anyone do any metal casting or smithing?

[U201491]

Taku, I'm pretty sure that Kevinkris Wants to get into casting copper and/or bronze.
Yes, coal forges like you describe are still out there, mostly at farm auctions, or perhaps for sale through some of the blacksmithing sites.
I have one myself, a Champion Forge and Blower Works, it isn't exactly a squirrel cage, but uses an impeller that is hand cranked.
I did a lot of work with it, but as soon as I made a propane forge, I really didn't use it much anymore, good coal was hard to find, and I never used charcoal much. Also, propane was much cleaner to use, and it was easier to do forge welding with.

Kevinkris, Yep, there is lots of us firearms folks with some knowledge about other things that are somewhat related to firearms, I worked at a custom gunshop that made front and rear sights, scope rings and bases, bottom metal, and other parts for sporting rifles. That is where I learned about case hardening some of our parts, and also heat treating some of them also.

Most of the little I learned, I mostly remember.

There are many times I really miss that forge.
It was useful for a lot of things.

And, for that learning thing
I figured out about the time I was 30, the older I got the more I realized how much I didn't know, and it got worse every year. The more I learned the less I knew.
That is a curve that is hard to get ahead of.

 

[Rick4070]

The more I learned the less I knew.
That is a curve that is hard to get ahead of.

There is some wisdom in that.

As I thought I knew a lot about a subject, the more I delved into it, I realized that there was a whole lot MORE to it.

But, as time goes by, I learn more and more about a subject, and acquire more and more details.

Do we ever become a true "expert" on any one subject?

I know that while I have a working knowledge about some things, I for sure don't consider myself an expert on anything...

 

[U201491]

There is some wisdom in that.

As I thought I knew a lot about a subject, the more I delved into it, I realized that there was a whole lot MORE to it.

But, as time goes by, I learn more and more about a subject, and acquire more and more details.

Do we ever become a true "expert" on any one subject?

I know that while I have a working knowledge about some things, I for sure don't consider myself an expert on anything...

Yes, any day we do not learn something new, is a wasted day.

 

[Rick4070]

I find this quote by Mark Twain to have some merit:

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty one, I was astonished by how much he had learned in seven years."

Something to be said about that...

 

[Redcap]

Today I am casting a set of bronze gears.

 

[BoonDocks36]

Today I am casting a set of bronze gears.

Redcap, that is awesome!!!! Mind sharing the gear ratio, sizes, etc???? What is the casting process?????

To many questions when I see posts like that!!!!

Hope they turned out OK, considering its near 8:00 PM !!!!

philip

 

[Redcap]

Redcap, that is awesome!!!! Mind sharing the gear ratio, sizes, etc???? What is the casting process?????

To many questions when I see posts like that!!!!

Hope they turned out OK, considering its near 8:00 PM !!!!

philip

They turned out great. Machining them tomorrow. It is a set of three bevel gears for an axial-flow water turbine setup.

 

[BoonDocks36]

I lost this post... Redcap, that is plumb awesome. I know "just a bit" about ~axial flow~ All that Bronze Casting above ... Was for the first New Patent, in Brass Valve Musical Instruments, since 1877, in this case, Trombone Valves, with an axial flow air path! I know, odd, but there really is a Lot of turbulence, within the bends where a Trombone has the valve, and my mentor, Ora Ed Thayer, is a World Reknowned Engineer for his valve patent!!!

The list of Bands that use his Valve starts with the Marine Corps Presidential Band, and he has several thousand around the world.

I produced three series of 500 of various parts, in my casting shop, and final finishing & fit in his shop: he would set up his 14x84 inch Three Phase 440 Volt Lathe... To drill and tap 4-40 holes, in an object, that weighed no more than Four Grams...

When I finally had the Nerve to ask why.... He said, smaller lathes have more vibration, this is Rock Solid...

Under his tutleage, my metal working went from creative Flowing, to ultra precision. We made another part, again 5 grams before machine finish... And the final 4-40 threading was done on an Eight foot Tall South Bend "knee mill" it had an 18" riser that he had specially milled for his needs, again powered 3 phase 440Volts.

The most interesting aspect of Mr. Thayer, was he realized he could trust me to improvise & improve his methods, when we went into that level of production. He had, until then been doing "batches" of 10-12 valves at a time... Spotting certain aspects of low level production, I would always ~seek~ his approval, after I had tested "my theory" and he would just smile...

Thank you, Philip, that is why I like your ingenuity... Go ahead, it is a much better Mass Production method....

I miss that old man....

Philip