Guardians Of Freedom Air Show

Here are some pics from the Guardians Of Freedom Air Show a few months ago.

CAP Orentation Flights and Promotion

Andy and I got our third stripe last Saturday and we got to fly.




Here are some pics of the O-Flights. When I was flying Abi was in the back seat, and she puked. But she was fine when she got to fly, she doesn't like the back seat. We each got to fly for about 30 minutes.

After paint

This is the same blower after I cleaned it up and painted it.

Hand Crank Blower

I got this Royal Western Chief hand crank forge blower for free!

BIG BOWIE

This bowie is 14 1/2 in. overall, the blade is 8 1/4 in. long, the handle is stacked leather with a deer antler butt cap. The blade is made of Dodge truck springs.

G.A knife

This is a knife for G.A. The blade is stainless, the handle is leather from a old saddle, the butt is a deer antler.

N.A.'s knife

This knife is for N.A. It is cut from a planer blade and I think the handle is cherry.

I'M IN BUSINESS

I am buying 15 vending machines and am going into business. I might be getting 29 though.

Newest pear of tongs

These are the latest pear of hand forged tongs that I have done so I thought I would post about them. They are made out of RR spikes and I used my coal forge, coal is nice. I still need to weld on longer handles.

ONE OF THE FORGES THE IMIGS GAVE ME

The Imigs gave me this forge and another one just like it a few days ago and since then I have been working on it getting it fixed up and in working order. Now I just need some leather straps and it will be all fixed up and working.

My old and new blacksmithing setups

This is my old setup.

My old anvil on a wire reel.

My old forge.

The whole setup.

The junk ASO or Anvil Shaped Object.

My new tool bench and tools.

My gas forge.

My new post vise.

My good Trenton 125lb anvil.

The whole new setup.


I have been blessed in that not only have Mom and Dad let me do this but that I have been able to find the tools at good prices. God has been good to me.

I GOT COAL

My grandpa and grandma jest got back from a trip and they jest happened to be going through Nebraska City where there is a guy that sells blacksmith coal so they bought 100lbs 50 for my birthday and 50 for me to buy. So yesterday I used some of it and it bets charcoal buy a mile, I can literally melt a RR spike in 30 seconds. And my uncle Dale sent me a par of tongs. I will post some pics as soon as I get them.

Ashton's knife

Hope you like it Ashton.

I saw, I loved, Dad bought

I got a good anvil! 125 lbs. It is a beauty.

HOME MADE VISE

This is a vise I made out of some old well pip and other scrap metal. It my not be pretty but it works.

Dad found a guy that had some RR track laying around and got me a piece of it for an anvil. This steel is high in carbon so it is very hard and won't dent like my cast iron anvil does.

TREADLE HAMMER

This is what I have been working on lately, this is a blacksmith's treadle hammer. I got the pic off the Internet. This one is like the one I am making but not as big. I am making mine out of a rail road tie, 6x6's, steel well pipe and other pieces of scrap metal.

HAND FORGED TONGS

I just made these tongs today, they are my first pair of tongs that I have forged. They are called pickup tongs and are for picking up very small objects. I can pick up something as thin as a razor blade with these. It was not as hard as I thought it would be, and I'm still working on your knife Ashton. In the old days a blacksmith used to make a new pair of tongs for any job that was a little different than usual.

GAUGE FOR GAS FORGE

I got a gauge for my forge yesterday, now I will be able to see how much fuel I am using. It will help me use less fuel. Now I just need a thermometer, another gauge for the tank and new and better insulation.

NEW PART FOR COAL FORGE

If you look in the bowl on the forge you will see a ring that is cracked in half. That ring goes around a damper in the center and the forge wont work right without it.

This is the new part for my coal forge to replace the cracked one in the picture above, I made it out of a old iron skillet, I couldn't use steel because it would melt.