kunkle

I was wondering if it made any sense to wedge a piece of c-channel on top of my anvil to keep from beating up the face while I am starting out?

I have an old and used columbia anvil, it has rough edges and a flat top. I can not tell how thick the top is and I do not want to tear it up during the learning phases.

Also how do you care for an anvil?

Lastly, my anvil has a 7/8 inch hardy-hole, will using tapered hardies in it cause internal stresses and make it more prone to cracking? Am I hitting the hardies too hard if I have to beat them out from the bottom to remove them?

Thanks everyone,

This has been informative. I guess I am not using enough coal and not enough air. I need to find a cheaper coal supplier and make a better pan for around the fire pot.

Has anyone used the coal from Summit Tech, Inc., in New Jersey?

Thank you for your help.
Karl

Hello,

I tried using my "forge" today for the second today. I really don't know much about blacksmithing, just what I read from a popular mechanics magazine and from this site for the past couple of months.

It took me an 1hr. to light penn coal blacksmith coal and then it seemed to burn real fast. I used about 4 lbs of coal in 20 min. without getting piece of 1/2 rebar glowing red. Is this normal? My first attempt was with hard coal used to run a steam engine. It took over an hour to light the hard coal and then it only smoldered, so I broke down and bought the penn coal.

I lined the forge with a layer of coal, built a wood fire and then turned on a hair dryer for a blower and fed in more coal. Is there a better way? I could not get the hard coal lit with an oxy-actelyene set up.

The forge I am using is a brake rotor set into a pizza pan on an old aquarium stand, looks like a 55 forge.

So, my questions are how do you light coal? How much coal do you use at a time? How do you pack coal to form a bee hive? How can you tell if you have enough or too little air being fed to the fire?

Also, are there any smiths near Wilmington, Delaware that would mentor me.

Thanks,

Karl

Hello,

I am Kunkle or Kunk or Karl, I live in Wilmington, Delaware and I want to learn blacksmithing, sheet metal work, and machining.

I have very little metal working background. I am about to build my first forge from a car wheel and an aquarium stand. My anvil right now is a 2` piece of railroad rail and I only have a 24 oz ball peen hammer and a 4 pound sledge. I need to find a pair of tongs.

I like to learn hands on so, if I can melt a piece of metal and beat it to something I will start acquiring more tools and reading more.

I have been practicing with play-doh and am more than willing to listen if someone local wants to teach me something.

Karl Kunkle
302-437-5981