Retirement Projects
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I've missed updating for a few weeks, so thought I'd catch up real quick.
Between cold weather, snow, freezing rain, and actually being called into work to pull the heads off my work truck (a big block 494 cu in {8.1L} Chevy), and starting a long overdue clean up of my basement/garage/workshop, not much time for the smithy.
I did get that last insert for the forge's ducknest fabricated (the one I had mocked up in cardboard last time), replaced the electric blower, and fired the forge up yesterday using coal as my solid fuel.
I've since re-mounted the blower higher and closer to the back leg as it was interfering with my ash dump. Still using the temporary air duct to transfer air into the tuyere. No immediate plans to change it, maybe next winter.
Tweaked some tongs that I had fabricated from farrier tools, annealed a chunk of drive shaft destined to become a hot cut hardy tool, finished two more large 6" split crosses and two small 3" ones, and tapered a length of straightened coil spring that will become a touchmark (a way of stamping my pieces with my identifying mark). But the main reason for firing up the forge was to work on my valentine's gift to my wife.
Stands about 8" high. All forged from scrap.
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Impressed, as always...1
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It's adorable.
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So I took a page from @FarBack's book and put a week into cleaning up my basement shop. Just over half done but ya don't get rid of 20 years of clutter in just one week. At least you can tell the bench tops are white, and I have some room to work again. (Most of what's on top of the bench is just waiting to be sorted and put away.)
Before and After
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Looks great!1
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Found an old mule shoe during my shop cleanup (don't ask me where it came from 'cause I have no idea) and decide to fire up the forge and make my daughter (19 yrs) something for Valentine's.
Well, that shoe was so worn out on one side that it just sort of twisted into a mess. I gave up on it and picked up the 1/2" square scrap piece that I had used to practice on before starting on the shoe and banged it out into sorta what I wanted. Not too horrible for having started out as trial and error play piece.
While the forge was hot, I knocked out a hot-cut hardy tool from a chuck of axle. Here's a before and after and last shot is it in working position on the anvil.
As the name implies, a hot-cut hardy tool is a tool that fits in the anvil's square hardy hole and is used to cut work while it is red hot.
Just got word that parts for the big block chevy rebuild will be in tomorrow morning so guess the forge is going to stay cold for a while. Timing works too as I'm shipping my broken anvil to Texas tomorrow to have the damaged face replaced. It may take 3 - 4 weeks. Gonna be nice when it comes back not having to search for a workable surface to bang on.4 -
So anvils take road trips? Does the shipping company come pick it up and then drop off at your place?0
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Afraid not. I picked up a wood pallet from work and strapped my 125 lb anvil to it and then ran it up to a Fastenal location in the back of my pickup.
This company does 3rd party shipping if and when space is available on their trucks. No guarrenty on delivery time. Could be a week, could be two. But it is an economical way to ship heavy items.1 -
First, let me say that I'm jealous of anyone who is retired. I have to wait til I'm, 66, so 7 years. I'm not going to be one of those people who wonder what they're going to do when they retire.
A few years ago, I had to change jobs, and now have a 50 minute commute instead of the 15 minutes I used to have. I used to make and sell soap at craft shows, which I stopped doing when I changed jobs. I'll start up again once I retire, but for now I just make a couple batches a year for personal use.
I dabble with jewelry making too and have a rather large hoarde of beads.
Since losing weight, I've rekindled my interest in clothing. I've been playing with indigo dyeing and some upcycled sewing projects.
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I've enjoyed seeing @d_thomas02 blacksmithing stuff. DH and I took a blacksmithing class at a local museum a few years ago. He was very good at it, me less so, but I still enjoyed it. We have accumulated a forge, vise and a couple anvils, but he has rotator cuff issues that won't be improved by repeated beating on hot metal. I'd still like to get our equipment set up this summer so we can play with it.3
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I had surgery on my right shoulder some years ago to cleanup a 50% tear of my rotator cuff (think old nylon rope frayed almost in half), the result of a quad bike accident. Doc cleaned up the frayed areas (like trimming a bunch of hangnails). Couple of months rehab and Doc said I could do anything I wanted except garage door repair. I also, as a rule, don't do pull-ups or chin-ups anymore. LOL
Blacksmithing doesn't bother the shoulder but it does make the arthritis in my left thumb yell at me some.3 -
Spend a relaxing afternoon in the shop. Building shelves and hangers in basement closet. The wire rack shelf unit that was there wasn't up to lots of heavy scuba gear and had what they call a catastrophic failure a year ago. Using all re-claimed materials from other work. Built shelves and hanger, need to re-supply on PL Premium and air nails tomorrow to continue. still to come is a gun rack on the left side.
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Spend a relaxing afternoon in the shop. Building shelves and hangers in basement closet. The wire rack shelf unit that was there wasn't up to lots of heavy scuba gear and had what they call a catastrophic failure a year ago. Using all re-claimed materials from other work. Built shelves and hanger, need to re-supply on PL Premium and air nails tomorrow to continue. still to come is a gun rack on the left side.
