Hello from Madison Wisconsin

**blacksmithjk** · May 20, 2015, 06:02 PM

I was very happy to find this forum as this covers many of my interests.
I currently am 64 years old but in a younger day I worked as an industrial blacksmith and have worked with power hammers from small little giants to a strap hammer with a 500lb head. I am also trained at tech school as a machinist. I moved a few years back and do not have much of a shop set up at this time but I am slowly moving in that direction again.
I have studied knife making under Daryl Mayer and Phil Baldwin and have done some art metal work.
Nice to be here.

**Jon** · May 20, 2015, 08:13 PM

Hi blacksmithjk - welcome to HomemadeTools.net

Sounds like you have a wide range of expertise. What's next on your project list?

**DIYer** · May 20, 2015, 08:15 PM

Hi blacksmithjk!

Glade to have you here.

**kbalch** · May 21, 2015, 11:30 AM

Hi blacksmithjk,

Welcome!

Lots of great experience there. What are you working on currently?

Ken

**blacksmithjk** · May 22, 2015, 10:11 AM

I am currently working on getting a shop set up again. I moved and then was unable to do much for a couple of years till I got my knees replaced. I am now trying to get an Atlas Horizontal Mill back in operation so I can redo the tracking mechanism on my belt grinder.
I am also rewiring a Yamaha SR500 motorcycle that has been my money pit for the last several years.

**kbalch** · May 22, 2015, 11:00 AM

Glad to hear that you're back on your feet and getting the shop going again.

What sort of work does the mill need done before it's operational? The SR is a nice little thumper; are you doing a full restoration or just trying to get it running?

Ken

**blacksmithjk** · May 22, 2015, 12:07 PM

The mill needs a good cleaning as it was stored in the garage and a can of carburetor cleaner was several shelves above it. The carb cleaner leaked and left a varnish like coating on many areas of the machine. I hope to get it into the parts cleaner this weekend. The nice thing is that it is a small machine about 2ft x 2ft x 2ft. The bad part is that it is extremely heavy so I need to take it apart to get it into the basement anyway.
My Yamaha project is a restoration of sorts. It is headed more to the cafe racer end of things. I have gathered parts for a whole new electrical system, redone the forks, custom shocks from Australia, etc, etc, etc. As I said, my little money pit.

**kbalch** · May 22, 2015, 12:13 PM

I hear you on the money pit thing. My wife would love to tell you all about my stream of projects. Planes, bikes, cars, guns, etc. There's always something underway - and usually something else on its way!

Ken