Glenn

trentinistefano The Forum is set up to allow on 4 photos per post. If you have more photos, please make additional posts. Glenn

There are shirts posted for sale in the IFI store. Only XL and M Anvil shirts at present but that will change shortly.

I found that all the fussing with adding clay was not worth the effort, except to plug the bolt holes in the bottom. Just a couple sheets of paper, some sticks, a fire, and add coal.

Collective gasp, look at the size of that forge !! Wait a minute!! If that is just a tad larger than the drum head on the 55 gallon drum, and we used the 55 gallon drum to make the 55 Forge . . . . then that would make the 55 Forge the same BIG SIZE !! Pardon my excitement, I just realized that I already have a working forge that size, (sigh). Well, now I have a spare forge body if I need one.

It looked like a forge to me. It has a 6 inch inlet, is over 24 inches in diameter and 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick steel. I don't know where I can ever get enough air or coal to make it work, but I got a BIG FORGE one when I need it. That is a 55 gallon drum lid inserted into the opening and it still has some room to spare.

The two twyeres I have use are explained in BP0133 the 55 Forge and BP0333 55 Forge with a Supercharger. Nothing more than a piece of 1/4 inch rod across a 2 inch pipe. Yes a little coal (very little) does get past, but so does a LOT of air. The BP0238 Simple Side Blast 55 Forge is an even simplier design. Build a fire from sticks that would make a Boy Scout proud. Add a little coal, a little air and as the coal catches, more coal and more air. It is not unusual to go from the first match to a forge fire in about 20 minutes. IForgeIron.com > Lessons in Metalworking > Blacksmithing is a good review and explains a lot about getting started in blacksmithing. This is located on the opening page of the site on the left column. A hammer will reduce lump coal to any size you want including dust. Anything the size of a walnut, ping pong ball, down to the size of a marble is good for the forge. If you have a lump the size of your fist, place it on the edge of the fire and when it gets hot, hit it with a poker and it will break up nicely. Many blacksmiths use coal dust or fines. Just wet them down a bit. The wet fines will then coke up on the fire. BP0384 Using Coal Fines. As to the quality of your coal, Blueprint BP0131 Coal, Coke, and Rocks may be of some help. A reminder: The blueprints above BP0200 are available to those folks that register to the site. There are over 500 Blueprints on file currently, but that is just one of the many benefits of becoming a member.

I have been looking for a small air compressor, to use as a spare for the shop. Not looking hard, just asking around. Well TPAAAP works. I got a phone call from a friend saying he found one, used, and just taken out of service. The roll of duct tape is for scale.

For small rods, would brazing rod from the welding supply dealer work? Several sizes to choose from. May want to check the scrap dealers as they many times have pallet size containers of brass, bronze, that has been sold for scrap prices.

22.8 mi from Delafield. If you are into knives, you may want to check out the JANESVILLE, WI Northern Lakes Knife Co. Annual Fall Knife Show, Holiday Inn Express/Janesville Conference Center, OCT. 5-6. Call for details. Blacksmithing, Farrier, Bladesmith, all use the same anvil. Do not get tunnel vision, follow all the leads. You can learn something from each specialty of metalworking.

UMBA click here and then click "news and events" and it is the second item listed. November 10 Fall Meeting Centaur Forge Burlington, WI. Usually these things start 8 ish and end in time for dinner. Contact them before you go for all the details. ----------------------------- Don't give up just because you found one answer, keep digging. Now do a google search for "Centaur Forge Burlington, WI" and you get Centaur Forge 117 N Spring St Burlington, WI 53105 Click on their URL and you get "Centaur Forge" then click on events and you get: 2007 Fall Clinic Centaur Forge Wisconsin clinic sponsored by Mustad World class clinicians! This is a clinic you can’t miss!On Friday, join us after the clinic for dinner and drinks at Centaur. Take the opportunity to relax with friends or go over something from the clinic with Austin in Wisconsin! In Wisconsin – 117 N. Spring St., Burlington, WI 53105 Austin Edens, CJF; Friday, October 5 and Saturday, October 6; 8am-5pm Austin is a past captain of the American Farrier’s Team and has been a judge in theAFA Competition. He has competed in the United Kingdom and has won the World Championship in Calgary. Austin has also been a member of the AFA Cultural Exchange program. Austin’s awards include the following: USA National Champion and Overall HighpointWinner 2001-04; North American Challenge Cup Winner; Mustad Specialty Forging Winner 2001-03; Canadian National Champion 2003; World Forging Champion 2001-03; World Horseshoeing Champion 2003; Reserve World Champion Blacksmith 2002; WorldChampion Blacksmith 2003. Keep digging, go to google map and get directions from Delafield to Burlington and you find that you are only 34.2 miles away. From what I see it should be a straight shot down 83 South. Contact them before you go for all the details. Ok it is a farrier event, but that alone should make it interesting to a blacksmith. ----------------------------- When I work on the site, it does not show me as on line.

