WELCOME to the anvilfire!Virtual Hammer-In! This page is open to ALL for the purpose of advancing blacksmithing. March 2003 Archive |
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ice storms.....: PPW, so did the storm catch you out in the outhouse and you are now just getting back in, or did you get caught out of town? |
| Ralph - Monday, 03/03/03 23:32:52 GMT |
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Ralph: Caught me in the house, with no power. |
| Paw Paw - Tuesday, 03/04/03 01:02:48 GMT |
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.....Sorry to hear you got hit by the ice Paw Paw. We had the same thing here in the Bluegrass a few weeks ago. Five days with no power ain't no fun. But I did learn I can cook meatloaf and pork roast on a kerosene heater. In fact, you could cut the roast with a fork. Must have been the kerosene fumes. |
| Larry - Tuesday, 03/04/03 03:18:50 GMT |
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Larry: We lit a fire in the fireplace, and hung blankets over the archways into the dining room and hall way. Left the blankets about a foot off the floor for air circulation. Blew up the queen sized air matress and cooked in the fireplace. Momma and I both know how to do that and we've had the camping equipment for years. |
| Paw Paw - Tuesday, 03/04/03 04:17:01 GMT |
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"Insurance": What kind of Insurance does anybody carry at Festivals Fairs or open markets. Any help would be great. I am in North Bay Ontario Canada. So a name or company would have to be able to service us Canadains. PS - Its still snowing out. www.nbaac.com |
| Barney - Tuesday, 03/04/03 15:36:29 GMT |
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PPW: So it was "life imitating art" over at your place---any insights for the next chapters of TRB? (well besides the air mattress part...) Thomas 4 chimneys, 8 flues, *no* working fireplaces... |
| - Thomas Powers - Tuesday, 03/04/03 18:23:28 GMT |
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Still waitin' on Amy Pieh's[sounds like pay] web site to come up. I'd like to see what kind of competition she runs on Centaur Forge. Besides, I want to do some shopping for some stuff that Kaynes doesn't sell. |
| - Bob Harasim - Wednesday, 03/05/03 00:31:52 GMT |
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Bob: I don't think it will be much longer now. |
| Paw Paw - Wednesday, 03/05/03 00:36:03 GMT |
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Star Hammer: Greg, They are like all mechanical poser hammer in that they are no longer made and there are no spare parts available (Little Giant is the exception on parts, Bradley and Fairbanks parts can be gotten special order). The Star was sort of a copy of a Little Giant with some changes (to get around patents probably). Stars are not common. |
| - guru - Wednesday, 03/05/03 15:05:23 GMT |
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Pieh Tool Company: Amy has Vaughans tools available NOW (more coming). Vaughan makes English water cooled side blown tuyeers and forges, cast steel anvils and the English style leg vise like Centaur sold. Amy claims much better prices on the Vaughans stuff and we are working on getting info on her new web site. |
| - guru - Wednesday, 03/05/03 15:11:04 GMT |
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Pieh Tool Co: Camp Verde, AZ is about 100 miles from me. In a couple of weeks I will take a trip up there and report back as to in-store stock. |
| Ellen - Wednesday, 03/05/03 17:46:17 GMT |
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Pieh Tool Company: Since the Cat is out of the bag, I'll admit that I already have my customer number from Piegh Tool Company. I ordered another pair of safety glasses, they should be here in a couple more days. Oh, my customer number? 100001, thank you very much! (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Wednesday, 03/05/03 21:45:38 GMT |
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PPW's customer number: Hey Paw Paw, nice to see Amy gave you a # that was close to your age! Looks like I'm back to being mister "too sordid" after I anted up to join CSI and got the same handle as what I use in my infrequent visits to the slack tub pub. Whatever works... - Joe Eggleston |
| Two Swords - Thursday, 03/06/03 06:36:13 GMT |
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WTH?: Sorry PPW, there was supposed to be a after that wisecrack about your advanced age . Hope they show up this time, I'm startin to sweat.... -JE |
| Two Swords - Thursday, 03/06/03 06:40:18 GMT |
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gulp!: G.....R......I.....I....um,....N whew! |
| Two Swords - Thursday, 03/06/03 06:44:18 GMT |
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Two Swords: Shouldn't that be two safety pins, instead of two swords? One for each side of the diaper? (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/06/03 07:03:52 GMT |
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Quietly: He strops his knife while contemplating methodology. Where to start, where to start????? Down there? No, he doesn't have enough there anyway. Up here? Might as well, all they do is break up the monotomy of the male chest. |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/06/03 07:05:34 GMT |
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Not so quietly: Paw Paw; *don't* forget to wear your hearing protectors! Thomas |
| - Thomas Powers - Thursday, 03/06/03 14:32:45 GMT |
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ouchie-ouchie-OW!!: PPW, I did go to the extra effort to get a grin in there after THREE TRIES -- isn't that worth something? Well, I guess you are at least using a SHARP knife, after all..... |
| Two Swords - Thursday, 03/06/03 15:42:50 GMT |
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Thomas: You know, that may be why my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. Course, nothing else is, either! (grin) Two Pocket Knives, (grin) I always use a sharp knife. (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/06/03 15:47:35 GMT |
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Burners: [/lurk] Tony/Adam/VIC: Followed with much interest your burner experiments. The thread seems to have tapered off. Must be a pipe thread. (G) Any big conclusions? Two Swords, I think the grin doesn't show up if you enclose it in less than/greater than symbols. |
| Jim Wilson -- not PPW, quite - Thursday, 03/06/03 17:02:59 GMT |
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Sharp Knife, work and life, Burner experiments: Paw Paw, sometimes I find skinning a little easier with a knife that is not dead sharp. Just a thought. And ya know.... skinning can sometimes be done by just pulling the skin off if the carcass is warm. Make the neck, chest and belly cuts, leg cuts, and just pull down from the neck. Especially on thin skinned ones. Grin! Frank, Annabel, et al, life and work from the guru page. A couple of statements for discussion purposes... Work should never detract from spending reasonable time with family unless it has to in order to feed and house the family. Anyone who does work that is distasteful to them on a regular basis, and is not doing it in order to feed and house the family and self, with other viable options available, is part of their own problem. I see many people doing jobs they don’t like or are not well suited to. They hate their work and they are not doing a good job. They have the ability to switch jobs but don’t. Either out of fear of the unknown or they think it doesn’t get any better. One should examine their likes and skills, examine different jobs, try quite a few, and select one wisely so that it isn’t drudgery and doesn’t affect family badly. The world would be a better place. Anyone who neglects their family to do more work because they prefer their work more than their family, should not have had a family. Or, more simply stated........ Family first. Having fun with your family, and teaching kids how to have fun, as well as how to work and interact, is a responsibility in my opinion In a perfect world of course. And I always strive for what I opine to be perfect..... grin. Annabel, life should drive work ,not the other way around, in my opinion. But as John Ruskin said.... Life without labor is guilt. Labor without art is brutality. I hope I remembered that right. Jim Wilson (not Paw Paw), As for me, the orifice had less effect once the burner was in a forge due to the back pressure of the forge on the burner flow. I still have some other stuff on tap, rumbling around in the noggin, and will report when I try them. Other interesting stuff jumps in some times. Grin |
| - Tony - Thursday, 03/06/03 17:51:46 GMT |
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Creative knifework: PawPaw; Don't forget our ever-popular "Native American" technique of flaying the soles of the feet in narrow strips. Exquisite! Warm regards, 3dogs |
| 3dogs - Thursday, 03/06/03 19:10:40 GMT |
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Jim Wilson (Not Paw Paw): I probably will catch the dickens for saying this, but the only difference between (Not Paw Paw) and Paw Paw is the addition of Jr. instead of Sr. to our name. Hi, son! (grin) And before you guys ask, no he's not as mean as I am. (nother grin) |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/06/03 19:34:49 GMT |
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Differences:: Let me clarify that a little. That's not the only difference, between us, but it's the only difference between our names. |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/06/03 19:42:48 GMT |
