My New Forging Press is Here!

[Ray Rogers]

My new forging press was personally delivered by Ron Claiborne last week. I decided to post about it here because, when it comes to forging, I am a Newbie in every sense of the word.

We had our own little hammer-in here for about 9 days. See the pictures and read the story here:

http://www.rayrogers.com/forgingpress.htm

[Darren Ellis]

ROFLMAO! That's great! Yea, you've really got to keep your eye on that Ron Claiborne character!

Looks like you guys had a great time!




-Darren

[rhrocker]

Great pictorial essay there Ray! I enjoyed every bit of it, and the bear scenes look realistic, but I gotta tell you, I'd be scared as hell if one did get that close to me. Looks like you're getting the hang of your new equipment. That was nice of the guys to venture to your cabin and set things up for you, sounds just like Bowie to me. Now, where are some pictures of blades? Have fun with your new rig!!!

[Jim Charles]

Looks like you all had a great time and you learned something too boot. I'm jealous.

[Ray Rogers]

That big bear in the picture really was there and hung around us a lot, but Bowie never actually went that close to it (he's crazy but not stupid). Photoshop did the rest. In fact, that bear was just scratching at my door a few minutes ago. He grumbles about it but he will leave when I tell him to.

There aren't ant blades to show except one small one Bowie forged from a bar of 1065 just to show me the process. Everything else we did was making damascus billets and cans of mosaic . We made some bars of ladder, pool and eye, basket weave, twist, radial, and a little powdered mosaic. Right now, it's all just a big pile of scaly looking steel except for the small spots we etched to see the pattern. The patterns all worked but the quick etch is too faint for pictures. I'll finish up some of the steel and make blades eventually but I have to get back to my regular work for now,

I can't thank Kelly Cupples and Sam Fogler enough for what they did. If you need steel or other forging or welding supplies Kelly is THE man to call....

[hammerdownnow]

Ya can't help but cut up and act a fool when Bowie is around. His humor is infectious. But geez, you must be a giant if Bowie had to stand on that stump to reach your anvil. I am five nine and I only come up to Ron's belt buckle. I think that bar' would have had his hands full after a couple more shots. Looks like a grand ol' time.

[Don Robinson]

Good on you, Ray. I really enjoyed that.

Have lots of fun with the press.

[Don Cowles]

Great show, Ray! Enjoy that press.

[Robert Dark]

Well Ray, I am glad you finally got your "Squisher"..........I know it was a long, and greatly anticipated event.

You are so fortunate to have been graced by not only "Cap'n Kangaroo" Bowie himself, but having Kelly and Sam there just made things so much nicer.


Wonderful bunch of people...........I sure would have liked to have been there.

I need to talk to Romey about one of those hammers.

Congrats on the new press.............

Robert