DallasMakerspace - blacksmithing

Still looking for the chair of this committee to join discord. Or maybe a second in command.

I doubt John will join discord. He barely uses talk

Or hangouts

3:37 PM

Maybe he can get someone who's more active to hop on as a liaison for blacksmithing

Sarah, or best chance might be Mitch McDaniel, his sub chair

Mitch M would be your best bet. He's the vice chair, and who usually the one who responds to things on TALK.

There can only be one Mitch I decree

Mitch fight. I got money on @themitch22 hes small but scrappy

You just picked a highlander fight with someone who does blacksmithing regularly. Ur fucked

1

Strength of materials aside, which would take longer, 3d printing a full broadsword, or smithing one?

3d printing would take longer, if you had an efficient furnace

9:01 AM

Besides, real broadsword vs plastic? Lol

2

Fold your steel and make a nice katana

Chair of blacksmithing reporting in

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2

1

@Ethan(Pax)#5285 i was going to update your roles and permissions on the discord server but i dont seem to be able to add roles to your account. have you verified it? (edited)

1:38 AM

@Limey (MReynolds) id take that challenge to make a full sized broadsword. 3dprinted vs smithed

Lol pearce, that would be cool fun

@pearce should be able to now, I'll also try to be better about watch discord

@Ethan you now have the roles of @blacksmithing chair and the @committee chair role the second allows you to post in the chair only chat #committee_chairs

Awesome thanks

@Ethan so much power

Hey, I'm pretty new to the whole DMS thing and I've wanted to get into metal working for a while so I was wondering what I'd have to do to really get going? Is there like a class I have to take? And what would be some beginners projects you guys can recommend?

@felixsalo Sunday from 10-2pm is open forge. That would be a great intro to what you want to learn. @Ethan can add more details

Okay, thank you

I think the intro class is full.

Forge day still going on in the rain?

no it was cancelled per calendar / talk

:'c

6:16 PM

6:17 PM

Those are stunning works of art

@Draco please tell me you are going to do something for the 10X10 show (submission date Sept 22nd)? Those vines are stunning.

Omg❣️ That is just beautiful❣️

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Sharpening that really pulled it together. Looks so good.

Hey all Where is the best place to get 2x72 belts locally?

I don't know of anywhere local (though I'm sure there is someplace). I read over in general chatter that you don't like Amazon, so I'd suggest either Midwest knifemakers supply or Texas knifemakers supply. Both have pretty good online stores. (edited)

Thanks

@Ethan ordered a great set for me from https://trugrit.com/

jtwebsitedesign

Tru Grit, Inc. | The Leading Edge in Abrasives and Knifemaking Sup...

4:43 PM

The total was $32-38 range

well I think that is the ticket

Hello all, I have a knife making question, and thought this might be the place to ask. Where can I but pins like brass pin to mechanically secure my knife handle?

Generally you'd want two of them minimum about 2 inches apart

Oops

3:01 PM

Sorry, Where can I buy pins like brass pin to mechanically secure my knife handle?

Locally, you can get them at woodworld with some other knife making supplies, but a bit expensive. You can also find brass pins for knife making on Amazon (edited)

Oh that is a great idea

You can get some cool mosaic tile ones online too. If you join knife making groups on Facebook lots of people make and trade supplies like custom pins

That's a good idea, thanks man

I used some brass motherboard standoffs I had leftover from a case build, and used some m3 screws for my first one

don't mind the blood though, totally normal

It's required for the scales

wheres a good place to pick up and anvil and hammers for a home starter setup?

depends on what you are wanting to start with

7:07 PM

an actual anvil?

7:07 PM

or an ASO(anvil shaped object)

7:07 PM

what is your budget

seems like anywhere I'm not, is more viable than where I am. I think Ian mentioned having bought his latest off freindface...

7:08 PM

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/show-and-tell-may-2020/71025/66

Show and Tell May 2020

Got a small blacksmithing setup put together. The forge was made over the last month or so. Found the anvil and stand for a steal on Facebook. The metal for the forge was upcycled from a box tube section that used to be a highway sign holder I bought at Repuposed materials. T...

i could probably work with an ASO

@pearce re: blacksmithing hit me up

Hey, I have $196 I need to spend by today, and I’m looking for a place to buy an anvil. Anyone know a place I can go to, pronto?

northern tool stocks a 60lb for $100 Lewisville claims to have one in store... https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200724433_200724433#

Having been looking for an anvil on the cheap

3:38 PM

You won't find one for that price

3:39 PM

That cast iron one won't work well for you as it's too soft

3:41 PM

I got lucky and a friend had a trailer weight he made out of scrap steel that weighs 110# that I'm using

I cannot vouchsafe quality nor suitability (and I'm relying on the website for availability, so...)

