A couple of bits I made years ago!

[johnbaz]

Hi all

I worked in a heavy foundry for many years and when we didn't have a gaffer on with us we'd get stuck in, Get the work done then 'Played' the rest of the shift!!

I made these in those days!!

The cutlass type with the single edge at the bottom I hammered out from a 1/2" piece of packing strip, It was only mild steel so is basically a wall hanger, The double edged one above was a butchers large sharpening steel and is much better hi carbon steel for blades..

For the top one I carved patterns from pine for the brass grip and knuckle guard and used them to make moulds then poured molten brass in, The other is deal palletwood with 1/8th inch brazing rod for pins..

Here's a pic against a 24" rule to give an idea of size..

I hammered both blades out then finished them with files and then emery cloth wrapped arounjd the files, Probably why I have arthritic hands now!!



Cheers, John

 

[William Tell]

Hi John sounds warm.
I often watch the farrier an ex Black Watch three tours in Ireland a massive brute of a man. Burns cuts and fatigue don't effect this man. Just a bucket of cold water and carry on.
Heavy horse shoes are just a straight iron bar which David heats, beets, and bends. Very intelligent and sharp witted I've been out a few times with David he and my Horsey daughter are close friends. A proper Wilderness survivor hugely loyal and protective. Keep an eye on Horse please Dave which he does.
Something very dangerous about Dave I've never seen such strength and conviction, very quietly spoken but Strewth.
I did ask Dave what the Black Watch did in Ireland,
and how many people had he done it to.
Strewth, obviously I won't repeat that..

 

[johnbaz]

Hi John sounds warm.
I often watch the farrier an ex Black Watch three tours in Ireland a massive brute of a man. Burns cuts and fatigue don't effect this man. Just a bucket of cold water and carry on.
Heavy horse shoes are just a straight iron bar which David heats, beets, and bends. Very intelligent and sharp witted I've been out a few times with David he and my Horsey daughter are close friends. A proper Wilderness survivor hugely loyal and protective. Keep an eye on Horse please Dave which he does.
Something very dangerous about Dave I've never seen such strength and conviction, very quietly spoken but Strewth.
I did ask Dave what the Black Watch did in Ireland,
and how many people had he done it to.
Strewth, obviously I won't repeat that..

WOW! Sounds like Dave would be a good ally in a brawl!

The foundry I worked in was a heavy foundry, The melting shop was a quarter of a mile away, The molten steel had to come across the river Don and a main road!

It was freezing cold in winter and boiling hot in summer!, In the depths of winter a roller shutter door got broken and wasn't repaired quickly so our foreman put a thermometer that recorded high and low temps in there, It regiseterd -15°c during the nightshift, It was like a wind tunnel where the wind came right down the rear of the site and through that door!!
When I was in the burning booth, We mostly had to cut the castings between 150 and 450°c to stop the steel cracking (Stainless was cut cold) so in winter we struggled sometimes to even get to the jobs as there were blokes all warming their bums on the castings!!

Here's five ladles (Around 500tonnes) being poured in to a mould, Another one with around seventy tonnes will be poured in to top up the heads

Here's a couple of castings we made..

This was taken by an old mate years ago, Now retired, I'm standing in front of a 90tonne lade here, 30,50,70 and 90tonne ladles were used but then new 100tonne ladles were brought in..

I don't have to go there any more due to after effects of covid, I'm asthmatic and have copd, It left my breathing bad so I was about to pack in and hand in my notice when redundancies came up!! I was the first to volunteer!!


John

 

[William Tell]

Amazing John

I bet shipbuilding is like that.
I've seen up close those fibreglass windmill blades huge great big long things.
Heavy industry what mans work.
Yes, David was handy in a punch up.
Never had any trouble when Dave popped along.
Went into blacksmithing in the army or just after.
You should see his mobile furnace in his truck.

After shit shovelling on the farm the digging out of the cow sheds and delivering tractor trailer loads to Nurseries good money in those days.
Because of family connections to the Woburn Estates I got a job I was about 15 maybe 16 at the animal kingdom.
Woburn had just opened its Safari Park and Safari Cabin Lift wild animals giraffe elephant rhino dolphin and the boating lakes.
Although having no brains found I often ended up at the cabin lift. Massively tall towers wobbling about on a tiny narrow metal ladder no safety equipment while it was working cars passing by on both sides of the towers standing the safety rail came up to my knees electrofication was the biggest danger apart from decapitation from the steel rope being squished by a very heavy moving cable car or falling off and getting eaten.
Breakfast is ready!!