Tool aquistion addiction

[bgott]

Here's my anvil...it's a 224# Hay- Budden, circa 1899.

[egon]

Long time since I've seen a coal forge. Remember cranking on the blower handle as a kid.

Dad's forge used an old Binder drive wheel filled with concrete and set on a metal base.

Egon

[Pat]

There are only a few types of guys. Those who admit tool collection addiction and those who are in denial are the two main types. There are those who have led a sheltered life and have for one reason or another not exhibited symptoms yet but thte latency is genetic and attached to the male chromosome. The specific gene will express it self in most cases.

It isn't "MY FAULT" that a hardware store went out of business and had 60-70% off on a Milwaukee miter saw shortly before I found out I NEEDED a 12 inch compound slide miter saw.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> Here's my anvil...it's a 224# Hay- Budden, circa 1899 </font color>

Very nice....probably forged steel. Mine is a new TFS (Texas Farriers Supply) cast steel, 150#. Got a forge (propane), and one hammer and tongs....just getting started. You're right about the post vise....I'm keeping my eye out for one at our local auctions.

I was lucky there's a blacksmiths' supply store right here in AZ, in Camp Verde. That saved me a considerable amount on the shipping for the heavy items.

This is a whole new area of tool acquisition for me, and it certainly opens up lots of possible specialty acquisition areas [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] lots of different shaped tongs, the post vise, hardy tools, and even a power hammer and/or fly press. And of course a metal shed for the Kubota, so I can dedicate the third garage bay for the workshop/smithy.

[Tevi]

Hy my name is Tevi and I too suffer from TAA syndrome.My tool bill last year was 15k

[bgott]

Those old Hay- Buddens were wrought iron with a tool steel top. The anvil is actually three piece, you can see the parting line in the waist and the seam between the top and the lower part. I lucked into this one, got it for $75. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Now I need to luck into a 100 pounder to take to demos. And a 130# industrial swage block. And a 50# Little Giant sitting out back of a machine shop that they'll take scrap value for just to get it out of there. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] I hit estate sales and flea markets on a regular basis and get a lot of smithing tools that way. I do a lot of walking and looking and end up spending $10 to $15 a week most of the time. I have lots of $2 and $5 hammers, 50 cent files and chisels, $5 and $10 tongs and tons of odd stuff. I have more fun finding tools than I do using them, I think. If I could find a $5 Hofi hammer... yeah, right! [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img] Is that TFS cast at the foundry in Conroe, TX.?

[bgott]

I am going to build a forge with a fire pot and keep the rivet forge for demonstrating. I know where to get a large stand mounted crank blower, I'll probably get that and have it blow through an electric blower. I've seen that set up and it works rather well, you can have the best of both worlds. If you are just working one piece of metal the hand crank is actually kind of relaxing. If you try to work multiple pieces it can get kind of hectic without a helper. My Rottweiler liked it, she could sit under it and get her head petted once every revolution. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[bgott]

15 grand, eh? What did you get? Let's see some pictures!

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> Is that TFS cast at the foundry in Conroe, TX.? </font color>

I didn't know they were in Conroe, but yes, it is cast in Texas.

[fivestring]

Wife calls me a "tool collector". [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

I don't know why............ [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]