J.Arthur Loose

Just as a follow-up- I finally tracked down the exact item to make it all happen for $25 on Amazon. Works great- cruises from nearly silent gentle push for hearths up to relatively quiet blast that should run a full smelt just fine. Bonus points for blue lights on the transformer & a digital readout. https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Adjustable-Changeable-Transmitter-Simulation/dp/B071NLGP6L/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_107_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RMDQYWWHM0GG9M29FS4J

Fun. Love the eye slash.

Jerrod, after poking around, and wondering if something like that would work, I think you're right. Simple and cheap. LOL a 9v battery works just fine too. Thanks, guys, for the brainstorming before I potentially blew a $1000 blower I got for $150.

By the end of the video, listening to that stupid repeating ditty in the background, I decided that I didn't care for his safety at all. LOL. DIE DIE DIE! That being said, I've been using my kaowool lined forges, ALWAYS covered in Satanite for 20 years now and was recently x-rayed for an unrelated injury... and they said the lungs looked great. See my shop ventilation thread for ventilation / dust collection ideas on the relatively cheap.

Hey Tim- or anyone else who might know... The blower has arrived, but I have questions about the control. It wants a "0-10 VDC isolated speed control." I called the company and they just sent me the same thing I'd found online, which just says this: "Speed Control: E (Electrical) Pulse Width Modification or Analog input voltage (user supplied) 0-10 Volts DC 10mA maximum. 3-15 Volts DC. Access to sensitivity adjustment for 0 - 10 VDC speed control. (ref. pin connection.)" All of which sounds like a little bit of mumbo jumbo. I will also note that my pin connection is one pin off from the illustration. You can see the full doc here: http://catalog.ametekdfs.com/pdf/5.7 (145mm) BLDC Thru Flow Windijammer 250 Watt 120 Volt Standard Flow System.pdf It sounds like I need a separate power supply going to a device which will put out 0-10 VDC rather than a simple 0-10 VDC dial, for example. Some fans do supply their own power, however, and the sales rep for Ametek didn't seem to understand the question, which in my experience means it's either a smart question, or a really dumb question. LOL Any words of wisdom?

Etsy is good for my jewelry sales, not so much for blades. They actually sent me a nasty-gram about the fokos axes, putting them in the same category as "num-chucks, brass knuckles or other weapons" so I was like, *&^% it. Etsy can just not have a cut of those sales then, which have been minimal in either case. For that reason I wouldn't recommend selling knives, even though I see plenty for sale there. Enforcement of the no "weapon" policy seems inconsistent but not worth the hassle.

Thanks, guys. Wes, yes the cap ring is an Urnessy Ouroboros AKA a Jormungandy Dandy.

Thanks for the confirmation, Tim. After looking and comparing, I thought it would be a decent blower. I sure hope it's well-engineered... new ones go for US $1000.

ZOMG so many things to do and catch up on, but I have a commitment that weekend. Have fun, Jim, and everyone else!

Thanks, Tim. The side channels look a bit less common in the States, although I found distributors of new ones. Seems weird. I ordered one of these off Ebay, the 116630 variety. $150. Looks a hair more blower than the one recommended by some notable smelters... http://catalog.ametekdfs.com/pdf/5.7 (145mm) BLDC Thru Flow Windijammer 250 Watt 120 Volt Standard Flow System.pdf It says 66 CFM, and 50" H20 max sealed pressure. So I'm hoping that means what I think it means. All the charty looking thingies look promising.

I'd like to find a reliable, portable, QUIET blower for smelting & hearth melts. Anyone have a sense of specs in terms of CFM & air pressure? I see some available with ranges like 116CFM / 65mmAq or 180 CFM / 79mmAq. Will this do the trick?

Those were the originals in the video... I have wax injection molds for repeatability.

I've read a number of articles suggesting that the paid promotion is generally a waste of money and often buys you relatively disinterested followers who end up diluting your reach to more interested followers. Facebook certainly won't last forever, if Myfriendsterspace is anything to go by. Owen's right, in the end, having a personal web page is foundational, and social media should try to drive people there. Almost none of my business happens directly off of Facebook, it seems to be more of a confirmation of legitimate existence as an artisan.

It's been a busy Summer of mostly making wedding bands, but the wedding season is slowing down, and I'm itching to do some blades... But here's one I finished up maybe in June? I never had the chance to post it here. It's available, feel free to PM.

I don't know how I missed this post, but thanks for the kind words, Jerrod! It's been a busy Summer and I haven't been on the computer very much...