mtforge

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.

I use the Smith style. It's what we used in the factory where I was in maintenance. We had a LOT of brazing stations for making refrigeration valves, couplers and such. When we would retire a station we would strip the valves and be able to take some home. I set mine up on a 2" x 2" square tube welded to an old tire rim (scrap I had). I made a short hose set for after the gas saver valve and run a hose set from my propane manifold and oxygen tank to the gas saver valve. I haven't used acet. for a lot of years. Just changed out the tip on my Harris cutting torch and use grade T hoses. It's not just to save on the gas (which it does) but is a great place to hang the torch to free up my hands to hammer, bend or whatever without worrying about a flame.
I had seen set ups in other factories using Asco valves rated for the fuel gas and oxygen with a spark plug linked to a micro switch. When you lift the torch it started the gas and you laid it on a metal plate attached to the switch to start the spark. The main assembly lines used them for production.

Has anyone been looking at the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act(CPSIA) from the Consumer Product Safety Commission? I was at a show this last weekend and was told some parts of the act I didn't know about. I thought it was about kid's toys and clothes. I started looking it up online and am still trying to figure it out. http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.pdf
Guidance on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) for Small Businesses, Resellers, Crafters and Charities
From what I can tell if an item is primarily for a child 12 or younger it has to be tested for lead by a certified independent lab($300 to $4000) or you can be fined and/or jailed. My concern is whether a leaf I make at a show would fall into this definition. Or if I make the leaf into a necklace. They have stayed the required test for a year then will revisit the testing.

Sorry Mark. The one I have my eye on is this one.

The assembled unit, that comes with one set of uncut dies, is $97.00. Not a bad price at all. You'd probably make that money back in the first few jobs.

I bought this one at a conference. It's very solid and has a lot of dies you can get. I made another that also has the access from the side so I can bring things in and out sideways. I also bought some stock from McMaster-Carr so I could make my own dies when needed. I sometimes set up both and use them as stations so I don't have to change out the dies. But the dies slide out easy when needed.

What is the modern day blacksmith, machinist, welder, or?

I know you could say the blacksmith is still very much in the modern day however this is looking at it in the light of- there must be more than two dozen shops employing machinists and welder in my city alone, but there is not a forge employing smiths in the whole state.

What do you think and why?

Someone who hits/works black metal(iron)

What state do you live in? If you were in my state You wouldn't find my business/forge in the yellow pages but I'm still here. I'm a full time blacksmith with a lot of demand for my products. I don't do many custom orders just my own line of items that I like to make. Yes, a modern blacksmith can find customers who appreciate the forged product. It's like other businesses you find a need and you fill it. I don't expect people to pay $50 for an s-hook just because I made it. But you can definitely compete with imports. Just don't go head to head with Wally world on shepard crooks, find your own niche. I've had two daughters working for me during their college breaks. I taught them to forge, fabricate, weld, machine, etc. and do it without me looking over their shoulder. You learn to work efficiently and effectively just like other successful companies.

A knife making friend of mine uses a forge with a bellows he uses at reenactments. We set up next to each other at some shows and trade comments and advise (also known as trash talking). I noticed he seemed to demonstate eating as much as anything(a habit I also learned early in my life). So I made a locking grill and squirrel cooker to mount on his forge. When he gets the lump charcoal going he just props open the ash dump if needed for more air. And moves the grill or fork up down as needed.

I use a thermostat controlled stock tank heater. I hang it off the far side just up from the bottom in my quench tub made from half a plastic barrel. 6 years so far and going strong. Except when the power goes out like it did last weekend for two days.
Also shivering in Indiana

I hammered on a piece of 1" round until it got beat out to about 3/8" square and ended up making a roasting fork out of it

Try pyramid head screws at Blacksmiths Depot
Blacksmiths Depot |Pyramid Head - lag bolt (screw) Blk Oxide

A weekend well spent. They look nice. Did you do them free hand, use a swage block or have a jig?

I've had someone try to describe this to me but seeing is amazing.

Here's what I hang out at events

propane and coal

Very interesting thread this one. Thanks to those who have posted some pics of some real nice looking Forges! Can I ask, what type of awning do some of you use to keep the sun off your forge - so you can see the colour of the metal?

Vic.

I use a canvas fly to keep the sun and rain off of me. Depending where I set facing and the time of year sometimes the sun comes across my anvil and I can't see the color very well at all. I need to know by the feel and experience how much heat is still in the piece I'm working on. Sometimes demonstrating outside can be a real challenge. Like when hurricane Ike blew through.

