Coal Storage for my Forge.

Posted on May 11, 2013 by David Bardin

I have been needing better storage for my coal. I was keeping it in a blue plastic container in my shop. I did not like where I was having to keep it or the fact that it was in a plastic tub.

I have come a long way from a brake drum forge to where I am now.

DSC00487

To a much better table design.DSC00563

Now I for three afternoons have been working on a drawer to hold my coal. It needed to be able to hold a 100 pounds or more so I built it with a bit of overkill.

DSC00157DSC00158With that done, I wanted to let you folks know I have started selling a few parts and pieces. I hope to get a few more pieces in the store and it will come with time.

Here are a few. Bench pins, stop dogs and apron hangers.

DSC00073DSC00144DSC00849Stop DogNow keep in mind they are all hand forged and tooled. American made and will last a lifetime.

Thanks to all the guys that have bought some of my work. I hope it serves you well.

Posted in Forging | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Sharpening Auger Bits

Posted on April 30, 2013 by David Bardin

I had finally completed a boxed set of Irwin auger bits. They are something I am a bit proud of. The box was cleaned as best as posable and the rust removed from the bits.

Boxed set of Irwin auger bits

Boxed set of Irwin auger bits


I will touch base on where to sharpen and where not to sharpen.
auger bit
We will take a look at a auger bit file.
Auger File

Auger File


I would like to introduse a new page here on my site called Shop Quickies
I will be placing videos there from time to time that are tips and tidbits that I have learned. So you might want to check and see. I will try to keep the videos down to 3 to 7 minutes. This will be stuff that is short and sweet and I think not big enough to to a blog post on.
Now the meat of the post.

Now if you have time click on the shop quickie link above and see whats there.

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Makers Mark Lore

Posted on April 23, 2013 by David Bardin

I would like to talk about my makers mark or touch mark.

This is my project signature.

This is my project signature.


I wanted to have a touch that would be easy with a chisel to mark my work. I had wanted to use DAV and needed a different way to do this. I remembered Celtic Runes and thought they would be easy to use. I would follow the lettering with roman numerals to represent the year made. So DAV13 would be
dav13
A fellow woodworker, that I have a lot of respect for, John (a Lumberjock) pointed something out to me. He emailed me and asked me why I did what I did. I told him it just felt right and looked good to me. He also brought to my attention placing them together has special meanings as well.
The D
Dagaz
Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. Daylight clarity as opposed to nighttime uncertainty. A time to plan or embark upon an enterprise. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Hope/happiness, the ideal. Security and certainty. Growth and release. Balance point, the place where opposites meet.
The A
Ansuz
A revealing message or insight, communication. Signals, inspiration, enthusiasm, speech, true vision, power of words and naming. Blessings, the taking of advice. Good health, harmony, truth, wisdom.
The V
Wunjo
Joy, comfort, pleasure. Fellowship, harmony, prosperity. Ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but also the possibility of going “over the top”. If restrained, the meaning is general success and recognition of worth.
When these runes are combined they create BINDRUNES.
Personal Bindrunes
The bindrune is compiled from your personal initials to form a kind of runic monogram. They are used to reinforce one’s personality and emphasize the positive qualities of the psyche.
I had not done this intentionally. But I do think it is very neat. I would like to think when I touch a piece of work I am leaving them a piece of me. I am wishing Hope, Blessings and Harmony.
A few links to Rune Lore.
http://www.runemaker.com/bindrune.shtml
http://www.tarahill.com/runes/
http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/
http://www.bmeijer.com/fun_stuff/runic_translator/index.html
http://sunnyway.com/runes/meanings.html
My point to all of this is, see what you can come up with. Leave messages in your work. You might have people looking at it years down the road wondering the meaning.
Here is a video I did sometime back on my shop sign.

Thank you John.

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