drogo

just finished....hope it helps Drogo

My general rule is: Time + Materials x 2 = Wholesale Wholesale x 2 = Retail There are certain things that vary. Sometimes the equasion is multiplied by 3 or higher. sometimes only by one. I do manly production work so I always make things in bunches. The reason the prices vary is simple but wierd. I have found that if you raise the price rather that lower it the item sells better. It tends to work like that accross the board. Drogo

Grog: 6 oz of rum to 1 gal of water, sugar(about a 1/2 cup) and lime juice to taste. or crushed up firebrick to go in your clay for lining forge. the first one tastes better(fire bricks are tooo crunchy;) )

I use old propane tanks for my slack tub(30lb) and oil quench. I just cut another 30 lb apart(top, bottom, and then in half) so I could put a 100w light bulb under the water and a hot plate under the oil(warm oil is beter than cold for most oil quench steels) Just cut a keyhole in the side so I could put the outdoor fixture under it. Ill put the light on at night when not in the shop to keep the water from freezing:) I get the old propane tanks from a friend who works for a propane company. They take the valves out and wash them out for me with water. Then I let them sit upside down for a month or two. Completly empty when I start cutting.....If you dont know...NEVER cut into a propane or other type of tank without being completly sure it is TOTALY empty and depreasurized. Big BOOMs suck:( Drogo

Sounds like a great start!!! We all burn up some metal frome time to time;) good luck and keep practicing Drogo

very abstract........I love it

all the guys are getting steak turners......gals are geting brooches and such.........so many different tastes on our list so its kinda hard

The demo Was Great!!! I only was able to come to the demo on sunday cause I was at a show(got to make money) on sat. Oonagh (my Significant other) and I showed up Sat night at the hotel to share a room with Solvarr and his wife. When we walked in Solvarr is on the phone with Bill and invites him down so in 10 minuts im talkin with Bill Epps!!! The next morning we met him in the Breakfast Nook at the hotel and sat with him and David(who won the anvil!!) Then off to YeasterYear to the demo. I was very Impressed with how aproachable Bill is. He found out that I am a smith that speacalizes in REN Faires and he asked to see some of my work and gave me pointers on some things I need to change and Improve. I was Totally Blown away with how nice he is. This demo is a memory I will Treasure Always. Bill has been an insperation to me since I first saw his work. It was a great experience to watch him work. Bill, you are a gentelman and a scholar.............Thank You Drogo

as far as the ammo can forge refractory is concerened.......I use "vulcanite" brand refractory clay......any decent boiler supply house should have something similar for relining boilers and such.......if you are building an ammo can forge and need some advise just ask........and if you need some Vulcanite I can give you some all you have to pay is shipping. Drogo

The other thing you have to consider is that ebay is also a collectors market:) So prices go astro because of that market. Not just blacksmiths want anvils. sometimes you can find a good price on a anvil on ebay but the shipping will KILL you. drogo

When Solvar says it was a nice Italian restaurant he is really downplaying it........it was GREAT!!!!.....the hotel wasent too bad either;) drogo

And to think I've been looking at saw makers anvils on ebay and they are selling like hotcakes to colectors I want one for earley period (1300-1600) demos. Drogo

I can't recomend the Grizzley 2x72 knife belt sander enough!!!!! I got mine about 6 years ago and use it every day. the only thing i've had to replace (other than belts)is the graphite on the platen. They run about $400.00 but are worth every penny. For the price you can't buy a better machine. Goto G1015 Knife Belt Sander / Buffer to check it out drogo

A big hunk of steel or railroad track would work better.......To get track....... If you see a crew working on replacing railroad track you can sometimes get them to cut you a 2 foot piece of the old stuff for cheep ($20)to free. Just walk up and ask.......all they can do is say no. Anyway its less they have to haul off later. They have been replacing the tracks up here for a while and I see them all the time.....

As for aprons and PSG I use deer or elk leather......pre tanned......it comes in lots of different colors and most important......is machine washable........I dont recomend washing a lot(mine I do about once a year) wash by itself with a couple of drops of detergent on gental meduim heat. hang dry. oil with mink oil or neatsfoot oil to bring back the suppelness. but then again I do a SCA and Ren.........I need to look right doing demos hope this helps

Pete, opinions are like hair.........everyone has a little........some have a lot........and with some its always bad But anyway.....after doing metalwork for 12 some years I still come running into the house to show the family what I made! ( I even did it as a kid with LEGOs) My significan other sometimes looks at me loke im insane but my daughter(she is 8) alwayse gives me an honest opinion!!! So along with your dog.........your kid(as long as their young enough to still think your cool)

I use rain water because I dont have a tap out by the smithy. That and its free:)

I use the Cowboy Charcole that Meancoyote sugested. It works good. Royal Oak brand is my prefered but I cant find it anymore.

just droping a line here to say hi to everyone out there. i just joined and think this site is great. I've been working metal for the better part of 12 years doing everything frome jewelry to blades. My company, Rabenwald Metalsmything, specializes in metalwork from the Viking age. We do Ren faires and SCA events all over the eastern US. I have worked on all types of forges but as a production worker i prefer propane. If you have any questions please contact me......thanks Drogo