No problem, I solved it. I just barely made it to Texas Farrier Supply in Kennendale and found a used $275, 65-lb Texan. My first anvil! Also picked up a hammer and tongs while I was there, so I’m officially ready to start learning! James is a wonderful guy and he chatted with me for a while about the craft and the North Texas blacksmithing community. He was very knowledgeable and welcoming and he got me set up and good to go.

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6:52 PM

My haul, $349 for the lot. Don’t worry, the spot is just for storage, not work.

lol im sure the table will support hammering

Beautiful! Spousal unit and son are preparing space for blacksmithing, but there is a lack of enthusiasm until the temperatures drop.

ain't that the truth for ANYTHING outside

7:11 PM

even stuff without implicit fire

i did some hammering in the rain a couple days ago

7:12 PM

that was awesome. but fuck the rest of this heat

@pearce It’s surprisingly sturdy for a hinged standing desk. I got it on sale at The Container Store, and it doesn’t budge even if you lean on it. I like it a lot. That said, I don’t think Mom would like it if I set my bedroom on fire. XD (edited)

Can I just use a plain old campfire for a forge if I’m good enough at building campfires?

8:04 PM

I’ve built a blue one before (edited)

youd probably want a coal forge, but im pretty sure the microwave version is the hardest way to go about forging

Is titanium a strong enough metal to construct a rudimentary housing for my fire?

wat

9:23 PM

whats your budget?

9:24 PM

https://www.amazon.com/Blacksmiths-Single-Propane-Knifemaking-Farriers/dp/B07KX3FW9C/ref=asc_df_B07KX3FW9C/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111858656&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6835974561138137492&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026927&hvtargid=pla-589942798214&psc=1 you could get something like this easily

Hmm.

9:27 PM

What’s the cheap coal forge version?

9:28 PM

Which is safer: gas or coal?

depends

9:29 PM

propane is easier to deal with

9:31 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUACTUWMvTA

Black Bear Forge

Coal forge vs Propane forge a look at the pros and cons

coal is old school, and "turning it off" isnt really a thing

9:32 PM

for that reason alone, go propane

Okay, I might be able to afford that in a few months or so. In the meantime, I return to my original question: with mad enough campfire skills, the right kind of wood, and maybe some charcoal, is it possible to bring steel to temperature in a campfire or bonfire?

I doubt it based on how I've seen coal forges work, but maybe?

10:29 PM

Google it and see if anyone has tried

K

10:30 PM

There are wood-fired forges on the market, so the answer may be yes.

you have to have forced air... yes you can do it... but dont let your enthusiasm be a recipe for disaster. for every successfull flame tornado video on youtube, theres so many more serious 3rd degree burn victims

wonder if there have been adaptations of pellet stoves for such applications

@ESmith not that I know of, presumably because forcing temperatures are gonna eat some serious pellets at a pretty crazy rate.

just seems like a possible alternative to coal and propane

@Aesthetys wood fired forging is possible, but not advisable long term. As Doug said, your gonna need forced air and as I said just above this, forced air and forging temperatures are gonna go through wood very quickly- requiring a lot of fuel.

11:22 PM

@ESmith the problem is maintaining temp, and coal is cheap.

more energy dense than wood, even pellets, for sure

if you have a good source of wood scraps wood makes sense, otherwise, coal is ok if you have a place to store it, otherwise, propane may be your best option

11:55 PM

if you are just starting, coal will force you to learn fire control

11:55 PM

propane is consistent usually

given that ~20lb of pellets can heat an entire house for several hours I'm a bit surprised that no one has adapted them for forge usage, however there might be issues with their burn temperature vs coal

Well, some research tells me about a wood called Osage-Orange, which produces 32.9 million BTU's per cord. Place in Kansas sells a truckload for a hundred bucks.

12:20 AM

Apparently the hottest-burning firewood in the US.

I don't think I have anywhere near my house I can build a fire, though, come to think of it, and it would probably melt anything I put it in. I should probably just practice my hammering on clay and be patient until I can buy a propane forge or get certified for the induction forge.

12:28 AM

Speaking of which, I noticed there are no certification classes on the schedule. Is it by appointment for now?

