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Randy Ferguson
07-18-2004, 01:15 PM
Hi Guys and Gals,

I had hoped to have had another regional meet by now, but things just haven't worked out. Don't forget about Keith Daleen's regional event July 31st.
I am planning things a little differently now that we are getting closer to the International MetalMeet. We will be needing several post dollies, slappers, tucking tools and various other forms of tools needed. I also plan to get my Helve hammer built before MM04 and could use some help with it. I am so busy with customers work, that I barely have time to breath, let alone get things prepared for our upcoming "big event" I could use some help getting these things in order, so here are my thoughts. I would like to host a get-together once a month, through Oct. for several of us in the midwest to get some of these tasks accomplished. We also need at least 8-10 more tables built, just like the ones we had last year. So there is plenty of work to do in getting prepared. The more we get done now, the more we can play with metal during the MetalMeet. If anyone else has anything to add, please do so. If you would like to bring materials to make your own post dolly stands, etc., bring it with you. I will put together a bit of a materials list in a couple days. We would like at least 6-8 of these and if you want to make one for yourself to take home, or preferably to leave here until after MetalMeet, that would give us even more to have available. Start rummaging for leaf springs and lug wrenches and we can make slappers and tucking tools. I'll get the supplies needed to make the benches around the first of October so we can get those made in time. Last year we made ten benches in just a few hours. Please bring a cordless drill if you have one. Regrettably, I haven't had the opportunity to finish the forge presented to me as a gift last year. Jay Hayes and a the guys working with him on forging put it together and presented it to me for hosting MetalMeet. I may need reminded of how to finish it Jay. This will be one of the first things we do, so that we can use it for building other tools, heat treating, etc. I will try to get ahold of Bob Haverstock to come down and help with that, as he's a very good blacksmith.

Since I still do not have a lathe, we need someone to make post dolly dies. Any volunteers??? I will get specs on how we want them made later, but I know we want a 1" shaft, threaded on the end to lock them in down. We will need a variety of different heads, just not sure what yet. Wray has a great selection of these, so he will have an idea of what we will need most.

The Olds will be put on the back burner until the International Meet. We have a lot to do, so lets get rolling!

If anyone would like to come over on a Saturday to pitch in, that's not on one of our scheduled days, that would be fine too.

I'll have to look at the calender to see what weekends I'll be available. There are a couple car shows I just have to attend yet this year.

gravy
07-18-2004, 09:03 PM
hi randy

i've got leaf springs

would be happy to give them away :D



johnny

Randy Ferguson
07-18-2004, 09:10 PM
Johnny,
Don't you mean "donate to a worth cause"???? We will be using the slappers during metalmeet.

gravy
07-18-2004, 09:30 PM
randy

ya :wink: thats what i meant ( donate to a worthy cause ):!:
:lol:

johnny

Boogiemanz1
07-18-2004, 10:58 PM
Send me a better idea of what you need made on the lathe. I'm tight on time too but will build some or all of them.....john

Neal Nicholson
07-19-2004, 04:31 AM
Randy,

I have to work this weekend but after that I will be available.
Once you have the materials list put together I will hit the salvage yard to see what they have if that will help.
Perhaps a cart for the forge would be a good project as well.

Neal

rookie
07-19-2004, 04:59 PM
Hi Randy, I'm unable to attend Keith's Rebel Meet since it falls on the very last day of the month, we(my job) have an agreement to pull all of the excess backhoes out of Case's Burlington, Ia. plant. It's a bunch of business for the company and killer OT for me (15-18 hrs) so I can't pass it up. Would the following Saturday (Aug 7) be any help if I drove down. Tables or whatever.