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Differences: No worries! I almost said "Old One," but then I remembered you've been outmaneuvering discorporation fairly well, so that title can't quite be bestowed, yet, can it? (BG) Just finished tuning my first RR-type burner -- modified, of course -- aren't they all? It runs steadily oxidizing to reducing, from idle at ounces to roar at over 60 psi, outside the forge. I am quite pleased so far; honestly didn't expect it to run so well on the first go. The fiber blanket and kiln shelf haven't even arrived, yet! Still, I hope to have my first real forge operational within a week. It will be good to work with something better than my old makeshift MAPP torch/insulating firebrick forge, although I must say the old stack-o'-bricks has served quite well enough for longer than reasonable. It is even helping with the birth of its brother; the new burner flare was forged from its rapidly disintegrating innards. Hmm...I need a handle if I'm going to keep opening my yap around here. Ah, what's in a name? A rose by any other name would -- Hey, Paw Paw, you remember what roses smell like, don't you?! I'm *sure*! (even bigger grin) |
| Jim Wilson - Thursday, 03/06/03 21:28:23 GMT |
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Not Paw Paw: I could suggest a couple of names, but you want a name you can use in public and that won't get me in trouble with your mother, don't you? Hmm... That makes it a bit more difficult. (grin) Well, Paw Paw II isn't taken yet, and you'll have grand children before too much longer. LOL |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/06/03 23:20:33 GMT |
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Burners: Jim the Younger, I got distracted by building the nouveau neo-Gothic senile dementia forge, and progress on the burner issue has been at a standstill. In all fairness to myself though, I've had a bunch of extra stuff dumped on me at work lately. It all conspires to take time away from my dabbling at discoveries. Such is life, eh? Annabel, I've been at the side of a number of dying people and not one of them ever said that he wished he had spent more time working and less time with his family. When I thought very seriously last year that I was about to croak, I never gave a single thought to how it would affect the people at work, either. There's a message in there, somewhere. |
| vicopper - Thursday, 03/06/03 23:48:58 GMT |
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Vic: Twenty two years ago, I had a mild heart attack. The folks at work were the LAST thing on my mind. I pushed a little harder to tell Sheri that I loved her and to be sure and tell the kids the same thing. THAT'S what's important. Family. It's importance and value stand head and shoulders above every other consideration. I wish I had known that a little better 40 years ago. |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 01:02:56 GMT |
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Paw Paw: You been talking to my kids? We just got word that Andrew's first is due October 7. And Lisa called today and announced she is due October 24. Sheesh, I'm way too young to be a grandaddy! You ready to be a great-grand Paw Paw? Been thinking on what they should call me. Of course, Paw Paw's no good (G). Mary suggested "Papa" (Poppa?). Tyler said, "Grandpappy!" I vetoed that one in a hurry!! Hmmm, maybe "Grampa." *sigh* Ever notice how the foibles of your youth are invariably repeated by your children? (G) |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 04:53:45 GMT |
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vic's forge: vicopper: I saw your nouveau neo-gothic senile dementia forge. What a cutie!!! I love it! Q: How many cubic inches inside? Q2: What kind of burners will it get? |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 05:09:45 GMT |
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The forge: Jim the Younger, The inside is about 12" long by 6" wide by around 5" high. The sidewall are vertical for about 3" before the roof starts to curve. I'd guess the total volume is about 320 cu. in. More or less. Right now I'm using a single kinda poorly made atmospheric burner that is similar to a miniMongo, but with sloppy workmanship. My plan is to use two lightly smaller burners, still atmospheric. Or I might build a manifolded set of blown burners. It depends on what I can scrounge for a blower, etc. On the one miniMongo, it works fine for forging, but takes half an hour to get close to welding temp. It never really reaches welding temp unless I crank the pressure up to 25 psi, and the heat distribution is not exactly what I want with only one burner. The working design of the forge, aside from the decorative stuff, wroks very well. The clamshell front door and back port are great. No more fighting to cram a recalcitrant scroll through a too-small door. |
| vicopper - Friday, 03/07/03 05:40:22 GMT |
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Great Grand Paw???: Who, ME? Twice? In October?? No, I'm not ready for this! (sigh) |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 05:46:29 GMT |
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WOW that smarts!: Tony, 3 dogs, both of you Wilsons - holy cow. Hope I never meet all of ya at once in a dark alley (grin) (hope it shows up). Young (er) Jim, thanks for the grin help, serious, not sarcastic. I really started to sweat when they didn't show up...again, and again...No hard feelings, Paw Paw? |
| Two Swords - Friday, 03/07/03 05:56:49 GMT |
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James das jungere: > Ever notice how the foibles of your youth are invariably repeated by your children? (G) Yea, I noticed that. Did you notice that, too? (wry grin) Congratulations, son. |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 06:04:30 GMT |
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Two Swords: Hard feelings? What for? (gently stropping his knife) |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 06:19:01 GMT |
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(grin) |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 06:19:53 GMT |
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WILSONFIRE!: Has a nice ring to it, don't it PawPaw? Best regards, 3dogs |
| 3dogs - Friday, 03/07/03 08:49:53 GMT |
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PPW et al: Paw Paw, shouldn't you be moving up to Paw Paw Paw? Better finish off that story so's you'll have something to read to the younger young'uns! As for a "use" name how about "Dennis" since he used to rile "Mr Wilson" a lot! Thomas preparing to be skinned alive with a dull anvil dipped in kerosene |
| - Thomas Powers - Friday, 03/07/03 13:31:34 GMT |
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Skinning: Two swords, rhetorical only. No worries about meeting me in a dark alley. Grin. If you go back a month or so, Paw Paw was stropping his knife for me too. Grin. Congrats Jim the younger! And Paw Paw. You guys breed like rabbits or what? grin. A good thing at any rate. We need more good people in the world. |
| Tony - Friday, 03/07/03 13:40:46 GMT |
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Tony,: Hey! If something is worth doing, it's worth overdoing! Got a story I should tell on James Das Jungere, but maybe I'd better not, he's got a few he cold tell on me, too. |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 13:53:02 GMT |
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The forge: I was wondering why you went with two burners. Now I understand. How important do you think is the 5" height? Could that be reduced to 4" or maybe even 3-1/2" without loss of functionality? I was planning to keep my chamber in the 250 cubic inch range, so that a single burner would do. Now you have me wondering if even then, the temperature gradient would be overly sharp. Maybe the twin burner design is simply superior. No doubt, extra power adds flexibility, as usual. (G) |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 14:58:19 GMT |
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handles: Hmmmm......Jim the younger, perhaps. It appears to be catching, anyway :-) Thanks for the other suggestions. I have used JOATMON for a long time (still is Joat_Mon on Yahoo!), but gradually found that I preferred my real name over a catchy handle. Even though it's a common name, I haven't often encountered a conflict. I guess most other Jim Wilson's prefer catchy handles. (GG) Besides, "Jack-of-all-trades" and "blacksmith" seem redundant, anyway. |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 15:13:31 GMT |
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anvils: Datapoint: There are no 120#+ anvils available near Tucson, Arizona. In any condition. At any price. There have not been any in two years. There will not be any, unless I go somewhere and get one. Oh, wait. Then there still won't be any _available_. Observation: Two years of banging red hot steel on the back of your bench vise does not make it a better anvil. *sigh* Gonna have to make a trip to Mesa, I can feel it. |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 15:22:53 GMT |
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babies: Like rabbits?! Not me! I figured out what was causing them and quit. After four. |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 15:25:50 GMT |
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hard feelings: PPW - whew... Tony - I remember. Felt bad for you, at the time. (grin) What's everybody think about Trenton anvils? It sure is prettier than my Russian. James Das Jungere - congrats for one thing. Also, anvil shopping, I think Barry Denton is out your way, or at least in AZ. Skull Valley, I think. Bought a blower from him a while back and he took care of me. It was in super shape. |
| Two Swords - Friday, 03/07/03 16:18:57 GMT |
