Rio Bravo

I made these...a tiny Christmas tree and an over-sized hanging ornament...

OK, this is not about the nails (which are quite excellent) but I made some rugged crosses (15" high) and I think the impact is similar....cause dying like that ain't pretty... Dave

What?!...Don't you have any electricity in those parts?...JK...get some flood lights, run some extension cords out there and start banging iron... Man's creativity runs high in the twilight hours... Dave

Excellent Mark...I wouldn't have thought of that; I may have to give it a try sometime. Thanks, Dave

Don, The racks look great. Good luck with the sales. There are a lot of collars there but a lot of rings too! Did you forge them?...If so, how'd you get them to be the same? Any special tricks? If you just sliced some pipe, that's OK too... Dave

Great pic of you and the Master Hofi! Good luck with the smithing! I have a poster from the movie Easy Rider hanging above my anvil...the shot with Nicholson in his football helmet two-up with Fonda on Captain America...I've never forged a motorcyle component but it just seems fitting to have that visual there... Dave

Not in Durham, Wellington to be precise, but welcome aboard!

Nice work. I really like the last piece...the "eel"...that's what I see anyway...very cool.

The rose looks awesome. If you made this after reading the book...I need to check it out. Well done. Dave

Hi William, The previous comments are all valid. I am also relativley new to the craft. I found a used NC Tool forge, 2 burner that I bought cheap and refurbished (new liner and fire brick). The fire box is not large...about 12" x 6' x 3" but by manipluating the stock I am able to work some good sized pieces. It has a door in the back to allow long bars to pass through. It gets plenty hot and a third burner would just mean more gas use. If you need something larger I suggest you design your own, as you can make it a fixed size or expandable depending on your needs. I'm not sure what you mean by "doors". My forge has none (except the back). Some have only end flaps. The front is open...that's typical and any type of door would be a nuisance.

OK, if you want to read nothing but books on blacksmithing the titles suggested are fine...I've read a number of them myself. I suggest you take in a few volumes that have nothing to do with the craft. Maybe a journal of an around the world motorcycle trip, maybe a history of Latin America, maybe a collection of poems or a novel from 1965, or a biography of your favourite music star. Being a good smith isn't just about technique; it's about how you see the world and how you translate that into your work. Happy reading!

Tim, Next time you're on Youtube search out "dblacksmithr". David Robertson is an excellent smith and he has a number of instructional videos posted there.

Geez...I needed to know this at 10 am this morning!

Where'd you get the blanks?

My "tip" would be to do some sketches and review them with the client because an awning can take so many forms, and the details can be so varied, you need to know what they really want. Good luck. This is a very exiting project. I personally like the French art deco style.

I can't speak to the copper specifically, but I use a 1/2 inch round fuller for my steel candle cups...wouldn't try anything less for the copper.

Why be ashamed?!? Everyone does it...smiths are practical folk. I'm surprised no one suggested Tremclad Clearcoat. Any opinions on this product?

Excellent piece. Thanks for sharing.

Well said...he's in our thoughts...

Antique power hacksaw, originally run off a tractor pto with leather belt, now fitted with electric motor. Used in modern times to lull the operator to sleep with it's quiet rythym and slow operation.

Welcome! Thanks for sharing.

ACME was best known for explosives and bottle rockets. The W.E.C. period brought ACME into the mainstream for these products; not anvils. This is a common misconception. If you know the retailer was Sears, why not check them as a source for the info you seek. They have excellent records on all of their vendors.

I'm a complete novice but was able to turn out some decent results on the hammer at David's shop one day. Looking forward to comments on the build process.

Well I've stumbled into a heated space and will be vacating the unheated garage I'm in now. None-the-less some good ideas here for working in the colder climates...thanks! Updates on the new shop to follow.