Had some good results this week...  I was pleasantly surprised when I did the bootscrapers.  I did 3 scrapers this week.  All of them took me less than 2 hours with good results.  First time that I used a chisel and drift to open a hole.  Packing up tomorrow to head home...  Hope to resume work on the clock frame.

Well, haven't had much forge time recently.  Mundane life keeps getting in the way.  On the road for most of the next 4 weeks.  However, one of those weeks is visiting family.  I am taking the forge to do some playing around while I am visiting parents for Thanksgiving.  I hope to also make some gifts for family while I am practicing.  I was thinking of doing some 16th-17th century boot scrapers.

Was at an SCA event yesterday.  I did blacksmithing for most of the day.  Some of the day I spent working on the welds for the clock posts.  Doing much better on the welds so my confidence is much higher now.  Going to probably not have a chance to work for a few days.

Much better day on the forge.  I did 5 fagot welds on 1" x 1/4" stock.  Aside from one time when I pulled the metal out of the forge way too soon, all of the welds came out perfectly.  I did grind tests on some of the welds and they all looked clean...  Patience pays off.

With the sucess with the welds, I was also able to see if I was able to do what I wanted this for in the first place.  I esentially want a bar of steel that is about 30 inches long.  The dimensions of the bar is 1" x 1/4".  The exception is for about 4 inches on either end.  On the ends, I need the bar to be 1 1/2" by 1/4".  So, I'm doing the fagot welds(bending the steel back on itself) so that I have enough metal to make the bar thicker at those points.  I drew out 4 of the welded pieces and in each case, I was able to get it close enough to what I wanted that I know that it should be no problem.

I'm going to start documenting the project with photos just in case anybody ever stumbles across my blog.  Even if noone ever does, it is very helpful for me to document the entire process.

Tonight spent a short time trying to do the fagot weld.  Had mixed results.  Probably not getting it hot enough.  I usually work during the day so I think working late is throwing off my judgement on the welding temp.  The colors of the metal look different at night as compared to daylight.  I did try to do several welds on 1/2 stock and had no problems.  So, this weekend I will be attending an SCA event.  I plan to spend part of the day just trying to get the weld down pat...

Woohoo...

  I just picked up a new ASO (Anvil Shaped Object, insulting blacksmithing term for cheap Indian or Russian made anvils).  It is 110# compared to the 55# that I am using now.  The 55# is getting pretty beat up.  That is what you get when you use ASO instead of real anvils.  However, I don't mind as I am still learning and still have the occasional errant blow to the anvil face.  Also, the Hardie hole is a better size and this anvil actually has a pritchel hole.  I'd rather screw up a $70 anvil as opposed to the $1500, 450# Peddinghaus I am planning on getting down the road.  So tomorrow I will be making a new anvil stand and getting back to work.

Last night was an effort to work on the frame for the clock.  I am trying two different methods to make the corner posts.  The corner posts are about one inch wide for most of the length.  The ends are about 1 1/2 wide.  The first method I am trying is take a 1 1/2 wide bar and reduce the middle section of the bar down to one inch but I'm having trouble getting a consistant thickness.  The next method which I think is probably the best way to go is to start with a one inch bar.  To make the wider parts on the end, I am going to fold the ends back using a fagot weld.  That would then give me enough material to give me the 1 1/2 inches.  I tried one weld last night but when it got too dark, I stopped and decided to double check my weld.  After grinding the bar some, the weld was very good except for two small areas.  I will try again this week to see if I can't correct the problem.

  By the way, I am starting with the frame for several reasons.  First, it should be one of the easier phases of building the clock.  It will give me a chance to learn before I start the more difficult aspect of doing the gears.  Second, I can't really do any other part of the clock until I have something to attach those parts to...