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Work- life: We have a neighbor up the road a bit. The guy gets up at 5:30 every morning to drive to the train station to go to work. Gets home around 8:30 pm. Works nights and weekends doing book-keeping and taxes for small businesses on the side. He has a huge house, a couple very expensive cars, a sweet Harley that he never gets to ride and last year he bought a sail boat that he plans to have restored. For what? The poor guy has no time at all to enjoy any of it. On the rare times you actually see the guy and ask "How's things?" you get the same answer. "Only 6 weeks till vacation" or something along that line. He spends 48 weeks a year absolutely hating his life for 4 weeks of down time. Maybe its just me, but I don't think its worth the trade. Sure I like to have toys too, but at what cost? I suppose the line is different for everyone. On the other hand, you gotta eat and I've had to do work that was less than enjoyable from time to time. Great! Now I'm thoroughly depressed. Gonna go out and shovel the fresh new foot of snow we got yesterday. That'll make me feel better. Enjoy the bliss kids. Rich |
| Gronk - Friday, 03/07/03 16:33:14 GMT |
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Life/Work: When I was a young ambitious engineer working for Raytheon I found I putting in more and more hours outside 40 per week. Mama Raytheon just kept on asking for more and more. Finally on a beautiful summer Friday evening when I was called into a 5:00 PM meeting where the big bosses didn't want my input anyway I went home. I guess the big cheese felt I wasn't a team player because 6 months later they layed me off. It was the nicest thing any company has ever done for me. I took a year off and got my priorities straight. I was lucky that it happened when I was 30 (not 50) and could still do everything I wanted to do. So Paw Paw and Gronk, you have the right idea. Why have all the high priced toys when you don't know what your kids look like? I'd love to have a Harley, but I'm not going to kill myself working to get it. My Honda runs great. My stress level is low. |
| Stephen G - Friday, 03/07/03 17:42:35 GMT |
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Babies: "I figured out what was causing them and quit. After four." You're a better man than I am Jim! I decided I'd rather get a slight modification done than "quit"...wish I'd had the Doc a friend of mine had with the "case of ice cold beer" perscription for afterwards (sit in a big lounge chair with one cold one for the top and one for down below---cycle as needed) Course I stopped at 2---fst learner Thomas |
| - Thomas Powers - Friday, 03/07/03 17:56:54 GMT |
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More life: First off, a hearty welcome to Jim jr! Can't have too many Wilson's on this forum, IMHO... Three years ago I down-sized my business, bought some rural acreage and put a metal building on it 100' from the house. I work most days from sunup to sundown to make ends meet, but my wife and sons can walk a few seconds and see me whenever they please. I was woried about the close proximity at first, but now I wouldn't trade it for the world. I lost a few customers when I went from a large manufacturing facility to my "garage" (instead of vice versa), but the customers I kept developed a new respect for me and my new-found values -- this is something I didn't expect at all. Life shouldn't be easy, but it damn sure should be rewarding. Sure... I'd like a Harley (NO, I'm not picking on Rich again, GRIN!), but teaching my 9 year old son to TIG weld yesterday after school -- even though I still had work to do -- sure put ME in "Hog Heaven". These brethren of hot iron, The Blacksmiths, are an eclectic lot. But I also know that most possess more values in their little finger, than other folks have in their entire bodies. For this (and this forum) I'm eternally grateful. -- as Zero guietly dabs a tear from his cheek... ;-) |
| Zero - Friday, 03/07/03 18:24:09 GMT |
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Babies: Thomas, I wondered if that one would get a nibble. (G) I only quit firing live rounds. (GG) Your friend's Doc had the right prescription! I just took a day off and worried my voice would change. |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 18:42:01 GMT |
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life: I'm reminded of the story of the fisherman who was advised by a passing businessman to improve his life by working harder. Zero: Thanks for the kind words. Two Swords: I don't know where Skull Valley is, but I'll try to find out. Thanks for the tip. |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 19:18:02 GMT |
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Skull Valley: Jim (junior): My DeLorme program says Skull Valley is 13 miles west of Prescott. I assume, Two Swords, that Barry is the gentleman who sells anvils on eBay? If so, I was thinking about making a pilgrimage from southern California to Arizona JUST on an anvil hunting expedition. As I've said before: Anvils are an extinct species in The Golden State, so a days drive is NOT out of the question if a good one can be found for a decent price. Does Barry just sell exclusively on eBay, or does he have a storefront as well? My Russian ASO is SOOOO dinged-up now, it looks like a dappling block! |
| Zero - Friday, 03/07/03 20:08:56 GMT |
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Life: Life, I see that both ways---if he was talking to a commercial fisherman they probably used the remains for chum or offered them to a lobsterman for bait... If he was talking to a fellow sitting against a tree drowning worms they might wake up enough to smile at him gently. Me, my idea of fishing is the trot-line, you put it out and when you come back you have dinner! Thomas The next MOB meeting will be March 15 near Canton OH, let me know if you need details! (Mid Ohio Blacksmiths) |
| - Thomas Powers - Friday, 03/07/03 20:55:42 GMT |
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Skull Valley: Thanks, Zero. It would be closer for me than for you! |
| Jim Wilson - Friday, 03/07/03 21:03:20 GMT |
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Quitting: Actually, Jim and I did the same thing. I had a blank adapter installed after our fourth one. The rifle still works, my voice hasn't changed a bit and now we don't have to worry about it. (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 21:32:57 GMT |
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Quitting: I wasn't as smart as Thomas, and my Dr. didn't reccomend the case of cold beer prescription, just told me to take it easy for a couple of days. I walked a beat for 8 hours that afternoon, and spent the next three days in bed, flat on my back. |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/07/03 21:35:00 GMT |
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Forge, etc.: Jim the Younger, As far as I'm concerned anyway, you're irrevocably stuck with Jim the Younger unless you come up with something on your own. Hey, be thankful I didn't stick you with something worse! (grin) As far as lowering the roof of the forge goes, it came out that way because of the dimensions of the materials, nothing more. The freon can is about 12" diameter, with three layers of 1" Kaowool, and the 1" kiln shelf material. I just went outside and measured the thing, to be sure I wasn't giving you false information. I found out I WAS giving you wrong figures, after all. The really truly correct measurements are 5-3/8" wide by 10" deep by 4" at the centerline of the roof. The vertical sidewalls are 3". I figure a total volume of about 200 cu in. So, no problem with one GOOD burner, such as a T-Rex. I built it for two burners to give me a bit more flexibility, and because I have this notion of making a couple of burners based on 1/2" pipe with smaller jets. The plan is to get more flame with lower overall velocity, if I can manage it. I'm going to need a whole weekend to play around making them, so it may be a while until I have anything to report. In the meantime, what I have is fine for forging. Once the forge is up to heat, (abvout 30 min) it heats stock much more quickly than the old Kaowool-only forge. I can't comment on the children issue. All my ex-wives had been spayed. (grin) I can comment on someone who would walk a beat for eight hours after getting his pipes clamped, though the comment wouldn't be very complimentary. (big evil grin) I can't claim to be any smarter, however. I once broke a leg at the start of a 120 mile cross-country motorcycle race and finished the race anyway. Six weeks in a cast. Remarkable what adrenaline can do to one's reasoning powers, isn't it? (grin) |
| vicopper - Friday, 03/07/03 22:43:13 GMT |
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Vic: Be nice, you'd have done exactly the same thing, and you know it. |
| Paw Paw - Saturday, 03/08/03 00:00:55 GMT |
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Paw Paw: Uhhhhhhh...maybe. More likely, I would have had to be dragged whinin' and bitchin' both into and out of the Doctor's office. (grin) |
| vicopper - Saturday, 03/08/03 00:19:27 GMT |
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forge dimensions: vic, Did you coat the chamber with ITC-100? The liner looks pretty clean in the photos. If not, the IR reflectivity of the ITC-100 might even out your heat distribution. Moot, of course. You already have provisions for two burners, and two smaller burners might be better in every way than one large one. Just idle speculation. I saw Leo Gallagher in concert once. He held up a series of bumper stickers. I think the first one said, "I [heart] NY"; the next one read "I [heart] my dog." Actually, there was a picture of some dog breed. The next one was "I [spade] my dog," and it got a pretty good laugh. But the audience really busted a gut on the final one: "I [club] my wife." |
| Jim Wilson - Saturday, 03/08/03 00:28:56 GMT |
