I needed a custom bracket for a stair railing that I installed this weekend. It is an old house (1928) and the wall studs are not laid out on 16″ centers everywhere, so there is a large unsupported gap at the end of the rail that needed bracing. I am a blacksmith, so I made the needed bracket in the forge Sunday evening. It took about 30 minutes and I worked it in to some other stuff I was doing.

The rails need their ends eased, primed, and painted and I have a little drywall work to do, but I am happy to have been able to run this custom piece out quickly and glad that it works as it was designed and meant to do.

A tour of my 30’ X 23’ garage shop in Seattle. Not a single spec of dust was swept and nothing was put away. This is the real-time condition of my shop after finishing two Major projects and while prepping for another.

Garage Build: https://youtu.be/Mu00jGpr68M

Forge Build: https://youtu.be/DFJDvGFwVBU

Table Saw Router Table: https://youtu.be/KfkyBGV1lu8

X-Carve Outfeed Table: https://youtu.be/CBM4ujlWhSc

20-Ton Press Build: https://youtu.be/0QK39GmZGgA

I had a Michigan pattern double bit axe that has needed to be rehung for over a year and I recently pick up a really similar one for less than $20 (including shipping) on eBay. The gift of a Swedish felling axe from a friend (SUCH A SWEET AXE!) had me in a mood to finally re-handle the two other heads. I had planed on shaping the handles myself from some hickory, but I walked into my local hardware store and they had a barrel of axe handles right by the door that were on sale. I took it as a sign and bought two without really looking at them.

The plan was to re-hang my original axe head with a shorter 20” handle, making it a saddle axe or saddle cruiser and to put a full 36” handle on the new and slightly heavier head. As I was cutting down and re-shaping the smaller handle, I found out why they were on sale: the grain was running completely the wrong way. I may have said some dirty words… I have had terrific luck with Amish made handles in the past and ordered a 24” and a 36” from a Pennsylvania Amish-made handle dealer – I doubt that he himself is Amish as he e-mails and is on eBay, I don’t think those things fall within the bounds of the Ordnung…

Both handles were as advertised, with tight correct laying grain, and went on with minimal fitting. Two leather sheaths from Amazon finished off the project and I am ready for fall cutting and limbing.

Took the van down to Kelso, Wa (near Portland, OR) for the 2021 North West Blacksmith Assn.’s Swaptoberfest. I bought some needed tools, did not buy a new anvil, came in 3rd in a small forging competition, had cold beer and yummy pork.

I love it when customers and clients send me pictures of the stuff I have built or made for them in use. Recently, an Etsy customer sent me a shot of his work pull over emblazoned with my VW Synchro patch. It put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

As the owner of a classic German automobile I HAVE to have a German plate on it. My state does not require a front license plate on collector vehicles so I took advantage of the front receiver hitch on my bumper and designed/built a Euro plate holder that doubles as a battering ram! I have been accused of “overbuilding” and this may be the definitive proof.

I talk through the first couple of minutes in this video, so you can skip ahead to 2:18 where the good stuff starts :-), if you are so inclined.

My friend and neighbor converted her garage into a workout space and was considering buying a pull up bar. Over drinks one afternoon in our yard we were talking about her new space, her plans/budget, and I was shocked at the prices that are being charged for what were, in many cases, flimsy light steal set-ups that don’t even come with mounting hardware. I offered to build her one, at cost, that would fit her space/needs exactly and that would be bombproof, as I am want to overbuild things…

I drew it up and after she agreed to the details, I spent a total of about an hour cutting, welding, grinding, priming, and painting her new pull up bar. The frame is made with 2X2X0.188” wall square tubing, with 1/4“ flat-bar used for the end-caps and the mounting flanges. The gussets are my design that I had SendCutSend cut for me and that I keep in stock for all sorts of projects and builds – I added 1 logo gusset just because. The bar itself is made from a 42” section of 1” schedule 40 gas pipe. Like I said: Bombproof.

I had to pick up a little steel, some spray primer, and mounting hardware, but the total material cost on the project was $110 – About 2/5 of the going retail cost. Now, if I were to build this for anyone else, it would be in the $250-$300 range which is comparable in price to some of the bars found on Amazon, but they are in no way as strong or durable as mine.

I took the half rotten wooden railing off of our back steps three years ago and am just now getting to replacing it… The new ailing is made for both new and up-cycled steel, the center piece came from a 100+ year old fence section that I had left over from our balcony build. Using that piece both makes it match the balcony AND look as it has been a part of the house since the beginning – always my goal.

It was a simple build actually:

Mock up the angles and height
Layout on some cardboard
Cut all the pieces
Tack them together
Test fit
Re-work section that I mis-measured
Say dirty words
Use my forge for some detailed bending
Lots more welding
Grinding
Sanding
Clean with Acetone
Prime X2
Paint X3
Clear Coat X2
Install/level/brace
Install lag screws
Pour concrete
Drink beer waiting for concrete to cure
Touch up any nicks and dings
Railing complete

I modified the post vise stand in my forge and added a hammer and tong rack to make it more useful and to add utility. I built the stand 10+ months ago and always MEANT to add the rack during the initial build, but got antsy and just wanted to get it in the forge.

As I am cranking the forge up again this fall for some serious work, I felt it was finally time to added the rack. Happy with the results and looking forward to my tongs staying put, my hammers not all over the ground and tools at the ready when I use the vise.

Here is the original Post Vise Stand Build:

I have a little bit of a VW problem and REALLY want a specific German VW sign for may garage wall, but it is $140+ on eBay and I am just not paying that for an 8×12” piece of painted tin advertisement. Nope! I decided to use some of the machines in the shop and just make one myself.

15 minutes of design time in Easel and I moved out to the shop. My sign is not identical to the original, but it is my own take on it. I cut off a portion of 1/16” duel color acrylic sheet that I had in the scrape bin to rough size on the table saw – using my newest and sharpest panel blade. Then, 30 minutes of cut time on the @inventables X-Carve is all that it took – even with a bit change half way through.

I painted the 1/4” mounting screws white with a bit of rattle can special and let them dry. I hung it the next evening and think that the sign turned out great.