Took your suggestion on checking out a saw mill. Worked out great, managed to get 10meters of blade. Your advise worked even all the way out in Mozambique, East Africa. Thanks!
I must commend you for not only the content itself but the videography John. I've been binging a lot of your content after finding your channel recently and even with the audio issues the production quality is absolutely superb. Thank you for doing what you do and I'm looking forward to referring back to your channel frequently as I begin my journey into blacksmithing.
Been watching you use that treadle hammer on and off for years now and I’m very interested to build one! One day when you are thinking of a quick and easy video I would love to see a walk through and see some of the detail on how it was built! Thanks for your time John, happy hammering!
i've been watching a bunch of your videos lately and i just realized you live in colorado! i lived there almost my whole life! i absolutely love it up there!
Perfect timing on your video! I've had a discarded circular diamond-edged blade about 20 inches or so in diameter hanging on my shop wall; never got around to making anything with it. Now I have the inspiration to make a garden trowel like that for a gardener friend of mine. Sometimes the small hand trowels just won't get the job done. Looking forward to the next part.
Good job on the garden tool as you demonstrated alternative processes to get the desired result. On another smith channel the host suggested using duct tape wrapped around, in this case, the bick shaft to tighten it up in the hardiest hole. When it wears out just rewear it! A wobbly bick is annoying.
Thank you for explaining what the issue with vermiculite was. After hearing about the asbestos concern years ago I have stayed away from it. Now that I know what the issue was, I will start using it again
John, I just discovered Diablo Cermet carbide blades for cutting mild steel. Bought a 7 1/4” blade from the local hardware store and dedicated an old circular saw to just cutting steel. It throws a lot of sharp shards and proper eye protection is a must, but it cuts an exceptionally clean edge, the finished edge is cool to the touch and it cuts very fast. I’ve cut 3” x 3” x 1/4” angle with ease. I’ve also cut 3/8” thick mild steel bar stock. Look into them. It changed up how I fabricate in my shop. Cheers! Whipple
Oh YES!!!! The Diablo Steel Demon. I have also set up a circular saw with one and have found were I can get a 10-1/4 locally to set an old miter saw as well.
@@Whipple1 Yes absolutely. I know the 7-1/4 is designed for it and assume the 10-1/4 would be also but will definitely make sure. That's a good "heads up".
Albert Heatwole 👍 Better safe than have regrets. Good luck with your application of the larger saw blade to your saw. Please let me know how it works out. By the way, I found some degradation in one of my Diablo Cermet blades while working in the shop yesterday. It’s requiring quite a bit more force to cut through the same stock as I used in a job last week. Going to have to get the magnifier out to check out the carbide profile. Still feels sharp, but there’s defiantly something going on. Cheers! Whipple
I truly enjoy your videos though I am not really a blacksmith and only dabbled with this type of metal working. As for your worn tire on your little bandsaw I have a Milwaukee version that the top tire failed on me. I ordered a new tire but in the meantime, to keep things going, I took some black gorilla duct tape, split it to width and wrapped the pulley multiple times with the tape. That was a year and a half ago and although I got the new tire I have yet to put it on the pull. The gorilla duct tape fix, though a temporary fix, is still functioning perfectly almost two years later! I almost hesitate to install the new tire as the duct tape fix has never resulted in a blade coming off or a blade break! Whatever works! Lol
I feel your pain when it is hot it's hard to get out there and forge I even ha air conditioning but after I start forging It's like throwing an ice cube on a fire and expecting it to cool off right away .. it was 95 the other day by the time I was done it was 105 in the shop and the humidity was 90 % some times Iowa really sucks.(For forging that is.)
HOW WONDERFUL tried change the blade on my Milwaukee portaband and after changing it the (they Call it ) the tire slipped off and got cut and jammed behind the wheel this weekend. SO I ordered another one from Granger will have it Wednesday. As you said all stops till you get it fixed.
What a blade! Neat back story too. I really like how you adapt and find other tools during the process to meet your needs and even tell what tools could be made to make this product easier to complete. Thanks for doing what you do Mr John, true pillar. 🙏 Blessings and well wishes Sir Crawford out ⚒️🧙♂️ PS you know at 00:00 there was.... (Mr John gets in car, drives to West Texas, hits crawford in the head w his hammer!!)😂🤣💜🧙♂️
I read in one of my Building Journal magazines that the vermiculite with minute traces of asbestos was mined around the town of Libbey, Montana. The danger was to the workers who were exposed to the stuff in massive quantities on a daily basis. To the average person coming across the stuff once in a while the threat is very minimal, still, any exposure at all could affect those with a sensitivity to it. I still run across the stuff in doing remodel work. It was a very common attic insulation applied in a 3-4 inch layer back in the (I think) 30's ans 40's.
hmm well the bear knife sure looks pretty nice, like the upper end of a wostof or ja henchles, has differnat patterns and texturing, and got to say yes that is a big sawblade almost as wide as your whole forge big john and the stop on the treadle hammer seems like a good idea it can make a lot of force would make me nervous to put my hands under it if something were to slip and smash my hand as has been the case when nailing something down especially with thin nails I hate hitting my fingers
Found out that the steel isn't the greatest thing for the soil of a garden, of the tools are copper coated or pure copper, it does something to the soil that the plants like better.