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ITC-100: Jim the Younger, Yep, it is coated with ITC-100. The kilnshelf retains a lot of heat and evens out the chamber temps really very nicely, too. My last small forge had the burner coming in straight down from the top, but I put these in at an angle to lallow me to place stock on the side not directly in the flame path. The hope was to reduce scaling. I think a better plan is to fine tune the burner(s) to a slightly reducing flame. Someday. Tomorrow, I'm going to go over to the Botanical Gardens and play with the old coal forge for a while, I hope. I knew I had it bassackwards...I spayed my wives and clubbed my dog. One ex-wife had a sticker that read "I (heart) my (diamond). The only things stuck on my bumpers are those occasional items that are slower than I am. (grin) |
| vicopper - Saturday, 03/08/03 01:20:51 GMT |
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Anvils and James Das Jungere: You guys can stop trying to set him up with an anvil, Dad is going to give him one! (grin) Hell, it was gonna be his someday, anyway. |
| Paw Paw - Saturday, 03/08/03 01:48:34 GMT |
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FREE ANVIL!: Paw Paw: I'm up for adoption (Very Big Grin!)... |
| Zero - Saturday, 03/08/03 02:27:22 GMT |
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Zero,: Sorry, I'm at my limit already! (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Saturday, 03/08/03 02:31:31 GMT |
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Free Anvil!: What can I say?! Accident of birth! But free? Heck, now I have to be *nice* to him -- at least until the BHB [1]ships. (G) [1] Big Heavy Box |
| Jim Wilson - Saturday, 03/08/03 04:45:43 GMT |
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James Das Jungere: > Accident of birth Hoo boy, could I tell a story about THAT!! (LOL) |
| Paw Paw - Saturday, 03/08/03 05:09:05 GMT |
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spicy bunch, aren't we?: Zero - yes, Barry sells on Ebay, and I believe I've seen him post on these hallowed pages from time to time, usu. about powa hammas or something. How 'bout ya Barry? Long time no see. IIRC he also has a link on the advertiser page "across the street". And I'm with "Z" on the adoption thing too, Paw Paw. If ya want another kid...I promise I'll try not to make too many cracks about your age (G). Vicopper - spayed wives, clubbed dog - spit coffee on keyboard. I love it! 3 guys where I work are getting divorced now and I think they would all agree. I'm still on lady #1 and planning to keep it that way. Case of beer prescription - I can't speak to anyone who WOULD walk a beat for 8 hours after the "blank adaptor", but I'll raise me glass to anyone who COULD do so after that particular procedure. Friend of mine, 6'2" 260# weightlifter, kungfu instructor, purty tough guy, had that done and spent about 8 days in bed. Of course we gave him a hard time, but only from a safe distance. |
| Two Swords - Saturday, 03/08/03 06:08:06 GMT |
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Barry Denton: I've done business with Barry and he's been fajir with me. He advertises on Keenjunk (there, I said it) and his email address is barubar@mindspring.com. He ain't cheap, but he does give fair value. Paw Paw, Did Jim go from Der to Das after the procedure? Tell me it ain't so! (grin) |
| vicopper - Saturday, 03/08/03 06:48:45 GMT |
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errata: "can't speak to" should read more like "can't comment on" or "can't speak to the situation" no reflection on the person. My bad. Sleepy time. |
| Two Swords - Saturday, 03/08/03 07:05:18 GMT |
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Vic: Either one means "the". Jungere should have an umlatt over the U. |
| Paw Paw - Saturday, 03/08/03 12:39:50 GMT |
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German articles: Paw Paw, I was only curious as to whether he was "der" (the German masculine article) before the clip job, and became "das" (the neuter article) after the clip job. All along I had been assuming you guys were talking about vasectomies, not gelding! (evil grin) |
| vicopper - Saturday, 03/08/03 12:58:46 GMT |
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DER, of course: Not that would *I* know, speaking no German. And obviously -- since there is no doubt about my masculinity -- you *must* be picking on Paw Paw's German. Which course is safer, I can't say. He *is* the mean one. Slowly sharpening Paw Paw's knife...<== (translation for the uninitiated: riposte generator down) |
| Jim Wilson - Saturday, 03/08/03 14:22:11 GMT |
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FS anvil: Still trying to sell a #149 Trenton in good shape. Price is $250 +shipping. UPS will ship for about $75 or less depending on distance (I am NM 87544). This comes out to a tad more than $2 per lb which is a good price here in the SW USA Its a fine anvil. I used it for 2 yrs until I got a bigger HB. I should put it on ebay where I expect no trouble getting $3/lb + shipping but I would much rather sell it to a smith. |
| adam - Saturday, 03/08/03 16:15:57 GMT |
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FS anvil: Adam, odd you mention that - I just got of those. Paid about the same with no shipping. I still have yet to develop the talent SOME people (TP) seem to have for finding anvils cheap. All in all, I'd rather have bought one from a brother smith. Boy, Paw Paw's knife is getting a workout lately....(G) Der Jungere - "Old age and treachery will always overcome Youth and zeal." - a framed plaque that both my father and uncle had hanging on their walls. It got pointed to a lot after my cousins, brother or I had had an altercation which did not go as we'd planned it. Usually we had to look up at it from the floor. |
| Two Swords - Saturday, 03/08/03 16:46:48 GMT |
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Adam, FS anvil: Adam, I'm interested. Contact me via email (jimATbakosDOTorg) and we'll see what we can work out. Just like you'd rather sell to a fellow smith, I'd feel much safer buying from a fellow CSI member. Two Swords: Thanks for the heads-up on Barry! I checked his "me" page on eBay, but no mention of a storefront. Hopefully a moot point anyhow, if I can hook-up with Adam (Big *DROOLING* Grin!). Rich (Vic): I can't believe you used the "K" word here on the Hammer-in!! I hope it's not bad karma? I know I'm sure going to keep my mouth shut about Manganese just in case... (Big *HUMOROUS* Grin). |
| Zero - Saturday, 03/08/03 17:16:54 GMT |
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workouts: "Boy, Paw Paw's knife is getting a workout lately..." There's just a little stub left, but it sure is sharp! (G) |
| Jim Wilson - Saturday, 03/08/03 20:55:09 GMT |
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adages: "Brute strength and ignorance defeats skill and cunning every time." |
| - Jim Wilson - Saturday, 03/08/03 20:58:10 GMT |
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Wisdom: From Zero's VERY thin book of wisdom (title shamelessly stolen from Alti)... A dull knife is perfectly usable, if it has a pointed hilt. |
| Zero - Saturday, 03/08/03 22:27:54 GMT |
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Smart Arse Comments: Good thing I've been up at Dempsey's all day so I read all the way through here before I started to answer. What German I still have I learned from my Grandfather over 50 years ago. I haven't used it in at least 30 years. There are some differences between High German, and Low German, even more if you include Bavarian or Austrian. IF I remember correctly, the original Paw Paw probably spoke Low German. But it should be the masculine article. At least that what his first wife said in Burger King one day! (LOL) |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 00:25:21 GMT |
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As for knives:: I rarely have fewer than three in my possesion at one time. At the moment, the count is four. |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 00:26:18 GMT |
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Knives: I always carry a knife of some sort, preferrably an automatic (switchblade). I prefer something that fits in my pocket, but only takes one hand to open. At times, I may have another one tucked away somewhere accessible. Mostly though, I figure the knife is for opening packages. The gun is for opening unfriendly things. Rather not have to carry a gun everywhere, but I follow orders just like everybody else. Damned inconvenient most of the time, actually. (grin) And yes, I was picking on Paw Paw's German. I would never, ever impune someone's manhood. Well, probably not. Politicians don't count, do they? (grin) |
| vicopper - Sunday, 03/09/03 03:58:50 GMT |
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'nother adage: PawPaw der Alte; Must we remind these lads that old age and deceit will always win over youth and enthusiasm? 3dogs |
| 3dogs - Sunday, 03/09/03 08:12:48 GMT |
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3dogs: Sadly, they may have to learn by experience. (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 13:58:52 GMT |
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Youth: Our department is hiring a new group of officers. Age range is 21-31. Now I know how the old heads felt 24 years ago. We must adapt and overcome I suppose. |
| Brian C - Sunday, 03/09/03 15:25:23 GMT |
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Brian,: Indeed, now you know. That's a lesson that is always a surprise, but we all learn it eventually. Wait till you are the FTO for one of the "youngsters". That's another experience entirely. (wry grin) |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 16:46:31 GMT |
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knives: Rich: are switch blades legal in VI? |
| adam - Sunday, 03/09/03 17:00:33 GMT |
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Automatic knives: I also carry an auto daily. The only unfortunate thing is California law limits the blade length to 2" if carried in public. For normal use I have my 2" Protech Runt, Sunday-go-to-meeting I carry a S&W Police Issue 2". Around the house and property I carry a larger Benchmade. I wish I could justify the expense of a Microtech (the king of all autos), I would dearly love one of their OTF's! Anyone else besides Rich carry autos? |
