The Village Blacksmith 2005

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:35 pm

Yee-HAH! on your successful "failure"....Pardon me whilst I borrow some aspects of your setup.

I'll have to build something more like that kit now that I live on the edge of town- I used to live in the Boonies and had big-as-you-please fires all the time. Bonfire aluminum smelting is very rough and sloppy, but a BIG pile'o'fun. I was just out at the old place, digging AL nuggets out of the ashes to make Genuine Melted Robot Pendants for BM gifties. (I make artsyfartsy aluminum robots and melt the leftovers.)

ScottV · Post by **ScottV** » Mon May 23, 2005 9:32 pm

yee-hah!

Just finished my first bronze pour in the portable furnace.
Hit 2150 and poured 20 lbs of bronze in less than an hour - start to finish.

Didn't have a camera present but have to stage some pics tomorrow to document the Mark II.

Lower case yee-hah because I cheated and added some air from the compressor.

The 500 lb compressor kinda kills the "portable" idea.
But!
The $59.95, 7lb, Featherlite leaf blower just shipped - Portable foundry Mark III is in the works.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue May 24, 2005 5:46 am

Congratulations!

I'd be honored to work the bellows (or blower) if you get that rig fully portable!

ScottV · Post by **ScottV** » Tue May 24, 2005 11:01 am

The plan is to bring the furnace.
But won't do it without at least the skeleton of an experienced foundry crew with full gear (will end up being dangerous performance art).
Still considering what kind of molds.
Copes, drags, rammers and sand could get heavy and messy.
Figure that playadust could be an ingredient of a green sand mix but is to much a clay to use directly.
Then there is the problem of chasing . . .
Hacksaws and files?

I need a really big truck (my tricycle just won't do).
Just the melting and pouring gear weighs 300lbs - furnace, propane tanks, tongs, shafts, skimmers, crucibles, ingot mold and safety gear.
The full portable foundry will weigh about 1500 lbs;
1200lbs extra for the gasoline powered air compressor, air tools, welder, generator to run the welder and fuel. (in negotiations on the generator)
Then I need to bring metal and molds

call it a ton.

and my camp weighs 1/2 a ton
900miles each way

I'll go right out and buy a lottery ticket.

Will be in Gigsville.
"isa camp" on the Gigsville map
Officially "Pangalactic DodecaCamp"
look for the 13' tall dodecahedrons

ScottV a.k.a. DodecaGuy

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue May 24, 2005 11:47 am

We both need trucks, and a gas grant! I'm bringing scrap aluminum sheet and wire, anvil, alphanumeric dies, hammers, files, shears, handcranked buffing wheel and some other little tools...That, plus three geodesic domes, coolers, bike, food and water, and myself- in an Element. 2000 miles each way.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue May 24, 2005 11:50 am

We both need trucks, and a gas grant! I'm bringing scrap aluminum sheet and wire, anvil, alphanumeric dies, hammers, files, shears, handcranked buffing wheel and some other little tools...That, plus three geodesic domes, coolers, bike, food and water, and myself- in an Element. 2000 miles each way.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue May 24, 2005 11:50 am

We both need trucks, and a gas grant! I'm bringing scrap aluminum sheet and wire, anvil, alphanumeric dies, hammers, files, shears, handcranked buffing wheel and some other little tools...That, plus three geodesic domes, coolers, bike, food and water, and myself- in an Element. 2000 miles each way.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed May 25, 2005 9:04 am

robotland wrote:We both need trucks, and a gas grant!

Maybe it's time that you developed some sort of highway friendly sail system wind-powered vehicle.

Okay. I'm joking.

kampkalamazoo · Post by **kampkalamazoo** » Wed May 25, 2005 6:17 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:
robotland wrote:We both need trucks, and a gas grant!
Maybe it's time that you developed some sort of highway friendly sail system wind-powered vehicle.
Okay. I'm joking.

Too late- It's half built. Should make the return-trip MUCH faster, especially with all the water and food gone!
okay.....I'M joking. (maybe)

*eek- Did I REALLY triple post?*

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed May 25, 2005 8:21 pm

Tools!!!

I love it.

I'm bringing some of my hammers and plan on stopping by the village smithy to help out with fixing things, pounding hot metal, etc. And I'd love to watch some foundry work. I use a forge and anvil daily, but I've never had the chance to do any casting and would love to see it up close and in detail. I've got plans for a foundry furnace floating around in my head.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu May 26, 2005 6:19 am

There was an article here http://www.makezine.com/ about smelting in a MICROWAVE.....hmmmmm......

