and investment casting setup for small higher quality castings. I had to go a long way to find kaowool and firebricks for my forge last year. At least I know where to get more for a furnace and have kaolin(bentonite) and sodium silicate left to make a kiln wash for it.

Someone even showed me a working burner too...

 

[oldironfarmer]

I know what you mean Andy, but I always wonder where you find the time (all those Saturdays probably help - but you get a lot of "real stuff" done too).

Life gets in the way of QST for sure. I have much more appreciation than I did in years past of what it takes to keep food in the house and meals prepared and thank my wife daily for all she did for so many years. It often makes her weep, and if you can't make a woman cry you must not be much of a man, eh?

Sorry Andy, I'll type a bit slower.

Yeah, that should help...

Great work on the burner.

.

Thanks! Slowly getting there!

Been lurking on GJ for a while but this is my first post. Logged on this afternoon to research re painting my garage floor and came across this thread. Read the majority of it and really enjoyed your stories and seeing the progress you have made. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for visiting, and for your first post!!

Headed up to your great state in a couple weeks for the Big Meat Run in Disney Ok. (Jeep Event) Hope these warm temps stay around a little longer.

I hope you have good weather too!

Wife has been wearing me out to take her to see the Pioneer woman's place also. Glad to hear you approve before I make the 5hr drive each way.

The Drummonds are rich folks, icons of Osage County and the area but common folks. Ree Drummond is a first class lady and has done her store up right. You'll have a good time. But it's three hours from Disney

Look forward to following more of your adventures.

Me too!!

Take care,
Chris

Nice job on the crucible tongs and yes, that rivet will not compete in any beauty contest. But like my grandfather used to say "doesn't need to be pretty to be functional". He was a farmer too - taught me a lot about practicality and understanding the human condition!

When I was hiring in the engineering business I would far prefer an engineer off the farm, they just had a little more practicality about them. Lots of guys learn after many years of field work, but lots don't. The farm boys start out ahead.

Pheww.... lucky I only have to do a gentle flare in 1" SS pipe with ~3mm wall.

It sure does not take much of a flare, the burning gas also expands rapidly so that helps keep the flame out of the tube too. I've also read that having the flare fit on the OD of the burner tube with the tube wall as a step is also beneficial rather than detrimental.

True. I have a slightly different issue in that the gas forge burners are overhead, in the convection path so will naturally transmit more heat. Why many of them tee off to the side a bit before the valve is attached. Definitely want valves as I don't always need three burners in my small forge. Those are merely brass ball valves for on/off and then a needle down the line for fine control.

Even the brass ball valves probably have a soft seat. Not too many metal to metal small valves. It would be nice to come back a long way to your valves in that instance of burners over the heat. Can you remove an plug burners not in service? Would help extend their life as well I would think. I was planning on building a gas forge but I'm going to try firebrick only. Coal works fine but gas is, well, a gas.

Well you are already 90% there. Mach3 just needs a good configuration file with the preset parameters for your controller then you can feed it G-code to control it. Unless you have a desire to learn G-code I would just skip it and go straight to Fusion360 to learn modeling and post processing. More youtube modules on the topic than you can shake a broomstick at which is another good reason to go with Fusion360.

Gibberish gibberish gibberish, I understand? I do have a broomstick. Do you shake one with or without the broom?

Oh and don't think I missed that one! That was another point for the scoreboard Lyndon... Lyndon, are you even keeping score?

Need another link, please!

All those tractors and trucks and you never offered to help him 'move' his pallet. Did you even mention that you have a caboose to store it in?

60 pallets. 60 tons. I can load 40 bags by hand, or the ten I want. Can't get together with him. Says he also has a small muller I can have, and some mahogany

This company wasn't there when I searched last year and is down the road from my machine tool supplier. Just need to ring and see if they are open on a real Saturday. They have other supplies I might be interested in. I would really like to get and investment casting setup for small higher quality castings. I had to go a long way to find kaowool and firebricks for my forge last year. At least I know where to get more for a furnace and have kaolin(bentonite) and sodium silicate left to make a kiln wash for it.

Someone even showed me a working burner too...

If I was not so cheap I would pay $65 for 48# delivered. I'll spend $130 driving all over creation to get two bags. Hmmm.....

The eyes fear...