| Zero - Sunday, 03/09/03 17:44:15 GMT |
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Zero: Not any more, but I have in the past. NC law forbids the carrying of any auto-opening knife. There have even been some convictions for carrying gravity blades. For that reason, they made a good "throw away". |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 17:51:24 GMT |
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Laws: Paw Paw: It's a shame the local, state and federal governments feel the need to save us from ourselves by outlawing useful items. The coil spring operated automatic knives are the easiest and safest knives I've ever used. Yet in most states only LEO and military can legally carry them. California outlawed the Balisong (butterfly) knives as well. Those, at least, almost removed a few of my digits from time to time -- easy to whip open, DANGEROUS to whip closed! Truth is: If it's good (or fun), it's either regulated, taxed or illegal... ;-) |
| Zero - Sunday, 03/09/03 19:39:42 GMT |
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Power Hammers: I'm looking at buying my first power hammer. Has anyone had any problems with the KAYNE & SON BIG BLU hammer? Are there any pros or cons to this product I should consider? |
| - Fireman03 - Sunday, 03/09/03 20:22:07 GMT |
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Zero: > Truth is: If it's good (or fun), it's either regulated, taxed or illegal... ;-) Yep! That's why I hope to He** that the EPA doesn't find out how well B'Laster works. They'll take if off the market for sure! "If it works, there must be something wrong with it!? Dam fool idiots! |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 20:55:05 GMT |
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Legalities: Adam, No, automatic knives and gravity knives are illegal here, same as most everywhere. LEOs and military carry only. I've never seen a prosecution for it, but the law is on the books. Actually, I think it's probably a good idea for them to be illegal. If they were legal to carry, every idiot hyper-testosteroned youngster would have them and be waving them around. Inevitably, one of them would wind up waving one at me, only to find out that it is a really bad idea to bring only a knife to a gunfight. (grin) Maybe if they had an age limit of about 30, it might be okay for them to be legal. I know, I'm a spoilsport. I don't mind Darwinian selection, but I don't want to be the agent of it if I can help it. (grin) Balisongs are Darwinian by their very nature...tough to operate again after the first time you whip one closed the wrong way. (big evil grin) Brian, I second what Paw Paw said. The second best thing about my recent re-assignment (after the banker's hours) was that I no longer have to supervise a bunch of young doofuses fresh out of the academy who don't know any more about police work than Mary Poppins. What a huge relief! You have my sympathy. Now go out there and try to make cops out of them before they get themselves hurt. Field training is the single most important job in law enforcement. You have my best wishes. |
| vicopper - Sunday, 03/09/03 21:53:41 GMT |
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Boy!: IU just re-read what I posted above. Man, do I ever sound like a grumpy old slicksleeves three-striper! 'Course, I AM, but that's no excuse. I guess I should stick with talking about blacksmithing, which never annoys, depresses or angers me. Blacksmithing is fun and good for the soul! |
| vicopper - Sunday, 03/09/03 21:57:47 GMT |
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Vic: At least you're not alone in bing grumpy. (wry grin) |
| Paw Paw - Sunday, 03/09/03 23:20:30 GMT |
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Knife humor: Jeeze! If Rich (Vic) and Paw Paw are going to be so grumpy, perhaps a true story will liven their spirits. About 30 years ago my uncle and father were both showing me the correct way to sharpen a kinfe, and, of course, arguing about it as brothers naturally do. Dad would test his blade by cutting a 2" piece of limp paper. My uncle says "No, your doing it wrong. A sharp knife splits a hair." He plucks a hair, holds it between thumb and forefinger and whips the knife down... Cleanly cutting the tip of his index finger off! Dad dead-pans to my uncle: "I much prefer my method, because I can test the blade more than 10 times." I often tell this story to reinforce the adage: A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from others. Hope this made the GOB's (Grumpy Old Blacksmiths) smile? |
| Zero - Monday, 03/10/03 00:31:35 GMT |
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Zero, my whole house is now laughing with that story! That is a great one. Thank you. I needed that. And I wasn't even grumpy. |
| Tony - Monday, 03/10/03 01:07:54 GMT |
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Zero: Well, it made this one laugh, but I didn't smile! |
| Paw Paw - Monday, 03/10/03 01:09:09 GMT |
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Zero: Thanks, I enjoyed that. Would've probably enjoyed it even more if I didn't see myself in it. (grin) I refuse to admit how I learned that falling knives have no handles. Fifteen years ago we were having a family reunion in Mazatlan, during which there was a hurricane offshore. The ocean got so rough that my brother refused to let any of the kids go swimming, much to their annoyance. When the waves got really big, Riley decided to go do a little bodysurfing and promptly got tumbled around and broke his arm. He came crawling up out of the surf with his left arm all crooked and told the kids, "See, I TOLD you it was too rough for swimming!" Next stop, La Clinica. I'll never let him live it down, either. (grin) |
| vicopper - Monday, 03/10/03 01:50:58 GMT |
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Paw Paw x 2: Go away a few days and I start seeing double posts. Knife sharpening tips, an anvil swap and some of the general high jinks. Glad to see life is continuing. Welcome Jim Wilson Jr. See if you can get Paw Paw to put up more of the Revolutioary Blacksmith. I'm having withdrawal symptoms. |
| - Larry - Monday, 03/10/03 03:00:10 GMT |
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Larry,: Don't talk to me about it, talk to Jock. He's got it. (evil grin) |
| Paw Paw - Monday, 03/10/03 03:08:54 GMT |
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Fireman3 the bige blue is a good hammer (for a outside air type hammer ) the folks that make it are good people to do busness with --I like the big Blue better than any of the outher out side air hammers on the Market |
| Bill E - Monday, 03/10/03 07:24:04 GMT |
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Auto blades: Up here in the wilds of Michigan, you can get one if you can prove you have only one usable arm. |
| 3dogs - Monday, 03/10/03 07:44:57 GMT |
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Painful lessons: Vicopper, you reminded me of the joke, Q. What were the Rednecks last words? A. "Hey, watch this!" Q. What were his cousin Earl's last words? A. "Shoot, that weren't nothin'." 3dogs |
| 3dogs - Monday, 03/10/03 08:24:32 GMT |
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vicopper & Paw Paw, It's a little different in our outfit. We are "security police oficers" at a nuclear site. Dont have any problems dealing with the "street creatures", our biggest problem is teaching them the difference between law enforcement and nuclear security and how to work within the system. I did do 5 years as a Deputy Sheriff in my youth though, it is in fact a whole 'nother world. I could get in the shop this week if the temp. would get considerably above its current 15 deg. |
| Brian C - Monday, 03/10/03 14:22:40 GMT |
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Brian,: Although they share some common characteristics, there are worlds of difference between security police and law enforcement. When I was working on my Associate Arts degree, a proffesor asked on a quiz, "How much authority does a security officer have, under North Carolina Law?" I answered, "Very damn little!" He wrote, "Smart A$$!" next to my answer, but gave me credit for the question. (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Monday, 03/10/03 14:59:08 GMT |
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PAw Paw, Ref. differences, Don't I know it. Having done both. We have no state authority, ours comes from the feds. All in all I like the fire service better than either VBG. |
| Brian C - Monday, 03/10/03 15:18:31 GMT |
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Zero: Roger |
| Paw Paw - Monday, 03/10/03 20:11:41 GMT |
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Brian C, this Nuc facility you are at, is it private pwr company or a Fed installation? |
| Ralph - Monday, 03/10/03 22:30:18 GMT |
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Brian C: There sure is a difference! And knowing exactly what that difference is makes all the difference as far as staying out of trouble goes. Down here, we have way too many armed security guards running around thinking they're cops. Also too many cops acting like they're security guards. Why do they all seem to want to be something other than what they are? (grin) I wanna be blacksmith! Someone is always asking me how I became a cop when I have an art degree,etc. I always tell them it's just like the Bryn Mawr graduate who was asked how she winded up being a hooker. She replied, "Just lucky, I guess!" Today was one of those days though, when I think I should have been a skin diver for RotoRooter. (sigh) I wanna be a blacksmith! |
| vicopper - Monday, 03/10/03 22:54:10 GMT |