COVID-19 rules have put some crimp on instruction

@qydra, osage-orange is the same tree as bodark/hedge-apple/horseapple/crabapple depending on what you were told to call it growing up. super dense wood, doesnt like to rot, used to be used by early pioneers to build piers for homes. also good for bows.

@doug.emes Is that the tree with the green, brain-textured apples about the size of baseballs?

yes. Maclura Pomifera aka horseapples, osage oranges, hedgeapples, etc. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a879

https://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/zip/d/cranfills-gap-free-bois-arc-trees-great/7173133895.html

Free Bois d' Arc Trees. Great for Fence Posts, Archery...

Free Bois d' Arc Trees. Also called Osage Orange trees. Very Hard Wood after it dries. Highly...

11:12 AM

If you'd like to self- harvest some for future use.

Hardy hole!

1"?

3/4ish

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What’s the best way to apply heat to fuse PVC plastic? Didn’t know which channel to post this question in. I’m guessing any kind of torch is MASSIVE overkill.

1:09 PM

Would a regular Zippo lighter work?

1:10 PM

And I don’t want to get plastic on my soldering iron. Unless I use it to heat the tool that touches the plastic, I guess.

heat gun

Yep, heat gun

Will a 750 degree heat gun do the job, or do I need one that can go lower?

6:39 PM

I’d have to go more expensive to do that

6:41 PM

I think the two-setting one is as high as my budget can go.

Build is finished, thanks for the help.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/323340075604959/

Forging set

Two burner propane forge, 100# anvil, gloves, tongs, and 2 wire brushes.

4:41 AM

Recent post. Looks like a reasonable deal

4:41 AM

No details on anvil

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Hey I'm new to dms lookin' to take part in this blacksmithing meeting, some of the guys in the back shop say I might have missed it but the schedule says 7:30, does anyone know?

Our blacksmithing folks don't happen along here with any frequency. according to the calendar event https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/15821 this is @ 7:30 and in-person-only...

Yep! Thank you Jast, I made it on time. Met with the guys all is well!

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TOOLS EXPLAINED DRILL PRESS : A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it. WIRE WHEEL : Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, 'Oh sh*t' DROP SAW : A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short. PLIERS : Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters. BELT SANDER : An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs. HACKSAW : One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle... It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes. VISE-GRIPS : Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand. OXYACETYLENE TORCH : Used almost entirely for lighting on fire various flammable objects in your shop. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing race.. TABLE SAW : A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity. HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK : Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper. BAND SAW : A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.

1:19 PM

TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST : A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect. PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER : Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads. STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER : A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws and butchering your palms. PRY BAR : A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part. HOSE CUTTER : A tool used to make hoses too short. HAMMER : Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. UTILITY KNIFE : Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use. ADJUSTABLE WRENCH: aka "Another hammer", aka "the Swedish Nut Lathe", aka "Crescent Wrench". Commonly used as a one size fits all wrench, usually results in rounding off nut heads before the use of pliers. Will randomly adjust size between bolts, resulting in busted buckles, curse words, and multiple threats to any inanimate objects within the immediate vicinity. Son of a bitch TOOL : Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling 'Son of a b*tch' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.

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What should I look for or stay away from in a propane forge from Amazon? (edited)

10:36 AM

Is a single burner forge sufficient for my first forge? (edited)

And can anyone vouch for this one? I’m hesitating because it only has 59% 5-star reviews. (edited)

10:45 AM

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Propane-Single-Blacksmith-Farrier/dp/B08DMNTW62/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=propane+forge&qid=1608222827&sr=8-4

Portable Propane Gas Forge Single Burner Knife and Tool Making Blac...

Portable Propane Gas Forge Single Burner Knife and Tool Making Blacksmith Farrier Forge with Stand - - Amazon.com

How do I identify what kind of scrap metal is safe to melt down and reforge? I have this material from the base of a big Christmas tree. I think the X part is steel, and I’m not sure what the pot is made of. I’m slightly concerned that the nuts welded onto the side of the pot may be galvanized and not play well in the forge.

11:37 PM

11:38 PM

It’s a WHOLE lot of stock, though, if I can figure out how to use it.

11:39 PM

I might not try to melt the pot anyway; it came off, so I could use it for something else.

what are you trying to make with your metal?

Beginner projects

Hey guys, I have a need to do some heat treating. Do I need direct approval/clearance, or am I good to go?

I moved a few things around to run some cable for cameras and RFID door locks. Apologies if I didn't get everything quite back in it's original spot.

Unacceptable!