My big "coat closet" in a hallway in the center of the house has doors/door-openings that stop about 14" below the ceiling. One of the projects on my home improvement list is to put a small sufficiently supportive horizontal long-gun rack on the inner surface of that upper stub wall where it's out of sight.2 -
Use to keep my SCUBA gear in the front hallway closet with all the heavy coats, but my wife didn't like the neoprene smell in her coat. So taking the hint, after only a couple of years, picked up a covered rolling garment rack and moved my gear into the basement where it now lives next to my air compressor. Happy wife,...
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Spend a relaxing afternoon in the shop. Building shelves and hangers in basement closet. The wire rack shelf unit that was there wasn't up to lots of heavy scuba gear and had what they call a catastrophic failure a year ago. Using all re-claimed materials from other work. Built shelves and hanger, need to re-supply on PL Premium and air nails tomorrow to continue. still to come is a gun rack on the left side.
My big "coat closet" in a hallway in the center of the house has doors/door-openings that stop about 14" below the ceiling. One of the projects on my home improvement list is to put a small sufficiently supportive horizontal long-gun rack on the inner surface of that upper stub wall where it's out of sight.
I like the way you think! I’m considering a compartment somewhere for a short Mossburg 12 gage1 -
Something like this (just inside the door of my home office)?
Top is a Nylon 66 .22 long rifle varmint gun handed down from my grandfather to my father, then to me.
Bottom is my Dad's air pump BB gun I've named 'Dog Spanker' for dealing with packs of neighborhood dogs that run through the countryside (I do live a bit into the sticks).
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22, 22-250, another 22, 300 savage, 20 pump and 12 over/under. And enough rounds for a short duration zombie apocalypse.1 -
d_thomas02 wrote: »Something like this (just inside the door of my home office)?
Top is a Nylon 66 .22 long rifle varmint gun handed down from my grandfather to my father, then to me.
Bottom is my Dad's air pump BB gun I've named 'Dog Spanker' for dealing with packs of neighborhood dogs that run through the countryside (I do live a bit into the sticks).
Exactly! But on the inside of a double-wide closet instead of inside a room. I think I could fit at least 3, if I make the rack to angle the guns. There's plenty of room
front-to-back between the inner wall and closet shelf to fit that in, I think - deep closet. I'm concerned to keep firearms out of sight of casual visitors, and in spots that might be unintuitive to, um, time-constrained uninvited intruders, but at hand.
A safe would be good, but my climate controlled space is all 2nd floor, so getting one in is a little daunting.
To concerned readers: There are no youngsters in my life, and special precautions are taken in the event of very rare (every few years at most) visits of any. It's an adult household.2 -
As a good Canuck, you can see all weapons are trigger locked.2
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Guns, bows, kayak, scuba, camping gear. Just put my ashes on one of the shelves
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As a tetired gentleman of liesure, I look after much of the housework while my better half works as a teacher. I was having a coffee at the firehall yesterday at the halfway point of my morning 5 mile walk, and said to the guys ‘I have to get home to do some housework’. The Deputy Chief asked if I wear a sexy french maid uniform. I told him I did, and I’d text him a picture.
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Bwahahaha!! Well played, Farback!
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Oh my!
Takes a real man to wear pink.
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Quick update
Anvil made it down to TX in good shape where it is currently getting a new face. Should be ready by end of next week. Trying to put together a quick dive trip around Austin to Corpus Christi area for next week (open to suggestions) and then pick the anvil up on the way home.
Chevy big block is back together and running fine. Only collateral damage was a knock sensor under the right exhaust manifold. Only took $55 and a bit of knuckle skin to put that right. Currently knocking dust off and tweaking all the equipment getting ready for the busy growing season to start. Two, maybe three weeks. Grass is already starting to green up around here and the peep frogs are starting to sing. Spring is just around to corner.3 -
There is a lot to see in that part of Texas, depending on your interests. Might want to start here:
Travel Texas1 -
I've developed some affection for Texas in recent months. 3
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Unfortunately looks like the dive trip to Texas isn't going to happen. All the good Scuba spots are offshore by boat 50-100 nautical miles, some live-aboards with multiple day dives. Weather isn't cooperating with the following forcast for this weekend...
Friday Night
East winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 6 to 8 feet with occasional seas up to 9 feet. Chance of showers.
Saturday
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet with occasional seas up to 8 feet. Slight chance of showers.
Saturday Night
South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet with occasional seas up to 8 feet.
All have been cancelled during the timeframe I'm looking at as most dive boats won't run with seas over 5 foot. In fact, every weekend so far this year has been cancelled.
Nuts.
Guess I'll have to have that anvil shipped back when it's done.1 -
Just received some glamor shots of my repaired 1907 anvil. (Still trying to arrange return shipping.)
(The numbers in yellow on the side are from the worn out forklift tine repurposed as the new face.)
Here are some side-by-side (more or less) of before and after.
She started life at 125 lbs. She was down to 120.6 lbs after 111 years, losing a third of her face more than 40 years ago. And now, with a new face and upsetting block, she weighs in at 157 lbs.
(The superimposed T and E are the maker's mark of the gentleman who did the repair work.)
Guessing she'll be good to go for another couple of hundred years now.3
