"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
On 2/24/2019 6:18 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
On 2/23/2019 6:40 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 Feb 2019 07:37:18 -0600
Terry Coombs wrote:
Forging it ain't as easy as those guys on Youtube make it look
.
...
It helps a lot if you already have hand skills and an
understanding
of how metal works . My blacksmith neighbor saw me at the anvil
this
afternoon and stopped by . In just chatting I learned that I'm
working the steel a little too cold and twist is not a problem
when
drawing out and rounding up a piece . I admit I have been
conservative with the heat , but that's easily corrected . Too
many
warnings about "burning the steel" and ruining it I guess . ...
--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !
Heat alone doesn't damage steel, otherwise it couldn't be melted.
It
burns if the fire has excess oxygen. You can easily explore the
difference between reducing and oxidizing flames with an acetylene
cutting torch.
It's not at all hard to judge an O/A flame ... but a (Mike Porter
type high speed) propane burner isn't quite as easy to judge .
Especially when the inside of the forge is yellow/white hot . I'm
probably erring on the side of reducing flame rather than oxidizing
judging from the lack of scale formation while in the forge .
--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !
http://www.blacksmither.com/episode-...monoxide-shop/
I think I experienced CO poisoning when the propane cylinder ran low
and the forge wasn't burning right. The symptoms went away while I was
driving home. The next time I brought in my digital readout CO meter
and left it on the instructor's desk since there was no safe place for
it near the forge. I felt no symptoms and it read 0 all evening.
Maybe the answer is to adjust the burner to produce CO, then back off
until it drops to or near zero, and see if yellow-hot iron scales.
I haven't figured out how to use an automotive oxygen sensor in home
projects without quickly destroying it.
https://www.fixdapp.com/blog/oxygen-sensor