My policy say:
We will pay medical expenses as described below for "bodily injury" caused by an accident:
1. On the premises you own or rent
2. On ways next to premises you own or rent
or
3. Because of your operations

They also mention "volunteer workers" while performing duties related to the conduct of my business are covered

My business is listed as blacksmith and described as forging work. My policy is a commercial policy and they came out and inspected me before they would cover me. No problems. When I was a maintenace manager we invited OSHA to come in to inspect. We passed and became place they brought others in to show them how to do it. I got my policy in part to protect me if someone trips over one of my tent ropes and sues me. Yes it says I'm covered at any "fair, trade show or exhibition"

The IBA policy is also a commercial policy listed for "Clubs - Civic, Service or Social" Rated by the number of members

I read that other thread and it really did not provide any useful information. My question is about the policies that the various guilds and individuals have acquired through ABANA.

I would like to read a couple sample policies to see what the wording is in them, and what the policies actually cover, not what people may think the policies cover.

Your right I can't help you with insurance from/through ABANA because the Hartford company (advertised in ABANA) won't cover anybody in Indiana. The Indiana Blacksmithing Association has used Safeco Insurance. There are 20 pages to the policy. What words are you looking for? Also why are you limiting yourself with ABANA coverage?

Mark

Is it even possible to get insurance as a smith?

Someone started a thread last month about forging and house insurance - apparently very bad juju. Many smith friends of mine are of the opinion -Don't ask / Don't tell - suck up the risk. As it is I'm still in the dark about insurance and smithing so any wisdom others have will be greatly appreciated by me.

see the thread at

http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/insurance-demos-events-6676/

Mark

A few years back,I have met Bill Epps who told me about certain alternative of this=>propane x compressor burner set.Does know anyone of you gentlemen something about this set up?

I bought a torch that uses propane and compressed air to see what it would do. It puts out a nice flame but didn't get hot enough to heat up the circle to make a skillet in a timely manner, which is what I was trying to do. I went back to propane/oxygen

Mark

What issues have you found with the park forges? And what did Jymm recommend?

The fire was about the size of my fist and was right up against the brick side wall. Hard to get much heat or get much besides the end of something in it. Jymm Hoffman's forge is based on an 18th century military traveling forge cart (I'm preety sure) and looks and works very nice. He has the air nozzle/pipe/tuyere? about 2 - 3" out from the shield and about 2 - 3" up from the bottom. This is probably the biggest problem with the park one. The pipe was too short and in the wrong place. I think it would be worth trying it out.

how the heck are those made of wood??
i want to know! so i can make one!

Son

Don't they make wood stoves? I can never get more than an 8 hour burn before they're a pile of ashes.

When I started doing shows about 12 years ago I didn't have much money so I used packing crates, scrap metal and a brake drum. And it had to be easily managed so it could be lifted onto a small trailer. So it comes apart into manageable pieces. It's worked very well. I talked to Jymm Hoffman at a show this fall and he educated me on his side blast forge. So I am working on building a side blast forge. It would be closer to period correct when I demonstrate at the French & Indian War or Revolutionary War events. Mine is a bottom blast but the side blast forges I've used at historical park blacksmith shops don't work well and seem more for show than use. Jymm showed me how his is set up. I'll try it and see how it works.

Where can I get more info on the 16th century forge plans? And who is TEEJAY?

Here's mine

I switched my OA over to propane by changing out my cutting torch tip and replacing the Acet. tank with a 30# propane tank. After I installed a 330 gal tank for the forge and put in a manifold line into the shop for the forge I dropped the 30# tank and hooked straight into the manifold. Cheapest way I've found so far.

I bought 3 ton of coal last summer and still have 2 1/2 left(I think) and had my 330 gal propane tank filled 2 months ago during the summer fill rates. The propane should last until next summer.

I bought a 330 gal. propane tank about two years ago to run my propane forges. When I had it filled this June I paid $2.29 a gal. I wait until summer fill prices to get the best deal. I used to use a 30# tank, then a 100# tank. I did the math and went with the bigger one. It's cheaper, I don't have to run into town to get my tank filled when I need it(losing shop time), it doesn't freeze up like the smaller tanks and I'm not leaving any in the tank when changing over.

AC fan for shop coal forge, 2 naturally aspirated gas forges I just made a month ago and I use a great belows at my demos