 

[oldironfarmer]

I went ahead and ordered some green sand, just two bags. I figure it will help me get a good start and remove one thing I might be doing wrong. Then I can mix my own for replacement. Or not if I'm short on time.

Not much Shop Time today.

I recently replaced a hose on Bob, but he was still suffering some incontinence, dribbling wherever we went. So after feeding this morning I popped his top and had a look. It was all dry inside. Right rear support tower was wet, so the hoses to the bucket tilt were leaking. I replaced the hoses on the other side last year PGJ. One of them blew out and I dumped all the hydraulic fluid before I could get unhooked from a tree with the tree shear. Way down in the woods. The closest I could get with a truck was about 500 ft so I packed tools and hydraulic fluid in and out to make a difficult repair. Old hoses with rusty wire can fail suddenly under load and carrying a round bale bouncing across the pasture is heavy loading. I really didn't want to repair in the pasture. The hoses are old so Bob went straight to the shop. My son in law came over to help and we baptized him in hydraulic fluid. So he jerked his shirt off and kept working.

He's got two 1" wrenches on a TIGHT hydraulic hose to tube connection in a tough spot to even get the wrenches on the flats.

The hoses go up through the tower and connect to more tubing outside.

The tubing can be pulled down a little, but it is stiff. The clamp is off and we have the outside tube wedged to get to the inside tube, and the hoses are off. Not much room for two large wrenches.

So I ran to town and got $100 worth of hose made up. (Actually I drove)

Hoses went in easier than the other side last year. Here's what that connection looks like with everything back in except the radiator overflow tank which obscures everything.

All made up and ready to work the air out of the system.

Most of the hoses were replaced a couple of years before I adopted Bob. But not the toughest ones. The thirty year old hoses are dwindling.

Shed time tomorrow! Then a funeral on Thursday. I need to go for the practice, don't want to mess up when it's my turn. And the widow is a long term friend.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Andy, well done on Bobs incontinence issues.

Its always sad when some one close to you passes away our thought are with you..

Regards

 

[jbmatth]

Andy,
First of all sorry to hear of the passing of a friend, thoughts are with you and yours. Second, glad to see you've breathed a bit of more new life into Bob, I'm sure he appreciates it. Third, how is the Dodge hay truck repair coming along, I haven't heard much about it lately and hope it wasn't too serious.
JB

P.S. I remembered my cord today, woo hoo.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Andy I have to stop looking at all this foundry stuff. I have enough crazy ideas already. Let me know when you start casting iron I can send you many items to practice on. It gets my inquiring mind thinking and my wife already says I think too much! Good work!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy, well done on Bobs incontinence issues.

I just couldn't take him out in public without him making a mess. He needs to get on the trailer and go to town now for a wash out.

Its always sad when some one close to you passes away our thought are with you..

Regards

Thank you! Even though he was old and ready to go, it's not as easy as you'd like. Went to visit him Friday, he recognized me after a bit, then told his wife to get his (wheel)chair. She asked him where he was going "to the cemetery, while there somebody here to help me get there". He was ready. A fine guy, retired car dealer and land developer, collected hatchets. He had at least 500 and a few axes when he sold most of his collection a few years ago. He has been in ill health for several years.

Andy,
First of all sorry to hear of the passing of a friend, thoughts are with you and yours. Second, glad to see you've breathed a bit of more new life into Bob, I'm sure he appreciates it. Third, how is the Dodge hay truck repair coming along, I haven't heard much about it lately and hope it wasn't too serious.
JB

P.S. I remembered my cord today, woo hoo.

Still don't see pictures

Bob didn't really care, he's old and just wobbles along leaving a trail like he doesn't see it.

The Dodge is waiting patiently on the lift. My eyes fear to touch it, but I'll get on it sometime. I really don't know where to start. I didn't run it for several months so the fuel may have algae in it plugging the tank filter. And there is a push connection in the fuel line (which I swear was not there the last time I looked at it, maybe the last transmission repairman put it on to fix a leaking fuel line) which is a little loose. Those push connections can be loose and still seal fine, I need to trace it down and see if it is the feed or return. I think I'm looking for a feed line vacuum leak, it is probably a bad booster pump, but all I've done is think about it

Lazy Andy strikes again!

Andy I have to stop looking at all this foundry stuff. I have enough crazy ideas already. Let me know when you start casting iron I can send you many items to practice on. It gets my inquiring mind thinking and my wife already says I think too much! Good work!

