I'll play I got this scabbard made up for the Dirk I am working on. Poplar lined with felt covered in sheepskin I still need to do the chape and locket ad well as the frog stud going to start on that tomorrow .

MP

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I don't know if anyone is interested in doing this, but it's an idea I got from a gardening forum I used to frequent. (yes, there are forums for folks who like to garden and yes I am one of them)

Anyway, it doesn't have to be talk or photos of any finished project. It could be anything at all that you did in your shop or for your shop. Buy a new tool? Show it off. Clean a workbench? OK. Let's talk shop talk.

It seems to have caught on in another forum as a way to spark conversation and create a sense of community.

So, I'll start out.

Yesterday I finished re-forging a couple of blades that I didn't like how they surfaced after the first go. Today I took them out of the PH down bath and cleaned them up.

Great thread idea.

"PH down bath" Is that like a vinegar soak to remove the scale or something else?

Busy day in the shop.

Tongs, blades and grinds.

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Great thread idea.

"PH down bath" Is that like a vinegar soak to remove the scale or something else?

Exactly like that except using a product called "PH Down" instead of vinegar. It's a dry acid for regulating the Ph in swimming pools. You can get it at most pool supply stores or big box home improvement stores. I mix about 1/2 cup to 4 gallons of tap water.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pool-Time-5-lb-pH-Down-23420PTM/202245645

Nice tong run JJ. Got any for 1-1/2 to 2 inch stock?

P.S.- you are about to get an email asking you to resize your photos <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Forged out these chef knives this week today I surface ground them mostly concerned with the area near the tangs since they will be getting tapered quit a bit .122 and .95 now. Should be fun to keep them straight during heat treat not sure if I will straighten them while they are still hot or throw them between some aluminium plates after the oil quench.1084,1095,15n20 the one on the right is my pattern. Getting better on the power hammer I built.

Gilbert

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Nice tong run JJ. Got any for 1-1/2 to 2 inch stock?

I have no idea how to resize.

Just got a new computer and have entered the phase of life I'm calling old man shaking fist at sky.

Tongs can be sized to pretty much anyhting you need.

Just hit me up here or on FB.

Thanks,

JJ

P.S.- you are about to get an email asking you to resize your photos <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Resizing and editing photos just became easy and free: https://pixlr.com/

Enter the site by clicking the two chevrons at the bottom of the page.

Choose the Editor and you have a pretty serious photo editing package at your finger tips.

To resize for this site, the photo needs to be a maimum of 1000 pixels in each dimension.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Image from your computer. A window opens for you to browse your files and select the photo.

2. On the upper menu, choose Image and Image Size. A small window opens showing the width and height of your photo.

3. Click on the larger of the two numbers (width or height) and change it to 1000.

4. Click OK. The image automatically adjusts the other dimension to preserve proportions.

5. Click the X to close. A small window opens offering you the chance to save the photo before closing. Click Yes.

6. Another window opens, Change the name (or it will replace the original. I usually just add a number) and click OK.

7. A window opens for you to choose the file location to save to. IMPORTANT: Make sure the File Type says JPEG or you will need to add .jpg to the photo name.

Now you can upload a resized photo that works for this site.

I've been building a dedicated shop for my forging set up. It's a 16'x16' building. Here's a winter shot of it. I've also been laying pavers for the floor in it. Miscounted and ended up a few bricks short of a load. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//blink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' /> Will be heading to the yard in a few days and pick up some more. I've never set pavers before so you pros don't bash my work too hard.

Wow, what a view James! The pavers look great from Arizona! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//laugh.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />

I have been considering putting pavers in my next shop. My knees hate walking on concrete. I also thought about those rubber mats for horse stalls, but the chance of fire and my habit of dropping small pieces kind of nixed that idea.

Thanks I went with pavers because I don't know where I want to put stuff inside. So when I decide where the anvil will sit, later when I get a power hammer etc. I can pull up the pavers in that place and dig a hole, pour concrete to reinforce the spot where the equipment will be. Would be a pain to cut through concrete in order to reinforce an area. Don't know if that is poor logic or not, but it's what I did.

I will cover the inside walls with metal roofing panels. Making things somewhat fire resistant for safety purposes.

I like that round roof. Got any photos of the roof framing?

The arched roof is made from the arched panels that bolt together for a Quonset hut building. Usually the arches would continue down each side and the ends would sit on the ground. So the building is free span, ie no framing on the inside.

My roof takes the same concept except I lag bolted it to the top of the walls. The posts are 4x4 on each side, at the top on each side are 2x6, then spanning across the top of those is a 2x8. I figured out the angle the roof panels would hit the 2x8 and beveled the board on my table saw. That gave the roof panel a flat to land on allowing me to bolt it into solid material.

Planning for some side load against the walls where the roof lands, I put angled braces on the end walls.

Not sure if all that makes sense. Here are a couple of pictures.

Finally finished the paver project for the shop floor. I rented a small plate compactor to set the pavers. Should have rented it for the gravel base instead of using a manual process. Big time saver worth the extra few bucks. Finishing the walls is the next project. Getting close to wrapping this whole thing up. Will be forging again soon.