PITCHERS!

Thats right, after almost 5 months of having a digital camera, I finally decided to post some pictures. Yes, I know, my work area is a mess. And I will also get a better shot of my forge. And yes, that is a brake drum forge. works mighty well, too. Except for the car battery powered blower. thats getting replaced soon, with a 110v blower from a dryer.

Im not dead, dont worry.

So, Im not dead afterall. I havent made much since my last post, but I did get something new recently.
I got a post vise! its a 40ish pound vise, and its cost $75. Its in good shape, and the screw shows hardly any wear. the only thing that needs fixing is the screw is slightly burred, and the nut needs a cover.

Well crap crappity crap crap.

Well, according to the instructors at CAT, I will not be able to turn a new screw for that lathe. more work than they think I can do in a year. I honestly think I could do it in a matter of days. DAMN YOU OBI-WAN! YOU'R ALWAYS HOLDING ME BACK! I would prove them wrong, but whats the point? I would need a lot of help and time from them, and they don't think I could do it, and they probably wouldn't want to help with a trivial project. So, I have no idea what I am going to do about a post vise. I need one, but I can't afford one. Bummer. So no post vise for me! lousy vise nazi's. BLAAARGH!!!

Finally!

Yes, I know its been a while since I updated. mainly because its been a while since anything worth noting happened. I am currently attending school at the Center for Appropriate Transport(http://www.catoregon.org). There I am doing things like welding, using a lathe as well as most other shop tools, as well as many other classes, academic and not. I have tons and tons of free time now, because my classes are only half a day. If I had the resources, I would spend all that time smithing, but I have neither the resources nor the training. So, I sit in front of the computer, as my friends from the AMD Forums(http://forums.amd.com) have noticed in the IRC channel. Now, from my teacher, Conrad Hodson, I am buying a blacksmith's leg vise with a worn out screw and nut, which I will be re-turning on the lathe at CAT. Also, the director of my school, Jan Vandertuin, is trying to get a grant, which I would be able to spend building an authentic smithy at the school. Which might mean a new anvil, a forge that I will fabricate, a blacksmith leg vise(new or used), and an authentic old style blower or bellows. Thats all pretty much it. Toodles.

Progress, thy name is Nolan!

Ive made considerable progress since my last post. I have dug the hole for my log. Then I put the log in. After that, I spent say 2 hours straightening it and making sure it was relatively level. to do this required a shovel, a sledgehammer, a car jack, and jack stands. And I even had help. I had to move the stump to the right place while Ed shoveled dirt into it. So it is in the hole, and filled in, and pretty level too. The anvil has been mounted, using spikes I made on said anvil. One of them had to be very long because of some rot in the stump. I also filled it in with gorrilla glue, and that foamed up and filled the cracks. Wow Im tired. I need to get a digital camera so I can show how things are set up.

For now, a quick diagram.

LOG!

I got a large log from my neighbor, which I plan on using to mount my anvil. It was a lot of work getting it here, I had to use the hand truck, and it still was a lot of work.

Woot!

I just got my anvil today. Its an 80lb London pattern Fisher anvil, and I got it for $160. I've spent a lot of the day polishing and sanding it, so now it looks pretty, and the face and horn have virtually no texture, and they're smoother than a baby's butt. I also got a bottle of gorilla glue today, and this is some strong stuff.I used it to repair the handle on my dagger/letter opener, and it wont be breaking again anytime soon. Infact, I tried to break it. No such luck.
If your curious what the london pattern anvil is, look here: http://www.thckk.org/shap-anvil.jpg

A german pattern anvil, here: http://www.peddinghausanvils.com/peddinghaus_image.htm

An Italian Style(rather modified from the original), Here: http://www.anvils.nimbaforge.com/graphics/allanvils.jpg

And the European Double horn style: www.euroanvils.net