Retirement Projects

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Replies

  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,152 Member
    Yeah @d_thomas02 -- I guess your heart just wasn't in it the other day :wink:
  • Farback
    Farback Posts: 1,063 Member
    been working on several projects since I was last here. updates tomorrow.y6ybpkia7jar.png
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  • d_thomas02
    d_thomas02 Posts: 9,048 Member
    Roads have been covered with frozen rain the last two days and I have absolutely no reason to get out in that. So stayed in the house and have been working on the planing stages of a little long term project with my adult son.

    A little something for the smithy. A home built Clay Spencer Treadle Hammer. (Like the old style treadle sewing machines, this hammer is only powered by your foot. No electrical juice.)
    a8q0fh33v2vy.jpg

    Currently working on building a working (animated) 3D CAD model using AutoDesk's Fusion 360.
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    Its a great way to get intimate knowledge of building the real thing without wasting material. Workout all the design details missing in the plans before a single real piece gets cut.

    Once the model is done, it'll probably take a year to do the build (working on it only on Saturdays). Planning on a road trip to Independence MO after Christmas to pick up the heavy steel at a recycle center that will become the anvil, hammer, and base. The rest of the material I should be able to scrounge locally.

    This is going to be fun!
  • annliz23
    annliz23 Posts: 3,255 Member
    d_thomas02 wrote: »
    After putting it down yesterday.

    0tzw9p6224b3.jpg

    90 minutes of fiddling later.

    2f5acainz7gc.jpg

    That'll do.

    Wow lovely!
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 2,937 Member
    I'm in awe of all of your work in this thread, everyone! 💖
  • d_thomas02
    d_thomas02 Posts: 9,048 Member
    Final draft on my modeling of Clay Spencer's in-line treadle hammer in Autodesk's Fusion 360.

    Heading to KC on Friday to pick up the heavy steel. Probably be welding on Saturday.

    https://youtu.be/53ci9nOaZDw
  • d_thomas02
    d_thomas02 Posts: 9,048 Member
    edited January 2020
    Quick update on the treadle hammer.

    Picked up heavy steel in KC, not quite what I was wanting but I'll make it work. Almost have all the other steel gathered. Biggest piece left to acquire is the base plate.

    1/2" x 16" x 32". 3/8" plate would work too. Thought I had it yesterday in the form of an old bank vault door. 6 ft x 2.5 ft weighing 300-400 pounds. Would have been perfect, but the face was two 1/4" plates, not one 1/2" plate. Bought the door anyway as it was $30 US. (Scrap price for the steel in it would be about $150 US.)

    Another blacksmith, also working on this style of hammer, gave me the tip and I'll be splitting the door with him (3 ft x 2.5 ft). It'll make a good welding table top is it doesn't work out for the base of the hammer.

    Yes, there might be some history in that door as it is early 1900 vintage made by the Mosler Safe Co and was installed in a bank in Hominy, OK. But the bank is gone and this door has been sitting in the woods, slowly rusting on a pallet for years, maybe decades. I'll be putting my half back to work.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,152 Member
    It's going to make your work so much easier.
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 2,937 Member
    Just_Ceci wrote: »
    My latest project:
    8moqtw0a4k16.jpg

    Christmas gifts I made for my daughter and grands:
    Skull Scarf for my daughter
    m1l4i9a497bz.jpg

    Stuffed animals for the kids
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    These are wonderful!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,012 Member
    edited January 2020
    Just_Ceci wrote: »
    My latest project:
    8moqtw0a4k16.jpg

    Christmas gifts I made for my daughter and grands:
    Skull Scarf for my daughter
    m1l4i9a497bz.jpg

    Stuffed animals for the kids
    8c0qy2wki7av.jpg

    Skull crochet lace? I love it, especially in that colorway. Did you find the pattern somewhere, or invent it?

    And puppet (?) and amigurumi: So cute!

    Nice work!
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 12,895 Member
    Baby Yoda! How cool!!
  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Skull crochet lace? I love it, especially in that colorway. Did you find the pattern somewhere, or invent it?

    And puppet (?) and amigurumi: So cute!

    Nice work!
    Thanks!

    I modified this pattern to make the skull scarf: https://ravelry.com/patterns/library/lost-souls-skull-shawl

    I used one skein of "Shawl in a Cake" yarn which I found at Joann's.

    All the others are amigurumi. I have a love/ hate relationship with each one.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,012 Member
    Just_Ceci wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Skull crochet lace? I love it, especially in that colorway. Did you find the pattern somewhere, or invent it?

    And puppet (?) and amigurumi: So cute!

    Nice work!
    Thanks!

    I modified this pattern to make the skull scarf: https://ravelry.com/patterns/library/lost-souls-skull-shawl

    I used one skein of "Shawl in a Cake" yarn which I found at Joann's.

    All the others are amigurumi. I have a love/ hate relationship with each one.


    LOL! I probably shouldn't say it but: I almost feel that way about that adorable rainbow unicorn, and I didn't even spend hours making it (clean hands! clean hands!). Normal amigurumi side effect, maybe, for well-adjusted makers. ;)

    And thanks for the pattern link!
  • annliz23
    annliz23 Posts: 3,255 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Just_Ceci wrote: »
    My latest project:
    8moqtw0a4k16.jpg

    Christmas gifts I made for my daughter and grands:
    Skull Scarf for my daughter
    m1l4i9a497bz.jpg

    Stuffed animals for the kids
    8c0qy2wki7av.jpg

    Skull crochet lace? I love it, especially in that colorway. Did you find the pattern somewhere, or invent it?

    And puppet (?) and amigurumi: So cute!

    Nice work!


    Lovely
  • d_thomas02
    d_thomas02 Posts: 9,048 Member
    Not spending as much time in the smithy as I would like this winter. Here is one reason why.

    My basement shop:
    Before
    sizqmnxu7ry4.jpeg


    After
    nq8lszm75q7k.jpeg
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    • All benches are now wired for power.
    • My downstairs refrigerator (not pictured) now is running on its own circuit rather than that 30 ft drop cord across the shop floor that I've been stepping on for 30 years.
    • New shelving waiting to be filled with assorted nuts, bolts, screws, and nails currently in large unsorted boxes on the floor under the benches. (Waiting on a bunch of peanut butter and mayonnaise jars to be emptied.)
    • Floor is swept (!!).
    • Tools organized so I can find them.

    It's a brand new world. 😲
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 12,895 Member
    That is awesome and how!! I'm jealous!!
  • d_thomas02
    d_thomas02 Posts: 9,048 Member
    edited February 2020
    My third try at this. A bottle opener with a dragon tail twist.

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  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 12,895 Member
    That's very cool! Is it a commission or just something you thought up for fun?