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Ralph, I work for a private enrichment company with a govt contract. vicopper, We have the same thing here. Lot of guys cant handle the change and go back to police work, and vice versa we have a lot of cops who hire in and are glad to be done with all the B.S. of the real world. Myself, I have a degree in police admin. and also an Assoc. degree in Industrial security-having said that, I have enjoyed the last 11 years in the vol. fire service more than any of it. Go figure. What I would really like to do is retire-build a big shop-play in the hot iron and make a few fire calls . On a serious note folks- Our ministers wife is 37 years old and is starting a long fight against breast cancer. She has had one surgery , facing another this friday, and about 6-9 months of chemo after that. Please remember her in your prayers. |
| Brian C - Monday, 03/10/03 23:11:57 GMT |
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Reality: I had a brief stint as a "private patrol" security guard when I was 20, helping a family friend with his struggling security business. At the time, wielding a badge and a gun seemed SOOOO cool -- I was, after all, invincible... ;-) Now that age has tempered me, I think: NO WAY SHOULD CHILDREN BE GIVEN BADGES AND GUNS! And, often wonder how I actually survived that era with the majority of my training coming from Starsky & Hutch (relieved grin). I have the utmost respect for those who (and have) "protect and serve". Having witnessed such mundane things as a domestic violence call go VERY terribly wrong. Brian C: Your job can't be none too easy these days either. Thanks for keeping the enriched uranium (or worse) out of evil's way! |
| Zero - Monday, 03/10/03 23:42:56 GMT |
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Oh Yeah: Rich: Their's a Blacksmith inside you, you just won't let him come out and PLAY! (Big EVIL Grin) |
| Zero - Monday, 03/10/03 23:46:31 GMT |
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MD area smiths: Looking for period shop in Northern VA, MD area for filming project. Bellows, hearth, etc. Bellows can be provided if you've converted...heck, even the anvil and tools can be provided. Please reply directly to josephpugsley@yahoo.com Thank you!!! |
| - Greg "Pugsley" Clasby - Tuesday, 03/11/03 01:42:29 GMT |
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Need Anvil in NW: I'm finding this to be quite a feat. But I shall endeavor to persavere. An new and excited and plan to attend the 3 day St. Helens Conference. If I can't find one before then, then I'm hoping there'll be one there, but I don't want to wait till then if I don't have to. Am also needing...well hell I need everthing, so let me know if and what you may have to help get me started in something I'm feeling quite passionate about. Hope to hear from someone. |
| - Kim - Tuesday, 03/11/03 01:49:07 GMT |
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Kim: Go to www.abana.org, and look up the chapter nearest you. Find the contact person, and contact him/her. Join the group and begin attending their hammerin's/meetings. Let them know what you need, and you'll be surprised at the help you will get. You can also go to www.abanachapter.com and do the same thing. Finally, join CSI, the local support group for this web site. You won't find a more helpful or knowledgable group of folks. |
| Paw Paw - Tuesday, 03/11/03 01:53:01 GMT |
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MD SMIITHS:: looking for period-ish shop to film in for a day...can provide bellows and tools... reply-to josephpugsley@yahoo.com THANKS!!! |
| Pugsley - Tuesday, 03/11/03 02:01:07 GMT |
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Security: I just gotta pipe in this time. I spent 4 1/2 years in the Air Force as a Security Policeman on the security side of the house. My recruiter said it was the same as Law Enforcemant, the lying B***##%*!! Anyways, I always took my training seriously, figuring it could be my life or my coworkers on the line. Well, when Burma, now Myanmar had it's overthrow, we were slated to go secure the airport. They sent a bunch of Marines instead, even tho all our gear was loaded on the plane and just waiting for us. Many of the younger kids were shaking, crying, and asking stupid questions. These were the same kids goofing off during the training classes. I am not alone in saying that many of those we would gladly have shot ourselves in a real life situation, as they were more dangerous to us with a loaded gun behind us than an enemy in front of us. Whew! Sorry about that! :} |
| - Bob Harasim - Tuesday, 03/11/03 02:55:26 GMT |
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Bob,: No apology necessary. Un-professional behavior is always irritating, at best. And it can be infuriating. |
| Paw Paw - Tuesday, 03/11/03 03:08:22 GMT |
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*WHAT* *PERIOD*? My Y1K shop is a variation of a hole in the ground with two smallish single action bellows and a cube of mild steel on a stump for an anvil. So do you want 0 A.D. 900 A.D. 1400 A.D. 1700 A.D. 1800 A.D. 1900 A.D. or 2000 A.D.---20th century is a period... Thomas |
| Thomas Powers - Tuesday, 03/11/03 15:30:02 GMT |
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HF Throatless Shear: Recently on sale for $75 so I bought one. It arrived yesterday. It's a shameless knockoff of the Beverly #1 which I would love to own but cant afford at $490. The good news: Cuts 16ga sheet metal clean and easy. I had no trouble cutting out a 2.5" dia disk in 16ga. I got to use a Beverly #1 a little bit at Frank Turley's place and the HF shear seems to work about as well. The bad news: Lower blade has a nick in the edge - I will call cust service about this. In the meantime I use the spare set of blades that I ordered with the shear. Part of the casting below the blade has to be ground away so that the blades can close all the way. Need to take off 1/8" with the angle grinder. Clamp nut for lower blade needs washer so that it doesnt shift the blade when tightening Hole in the handle to accept retaining bolt is off by 1/3". Blade pivot bolt was loose. Handle pivot bolt was loose and needs a 1/16" washer to clean up a sloppy action Set screws to adjust lower blade are too long and project 5/8". Casting finish is rough Manual could be better. While annoying these are all problems that can be easily fixed in a metal shop. If I dont get any customer satisfaction I will just regrind the defective blade. All in all, this is no Beverly shear but it is a useful tool and worth $75-$90. Bear in mind that I just got this and the casting could crack in half tomorrow :) However, the reports that I have heard from other people confirm that this is an OK tool One day someone will offer me a used Beverly at a price I can afford. Until then this guy will keep me going |
| adam - Tuesday, 03/11/03 15:36:44 GMT |
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Machinery's Handbook: Looks like Grizzley is selling off 25th edition copies of Machinery's Handbook for US$0.95 + US$5.95 S&H, folks who don't own a copy might investigate. Be aware that their on-line ordering system seems poorly engineered. grizzly's website |
| - Thomas Powers - Tuesday, 03/11/03 16:13:28 GMT |
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Shoulda knowed THAT deal was too good to last.I spoke to the order desk at 11:45 AM EST today (Tuesday) and those puppies are gone. Oh, well, I snooze, I lose! 3dogs |
| 3dogs - Tuesday, 03/11/03 17:12:14 GMT |
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nuclear facilities: Brian C, out of curiosity, where you at? In a previous life I had unescorted access at...um...Peachbottom, Clinton Power Sta, Perry, Oyster Creek, Brunswick (Southport, NC - very pretty - I'd live there). Worked for G.E. Reactor Inspection Services. Oh, and DC Cook plant in Bridgeman MI, about 10 miles from my house. Got access but never worked there. Always thought those boys in black BDU had a cool job. Toting guns all day and no "dose". Good to meet ya. |
| Two Swords - Tuesday, 03/11/03 17:31:03 GMT |
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Nuclear Access: You guy are aware that the guru designed some of the maintenance machines for nuclear power plants, didn't you? |
| Paw Paw - Tuesday, 03/11/03 17:44:51 GMT |
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Access: Paw Paw - I didn't know that! Small planet, eh? Which ones? Not likely anything I got my hands on, but might have seen them. All I did was ultrasonic weld inspection, some mag/flux and penetrant insp., mostly automated UT. Brian C.- how inconsiderate of me. I will keep your minister's wife in thoughts and such prayers as I can make. |
| Two Swords - Tuesday, 03/11/03 17:50:22 GMT |
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Nuc Maint: PPW, well in the good ole US Navy us enlisted folks were the maintenance machines... (grin) |
| Ralph - Tuesday, 03/11/03 17:52:35 GMT |
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Two Swords: Really don't know which ones. Special milling machines for the top of the reactor cylinders. They had to be re "flatted" during re-fueling or something. Cylinder heads were taken off and the cylinder and head were both re-ground. Machines had to stay in place and be remotely operated. Ask Jock, he'll tell you. Ralph, not for the stuff Jock was working on, you weren't. That was ship yard level stuff. |
| Paw Paw - Tuesday, 03/11/03 18:35:55 GMT |
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Bob H:: Have to comment on your AirForce security story... I served in the Marines and was pulled for a security detail on a the F-117 stealth fighter. I wondered, as I was standing by that plane during the middle of the night, why the heck the Airforce couldn't guard their own equipment! Perhaps you answered that question. We were locked, loaded and a-wishing somebody would try something. Nobody did. The other thing that bothered me was the AirForce always had all the good tools. I remember beating a hex-headed screw off a snake-eyed fin just because we didn't have the proper sized hex driver. The crazy thing was, that fin was attached to a high explosive 500 lb bomb. Crazy and dumb! |
