Lots of tutorials and info

[Gene Chapman]

The "IForge" pages on Anvilfire.com is a wealth of hot iron tutorials and projects, great site for ideas. I just visited the pages this morning, been a while since I've been there. I may try a few of them today.

http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/index.htm

[whv]

thanx, gene. i really like the fly press demos. might be something for those of use who live in town to think about - they are quiet!

[Gene Chapman]

Those fly presses sure look slick, if I were in the buying mood, I think it would be the biggest one.

[Mike Routen]

Gene, thanks for the post! There really is a wealth of information there.

As whv mentioned, would be a good alternative to a hydraulic press?

I'm just beginning my knifemaking adventure and I live in an urban neighborhood. I was thinking about saving up for a hydraulic press as some of the stuff I'd like to make requires either the help of a couple of strikers or some mechanical advantage. Would the fly press work to square up large round stock like 52100? If so, it would sure be more neighbor-friendly than a power hammer or even a hydraulic press.

- Mike

[Gene Chapman]

Mike, I don't have any experience with a fly press other than trying one out at a blacksmith conference. I think they would be a nice alternative to a hydraulic press or power hammer, especially in a urban setting.

AS for forging 52100 again I have little experience, just once, a knifemaker in Montang gave me a piece at a conference to forge, yeooowww, it was the toughest stuff I ever put a hammer on. Don't know how a fly press would handle 52100.

I have a urban smithy and keep the noise to a minimum. My line of house iron and trinkets is all geared to hand forging. However I am thinking about a fly press more and more each day. I may give Kayne a call about the fly press, wonder what shipping to Wa state would be??

[Mike Routen]

Gene,

This morning I sent an email to Kayne asking about what size of press would be appropriate and what shipping would be to the Portland, OR area. When I get a reply I'll let you know what the numbers are.

- Mike

[Gene Chapman]

Mike, I looked at the presses again, the homemade tooling, on line pictures and reviews, I went crazy and bought one, the P6, shipping to a truck terminal in Tacoma is $337, not as spendy as I first thought.

Hmmm, now where will I put it, the shop is full, well, that tablesaw can go to the other end of the basment.

[Mike Routen]

Wow! Way to go Gene. The shipping seems really reasonable for a cross-country trip.

When you get that bad boy up and running, would you mind a curious visitor to your shop?

The more I look at these and think about them, the more I'm leaning towards getting one of these before I get any other kind of press or hammer. Of course I need to start making some money selling knives first. So it might be a while before I'm ready to take the plunge.

- Mike

[MongoForge]

I wonder how much use a
flypress would be for
forging blades?

More info here

http://www.reil1.net/flypress.shtml

[Gene Chapman]

Sure Mike, stop by, give you the tour.

Good question Mongo, right now I'm thinking of doing some forging on larger iron than I normally do by hand. The one time I did use a fly press it squished pretty good. I've had the Batson plans for hydraulic presses, proably 4 years now, and never got around to making one.

I have a blacksmith/artist friend who went from 25# Little Giant to a 250# Little giant then to a 35 ton hydraulic press. He got rid of the Little giants and swears by the hydraulic press.

[Mike Routen]

Gene, thanks I'll take you up on the offer for a shop tour.

Mongo, I could be wrong but it seems like with a set of drawing/flatting dies, it would make short work of getting some steel out of the stock dimensions (round rod) and ready for some hammer work. I would think that this would also impart a more even stress on the steel when working it when compared with just hammering. It would also be very useful for creating some of the more intricate patterns in damascus such as pool-and-eye and ladder patterns.

One of my obsessions is tomahawks. I've had the distinct pleasure of watching Lonnie Hansen forge a couple of his 'hawks on a hydraulic forge. He uses various drawing/fullering and flatting dies and makes quick work of a 1.25"x1.125"x7" bar of 52100. The fly press may be a little slower than a hydraulic press, but with the right dies I think it would work. It would sure be a lot less work than with an 8lb hammer!

- Mike

[Sweany]

They tell those fly presses make a pair of pants look brand new

Sorry.
Whir squish.:cool: