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2:53 am
March 1, 2011
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Hi all, hope I'm not too much of a head case for ya'll, but after reading some, I might just fit.
I've been welding and doing some stuff with steel for 20 some years, tho my living has been made as a contractor for the Forest Service, and BLM for the last 25, I've owned my company since 95, have had over 50 employees since then.
Here's a bit of the history, I left home in Portland at 17 on a mountainbike, tripped around the west for about 5 years, did the west coast a couple times, cross texas twice, as far as missouri.
I settled in a hippy town near cave junction, lived with a family for 4 years, helping with the place, started working with pole construction. Then in 87 I got onto a treeplanting crew and have done a lot of various contracts since, my fave for sure was treeclimbing. Rappeling out of 200 foot trees is a rush. The biggest was a sugar about 6' at the butt, 130' to the 1st branch.
I did pole jobs on the side on and off, got to doing bigger stuff, 12-14 inch logs, splined together with 3/8" x 8" plate steel
I scored my 16 acres in 92 (23k, none of those left) it had 3 grandfathered cabins, water rights, and a 2" waterline with 140 psi that runs my hydroelectric.
I remodeled one of the cabins into a livable crib, and pole framed a dutch-hip roofed 38x42 shop, that I've spent the last 5 winters lining out, just got the smithy together in the last year or so.
Blacksmithing at this point is about lunacy, I have a grade 3 AC seperation (shoulder rotator cuff torn to hell, clavicle sticks up about an inch), and I tore the tendons out of two of my left fingers on an augerplanting job up in republic washington. Eh, I've toughed out a compound femur, guess I'm drawn to pain.
Well, I gots me a 8 week old boxer pup in my lap that I just picked up today, and I have the biggest grin I've wore in a while tonight.
Good to meet ya'll. Russell
PS, yer welcome to peruse my album http://s719.photobucket.com/al.....4/LogDork/
3:43 am
March 22, 2010
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Hey Russel glad you made it over here... Post some pictures of your junkyard hammer?
Whatever you are, be a good one.
Abraham Lincoln
3:57 am
March 1, 2011
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Sure will, I made a tong die today, like that fellow in gearhart who put up a good youtube about it. Gonna have to make a crate for my pup, maybe put him over in the woodworking part of the shop, I dont want to hurt his ears.
Here's some leaves and branches I've been working on, not sure yet about the joinery, forge weld? I might just "spot weld" the leaves on with DC, see which polarity works. I tried 6013, and didnt like the results.
4:13 am
March 1, 2011
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Grandpa was a farmer in montana, I got the old post drill. and a wheelbarrow wheel he forged, from the old place. Guess blacksmithing runs in the blood, course he did everything, taught in the one room school, grew wheat to trade for coal, raised 15 kids.
I'm kindof a jack of all trades myself.
4:40 am
March 22, 2010
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poleframer;8088 wrote: Sure will, I made a tong die today, like that fellow in gearhart who put up a good youtube about it. Gonna have to make a crate for my pup, maybe put him over in the woodworking part of the shop, I dont want to hurt his ears.
Here's some leaves and branches I've been working on, not sure yet about the joinery, forge weld? I might just "spot weld" the leaves on with DC, see which polarity works. I tried 6013, and didnt like the results.
Cave Junction hu? Pretty place... I lived in Grants Pass for a bit and a few other places around Medford... My boys still live there..
That is a good lookin pup... I have found shop dogs do quite well around my shop as long as you start them out young... They find a spot if it gets too noisy around the hammer... Sadi goes and sits on the forklift seat by the front door....
Whatever you are, be a good one.
Abraham Lincoln
5:10 am
NWBA Member
June 8, 2010
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My dog , it gets too noisy in the shop, she is down at the house in her bed!
6:43 am
March 18, 2010
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Well, I got the perfect shop dog. My boxer Ruby is stone deaf! Born that way and she don't know the difference. She has developed a nose like a blood hound and notices everything. Did I mention she can sleep through anything?
“There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot,
but then there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence,
transform a yellow spot into the sun.” ~ Pablo Picasso ~
6:54 am
March 1, 2011
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Havnt had a dog in a few years, I kinda like this little guy 🙂
Last hound was a chesapeak bay retrieverwho weighed about a hundred, when he was too old to load up, well... 🙁
What am I here? a big chew toy???
7:03 am
NWBA Member
June 8, 2010
Offline
My dog, Leia, yellow lab, is always with me, until...
One night in the shop I fired up the welder... not realizing she was sitting right behind me, I threw the stinger over my shoulder and must have hit her with it... She must have got a buzz!! Now if I fire up the welder, she is right out of there!!
7:25 am
March 1, 2011
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Haha, reminds me, before I had a roof for the shop, just a slab outside, I was welding something under my truck (in the rain of course). Went to weld, and DAMN! thought I rolled over a nail or something. Eh, whatever, went to it again, DAMN! wtf is poking my hindside?. I was just bringing the stinger up again when I realized I was arcing my ass to the wet concrete.
This is the too much fun club.
2:56 pm
May 13, 2010
Offline
poleframer;8090 wrote: Grandpa was a farmer in montana, I got the old post drill. and a wheelbarrow wheel he forged, from the old place. Guess blacksmithing runs in the blood, course he did everything, taught in the one room school, grew wheat to trade for coal, raised 15 kids.
I'm kindof a jack of all trades myself.
Neat wheel. How did he fasten the spokes to the hub in the center? Looks like they are riveted to the rim on the outside.
Osage Bluff Blacksmith Shop
3:27 am
March 1, 2011
Offline
I'll have to take a pic, pretty neat joint, the flat spokes are split and the ends wrapped tight around the rings at the hub, bent and riveted to the rim.
Well, day one for the pup in the shop, he did well with the noise, but I'm concerned about him getting metal shaving slivers in his feet over by the lathe and drill press. That part of the shop is gravel floot, I just let all the swarf and slag go in the gravel. He was limping a bit, hope he didnt already get a steel sliver in his paw.
Now the little begger is after my supper, I wont put up with that, a dab of tobasco on his lip makes it less appealing for him.
Appreciate any training tips, been a while since I did the puppy routine.
4:35 am
NWBA Member
July 9, 2010
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Not to worry. Every dog or cat that lived with us had trained us in no time at all!
My son is the Blacksmith
4:42 am
NWBA Member
Board Member
October 4, 2010
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Dogs are just like men in that they like food, sex and pissing on some one else's post not necessarily in that order. Here is my tried and true training tip. Search until you find a dog treat he will die for. Don't give it to him, but carry it in your pocket. When he does anything you like, hold it in front of you, make him sit and give it to him along with some praise. Soon he will walk with you looking at your pocket. He will probably stop and sit everytime you put your hand in your pocket. Be generous with the treats, but later do not give them every time. Another thing is to always take him out to do his business right after he eats, and have his meals at regular times. Cuts down on poop on the floor.
4:53 am
NWBA Member
July 9, 2010
Offline
Jim>
Sounds like they train you pretty well![Image Can Not Be Found]
My son is the Blacksmith
3:56 am
March 1, 2011
Offline
btappel;8109 wrote: Neat wheel. How did he fasten the spokes to the hub in the center? Looks like they are riveted to the rim on the outside.
Pretty slick, the axle has 6 flats forged, for where the inner end of the spokes were split, and folded around the rings you can see here. The only rivets are what attach the spokes to the rim.
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