Brass will be before iron, and I'll bet some of the iron items you'd like would be mighty fine in brass as well. I need to find a source for brass/bronze. Lot's of old oil field valves used to be brass and since that business is suffering there might be some opportunities at auctions. But if I go to an auction everything wants to come home with me and I'm so dang soft hearted I usually let it. How does a brass ball peen with OIF cast in it sound? Lets you make gaskets without damaging the sealing surface.

 

[-Brent-]

How does a brass ball peen with OIF cast in it sound?

Count me in! Seriously.

 

[shortykorte]

If your friend Rusty Barnes ever vacations in Florida, I'll introduce him to Rusty Bridges.

"Fire, I'm on fire!" I'm glad you didn't have to run around in your underwear.

 

[krcoomer]

Count me in! Seriously.

If your friend Rusty Barnes ever vacations in Florida, I'll introduce him to Rusty Bridges.

"Fire, I'm on fire!" I'm glad you didn't have to run around in your underwear.

I am in also on the brass hammer. Will take one with the "OIF" or "AM in OK" brand on it.

Shorty, Is your buddy Rusty Bridges an inspector for the highway department by chance?

 

[oldironfarmer]

Count me in! Seriously.

Thanks, very seriously!! We're probably months away, but I am excited about it. I would make a list but know I would have trouble finding it. If I'm successful you'll see a picture here and a call for any interest.

If your friend Rusty Barnes ever vacations in Florida, I'll introduce him to Rusty Bridges.

"Fire, I'm on fire!" I'm glad you didn't have to run around in your underwear.

Well Russell Barnes is for real, and at the refinery we wore Nomex so our pants could never catch fire. Gives you some degree of freedom with the truth.

I am in also on the brass hammer. Will take one with the "OIF" or "AM in OK" brand on it.

Shorty, Is your buddy Rusty Bridges an inspector for the highway department by chance?

Now I've got to get busy. I thought the brand and OIF would give the hammers some link with Garage Journal. I would talk to Garage Journal about licensing requirements but did that with two universities for potential marketing of clay coasters with the university's logo. I just decided I didn't want to obey the complicated rules so I don't want to pursue that anymore. But OIF only exists here and only means anything here so ti would make a decent logo.

Rusty Bridges in Oklahoma.

 

[G20-Budo]

I'd be interested in a brass ball peen hammer with OIF as the logo (depending on cost of course). But that sounds interesting to me. I'll keep on a look out here in the thread..

Thanks Andy!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Finished getting Bob back together today but didn't get him out for a bath.

Received pressure gauges and more propane hose yesterday. So I extended the hose today and installed a gauge on the regulator. The regulator would only go to 15 psi, not 30 like I thought. That was good, because I'm getting 10 psi downstream of the throttle valve so I'm not losing much because of the length of hose. And I'm getting plenty of heat so all is well. With an extra 10 ft of hose (now 35 ft) I have more flexibility for furnace placement. Naturally I fired up the brick furnace again.

I'm mostly melting cans right now but that is the cutoff from a commercial bathroom divider support rail slipping into the soup. I now have 17 muffins adding up to about four pounds of aluminum.

I also built a flask to cast into. The wooden box holds the sand and cavity to pour metal into. The top half is the cope and the bottom half is the drag. I painted each end to make sure they get reassembled correctly.

Now I'm getting worried about finding enough brass!

Thanks for looking in!

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Check with your local plumber. If he is thrifty he has been saving old brass plumbing valves waiting for scrap prices to go up.

Glen

 

[1/2 Cup]

Andy, you have done well.

Following right along on this..

Regards

 

[BBChevro]

Andy, you have done well.

Following right along on this..

Regards

...me too.

 

[Giddyup]

Andy, you have done well.

Following right along on this..

Regards

I am keen on this project also.... can't wait for the updates

 

[bolensboneyard]

Thank you! Even though he was old and ready to go, it's not as easy as you'd like. Went to visit him Friday, he recognized me after a bit, then told his wife to get his (wheel)chair. She asked him where he was going "to the cemetery, while there somebody here to help me get there". He was ready. A fine guy, retired car dealer and land developer, collected hatchets. He had at least 500 and a few axes when he sold most of his collection a few years ago. He has been in ill health for several years.



Still don't see pictures

Bob didn't really care, he's old and just wobbles along leaving a trail like he doesn't see it.

