January 2006 Meeting of Saltfork Craftsmen

I attended the January meeting of the Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmiths Association. The North-East Regional meeting was held in Tulsa, OK at the T-Town Metal Men's shop. Many thanks to Bill and Jeff for hosting this meeting.

If you live in the Northeastern Oklahoma area, you should come to the next meeting.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had fun at the meeting. The meeting was to be from 8 AM to 3 PM, but we were slow getting around, and my wife and I went to IHOP first, so I didn't get there until 10:30 AM. The guys were nice, and I was finally able to watch several accomplished blacksmiths at work. As you might expect, the projects were smaller, since each one was supposed to be finished that day. I learned a few things, although all of the lessons were beyond my skill. I wasn't the only beginner there - I introduced myself to at least 2 others that were first-time attenders. I joined up and purchased a swage block, even though I don't have a forge yet.

Lessons:

• Experts recommend that you move the metal and swing the hammer in a steady arc, rather than chasing the metal across the anvil.
• Consider raising your anvil a few inches above your knuckle. The idea is to avoid locking out your elbow and straining the joint.
• Don't hold your hammer in a death grip - just hold it tight enough to keep it under control. And don't put your index finger or your thumb on top of the hammer like you are pointing - just wrap them around.
  
• Tap gently to forge weld. Either use a light hammer or gentle blows.
  
• Leave your metal thick while sculpting the rough shape of the object, then taper - to avoid having your project crack or break in two (no, this didn't happen, but I picked it up from conversation).

Here are some pictures and comments. The images were taken on a Fuji A302, and are numbered exactly as I took them. If you want a hi-res image, just click on the photo.

Photo	Comment
	Sample of the original chain from 16 inch chain saw.
	Mike Sweeney (left) working chain saw chain into a butter spreader. Mike McCallum is assisting. Keith Potts (red checkered shirt) is observing.
	Mike Sweeney - Butter Spreader.
	Mike Sweeney - Butter Spreader.
	Mike Sweeney - Butter Spreader.
	Mike Sweeney and Mike McCallum - Butter Spreader.
	Mike Sweeney - Grinding the top of the blade.
	Mike Sweeney - Grinding the blade surface, before acid etch.
	Ed Brazeal - Shaping a hand bell from 2.5 or 3 inch pipe. A single pipe is fullered and cut giving two bells.
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell
	Member discussion. ?? + Jeff + Ron + Keith.
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell; trying to clean up and get welding heat to forge weld handle to bell
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell; trying to forge weld. I believe that Propane problems forced a braze.
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell; shaping the clapper.
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell; shaping the clapper.
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell; cutting off the clapper on the "hot cut" in the hardie hole.
	Ed Brazeal - Hand Bell; shaping the attachment taper between the clapper and the handle.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server; punching a hole in the handle.
	Ed Brazeal - Pie Server; cleaning off the scale
	Ron Lehenbaur - Pepper; cutting with Chisel, assisted by Mike
	Ron Lehenbaur - Pepper; shaping with another member's guillotine tool, assisted by Mike
	Ron Lehenbaur - Pepper
	Ron Lehenbaur - Pepper
	Ron Lehenbaur - Pepper; splitting the leaves off of the top
	Ron Lehenbaur - Pepper; finished product. Stem is too thick, and only 4 leaves, but clean work.
	Mike Sweeney - making a very small bell from ?1 inch? tubing.
	Metal Tripod Anvil Stand
	Simple 2x4 Anvil Stand. Needs cross-bracing. As it is, it wobbles.