BP0036 Fire and Smoke BP0037 Fire and Smoke BP0042 Fire and Smoke BP0045 Fire and Smoke BP0046 Fire and Smoke BP0048 Fire and Smoke BP0137 Fire Starter

There was a poll on IFI about where you learned the most about Blacksmithing. The internet came in first with 26.6% . Being as your asking your questions on IForgeIron.com you have the first source already. Local group conferences were second at 25.3%. November, go to the hammer in at Burlington, WI. Do a google search for UMBA, or Upper Midwest Blacksmith Association. Classes came in at 10%. Just giving you the results of the IFI poll.

You found the scent trail, now follow the smell of the coal smoke to the blacksmith. In other words, you got started, and had success, now keep doing what your doing and find more.

You found the scent, just follow the coal smoke (grin).

BP0104 Wrought Iron

What words or phrases are you using in your search?

Talk to a blacksmith that like their father, was a blacksmith. It gets really deep when your child wants to be like you, and be a blacksmith. There is really no better feeling than to be able to pass the craft on to the next person or to the next generation. Working with your hands to make things that will outlast you is wonderful. Just remember to take the time to add your personality and craftsmanship to everything you make.

A quick search found blacksmithing classes 44 miles from Delafield WI, which should be close to your location. There is also a Blacksmithing meeting in November just 45 miles from Delafield WI. There is a blacksmith class just 16 miles from Delafield being held 10-6, this Saturday !!. There is a blacksmith shop 86 miles from Delafield that I would like to visit, and another shop just 32 miles from Delafield, and another 87 miles, and another 126 miles, and another 23 miles. There are farriers listed at 68 miles, 60 miles, 20 miles, 26 miles, 42 miles, and one farrier just 1.3 miles from Delafield. All this is to say that there are lots of possibilities, some 2 to 20 miles, and all of the above less than 100 miles from Delafield. Delafield was chosen only because it was midway between Milwaukee and Madison. Your fortunate as there is a shop just 20 miles away from Delafield that is a must visit location if you are anywhere in the state of WI.

An anvil face should be leveled horn to heel, and side-to-side. Rather then just spread another "piece of advice" I would like to hear some discussion on the matter. What are the advantages (disadvantages) of using an anvil with a level face, and what if any are the advantages (disadvantages) of using an anvil with a face that slopes in one or more directions ?

How do you store your corded and other hand tools? One grinder is not bad, but you get 2,3 grinders, a drill, sander, and on and on and well you get the idea. We need some ideas on how to store the hand tools so the one you want is not always on the bottom of the pile.

Your English is very good, much better than my attempts at any other language.

Keep the ash cleaned out from the bottom of the grate, so it is open to the air. If the ash builds up the grate will burn out in no time.

You may want to read the thread Forging an anvil on the IForgeIron site. There are photos there of the bottom of an anvil in the fire soaking up heat so it can be hand forged. The IForgeIron store has a DVD on how to forge an anvil by the Shetland Anchorsmiths. The anvil was made in six pieces and forge welded together. Amazing what a blacksmith can do with a hammer.

LB0003 Blacksmithing Forges

See IForgeIron > Blueprints > BP0189 Nails BP0322 Making a Nail Header To make a head on the nail, use your hammer. A final hit N S E W will make a pyramid type head, N S E W and a final hit on top will make a 5 flat head.