The Dodge is waiting patiently on the lift. My eyes fear to touch it, but I'll get on it sometime. I really don't know where to start. I didn't run it for several months so the fuel may have algae in it plugging the tank filter. And there is a push connection in the fuel line (which I swear was not there the last time I looked at it, maybe the last transmission repairman put it on to fix a leaking fuel line) which is a little loose. Those push connections can be loose and still seal fine, I need to trace it down and see if it is the feed or return. I think I'm looking for a feed line vacuum leak, it is probably a bad booster pump, but all I've done is think about it

Lazy Andy strikes again!



Brass will be before iron, and I'll bet some of the iron items you'd like would be mighty fine in brass as well. I need to find a source for brass/bronze. Lot's of old oil field valves used to be brass and since that business is suffering there might be some opportunities at auctions. But if I go to an auction everything wants to come home with me and I'm so dang soft hearted I usually let it. How does a brass ball peen with OIF cast in it sound? Lets you make gaskets without damaging the sealing surface.

If you make one for me I will do it the honor of a hand made hickory handle. It will be cherished like all the other tools I have that were connected to friends and mentors along the path to my enlightenment in the arts of craftsmanship.

 

[jbmatth]

Andy,
You'll get the hay truck figured out when you decide to stop being lazy on that one. As for brass, scrap yards will usually sell to the public, more than they paid and more than they would get paid but is an easy way to get lots of it. If you decide to make your brass hammers I'd love to buy one, or work out some sort of trade. I'm sure I can find some more vehicles to part out and get some aluminum out of them.
JB

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

Another source of brass you may or may not have thought of.If you still know people in the refining business, I 'm sure they replace gauges frequently.
I really like your broomstick sizing fork from a few pages back. Simple solution to a problem.
I'm sure you dont need it, but you could flip it over and "calibrate" one side for small pipe and/or tubing. We get 18 year old tech scholars here all the time that cant tell 3/8 pipe from 3/4. Dont even mention tubing, that really blows their dress up. You may have a market out there for your tool.
Looking forward to the brass pouring, some Saturday soon.

 

[Growlertdi]

I have a Broom already, I gotta get a matched set just to see the wifes Eyes roll some more

Please put me down for a Brass Hammer with OIF logo on it.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I'd be interested in a brass ball peen hammer with OIF as the logo (depending on cost of course). But that sounds interesting to me. I'll keep on a look out here in the thread..

Thanks Andy!

OK! Thanks!! Hope I can perform!!!

Check with your local plumber. If he is thrifty he has been saving old brass plumbing valves waiting for scrap prices to go up.

Glen

I've got several to check with, thanks for the idea. My dozer guy stopped by to get paid for a septic system and I was melting aluminum. He said he has lots he'll give me, including a bent 24" Budd wheel. Probably 60 pounds of prime aluminum. He suggested talking to water departments about old water meters. Solid brass. They sell them for scrap but that is scrap to the scrap man price, not scrap from the scrap man. He was at a City of Tulsa auction last year and they had 20 pallets with 4,000 lbs of scrap meters on each pallet. Big local scrap company bought them all.

I've probably got 100 lbs of old plumbing fixtures and fittings, and 200 lbs of old brass radiators but I expect that to disappear rapidly when I get going. Unless my interest wanders and I'll have 1,000 lbs of brass to leave to my lucky heirs.

Andy, you have done well.

Following right along on this..

Regards

Thanks! I've been worried this is a bit far off topic compared to the finer points of auto detailing. But I have trouble concentrating on one thing. People always used to tell me "focus Andy, focus".

...me too.

Me three!!

I am keen on this project also.... can't wait for the updates

Thanks! I'm getting more excited by the day and have to throttle my enthusiasm to go methodically for safety. I keep reminding myself I don't want my wife to log on and say "well, Andy had an accident".

 

[krcoomer]

OK! Thanks!! Hope I can perform!!!



I've got several to check with, thanks for the idea. My dozer guy stopped by to get paid for a septic system and I was melting aluminum. He said he has lots he'll give me, including a bent 24" Budd wheel. Probably 60 pounds of prime aluminum. He suggested talking to water departments about old water meters. Solid brass. They sell them for scrap but that is scrap to the scrap man price, not scrap from the scrap man. He was at a City of Tulsa auction last year and they had 20 pallets with 4,000 lbs of scrap meters on each pallet. Big local scrap company bought them all.

