Friday, November 30, 2018

FRIDAY AT THE FORGE

Wow! Another "Friday at the Forge" is history, where did our day go? I guess when the "Brothers Three" get into the shop (aka, Seniors Day Care Centre) about 9:00 AM, time stands still for a few minutes and then it is 2:30 PM and time to pick-up, wash-up, pack-up and close-up. Three old men living the childhood they never had or as my friends Kyle and Kieran at Luxe Auto Lounge said "We Are Living The Dream". 

Today I had my very first experience at running the T.I.G. Welder, under Dave's good guidance, however, I was not impressed with my results, but then again it was my first run, and as I figure I can't get any worse, I can only get better at it, so git to it. There is some hope for betterment.
The good news is that I did forge out another Campfire Poker with a double bit and a twist and reverse twist through the handle and the shaft with a forge welded flip-back at the handle.


I am pretty happy with these two pokers, this one and last weeks, which I have made so far. Next Friday I'll try to make another poker, but, we have to get started building a Power Hammer and some Fuller Tools, plus, I want to also design a blade or a Bowie Knife for future manufacturing. This all could take some time to design, hopefully, with the help of the internet and then to make. I can assure you, my right arm and right shoulder will appreciate the Power Hammer once it becomes a reality. 
All in all, it was a very fine day, lots of work, lots of laughs, some learning, some fatigue, some self frustration, some accomplishments, but totally ALL FUN.





Sunday, November 25, 2018

COOKIE CLUB SUNDAY

Good morning to you on this Cookie Club Sunday , and it is very mild outside, with a temperature now of +1 C and getting warmer by this afternoon. I was worried about freezing rain this afternoon, but not going to happen according to the forecast. All we have to do now is get through the afternoon's dancing and get home in time to watch Ottawa win the Grey Cup starting at 6:00 PM. 

Thank you to Chris and Roy and Belle for a great afternoon of the NEWS "catch ups" on all the happenings in our crazy day to day lives and worlds.

What will we do at the Cookie Club this afternoon you ask, for sure as many of the Calls on the A1 / A2 List as I can cover, maybe some work out of a "Wrong Way Thar Formation", like "Remake" or "Reverse Remake" or "Slip The Clutch" all of which are on the List. Also " Cast a Shadow" with the Centres Facing In / Out, and of course some "All 8" and "All 4 Couple" stuff. Just remember on wave calls from a static square you must establish the wave first, Not: Pass The Ocean then execute the Call example "All 4 Couples Swing Thru", "All 4 Couples Fan The Top" etc.

That's all I have for this morning, so stay cool, drive carefully, take care of yourself and each other and I'll see you on the Dance Floor.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

FRIDAY AT THE FORGE

It was good to be back in the shop today following a week lay off because of bad weather and and RA flare up. All three Brothers were in the shop today, each working on our own project, Brother George is manufacturing a Gyroscope on the Lathe, Brother Dave made a bottom Fullering tool for the Hardy-hole on the Anvil at the welder,  (a Fullering tool is used to gain a smoother finish to the reins or shape you want to draw out) and I made campfire poker #1, with a good hook, a reverse twist and a ring to hang it up with.
I have a very good start on Poker # 2  which I will very likely finish next Friday. The nice thing about these pokers is that each one will be unique, and I guarantee that you will never find an exact match. Should you be looking for a good campfire poker, you can let me know and I will turn one out for you. 
The biggest problem with Friday at the Forge is that the time just flies by and the day is over far too soon, just like Square Dancing, when everyone is Dancing well and the music is good, the Dance is over far too soon, didn't someone say "Time flies when your having fun".
Sunday Nov. 25 is Cookie Club and I hope I can make Dancing as much fun for you as Calling, Teaching and Forging is for me.
That's all I have for today, take care of yourself and each other and I'll see you on the Dance Floor

Sunday, November 11, 2018

REMEMBRANCE DAY


Image result for remembrance day


WE WILL NEVER FORGET


Good morning to you on this Remembrance Day 2018, it is a cool morning out there if you are going to the National War Memorial down town. The temperature at this time is -5 C with a 15 km/h West wind making it feel like -12 C. you must dress accordingly.

This afternoon is The Cookie Club, we sure hope to see you out and we will cover most of the Calls on the A2 list. Tomorrow evening is Adams Aces A1 Dancing.

That's all I have this morning, take care of yourself and each other and I'll see you on the Dance Floor.