Am working on my Mark 2 hand hoe, inspired by your earlier video, and having some of the same issues you had with your trowel. Nice that you showed me the way to fix them! Again! Now tell me why my Mark 1 is in every respect superior to the Mark 2!
Me talking to the screen: "John, why not us tha back you ma. . ." John: "Somewhere there's a bick we made for another video, but I haven't been able to find it. " Me: 😐
I had the exact same thought..."John, why aren't you using that Bick you made?"... I certainly understand not being able to remember where something is when you need it.
Sadly, I am totally familiar with asbestos. At my first construction job guess who got to cut all of the asbestos soffit panels with a Skilsaw and NO PPE!
You know of course as soon as you make a new bick because you can't find the one you made recently, the first one will show up. At least if your luck is anything like mine.
Would a round blade from an old cordwood saw have metal that would be useful for a project such as this? BTW, thanks for all the time you put into your videos.
Think you lapel mic went out on this. Your really hard to hear. But your work speaks for itself. Great video Edit: well maybe I should wait till the end before commenting LOL.
What safety tips do you have for working in the shop alone? Obviously to take every precaution you can, but we are humans and make mistakes. Do you have 'emergency plan' if you injure yourself severely and you are alone? Also, wow, how did you do the slow raising camera trick at the 10 minute mark?
No real emergency plan. But I do try to keep my phone charged and with me when I am in the shop so I could call for help. The camera shot uses the Edelkrone JibONE th-cam.com/video/Th5UgtKrCWw/w-d-xo.html
You explained were to get the vermiculite, sort of what it is, and that a person needs to make sure there is not any asbestos in it, but I think you left out how and why the vermiculite is used.
It's been explained any many videos so I was just answering the followup questions. Vermiculite is simply insulation that allows the material to cool as slow as possible making it softer for filing or drilling.
For anyone else that's new here like I am, or missed the last garden tool and wants a quick link to the cultivator video, here you go. m.th-cam.com/video/yGb04P0mNb8/w-d-xo.html
![MV วิถีชีวิตใต้ - ผา อัยย๊ะ [Official MV HD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nODlkOUu9B0/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how a blacksmith can take the right metal some call junk and form it into a beautiful useful tool that will last generations.
Great tracking shot at the anvil John. All the photography is a tremendous achievement for a one man band- professional! 👍
.
Thanks
Took your suggestion on checking out a saw mill. Worked out great, managed to get 10meters of blade. Your advise worked even all the way out in Mozambique, East Africa. Thanks!
I must commend you for not only the content itself but the videography John. I've been binging a lot of your content after finding your channel recently and even with the audio issues the production quality is absolutely superb. Thank you for doing what you do and I'm looking forward to referring back to your channel frequently as I begin my journey into blacksmithing.
Wow, thanks!
Thats one big saw blade John and a really nice looking trowel.
All you need now is a garden fork to make a full set .
I haven't had much use for small forks, but will probably do one just to complete the set.
Fun! I've been offering to make a nice trowel for my wife. Will have to go look for a big sawmill.
I'm the saw filer at a local mill. I have an over-abundance of the stuff but oddly enough I have used very little of it in my forge until now.
Can I have some? Please?
Been watching you use that treadle hammer on and off for years now and I’m very interested to build one! One day when you are thinking of a quick and easy video I would love to see a walk through and see some of the detail on how it was built! Thanks for your time John, happy hammering!
He did a video on it I'm pretty sure. He linked the plans from ABANA too.
th-cam.com/video/YMSlgkYkFIg/w-d-xo.html
Came out good John.
I did a garden trowel a week back for my mother-in-law birthday. A different design but a great all around project for anyone to do.
i've been watching a bunch of your videos lately and i just realized you live in colorado! i lived there almost my whole life! i absolutely love it up there!
Perfect timing on your video! I've had a discarded circular diamond-edged blade about 20 inches or so in diameter hanging on my shop wall; never got around to making anything with it. Now I have the inspiration to make a garden trowel like that for a gardener friend of mine. Sometimes the small hand trowels just won't get the job done. Looking forward to the next part.