8:37 AM

How dare you move things for progress!

8:37 AM

Evan Lott

I moved a few things around to run some cable for cameras and RFID door locks. Apologies if I didn't get everything quite back in it's original spot.

No worries. We are still rearranging.

https://youtu.be/s3O2hwLcVUE

Fireball Tool

What makes this Anvil so special?

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pearce

https://youtu.be/s3O2hwLcVUE

That's pretty sexy.

stupid q's time... (as always when it's coming from me

) did I see a 2nd induction forge sitting in the warehouse near BS? Are there plans on getting 2 (or more) of those baddies operational? Enquiring minds, etc. (edited)

From what I understand the second one was replaced because it wasn't as functional as it needed to be. It is really old and worn out. LOL We aren't currently planning on having two operational induction forges.

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Has anyone ever made knife handles from bone? I've got a cow jaw bone that I'm thinking of using

Made some from antler, but not bone. its a stinky process

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In the middle ages most blacksmiths not only made weapons, but sold them right out of their "smithy" directly to their customers, avoiding third party sellers entirely. It's a classic example of He who smelt it dealt it!

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I'm in basque country in Spain. Went on a hike today to the foundry that made all of Magellan's ships metal work back in the 15th century.

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9:00 AM

9:03 AM

Never thought I'd see a 15th century auto hammer.

9:03 AM

It's driven by the water wheel

uhmayzing! Thank you for sharing those!

That's so cool!

Unbelievably impressive…..to think of the available technology back then

Holysnikees so cool.

nice

7:34 PM

have you done quenching yet?

No, going to get a lot of the grinding done before I harden and temper

I haven't used the induction forge in like 2 years. Is there anyone who could give me and my kid a quick refresher?

https://www.facebook.com/reel/438476014872794?s=cl&fs=e

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Pretty sure my furnace isn't supposed to get *that hot" on the outside

oh shit

This is a new unit too; I got sick of making new ones over the years as they eventually burn out, so finally caved and bought a unit.

12:45 AM

And ofc this happens

12:45 AM

I ran a few ingot pours fine keeping an eye on it, but it's not something to leave like that for sure

QA failed

Ouch!

Made adjustments to the insulation and it seems to be better. Still keeping an eye on it. Looks like the factory made the opening in the material a little small, causing flame to sit between it and the wall in that spot

6:17 PM

So another night of smelting goes

My DANGER WHISK has been surprisingly useful for keeping things smooth. Need to grab some borax to get a little better flow

7:24 PM

Mount slag big as usual for aluminium can stock (plastic liner and paint). There's more aluminium in it then I'd like. My current pyrometer doesn't get to temp fast enough to see if surface temp is just too low for separation or if I need additives just to later better. The borax may actually help with this anyway

Finally cool enough to measure (that thermal mass be somethin) Not even halfway through my can backlog

I need to melt more brass

Aluminum casting looks like fun. You just don't want moisture I know

1:36 PM

It would be nice if it's good enough to machine

1:36 PM

I'd imagine it's pourous and brittle for machining

I'm gonna find out eventually. I expect poor machining but who knows

You can improve the properties of the cast by using known quality aluminum ( not just random melted down scrap), and there are chemicals you can add to help degass or otherwise promote more consistent casting

11:26 PM

A lot of the casting that I have seen done here in the past was using aluminum cans or extrusions of one type or another, which typically are alloys that aren't ideal for casting

11:26 PM

Works fine to practice with or for non structural pieces

11:30 PM

Quick Google search pops up the 300 series alloys for better casting properties

The point of the can aluminium is just fun, decorative and doing something with the large volume of cans consumed in my home

2:19 PM

Addition of Borax typically helps in terms of flow; bigger issue is first need to cast stock, then cast for pouring. Too many impurities to scrape out first melt.

2:20 PM

For structural casting I'm actually looking at casting silicon bronze to make brazable attachments to metalworking projects (edited)

Submitted a basics class for Thursday the 16th @7 pm. Should post soon.

Due to a previously unscheduled event, my class listed above will likely be cancelled. I'll reach out to whomever has registered already and notify them directly.

Hello there! Planning on returning to Makerspace and moving metal the Wednesday before Thanksgiving… anyone planning on being there that day?

Blurazor

Hello there! Planning on returning to Makerspace and moving metal the Wednesday before Thanksgiving… anyone planning on being there that day?

you might try talk. the blacksmithing guys aren't super active on discord

Good point. We didn’t talk much even when I was part of the committee lol