Friday, November 9, 2018

FRIDAY AT THE FORGE

Good Friday At The Forge afternoon, it is cold outside and it is snowing here in my town, with a temperature of 0 C and a 30 km/h wind out of the East makes it feel like -6 C, brrrrrr I am not happy about that.

 Well today was Friday at the Forge and what a great day it was to be in the shop, with the forge running full tilt and my hammer arm trying to fall off my shoulder, whilst the sweat ran off my forehead and into my eyes, with Willie, Waylon & Merle singing on the radio, & my Brother and I singing right along with them. Man! I am so lucky. Someone suggested I should post some pictures of what I was doing so here they are.
Take a length of Flat stock 3/4" X 1/4" and cut it in half so now I have 2 pieces.
Then heat them and hammer the shape you want into one end, these will eventually become V-Bit Tongs. Next the little ends at the right end, are split  in half, 1/8th" on each side, half way through the 3/4 width of the stock, with a  hot-chisel because they are red-hot. Now it's time to draw out the Reins (handles) which is the longer section to the left of the curved part. I start by hammering them to be square, then to optogon, and finally round or as close to round as I could get.
 Once the reins are shaped close to what I want, it's time to make a hole in each Boss and install and beat in the Rivet.
The Rivet being installed and the tongs adjusted to open, close and firmly hold a piece of red-hot square or round bar that I want to work on. We now have a set of Hand Forged Blacksmith V-Bit Tongs, and a very tired right arm and shoulder and wrist. (I can still hold a microphone).
My Tongs are completed, except for a little adjusting with a few taps here and there and some fine tuning and the job is complete and it will be on to the next project. 

So there you have my story of Friday At The Forge. Take care of yourself and each other and I'll see you on the Dance Floor.


Monday, November 5, 2018

ADAMS' ACES MONDAY

Well good morning to you and day two of being on Eastern Standard Time. The temperature now is +2 C and will sore to about +5 C by mid afternoon, unfortunately it is going to rain most of the day and rain again tomorrow.

Adams Aces tonight where we will continue our practice on "Cast A Shadow" and "Crossfire" from last week. Also we'll continue to work little by little on our Left Handed Calls until they become fluid or time runs out on me. At any rate if you are planning to attend tonight, please drive carefully as the roads will be wet and the glare will get to your eyes.

This morning I get my snow tires installed, so we should be safe for the winter.
Take care of yourself and each other and I'll see you on the Dance Floor.

Saturday, November 3, 2018

FRIDAY AT THE FORGE

Good November 3rd morning to you, I hope this drizzling rainy cool weather isn't giving your RA cause to be quite as annoying as it is mine. Outside now the temperature here is +4 C a little foggy and a little more drizzling rain throughout the day.

There were lots of things happening at the forge yesterday, besides striking hot iron with a hammer although we did some of that after lunch. The first thing was, my nephew just got a new truck so the veterinarian box called a "Bowie Box" that sits in the back of his old truck had to be disconnected and removed, then installed into the bed of his new truck. These Bowie Boxes are very heavy and very expensive, because they hold all the drugs the Doctors have to carry to treat sick animals wherever they are, it has to be heated, has a refrigerator to keep other medicine cold, has to be lighted and electrically locked.  My brother had made a device that he used to do this job with, which fits on the forklift on the tractor. This worked like a dream and all went perfect.

Whilst they were working at the Bowie Box, I removed the fiberglass handle from my Cross-Peen hammer and filed out the handle eye and installed a new unvarnished Hickory Handle. Why? you say, because the fiberglass handle which looks beautiful and feels good in your hammer-hand at first, will give your hammer-hand blisters in a very short time, where a unvarnished wooden handle won't, and why  Blacksmiths use wooden handles in all their hammers, drifts, and punches. 

After lunch we started to get ready to run the forge and make another style of Tongs, when our brother in law (also part of this brotherhood-of-want-to-be -blacksmiths) arrived with a new belt grinder, which as you might know, we had to admire it, then try it, and cast our opinion on it. Before we knew it it was time to close up the shop and come home, our day had flashed past, faster than a train through a station. I can hardly wait until next Friday.

No Cookie Club tomorrow as it is the Ottawa Area Callers Association meeting. Monday night is Adams Aces so we can look forward to that.
That is all for now, so take care of yourself and each other and I'll see you on the Dance Floor or at The Forge On Friday.