| - Matt Berge - Tuesday, 03/11/03 23:13:04 GMT |
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Paw Paw: Thank you for the latest installment of The Revolutionary Blacksmith! (Thanks to Jock as well for finding the time to post it, even though he's quite busy). I now understand the question asked here, some time ago, about willow bark tea. I thought it was needed because Paw Paw and a bunch of friends tied-one-on after a reenactment... ;-) |
| Zero - Wednesday, 03/12/03 00:00:58 GMT |
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Zero: Special thanks to Jock. Yep, I was pretty sure I was right. The scrapings from the inner bark of the willow tree is where they got aspirin from. |
| Paw Paw - Wednesday, 03/12/03 00:11:02 GMT |
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NUC stuff again...: PPW, but I spent almost 3 centuries... errr I mean 3 years in the yards... but I will admit it was not a refueling yard time..... But pretty much every thing else was done.... NOw for cool machines.. I really liked watching the tool used to weld up teh HUGH hole that was cut into the top of the boat... the torpedo loading hatch had been cut out, and when it was time to weld it back in they had this cool robot wire feed welder.... once it was set up it went to town with no one there.... Made a certain number a passes then it was checked with radiography then a new set of welds etc.... |
| Ralph - Wednesday, 03/12/03 00:42:53 GMT |
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Willow bark tea: Yep. You are right about the willow bark tea, Paw Paw. Courtesy of our Native American brothers. I once heard that ninty percent of our modern drugs originated from medicinal plants. Something to keep in mind. Thanks for putting up The Revolutioary Blacksmith, Mr. Dempsey. I am enjoying it. And thanks to you Paw Paw. Just watch out for the kids. My two boys offered to take me hunting. Said I wouldn't even have to pack a gun around. I could just wander around out in front of them and flush out the game. I really haven't had time to go yet. (VBG) |
| - Larry - Wednesday, 03/12/03 01:06:01 GMT |
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Larry: I can think of another, right off the top of my head. Fox-glove was used for "palpitations" of the heart. A natural source of digitalis. My boys know me better than that. They know that I will be carrying a gun and that I always shoot back. (grin) |
| Paw Paw - Wednesday, 03/12/03 01:51:49 GMT |
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Paw Paw: It seems that your brief literary dry spell did no harm to your skills as a scribe. Kudos on another excellent installment of the Revolutionary Blacksmith. I'm hooked all over again! Jock: Bless you, sir! Your extensive efforts on this site are appreciated more than you may ever know. Thanks! Eric |
| eander4 - Wednesday, 03/12/03 04:35:12 GMT |
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Eric,: CSI, the member's group that helps to support the anvilfire site is always looking for new members. You can find out more by clicking on the following link. www.anvilfire.com/sales/members.htm |
| Paw Paw - Wednesday, 03/12/03 10:27:24 GMT |
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PPW's yarn: Paw Paw, I like the new chapter, my main quibble has been that everything seemed to be sweetness and light and that bigotry, sloth, incompetence and sickness seems to be getting short shrift, (that and the fact they didn't do "white" wedding gowns back then...) A bit of a darker tone in the setting actually "feels" more authentic---anyone for the blue salve and the salivations? BTW I'd bet you that even with duty rosters some folks would complain---it's one of the cheapest form of entertainments ever since we left the garden! I assume that they are going around and collecting charcoal from all the fires in camp with a shovel that sifts it from the ashes. Thomas |
| - Thomas Powers - Wednesday, 03/12/03 14:32:09 GMT |
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Thomas: Actually, Dee's wedding gown was a direct copy from a period painting that the Illustrator found. White wasn't "common" but it did happen. Master Schmidt isn't exactly "rolling in the dough" but he's certainly not hurting, either. So for Dee to wear a white wedding dress, (which could be easily modified into a "sunday" dress, according to my wife the master seamstress) was both proper and money saving. There are un-doubtedly some complainers, but the First Sgt is taking care of them, Will would not even know they were happening. As for "how" the First Sergeant is handling the problems, you'll begin to find out the answer to that toward the end of chapter II, with a bit more information in chapter III. (grin) I hadn't thought of the charcoal, though I did mention that early in Book I, perhaps I need to touch on that again, I'll think about it. Writing the "combat" scenes is a bit difficult for me. Some things I'd rather not remember. There's a scene in Chapter III that kept me awake two nights in a row. BTW, this kind of feedback is very valuable to me. I much appreciate it, because at times it helps me to clarify my thinking as well as helping to "satisfy the readers". |
| Paw Paw - Wednesday, 03/12/03 15:26:14 GMT |
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Paw Paw: I'm a member. I just rarely log in as such. Must be the slacker in me (grin). |
| eander4 - Wednesday, 03/12/03 22:00:14 GMT |
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Eric,: OK, hope I wasn't offensive, just try to do everything I can to encourage folks to join. |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/13/03 02:34:30 GMT |
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Paw Paw: I don't see any way you're comments could have come across as offensive. This is a terrific site and we should all be doing our darndest (is that even a word?)to recruit fresh blood, and I don't mean just with a sharp knife (grin). Eric |
| eander4 - Thursday, 03/13/03 04:06:41 GMT |
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Eric,: Darndest is a word now, you just invented it. (grin) Thanks! |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/13/03 13:32:29 GMT |
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eBay Patriot: Since Rich (Vic) asked that the discussion be brought over here, I thought I'd drop my $0.02 worth... I love eBay, and shop there frequently. It has saved me countless dollars on everything from computers to shop supplies. I didn't know shopping there made me a patriot (I'll have to use that excuse on my wife the next time I buy a new toy!). Jock is 100% correct (and so is Scott to some extent): Buyer Beware. When I view an eBay auction, I look at the description carefully. When it says stuff like "has two large scratches on top, a dent in the bottom and is missing four screws" I have a tendency to trust the seller more. When it simply says "like new" I steer clear -- the adage: "a picture is worth a 1000 words", does not apply. I don't mind a "heads-up" from folks like Scott, but I think it belongs here in the Hammer-in and not on the Guru page. I also think more smith-to-smith deals should be done here. If it weren't for my whining about anvils, Adam wouldn't have known I was looking and sold me his. I'm going to buy some stuff from "The Store" to show my appreciation to Jock for giving us this forum. Thereby allowing us to buy, sell, trade, learn, teach and enjoy the camaraderie. Next, I'm logging on to eBay Motors and placing a bid on a Harley -- and tell my wife I'm doing it for AMERICA! (VBEG) |
| Zero - Thursday, 03/13/03 18:35:53 GMT |
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E-bay: It would seem, gentlemen, that with E-bay, as with life, we must strive to find that happy balance that lies within the writings of the anonymous Arabian sage who wrote "Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel."; the equally unknown Italian, who cave us "Caveat Emptor", the great American circus promoter P.T. Barnum, who gave us "There's a sucker born every minute". And, I must include my friend, auto mechanic, poet and philosopher, Sherman D. Kimple, who says "Hey, there's a butt for every seat and a seat for every butt." And then there's 3dogs, who says, "Trust me, I'm a blacksmith." (Smirk) |
| - 3dogs - Thursday, 03/13/03 19:09:06 GMT |
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Revolutionary Blacksmith: Guru - Thanks for finding time in your extraordinarily busy schedule to put up the latest installment of _Revolutionary Blacksmith._ Likewise for your part in illustrating it. Paw Paw - Thanks for continuing the series. Re: Writing about combat and its insomnia inducing effects. My father still won't talk much about WWII 58 years later. Seems time doesn't dim the intensity of those memories much. |
| John Lowther - Thursday, 03/13/03 19:47:28 GMT |
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E-Bay: I've bought a good bit from e-bay over the last couple of years. I have to echo Zero's comments. Course, I was born a skeptic anyway. I want to also mention that Anvilfire has an auction page. It doesn't get near enough traffic, partly because the CSI membership hasn't talked it up much, and Jock is still fighting with some bugs. It's a target audience, it's an audience that knows what it wants, and it's an audience that knows about what things are worth. |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/13/03 20:38:14 GMT |
