It is Welsh you know....

  I am trying to get back to the blacksmithing especially with the end of summer in sight.  Blacksmithing in Florida during the summer is really, really draining.

  Today I decided to play a bit more with doing wings.  Since I've decided for the project that I am doing that I want Welsh dragons, I switch gears a bit and went for more of a dragon wing style than a bird wing style.  As a reminder, I am doing something similar to the Bok Tower gardens gates.

  So after playing around for just about an hour, the proof of concept game out pretty decent.  It doesn't look that great in this photo because I was rushed by the setting sun.  Since the test game out pretty good, I am going to try a more careful test later this week.  It is hard to see because of the lighting, but there are some well defined ribs.  I may go for a slightly wider piece so that I can add a rib to the wing.  Also, I am going to make some specialized fullering tools to help with the forming.

Still alive...

Just let me blow the dust off of this thing...

Finally got back to forge work after a many month hiatus.  I won't go into all of the reasons I was away but the biggest was getting married.

So, dragged the forge out today even though it was too hot.  Cleaned some rust off of the anvil and fired up the forge.  Since it has been so long since I've worked, I decided to take it a bit easy today and just do some basic stuff.  Started with making a new fire starter since I couldn't find my old one.  Nothing more than a piece of steel made from a file and used to start fires in a less modern way.

Inspired by a visit to Bok Tower, I decided to play around with making an animal head for a project that I am working on for a friend.  So this afternoon I worked on a wing to see if I liked the results.  Still working on it (in fact, plan to head back out) and I will post pictures of it if I like the results.  In the meantime, here is an example of the original.  Notice the tower in the back ground.  They are fairly basic and after a bit of toying around, I should get it.

One step forward, two steps back.

I did more clean up on both the Crown Wheel outer circle and the spokes and hubs.  This included punching the hole for the arbor.  The next step is to punch the holes for the spokes into the outer wheel.  Then comes the part that I've been having problems with.  That is getting the spokes inside the outer wheel.

Also, I remembered that because of some things I learned last year that I need to remake the Crown Wheel arbor.  I'm going to try to do it sometime during the week.

Next time on the forge, I should have the camera again.

Continued work on Crown Wheel #3

  Spent some time this afternoon working on the Crown Wheel.  I started the day cleaning up the hub and spokes a bit more.  Once I was done with that, I formed the circle for the Crown Wheel (but not welded closed).  Unfortunatly I do not have access to the camera today so no photos.

  Going to head back out right now and try to get the wheel mounted on the spokes.  This has been my trouble area in the past...

A real update (finally)

So I finally got back to the forge and worked on the clock some.  I've actually been doing some other blacksmithing but I think I needed a bit of a break from the clock.  It really is a patience test since my skills are still growing it does get frustrating when I have to keep redoing parts when I want to be making progress.

Anyway, yesterday I started redoing the Crown Wheel (this is the third attempt) and I am going to try a few things different to see if it works out a bit better.  The general stages of construction will be...

1) Make hub and spokes.

2) Make hole for arbor in hub.

3) Create outer ring for Crown Wheel but NOT welded closed.

4) Punch holes in outer ring for spokes.

5) Put ring on hub.

6) Peen spokes over to hold onto hub.

7) Weld hub closed.

This is to attempt to get around some problems and difficulties I had last year when attempting this.  The big problem was getting the hub and spokes into an already welded closed ring.  The only problem with the technique listed above is that welding is the most difficult step.  Having said that, I'm fairly comfortable with welding now so I don't think it will be an issue.

Anyway, yesterday I worked on step 1 of reforming the hub and spokes.  I've shown this before but I'll post the pictures so that you have something to look at.  As usually, click on a photo for more detail.

1 1/2" x 1/4" stock...  Notice the three marks in the middle.  The center mark will eventually be the arbor hole.  The other two mark the end of the split for the spokes.

Holes punched to allow for easier splitting.

Start of the split using chisel and hardie (the tool sticking out of the anvil)

One side roughly formed

Start of the other side split.  Notice a just put a thin indent to start.  Then I reheat and really drive the chisel.  It usually takes 4 hearts to split a side.  One heat per side to mark it out and then one heat per side to drive it through.

Other side now split.

Roughly "X" shaped.

A little more refinement on the shape and this is where I stopped for the day.  Unfortunately I had to take care of some other stuff but I made decent progress.  This is actually the step I hate most about creating the Crown Wheel.

Finally, mystery photo of the day.....  What is it?  Scroll down to see....

This photo was taken a few weeks ago.  This was taken near my house and shows the vapor trail of the launch of the shuttle just a few minutes after launch.  It was near sunset which is while the trail is multi colored.  Of all the launches I've seen, it was by far the prettiest.  The photo does not do it justice.

Just a quick update.

In order to get this clock moving again, I am going to try and make sure I put in at least a few hours each weekend.  For this weekend, it wasn't so much clock work as it was some work on the bellow.  I spent a few hours building a set of bellows.  At this point, the portable frame for the bellows is almost done and I will be starting on the paddles for the bellows soon.

Hopefully I can get this thing out of the stall its been in for the past two years and get it moving.

Full weekend of blacksmithing.

  This weekend marked my first significant forge time in several months.  I was doing a demo at the Florida State Fair.  I ended up making a pair of medieval stirrups, working some on a horse bridle and a bunch of small stuff to show off as demo pieces.

  Anyway, I was very sore when it was all said and done but I think it was a good thing.  For the first time in a long time, I really want to get back to the forge.  I'm going to try to set aside almost every Saturday for working on the forge.

Trying to get back into the swing of things...

  Things have still been busy but I am forcing myself to get back into things.  So today I decided to tackle a project I have been thinking about for some time.  I am going to make a set of bellows.

  The bellows I am making are fairly large (about 3 foot wide, 5 foot long) and heavy but they should look real nice.  The bellows are double lung which eliminates the huff and puff of a single lung bellows.  Although not common in the middle ages, they were common starting in the late 16th/early 17th century.  I can't really do true medieval bellows as I don't have any small children that I can press into service to pump the belows.

  So I picked up the wood today and after doing some much need cleaning in the shop, I started work on the bellows.  Pretty much I just got a good start on the stand before it got to be too dark.

  Anyway, this weekend I am doing 2 days worth of demos at the Florida State Fair.  That should get me back into the swing of things.

No, I'm not dead yet...

Between changing jobs and the holidays, things have been very busy for me.  However, the new job has stabalized and I am very happy in the new position.  Money is much better and I should have more time and resources for blacksmithing.

This weekend is a 3 day weekend and at least one day will be a blacksmithing day.  Since it has been several months since I've worked on anything, not sure what I will be working.  I hope to work on the clock some but we will see.

I've been away from the forge too long.  It's time to get busy.