We'll have to do some metal bangin' on-playa, for sure.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu May 26, 2005 6:53 am

Long ago and a life time away I was a grey iron smith. Things like fancy lamp posts had to have the disgns struck to get the sand out. This was done with different shaped hammers and a striking hammer. Each was 3 lb. Shaper in the left and striker in the right hand. Do that for the man for eight hours. The pay was shit too. I looked like I could kill a train. That's what got Moms eye. You know, pick of the fitest and all that rot. Anyway I did that for a year. That could be why my body don't work so good now.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu May 26, 2005 6:54 am

Long ago and a life time away I was a grey iron smith. Things like fancy lamp posts had to have the disgns struck to get the sand out. This was done with different shaped hammers and a striking hammer. Each was 3 lb. Shaper in the left and striker in the right hand. Do that for the man for eight hours. The pay was shit too. I looked like I could kill a train. That's what got Moms eye. You know, pick of the fitest and all that rot. Anyway I did that for a year. That could be why my body don't work so good now.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu May 26, 2005 6:57 am

That and those damn Harley s getting drunk and throwing me on the pavement. Sorry bout the double.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:08 am

It sucks having to trade Arcane Skills for Aches and Pains....my paws are getting creaky from bending and hammering aluminum, and tubebending (neon sign glassblowing) has carpaled my tunnels!

ScottV · Post by **ScottV** » Mon May 30, 2005 11:43 am

The portable furnace is fully fuctional!

Have more images up at
http://dodeca.prism.asu.edu/furnace/

Have a promised ride with it.

Will be on the playa!

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Mon May 30, 2005 2:41 pm

I don't have the facilities or experience to do a full foundry or smithing job, but I thought I'd mention I'm going into cold-cast metals shortly. The StickHobs are getting a redesign to dock the hindquarters and replaced with a cold-cast metal finial on the end of the pole.

Anyone with more cold-cast experience is welcome to write me. I've got materials sourced and would like some guidance on the resin-to-metal powder ratio.

A village smithy! Sounds great. There's a working blacksmith who sets up a booth on East Park Street at the Eugene Saturday Market. Fun neighbour to have, too...

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon May 30, 2005 8:24 pm

Wow!!! Good job on the pours, Scott!!

I’m impressed and quite curious. I’m glad you’ll have the furnace on playa and hope you’ll let me at least sit back and watch while you do it. I'll be asking questions too, you know...

And sorry, do't... only cold casting I've fooled with is JB Weld and even that's minimal.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:15 pm

Hey robotland, Can I bring a couple #s of metal? and what is the best kind for your work? I always have some thing laying around here.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:59 pm

ScottV wrote:The portable furnace is fully fuctional! Will be on the playa!

Very, very cool Scott. Will make it a point to drop by.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 5:58 am

unjonharley wrote:Hey robotland, Can I bring a couple #s of metal? and what is the best kind for your work? I always have some thing laying around here.

Thanks for the offer! Aluminum sheet is my fave- Road sign thickness or less, since I cut it up by hand to make dogtags. (And I've been too lazy to build a punch like the VERY cool one the Black Rock Mint guy made...)
This year I hope to have time to play with making wind-spinny-things too. POP RIVETS! YAHOOOOO!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:55 am

one sheet coming up. That stuff looks to thick for me to cut by hand. Junking out a door with a heavy sheet in it too. Maybe two.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:06 am

Thanks, Unj! Come by Hushville and I'll make you something!

The best 100 bucks I've spent on a tool was getting a power shear- It's built on a Milwaukee power drill body, and can zip through sign-grade aluminum with ease. Takes out about a 1/4" kerf, and leaves a nice clean edge that's JUST rounded enough to not slice you up.

I'm trying to prefab as much as I can before hitting the playa- Cutting out strips for bracelets and assembling precut knockouts for tags. Then I just need to pound in the text. More time to experiment!

ScottV · Post by **ScottV** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:19 pm

Doesn't look like the portable furnace going to happen.
My ride/crew fell through.

I did manage to get a ride for the 1000lbs of DodecaCamp - not quite enough haulage capability for the additional weight of the furnace + gear + metal + molds.

Will be in Gigsville
http://www.doctorfaust.com/gmaps/Gig-v8-&key.JPG
Marked PAN on the map.
If'n anyone want to just talk about portable furnaces.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 4:25 pm

Bummer... But man, thanks for the effort even. Knowing how much it takes to move stuff like that, I can appreciate the thought of even trying. Hope to talk shop on playa, though. I’ll be hanging around the smithy with some hammers and stock, assuming they’re still coming. I haven’t heard from Godlesshedonist lately to confirm it.

regynalonglank · Post by **regynalonglank** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 2:10 pm

yeah, well it's hard to get a guarantee out of a goddless hedonist on a good day! but i sure hope so, cuz the sight of you in a kilt pounding hot metal is definitely a playa vista i am looking forward to coming upon...uh, so to speak!

The Village Blacksmith 2005

Portable Furnace