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John L.: My step dad was also a combat veteran. WWII. North Africam Sicily. Trapped behind German lines at least once, and got away with it. How do I know? I read the citations with his medals. Not too long before he died, I went to the hospital one evening to see him. He noticed that I looked beat and commented on it. I answered that I hadn't slept much the night before and he asked if I'd been having nightmares. I told him yes. Then I said to him, "Dad, I can remember you waking up screaming "TANKS, TANKS!" in the middle 40's. (He was at Kasserine Pass when Rommel broke through. He stayed behind to hold the germans off with a machine gun while his company escaped. Then destroyed the gun and escaped himself. Took him a day and a half to get back across the enemy lines. Silver Star) "How long do the nightmares last?" He got the saddest look in his eyes, and said, "How long do you expect to live?" I said something like, "Oh great! JUST what I needed to hear!" I grinned as I said it, and he replied with a smile, "I will say this, they do get easier with time." He was right, they do get easier with time. But he was also right that they apparently never go away. |
| Paw Paw - Thursday, 03/13/03 20:45:19 GMT |
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NW anvils: Kim- hadn't seen your message as I don't always visit on a regular basis. Are you in Seattle, Portland or ??. There are lots of anvils available lately which seems contrary to when I was looking for them. Must be because I hoarded all the ones I came across! I do have some nice 100 year old American and Swedish anvils I'm looking to unload as I want to trade up to the new Czech 500lbr's that are available. I am going to the conference as well next month and will have some of them there. Ciao, |
| steve howell - Thursday, 03/13/03 20:53:48 GMT |
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e-bay: I used to print out some of the e-bay descriptions just for the fun of it. Some of my favorites: "Blacksmith's Tongues" instead of tongs, "hand forged cast iron" and "Early blacksmith tools" for something that was post ACW! Most of these were done through ignorance; though some folk got huffy and demanded why I should expect them to know anything about what they are selling! What annoys me are the terms "rare" or "unusual" for common factory made items. If you don't know anything about something *don't* make value judgements about it! Thomas rare and unusual for me to buy anything the local fleamarket still is several times cheaper than e-bay... |
| - Thomas Powers - Thursday, 03/13/03 21:12:41 GMT |
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eBay: Jim- (zero), I buy a good bit of stuff on eBay and have only been really screwed once. That was by some fly-by-nighter who simply didn't deliver the goods. Twenty bucks, no lbig deal, but it did annoy me. One other guy packed a tool so poorly it got broken in shipment, and he refused to even acknowledge his error. I fixed the thing, so it was only annoying, not costly. The other eighty or so deals have been just to terrific. The single most adventurous thing I ever did in my life, financially, was to buy my Harley on eBay. After several emails and half a dozen phone conversations with the seller, I just hauled off and sent him a cashier's check for over seven grand. On trust alone. (Well, I do have a contact with the PD where he lives) He crated the bike nicely and it cot here fine. The scooter is even better than his description and pictures. You CAN come out just fine on eBay. So now, apparently, I'm a patriot instead of just a gullible motorcycle hoodlum. (huge grin) Paw Paw & John L., Nightmares? Not anymore. I just call them dreams now. Oh, I still wake my wife with my yelling and thrashing around, but she's learned to just conk me a few times until I stop the racket. She's been a nurse for thirty years, so I guess they can be considered therapeutic conks. (grin) |
| vicopper - Thursday, 03/13/03 22:49:38 GMT |
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ebay: Like Zero, I prefer to deal with other smiths. While my experience in such deals has not been all sweetness and light but so far I have not encountered dishonesty - just extreme flakiness. I would much rather sell my tools to someone who is going to use them and I get a real kick out of using a tool that has been in the hands of another craftsman. However, not every purchase can be a love fest :). Sometimes its just cold commmerce. There isnt much in the way of 2nd hand tool dealers here. The flea market has become a sort of boutique for tourists. So I do buy from ebay. I am careful. I rarely spend more than $50. I only buy stuff that I know and I try to buy only from sellers that have a long list of positive feedback comments. I figure these guys have an investment in their good names. So far I've been burned once for $10. Rich, I find it distasteful when someone flaunts his patriotism in an ebay ad. But I think the poster was just trying to convince us that he is a good guy and that not all ebay vendors are scum of the earth :) We can grumble all we want about "yuppified prices" but things are worth what people will pay. Were it not for the efforts of "greedy" vendors, many of these great tools would still be rusting away in peoples basements waiting for that spring day when they get sent to the scrapheap and lost forever. Ebay allows people all over the country to connect with tools all over the country. This very fact increases their value - the more buyers there are, the higher the price will go. |
| adam - Thursday, 03/13/03 22:54:30 GMT |
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Thomas, as a long-time reader I know you have good flea markets. I'm jealous. Years ago, before I really got into this stuff, I had good local flea markets. Lately I've noticed that most of the "good" stuff seems to have disappeared. I think many of the sellers have discovered better $ on ebay. :-( On the other hand, I've learned to make a lot of the stuff that I had thought I'd have to find in flea markets and auctions. So I get the tool, and the fun and experience of making it! :) Steve |
| Steve A - Thursday, 03/13/03 23:07:16 GMT |
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More eBay...: Rich (Vic): I've never been screwed on eBay, just had one item take FOREVER to get here and one damaged in shipment. I bought a used laptop from a guy who had quite a few negative feedbacks. I checked the feedbacks and they were all for $0.01 CD's. I figure if you pay a PENNY for a used CD, it skips and you complain -- you NEED TO GET A LIFE! Ergo, the laptop works just fine... You bought your Hog on eBay? Hmmmm, must be some sort of psychic tropospheric ducting between St. Croix and California... ;-) We used to have a nice flea market, but now it's just an overpriced Harbor Freight (with airborne dust), which is why I shop online more and more these days. |
| Zero - Thursday, 03/13/03 23:42:50 GMT |
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Shopping in general: One thing I've found, on eBay and everywhere else, is that if youtry to squeeze the very last nickel out of every deal, things become unpleasant. When I buy or sell anywhere, I try to find a spot that both parties can be happy with. Sure, I've left some money on the table in lots of deals. But it usually pays off in the long run. Poeple come back, they tell other people, etc. And I can live with myself. Life is too short to spend any of it trying to squeeze somebody else's wallet. I've sure been happy with my Harley! |
| vicopper - Friday, 03/14/03 00:43:31 GMT |
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Deja Vu: Rich (Vic): Dang! Just finished having the very same talk with my oldest boy (17). He's got a class in economics where they buy "fake" stocks. He wanted to HOLD everything and I respectively told him to leave some money on the table for those that follow -- my fathers axiom. Tropospheric ducting's working well tonight!! |
| Zero - Friday, 03/14/03 04:06:00 GMT |
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Vic & Zero: "Bread cast upon the waters will return to you seven fold". It's true, I've had it proved to me many times over the years. |
| Paw Paw - Friday, 03/14/03 04:31:27 GMT |
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Mo' Axioms: My Daddy had one about money, too, although not quite as polite as Zero's Daddy's. "Money's like manure. If you spread it around, it's fertilizer. If you just let it sit there, it's just horse s**t." |
| - 3dogs - Friday, 03/14/03 07:34:48 GMT |
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Serious Tradin'!: Vic, one of the most amazing accounts of trading I ever read was about the Hasidic diamond traders in Antwerp. Two of them will stand right out there on the sidewalk tossing verbal offers and counteroffers back and forth until an agreement is reached, at which point , one of them will slap his palm down on the palm of the other, and they say "mazel und brucha" (basically, "a good deal for both"). I didn't notice any notes being taken or exchanged, either. I guess about umpteen bazillion bucks worth of diamonds are traded this way every day! |
| - 3dogs - Friday, 03/14/03 07:58:46 GMT |
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$$ Aphorism: "Money's the cheapest thing you'll ever have". |
| Frank Turley - Friday, 03/14/03 14:00:43 GMT |
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Money's worth: The Tao Te Ching tells a story of a miserly farmer that kept all his gold burried in a field. Every morning he would dig it up and look at it and bury it again. One night someone stole his gold. The farmer complained to his neighbor about the theft. The neighbor suggested the farmer bury a large stone in the same spot and go dig it up every morning. Since that was all he used his gold for he should get the same enjoyment from it. |
| Gronk - Friday, 03/14/03 17:15:14 GMT |
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Ebay etc: vicopper, Must be a short ride around the island?(smile) But hey a short ride is better than no ride..... Now if only I could get nice weather here in the PNWet my ride would then be perfect..... |
| Ralph - Friday, 03/14/03 17:54:38 GMT |