mtforge

After using a local provider for years I went with http://www.inmotionhosting.com/ Saved a lot of money, no problems after 2 years and have a lot of tracking of where hits are coming from that I didn't have before. I (actually my wife) use front page to do our page http://mtforge.com/ There was a thread on what people are using to build their web page. search for Website design

I have a friend who will use nothing but hydraulic cylinders instead of air cylinders. They have a larger shaft so are less prone to bending or breaking. The speed is the same as an air cylinder. He's up to a 200# hammer and would like to go bigger. Just have to find the metal for the anvil.

Most events I demonstrate at don't charge me. But there are a few that I get a 50% off discount( or some such number) if I demonstrate at least 70% of the time. If I think I'll make up that much in sales I do it. I've never paid a percent of my sales and don't think I would like it.

I must be one of the few. I have a large collection that I refer to frequently. Not just the reference books on old collections. the latest being Swedish Blacksmihting. I'm always looking for new ideas or ways to look at things.

$20,000 on building (pole building) $10,000 on property. I got it mainly for the liability, the building coverage was a bonus.

I use Baker Agency in New Castle, IN 800-486-7316 or www.bakeragency.net. They're with Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Company. I'm listed as Forging Work. $668 a year with $1,000,000 liability coverage.

The side arm I had had a set screw holding the nipple/orifice in place. You loosened it and slid it up or down to tune it as needed. Mine seemed to work well with the tip even with the bottom of the opening.

I agree. I rasp my handles to the shape I want then file any rough spots down. No finish. As I'm using them if they get built up with dirt, grime or whatever I wipe them down to take it off. I find if the handle sticks in my hand it causes problems.

I'm right handed and have the horn to the right. When I started I had the horn to the left but when I made s-hooks or anything that needed a curl/loop I needed to straighten it from the corkscrew. I noticed when I have the horn to the right my left hand was straight with the curve of the far side of the horn so it's a straighter bend for me and I can work loops better around the horn. The hardy hole also lines up better with my tong hand. I still work up and down the length of the face as needed

In Jan I picked up the following: $5.72 for 20' 3/8" hot rolled square $7.00 for 20' 1/2" hot rolled round $9.07 for 20' 1/2" hot rolled square $2.00 for 10' 1/8 x 1/2 hot rolled $5.65 for 20' 3/16 x 1/2 hot rolled

I liked the book The Spruce Forge Manual of Locksmithing by Bill Morrison & Denis Frechette http://www.oldlocks.com/book_reviews/Spruce_Forge/locksmithing.htm http://www.amazon.com/Spruce-Forge-Manual-Locksmithing-Blacksmiths/dp/0615118224

I was at the Living History Trade Fair, Sandusky County Fairgrounds in Fremont Ohio. My first show of the year.

Sounds like your looking for the army portable forge

I use a wooden barrel half for the reenactments but a cut down plastic barrel for the shop. It has worked well for a lot of years. I drop a bucket deicer into it during the winter.

Some home supply places sell them for planters. I've hauled mine around to shows for 14 years. It started to rot a little on the bottom edge so I caulked it with silicone and a chunk of wood then painted linseed oil over it to help preserve it. I snug up the hoops every once in a while and try not to let it dry out between shows.

We sell mostly repeat items from a catalog, a web site or shows so we can adjust each price as needed. We try to have a shop rate we want to make for wholesale and retail sales. I've added a time clock into the shop and have tried to keep better records of the time needed to make each item. After material cost if we aren't making shop rate we adjust the price or drop the item as needed.

I made some of the tanged ones for a Roman Legion reenactor. This site has a lot of info on making them and why. There's also a lot of info for the Roman reenactor in general there. http://www.larp.com/legioxx/pilum.html

We downloaded the free edition to look at but it won't import an existing web site. The forum had others asking how to do this on the full version and most were told to save the pictures and such but start from scratch and not to import. It comes in messed up. So we won't be using WebPlus 4X.

I've helped make charcoal this way. http://twinoaksforge.com/BLADSMITHING/MAKING%20CHARCOAL.htm

We've used Front Page and have recently went to Dreamweaver but haven't been happy with it. We'll try The WebPlus X4 to see how it does also. Thanks for the tip. Mark http://mtforge.com/

As far as manifolds go Larry Zoeller has a manifold kit to hook two tanks together. http://www.zoellerforge.com/flare.html I went from 20# tanks to 30# tanks and ended up with 100# tanks but they all frosted when they got low enough. I didn't have a "herd" of tanks but that would have helped. The problem I had was I couldn't get all the gas out and they ran out when I needed it and then had to drive into town to fill them. Loss of money and shop time. I spent the capital and bought a 330 gal. tank. On the first fill it paid for itself because of the cost difference between bulk price and small tank price. And no more trips to town, they fill it once a year. But it sounds like your doing the best you can with what you've got and where your shop is at this time.

I did 22 shows last year. I mainly do reenactments. Most of my income comes from shows or orders from the shows and I'm a full time smith at this time. When I started I was a one man show, demonstrating and selling what I had off of a table. Now I don't do an outdoor show without someone along to sell from the tent while I demonstrate. I was told by other smiths early on that demonstrating didn't add to the sales at the show but I have found different. When I'm not hammering the crowd walks by but when I'm working I can get a lot of lookers and some buyers. ABANA has a demonstrator's guideline at http://www.abana.org/downloads/demonstrator_guidelines.pdf It's a start but I have found I don't bring a lot of tools. Adjust the list as you go. I do however bring a supply of raw material as I'm asked to make a lot of items for the camp. Like something they forgot, something they broke, something they always wanted, and such.

I like to drill the hole just under size then drift the hole square with some of the stock it'll be used on. Sometime I still use square file to clean up the corners.

I bought mine from Old World Anvils Old World Anvils - Hydraulic Press because I came across a wholesale account and didn't have time to make one before I needed it. I use it almost every day more than my power hammer. Works great.

No gloves when blacksmithing unless it's cold out. Then I wear insulated stretch gloves that I can still pick up small rivets and such.