Send me a message or call, Phil

Dutch Comstock
07-19-2004, 06:42 PM
For slappers you want a varity of spring leaves from medium thickness and width to thin medium width. Only a few people will handle an average pickup truck spring. For those of you with harbor freight stores in the area the large alignment tool is the right size and is a high carbon steel and is very cheap and it makes a super tucking tool.
Randy`s forge does need a rolling cart with two wheels on the back and a lower shelf to hold the propane tank and it needs a rear removable cover with a three inch hole in the center with a sliding cover to allow you to heat long rounds in the middle when necessary.
He will also probably need to build some more benches this year and all sorts of help just organizing his garage and cleaning it and finding something for a sign in desk and making some signs for people arriving at the meet where to and not to park and where to sign in and anything else anyone can think of to make his garage more usefull to him and thus it will be better for us.If we get more people than last year we will need more early help to set up and install ltables and lights. Anyone close enough to Randy`s to assist in anyof this get together with others that can and get some ideas going so that when the time comes you can get together and help.
All of us in the metalmeet group also apprecite all of the time some of you closer to Randy have done so much help in the past and will do so again. Thanks Dutch

Randy Ferguson
07-19-2004, 08:32 PM
Hi Guys,
Thanks for all the offers to help. It's greatly appreciated! I will have to see when the Street Rod Nationals are for sure before I can give any firm dates. Seems like it's the first week-end of August, but I'm not sure. Frog Follies wil be somewhere around the 25th, so that wont work either. Then I have this '39 Ford I need to get finished, and I need week-ends to get that done. SO...... I will just have to see how my schedule works out.
Thanks again.

gravy
07-19-2004, 09:28 PM
hay randy



the street rod nationals are aug 5,6,7,8 and the frogs are aug 27-29.

johnny

Richard K
07-20-2004, 03:43 AM
If we have more people than last year. (anyone betting we won't?)

We will probably need to have more compressed air and electric power. Is there a possibility to rent (or borrow a generator and large compressor in the area?

I have a spare 5HP single phase compressor I could bring but that would suck up more electrical capacity. A gas driven compressor such as used for a jackhammer would work well.

Neal Nicholson
07-20-2004, 04:22 AM
Randy,

I can work on the cart for the forge at home once we have agreed on the dimensions. I will call or maybe stop by this Saturday after work (if thats ok) and we should be able to sort it out in short order.

Neal

Dutch Comstock
07-22-2004, 06:28 PM
Neal, I built the frame for my forge out of 1x1 square tubing. I cut the tops of the tubing to match the radius of the forge body and welded them right on solid. I put a floor in the bottom with a clamp to hold the propane tank. I put cheap wheels in the back as there is not much weight on the whole thing. You can also make a back cover for the forge out of 10 gauge and weld a ring around it to fit over forge housing and weld some tabs to hold it in place. Randy has insulation to put behind it. I put 1/4 inch rod for hammer hangers and tong hangers on both sides and I made a slide out adjustable piece holder for long work in the forge and you also use it as the handle when moving it around. Dutch

Boogiemanz1
07-22-2004, 10:09 PM
Dutch, do you have a picture of your cart that we could see?...........john

Randy Ferguson
07-22-2004, 11:09 PM
Hi Neal,
Come on over, I'll be here.

Neal Nicholson
07-23-2004, 04:06 AM
Dutch,

Thanks for the info.
Like John said a picture would be a great help.
Would 1/8 wall tubing be strong enough?

Randy,

Hope to see you Saturday.


Neal

Dutch Comstock
07-25-2004, 09:56 AM
Neal, That will be more than enough. You can also weld a protective plate over the insulation on the front of the forge to protect the insulation. Just a ring of plate the width of the insulation,10 gauge or better. I put a piece of 2x2 square stock below the forge door opening and put a long piece of 1 1/2 square tubing in it to slide in and out and a 2x2 square welded verticly to the end and anothe 1 1/2 square tube stuck trough that to act as an adjustable support for the part being heated. It is also used as the handle to move it around with. Dutch

roger n cindy
07-25-2004, 08:41 PM
uncle johnny is tied up making a living most of the time but i can do grunt work if needed and if instructed work well alone. avaliable weekdays as well as weekends, retirement doesn't totally suck ! i like you have some car chows that i must attend, keep me in mind . roger

Neal Nicholson
07-26-2004, 04:07 AM
Dutch,

Thanks again for the info. I really like the idea of the sliding rest for the part being heated. For a door in the front would you recommend something that slides, something hinged like a house door or something that rotates up and over?
I missed getting to Randy's this weekend as work dragged on longer than expected. I'm going to try again next weekend.

Neal