Hi from the central US

[John DilsaverParticipant @johndilsaver77816]

Hi Everyone.  I’m a retired physics/ math educator, long time hobby metal worker.  These days most of my metal working is blacksmithing, but I’m also in the process of rehabbing at ’47 vintage M-head Bridgeport, and have some other machine tools that compete for my time. I have a much more experienced friend advising and helping me on the Bridgeport. I’m in a local blacksmithing group that meets monthly and has taught me a lot.  I’m envious of those of you who have local model engineering groups, I sure don’t.  I have a steady stream of young people (everyone else looks young these days) coming through the shop for some intro blacksmith work, just informally.  Some of them get a bit of a peek over on the machine tool side of the shop as well.  Well, again, hello and best to all.

John Dilsaver

Sparta, Missouri, USA

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum. A  Bridgeport is quite a bit larger than my milling machine. A friend of mine has just started knife-smiting.

Thor

 

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hi John, welcome ! We’re a mixed bunch here, most of what I do is best called engineering, to big to be models ! Noel.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Welcome to the forum John, spent some time just up the road in Tolado

H

(Central England West Midlands)

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welcome to the Forum.

Enormouisly pleased that you are helping to keep alive traditional skills.

When the internet goes dopwn, you and your proteges will still be able to fix things.

Loke Noel, am not realy a model maker, but enjoy cutting metal and maimh things work again.

More power to your elbow with the Bridgheport!

Howard

[John DilsaverParticipant @johndilsaver77816]

Here’s a photo that connects my blacksmithing with the Bridgeport work.  The bottom two felt wiper covers are both cast iron — of course the one is broken.  The top one, not finished but well underway, is a forging in steel.  I know these are readily available in aluminum, or are also pretty easily machined with a working mill.  Fairly straightforward forging, lots of fun.

 

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Why not use the broken one as a pattern and sand cast it in ali ? Noel.

[John DilsaverParticipant @johndilsaver77816]

I’ve done some sand casting, that’s another possible solution. Right now I’m more set up to forge than to do foundry.

[Author]

Posts