New section - Lessons in Blacksmithing

[Glenn]

We have added a new section called Lessons in Blacksmithing to the opening page of the site. This is designed to be used as lesson plans or aids to those that teach blacksmithing and metalworking. The self motivated individual can use these lessons to learn the craft at home, and at their own pace.

This is a work in progress. If you have a different or better way to explain the same lesson please contact us so we can add it under that lesson. It can either be incorporated into the lesson, or added as a separate page(s) on the same topic. Either way the lesson gets improved and the topic gets better coverage.

The lessons LB0001 Getting Started, LB0002 Safety, and LB0003 Blacksmithing Forges are already posted. More lessons are being finalized and will follow as the material is completed. If you have ideas for lessons, or lesson plans you use, please contact me.

The prefix LB (Lessons Blacksmithing) will identify this section much like BP identifies the Blueprints.

[Strine]

Two points Glenn, if I may

1. There are no authors mentioned. I like to know who is giving the lesson so that I can make a decision as to credibility.

2. I notice again that as with any set of blueprints, the lesson set is navigated by pressing "prev" to go forward. i.e. from lesson 1 to lesson 2. In my book if your at "1" and want to go to "2" you would select "next". Conversely if you were at "2" and wanted to go back to "1" you'ld select "prev"

3. So I can't count! the previous paragraph used a lot of " s. As I recall the use of these little beggers is difficult over there. We overcome it by setting the system language variable to English(Australian). For some reason computers here are set to English(US) which causes this problem in the first place. I know it would be with great reluctance to change the setting (in Control Panel) to anything other than English(US) but you would get a pleasant surprise if you did. There is no need to fear all your spelling would be corrected to the correct spelling. English(Australian) still recognises US spelling. You would still get away with, for example, color (sic) and favor(sic) and leveled (sic), which we all know are correctly spelled colour, favour and levelled

[Glenn]

1. There are no authors mentioned. I like to know who is giving the lesson so that I can make a decision as to credibility.

So far the first Lessons in Blacksmithing have been under my pen with the assistance of several others for review of the material. If a suggestion or comment was made, it was incorporated into the text without noting the source, as the listing of those that have contributed in some small way would over power the information we are trying to convey. As to creditability, I would hope that you would look at the material presented for it's value, and not accept it as "creditable" due to the author's name.

If you would like to submit a lesson page, (and you are encouraged to do so) your name would certainly be noted as the author, same as in the blueprints.

2. The lesson set is navigated by pressing "prev" to go forward. i.e. from lesson 1 to lesson 2. In my book if your at "1" and want to go to "2" you would select "next".

That choice of words is a function of the site softwear.
I have labeled the lessons with a "LB" (Lessons in Blacksmithing) so it can be easily recognized, and each lesson is given a number ie LB00xx so you can refer to each lesson without confusion. It is the same system used for the Blueprints and has worked well so far.

In the control panel, setting the system language variable to English(Australian)

I have reset the local language to English(Australian) as you suggested. So far it seems to have a problem with my southern drawl, as everyone knows "all" is a petroleum-based lubricant. We will see how it works out. (grin)

[Strine]

Originally Posted by Glenn

I would hope that you would look at the material presented for it's value

As you know I am an absolute novice at this blacksmithing caper. I have to refer to the manual as to whether I hold the metal bit or the wooden bit of the hammer, so I'm no judge of value. I have however read a lot of posts and viewed a lot of photos at IFI and can therefor make a fair assumption as to whether an author knows what he's on about. If X gives a lesson I wouldn't bother reading it because I have developed an opinion of X and his abilities. On the other hand if Y gives a lesson I'll hang off every syllable. Just a thought.

Originally Posted by Glenn

That choice of words is a function of the site softwear.
I have labeled the lessons with a "LB" (Lessons in Blacksmithing) so it can be easily recognized, and each lesson is given a number ie LB00xx so you can refer to each lesson without confusion. It is the same system used for the Blueprints and has worked well so far.

Yes the numbering system works just fine. Prefixing the lessons in blacksmithing with an LB and the blueprints with a BP was a stroke of genius My point however was that once you've found the lessons, or the blueprints for that matter, and read to the bottom of the page there are two selection options, either to proceed to the next lesson, or blueprint, or proceed to the prev lesson. Here's the rub...wait for it...The "next option takes you to the previous lesson and the "prev" option takes you to the next lesson. I get trapped every time.

[Ian]

Of course you do realise that seeing as though both of you chaps are from 'the colonies' neither of you are actually speaking 'English'. Rather one of you is speaking American and the other Australian. It's fortunate indeed that neither of your respective countries have bastardised the 'English' language enough that you're unintelligible to each other or indeed myself, well, for the most part at least.....



Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to don my tin hat, hoist the Saint George and hunker down in my freshly dug trench....

[Strine]

Originally Posted by Strine

My point however was that once you've found the lessons, or the blueprints for that matter, and read to the bottom of the page there are two selection options, either to proceed to the next lesson, or blueprint, or proceed to the prev lesson. Here's the rub...wait for it...The "next option takes you to the previous lesson and the "prev" option takes you to the next lesson. I get trapped every time.

One last try. See the bottom of the screen dump of lesson 2 LB0002 Safety, it says < Prev Next > Prev sends you forwards and next sends you backwards.


Ian, They have bastardised it, we have refined it...made it more betterer

[Glenn]

Strine,
You could use your back button on the computer to the lesson index, and then click on the specific lesson you wanted to view.

I think the issue is a function of the way the system sees the listings chronologically rather than seeing a numerically labeled listing.

You have found a quirk in the system, no doubt about that.

[Dan OHare]

Glenn & Friends, Here you go again doing a great job and setting another milestone on the journey forward, congratulations. I for one am very much looking forward to what I may learn here in this new addition to IFI. Being a member of an ABANA affiliate has certainly been the single most important aspect in gaining experience in this craft as a complete novice. The only drawback to that is the long stretch of time between meetings (sometimes several months) I do however encourage all newcomers to seek out their local group and join. Not all of us can afford to buy lots of books, dvd's etc. and this can be a limiting factor as well. What I like about this new forum is the "go at your own pace" part. I don't always have coal or charcoal on hand or time to spend half a day at my forge, I do what I can when I can. Going it alone in trying to learn anything can be a comedy of errors and form bad habits. Having a structured lesson plan for a novice like myself to follow as I can is certainly going to help me, being in a rural area and for the most part on my own in this persuit. I think it will help a lot of us immeasureably to gain experience in proper techniques. The safety part is important for all and one point I would like to stress is the awareness of the safety of others around ( spectators etc.) while forging. I have had bits of hot iron go sailing for quite a distance off my cutoff hardy, a point to ponder whenever others are present. Great idea Glenn, and thank you for starting this. Dan