Flip Stand Details

The chop saw flip stand is finished.  I may add a shelf later.  It could have been two or three inches lower.  This is a list of the components.  Drawings of the keeper latches are attached.  I drilled a hole for a 1/4” drop pin in each but didn’t record that in the drawing.

Support frame, Castor legs, 1” 16 gauge square tube, (2), 33”

Support frame, Full length legs, 1” 16 gauge square tube, (2), 38”

Support frame, End rails, 1” 16 gauge square tube, (4), 15”

Support frame, Side rails, 1” 16 gauge square tube, (4), 34”, drill pivot rod holes

Castors (2) 3”

Flipping frame, 1” 16 gauge square tube, ends. 14.75” (2)

Flipping frame, 1” 16 gauge square tube, sides, 29.5” (2), drill pivot rod holes

Hitch pin clip (1 or 2) 

Pivot rod, 1/2” round, 18”, drill hole for hitch pin clip

Pivot sleeve, 1/2”  schedule 40 pipe, 12.5”, welded to flip frame.

Spacers, 1/2” flat washers, 4

Metal: Hardware: 1/4” x 1.5” bolt

Metal: Hardware: 1/4” washer

Metal: Hardware: 1/4” Nyloc nut

Metal: Hardware: Keeper bar, 1/4” x 1” x 2.5” flat bar with 1/4” hole

http://www.persimmonforge.com/

Blacksmithing for Kids

Today I received this nice facebook post from California.  My daughetr-in-law, Lauren, participated in a blacksmithing class billed as “Blacksmithing for Kids”.  Maybe aerospace engineers remain kids at heart.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.463772740304093.122413.100000141134475&type=1&l=5c3b201081

Michael D. Horgan instructor at Adam's Forge

lughaid@gmail.com

It is great that such instruction is available to beginners and more advanced students.

The posting came from: 

A BRAZEN FORGERY

Blacksmithing and Metalwork

Claremont, Ca.

Chop Saw Flip Stand

Once again, I’m trying to gain a little working space.  This time it is an effort to combine two tools on one footprint.  Currently I have cold type chop saw one one stand and an abrasive blade chop saw on another.  Both are on heavy bases which are difficult to move.  On the internet I saw an image of a rotating stand set up so two saws could be flipped top to bottom.

Yesterday I cut up some 1” square tube and found two used 3” castors and started the frame assembly.  When I get all the bummers worked out I’ll post the details.  For now all I can show is my concept drawings.

http://www.persimmonforge.com/

My Side Draft Forge

When I built the workspace I constructed a forge with an overhead hood designed so I could walk all around it and work from all sides.  The problems were, it took up too much room and it didn’t draw well, probably because the flue was undersized, so, I built a side draft style which has worked well.

There is no smoke shelf or damper.  I light a piece of paper and toss it into the smoke collecting chamber to establish an updraft before lighting the coal.  Occasionally there is a really strong west wind which creates a downdraft and some smoke in the room.

During cold weather I place a door over the opening overnight to prevent cold air from coming down the chimney and as I do that I think a damper might be a handy addition.

This design does not incorporate a smoke shelf at the top of the smoke collection chamber but the volume reduction which happens in the truncated pyramid accelerator section seems to work well in creating a strong enough updraft.  Perhaps a smoke shelf or damper would make it even  better.

The original smoke collection chamber rusted out after about 10 years and was replaced.  The original 18 gauge sheet walls were replaced with 10 gauge sheet. I also incorporated angle at the corners and fitted the walls with machine screws to make any future replacement easier.  The “air-tightness” is accomplished by sealing leaks with black silicone caulk.

Some blacksmiths caution about putting any bend in the flue but I have had no problem with the 45º jog design.  There is a large wall cutout where the flue passes through which serves as a generous fire break.  This was fitted with sheet metal flashing on inside and out and filled with insulation.  The flue topper incorporates an expanded metal screen to prevent birds from entering.

I set up a dual air supply with the noisy electric blower outside on the north porch covered with a weather shield.  The quiet hand crank blower is indoors.  I mostly use the electric blower.  The optimal motor speed is selected then the screw check valve adjusted for the optimal fire (with the blast gate closed).  For the rest of the forging session the air supply is controlled with the blast gate or, less often, turning the motor off and on.

I built a tong rack along the front and set one bucket under the ash dump and another one where it is easy to deposit clinkers.

There are probably about as many forge designs as there are blacksmiths.  These are some other references:

Pitched forward Side Draft Forge:

http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/forge/dcforge.html

Nice Hoods without smoke shelves:

http://www.blksmth.com/forges_student.htm

http://www.blksmth.com/Forge_Plan_No._2.htm

Smoke shelf:

http://www.appaltree.net/aba/Coal.html

Fabricated firepots:

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/album/300-fabricated-coal-forge/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/30206-fire-pot-design-elevation-view/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/30210-fire-pot-design-plan-view/

http://www.persimmonforge.com/

My First Forge

I’ve heard this story with slight variations a number of times in blacksmith gatherings. “I started in my garage with a modified grille for a forge.”  In my case I had a Weber grille which was scheduled for replacement.  I lined it with some concrete and fire bricks to form a fire pit and plumbed in a pipe to deliver air.  My blower was a vacuum cleaner electric motor set up with a foot switch and my fuel was lump charcoal.

My next tool addition was a MIG welder which I used to add wheels to the forge and make a welding table and a cart for the welder itself and it’s argon mix cylinder.  I think the next item was the in-line treadle hammer and my first attempt at a tumbler.  At that point I had convinced myself that the blacksmithing thing was going to stick and the garage was too crowded so the big leap was to build a dedicated workspace.

As I outfitted my blacksmithing studio I realized I was acting out something like the chicken and egg conundrum.  In this case it was the tool and job cycle.  When I was planning a job I had to consider how my tools might limit what I could accomplish.  So I was designing my jobs to fit my tools.  Often, I would make a special tool or jig for a particular job and realized this was the recursive part of the cycle - designing the tools to fit job.

This back and fourth growth of capability has been especially evident on the tool side as those items remain in the workspace and readily visible.  There was a rapid acquisition phase where I added the oxygen/acetylene torch system, drill press, band saw, angle grinders and many shop built items.  There was a big jump in productivity when I acquired the 50 pound Little Giant. The fly press addition didn’t boost productivity as much as I hoped but I still haven’t fully exploited the possibilities for it.  The recent addition of the hydraulic forging press has had as big an impact as the first power hammer.

The first coal forge in the studio was situated away from the walls and had an overhead smoke collector.  I think the flue was too small to draw properly.  It was handy to be able and walk around and work on all sides but it took up too much space in the room, so I changed it to a side draft type which works very well.  I’m working on some measured drawings which I will post soon.

http://www.persimmonforge.com/