rfb343

I buillt my first forge out of an old gas water heater, angle iron for the legs, custom tin piping and a hair dryer. Since then I've built a new forge from shipping pallet with a fire brick fire pot supplied by 1" black pipe surrounded by red clay dug outta my yard. The new forge has been a HUGE improvement as I have about 3x4 ft working area around a nearly 12 inch fire pot.

Rick, I have no particular experience in setting up museums, but I do take interest both in preservation of historic sites and blacksmithing. I am about 1.5 hours from Johnstown and make frequent trips to the Blair/Cambria county area. I would participate in association/friends group. I can be contacted via private message on this forum or email with my user name @ yahoo dot com

I suspected so, I've tried like the dickens to get Conservit to let me pick through their yard without success. I've been eyeing up that scrapyard on eastern blvd up too, I just havent gotten over there to check it out yet. And yeah, I dig MD Metals and Foltz, they used to have incredible prices on thier w1 drill rod. you're welcome any time, the old truck is in the driveway.

Thats some piece Joe, what yard let you trade scrap? Maryland Metals? BTW the I got the shop, bout 75% put together.

Thats the one, dont mind the high grass and other ruckus about the place, this shop has kinda been my white whale lately. I just started getting the metal on the roof yesterday. feel free to stop by and shoot the breeze, if im home Im usually outside somewhere.

Good Deal man! I wish I could have stopped by to see it, I was stuck at work all weekend, hopefully thats an in for Bboro days. I got my shop about 90% finished, so i'll have some work space again. Mark

Doug yes, you heard me right, another thought I had later was to use big timbers to build your box with the compacted dirt inside. If you have access to RR ties they'd probably be cheaper than block at least in my neck of the woods. and easier to work with. I figured you could frame out the hole you cut in the floor and throw some posts, jacks, piles of rocks, etc under the perimiter of the floor hole and you'd be good. One thing to remember, you're trying to bend hot metal between to hard objects, dont over complicate things.

First I dont want to discourage you in the least, but I think you may be looking for a way to use a saw as a hammer, if ya get my drift.... I had a simlare problem with my first shop... I tried a light weight construction of my own design(albeit over a dirt floor) and well it, blew down, so I am rebuilding with a standard pole barn construction. I tried something that didnt work, so I tried again... As far as the sonotube anvil base, you're looking for trouble(as far as the pounding would reduce even a big pillar to dust eventually , If I had to do it I would build a concrete block box up to the floor level that was several square feet in diameter and fill it with compacted dirt. That way you would solve some of your fire proofing problem, have a soild base to for your anvil and would be able to change your height fairly easily. I can post or email some scetches some sketches if you'd like

ARENT THE ALL....(bosses that is)

How about a wine rack either hanging or freestanding that uses 2 shoes at base and at the neck for holding the bottles

Check your local junk/antique/swapmeet for a 2-4 pound engineer/minisledge they can be had I got one with a good handle for $1 the other day... it took some bargaining but I left with a hammer for a buck, 5-10 is a more common price and some times you get lucky and find a cross peen

Junksmith, where is this in martinsburg? do you have any contact info

Gobae, I got one of those projects going too, mine is complete just needs cleaned up, but the winter puts a damp on my projects(hence the hiatus from IFI, lol)I'll dig it out tommarow and post a few pics... and may be able to hook you up with some castings... it might be a day or two before i can get it doug out. Mark

I'd just start hammering hot metal on it, it'll smooth out. You could probably hammer out a bickern for the hardy hole and save a lot of grinding time, forging instead of grinding, and youll come out with a tool and wont have wasted the $$$ on abrasives. just a thought. :o

Nice score, whatsitdo?