I've probably got 100 lbs of old plumbing fixtures and fittings, and 200 lbs of old brass radiators but I expect that to disappear rapidly when I get going. Unless my interest wanders and I'll have 1,000 lbs of brass to leave to my lucky heirs.



Thanks! I've been worried this is a bit far off topic compared to the finer points of auto detailing. But I have trouble concentrating on one thing. People always used to tell me "focus Andy, focus".



Me three!!



Thanks! I'm getting more excited by the day and have to throttle my enthusiasm to go methodically for safety. I keep reminding myself I don't want my wife to log on and say "well, Andy had an accident".

Andy's Brooms and Brass has a nice ring to it. To paraphrase what someone replied in a comment to me, this board is about having a space to enjoy your hobbies and getting things where you can work on them. I drove my wife to an out of town meeting today and got a little excited to see the email from YouTube that you have a new video up. Will get a few minutes to watch it in the morning probably. What you and others are sharing are things that a year ago I might have wondered about, but did not realize the resources are here, like building a forge or making a broom. There are a bunch of people more than willing to help and share what their area of expertise is and I have seen how quick you can get a response (and most of them are not too judgmental).

Also, watch for ammo at the city auctions. My FIL picked up some of the good stuff at one not long ago.

 

[oldironfarmer]

If you make one for me I will do it the honor of a hand made hickory handle. It will be cherished like all the other tools I have that were connected to friends and mentors along the path to my enlightenment in the arts of craftsmanship.

Thank you! You are on my list, you know

Andy,
You'll get the hay truck figured out when you decide to stop being lazy on that one. As for brass, scrap yards will usually sell to the public, more than they paid and more than they would get paid but is an easy way to get lots of it. If you decide to make your brass hammers I'd love to buy one, or work out some sort of trade. I'm sure I can find some more vehicles to part out and get some aluminum out of them.
JB

I'm just cheap and want the best price I can get. I'm sure you've saved Herb's old fuel lines for me I need to see what scrap yards get for old aluminum blocks with heads and pistons. They are likely cheap since they have steel and other contaminants in them. I hope. And I have 1/4 mile of aluminum cable the electrical co-op left for me over by Hallett. Of course it's got a steel wire in the middle so a little work to unwind it.

Thanks again for the visits guys, days are getting longer and I'm starting to get some energy back. Most of the day in Tulsa doctoring today but I did manage a stop by Home Depot. And did some layout for a disabled ramp we're building Saturday. And did go to the shop and replaced the rivet in my crucible tongs. I embarrassed myself with the sophomoric job I did first. By the way I found them online for $225. That was worth making.

Made from a piece of 3/8" rod, insert side

And this side was pounded down with the red hot rivet in the tongs. Would have made a nice picture but I would have had to reheat it, there is no time to waste when heading a rivet.

And I had already made one rivet and dropped it on the floor and could not find it

So I made another rivet and got a nice installation and I had the jaws facing the same way. AAArgh!! I was too aggravated to take a picture. So you are seeing the third rivet tonight. And it is a job to grind and punch a hot set rivet back out.

More distractions tomorrow and ramp build Saturday. Will I ever see the shop again?

Another source of brass you may or may not have thought of.If you still know people in the refining business, I 'm sure they replace gauges frequently.
I really like your broomstick sizing fork from a few pages back. Simple solution to a problem.
I'm sure you dont need it, but you could flip it over and "calibrate" one side for small pipe and/or tubing. We get 18 year old tech scholars here all the time that cant tell 3/8 pipe from 3/4. Dont even mention tubing, that really blows their dress up. You may have a market out there for your tool.
Looking forward to the brass pouring, some Saturday soon.

Refinery scrap is a sensitive issue most places. In the past employees would throw stuff they wanted away then buy it from the scrap dealer. So I'm gunshy of any success there.

Not a bad idea on the gauge. Of course that's how I made it, fit it against bar stock of each size then marked the tangents.

Going to pour brass Saturday.

I have a Broom already, I gotta get a matched set just to see the wifes Eyes roll some more

Please put me down for a Brass Hammer with OIF logo on it.

Alright!!!

 

[oldironfarmer]

I warned everybody how dull my burner light off video was. Now I have an equally exciting video of my baby calves. I think they're cute as bugs ears!

Baby Calves