Good job on the garden tool as you demonstrated alternative processes to get the desired result. On another smith channel the host suggested using duct tape wrapped around, in this case, the bick shaft to tighten it up in the hardiest hole. When it wears out just rewear it! A wobbly bick is annoying.
Was great learned lots
Thank you for explaining what the issue with vermiculite was. After hearing about the asbestos concern years ago I have stayed away from it. Now that I know what the issue was, I will start using it again
I like this video. I might even say "I dig it."
* :D
Perhaps you could do a complete set of garden tools.
John, I just discovered Diablo Cermet carbide blades for cutting mild steel. Bought a 7 1/4” blade from the local hardware store and dedicated an old circular saw to just cutting steel. It throws a lot of sharp shards and proper eye protection is a must, but it cuts an exceptionally clean edge, the finished edge is cool to the touch and it cuts very fast. I’ve cut 3” x 3” x 1/4” angle with ease. I’ve also cut 3/8” thick mild steel bar stock. Look into them. It changed up how I fabricate in my shop.
Cheers!
Whipple
Oh YES!!!! The Diablo Steel Demon. I have also set up a circular saw with one and have found were I can get a 10-1/4 locally to set an old miter saw as well.
Albert Heatwole Just be careful of the recommended RPM of your saw that you intend to run the larger blade on. 👍
@@Whipple1 Yes absolutely. I know the 7-1/4 is designed for it and assume the 10-1/4 would be also but will definitely make sure. That's a good "heads up".
Albert Heatwole 👍 Better safe than have regrets. Good luck with your application of the larger saw blade to your saw. Please let me know how it works out.
By the way, I found some degradation in one of my Diablo Cermet blades while working in the shop yesterday. It’s requiring quite a bit more force to cut through the same stock as I used in a job last week. Going to have to get the magnifier out to check out the carbide profile. Still feels sharp, but there’s defiantly something going on.
Cheers!
Whipple
Hello John
Thanks for sharing this work with us
It is a usefull tool
Have a good week
Greetings Frank
You are very welcome
Good morning John, great video and great information on lots of things. Thanks for sharing with us, Fred.
Glad you enjoyed it
I truly enjoy your videos though I am not really a blacksmith and only dabbled with this type of metal working.
As for your worn tire on your little bandsaw I have a Milwaukee version that the top tire failed on me. I ordered a new tire but in the meantime, to keep things going, I took some black gorilla duct tape, split it to width and wrapped the pulley multiple times with the tape. That was a year and a half ago and although I got the new tire I have yet to put it on the pull. The gorilla duct tape fix, though a temporary fix, is still functioning perfectly almost two years later! I almost hesitate to install the new tire as the duct tape fix has never resulted in a blade coming off or a blade break! Whatever works! Lol
Great start on that spade. Hope I can fined a piece of that blade, Ohio doesn't have sawmill that size, maybe Michigan.
Great Video John as always.
I feel your pain when it is hot it's hard to get out there and forge I even ha air conditioning but after I start forging
It's like throwing an ice cube on a fire and expecting it to cool off right away .. it was 95 the other day by the time I was done it was 105 in the shop
and the humidity was 90 % some times Iowa really sucks.(For forging that is.)
Thank you another interesting project I did enjoy watching it, Les
I may have to try my hand at making one of these, it would come in handy for my wife's flowers.
Good video, l am glad that you told us were to get the vermiculite. I only knew of the one with asbestos.
I love the stop for the Treadlehammer. Much appreciated!
You bet!
I implamented your stop for my treadle hammer, and it saved my hand today. The chiesal kicked out on me. Thanks John
Glad to help
Great project!
I will have to show the wife! She is a master gardener.
HOW WONDERFUL tried change the blade on my Milwaukee portaband and after changing it the (they Call it ) the tire slipped off and got cut and jammed behind the wheel this weekend. SO I ordered another one from Granger will have it Wednesday. As you said all stops till you get it fixed.
I have found the tires to be a bit of a pain, but the saw is so handy to use its worth the trouble to change them.
What a blade! Neat back story too.
I really like how you adapt and find other tools during the process to meet your needs and even tell what tools could be made to make this product easier to complete.
Thanks for doing what you do Mr John, true pillar.
🙏 Blessings and well wishes Sir
Crawford out ⚒️🧙♂️
PS you know at 00:00 there was....
(Mr John gets in car, drives to West Texas, hits crawford in the head w his hammer!!)😂🤣💜🧙♂️
Glad you liked it!
Thank you John. It's a good video even if the sound was a little off. Take care.
Great video john
That is one beastly bandsaw blade. I have a little stack in my basement that I figured was heavy-duty stuff and it's like maybe 1 1/4" haha.
Consider making a hari hari with a tang for the garden. It would have a few different design features to demonstrate.
Great stuff mate. I made one similar recently and out of mill bandsaw too.
Vermiculite is mica puffed to separate the layers.
I read in one of my Building Journal magazines that the vermiculite with minute traces of asbestos was mined around the town of Libbey, Montana. The danger was to the workers who were exposed to the stuff in massive quantities on a daily basis. To the average person coming across the stuff once in a while the threat is very minimal, still, any exposure at all could affect those with a sensitivity to it. I still run across the stuff in doing remodel work. It was a very common attic insulation applied in a 3-4 inch layer back in the (I think) 30's ans 40's.
Hi John
hmm well the bear knife sure looks pretty nice, like the upper end of a wostof or ja henchles, has differnat patterns and texturing, and got to say yes that is a big sawblade almost as wide as your whole forge big john and the stop on the treadle hammer seems like a good idea it can make a lot of force would make me nervous to put my hands under it if something were to slip and smash my hand as has been the case when nailing something down especially with thin nails I hate hitting my fingers
john used the saw to saw the saw
You saw that right here
I love your Western content. I noted you're a fellow Coloradan. I'd love to come by your shop when I'm in that neck of the woods.
Until the whole Covid 19 thing is over I won't be having visitors on the shop. But maybe next year.
14:00 you could make an adapter out of angle iron for the hardie hole and tooling mismatches.
كل اعمالك رائعة وجميلة
I just scored a 30' piece of double sided saw mill blade. I know have more ideas for using it.
Found out that the steel isn't the greatest thing for the soil of a garden, of the tools are copper coated or pure copper, it does something to the soil that the plants like better.
Am working on my Mark 2 hand hoe, inspired by your earlier video, and having some of the same issues you had with your trowel. Nice that you showed me the way to fix them! Again! Now tell me why my Mark 1 is in every respect superior to the Mark 2!
Nice
Me talking to the screen: "John, why not us tha back you ma. . ."
John: "Somewhere there's a bick we made for another video, but I haven't been able to find it. "
Me: 😐
I had the exact same thought..."John, why aren't you using that Bick you made?"... I certainly understand not being able to remember where something is when you need it.
Happens to ma all the time
Sadly, I am totally familiar with asbestos.
At my first construction job guess who got to cut all of the asbestos soffit panels with a Skilsaw and NO PPE!
You know of course as soon as you make a new bick because you can't find the one you made recently, the first one will show up. At least if your luck is anything like mine.
Great video! I have a question. How do you keep your motivation while forging?
Having paying customers waiting for a product or a schedule to meet for video production.
Very nice. Have you tried Perlite over Vermiculite?
I haven't
@@BlackBearForge Thank you John.
Would a round blade from an old cordwood saw have metal that would be useful for a project such as this? BTW, thanks for all the time you put into your videos.
As long as it is a consistent material throughout. Although the circular blades may be thicker as well
Think you lapel mic went out on this. Your really hard to hear. But your work speaks for itself. Great video Edit: well maybe I should wait till the end before commenting LOL.
I think it didn't get plugged in at the camera. Otherwise it wouldn't have recorded any audio
What safety tips do you have for working in the shop alone? Obviously to take every precaution you can, but we are humans and make mistakes. Do you have 'emergency plan' if you injure yourself severely and you are alone?
Also, wow, how did you do the slow raising camera trick at the 10 minute mark?
No real emergency plan. But I do try to keep my phone charged and with me when I am in the shop so I could call for help.
The camera shot uses the Edelkrone JibONE th-cam.com/video/Th5UgtKrCWw/w-d-xo.html
Didja know that those hollow forms used as sockets are called "Spiculums"? Jewelry makers have to learn how to do teeny tiny ones.
Made in USA. 👍🏻
Hey John I heard that wood ash also works for annealing. Is that true. Must be messy
True in both cases
You explained were to get the vermiculite, sort of what it is, and that a person needs to make sure there is not any asbestos in it, but I think you left out how and why the vermiculite is used.
It's been explained any many videos so I was just answering the followup questions. Vermiculite is simply insulation that allows the material to cool as slow as possible making it softer for filing or drilling.
Hi John, just wondering how thick the sheet metal your using is? Thanks
I think its about 20 guage
Black Bear Forge thank you. Looking forward to giving it a go!
Is perlite similar to vermiculite
Similar and i think people use it for the same purpose
I think it's the same just chunkier...cat litter is one of them...🤗
Thank you
I wouldnt use perlite, it tends to melt at those temps and then it's a nightmare to get it back off of the forgings.
For anyone else that's new here like I am, or missed the last garden tool and wants a quick link to the cultivator video, here you go.
m.th-cam.com/video/yGb04P0mNb8/w-d-xo.html
Rewrap it.