dief

Think outside of the box. Better yet - you have a box - what can you do with it!

I'm very fortunate that I live in an area that has tons of disposable income so I'm busier that ever. I lucked out 12 years ago when we bought a two room shack (we remodeled and doubled it in size) on 10 acres in an area populated with million dollar homes. It's still a couple of years off but I have my foot in the door of 5+ star resort that is being built nearby where rooms will go for 1k/night. Will be a good ride if it works out.

Anyday (which should be everyday) you learn something is a great day! I usually learn a good deal more from my "failures" than my successes.

I have 6 of the 20lb propane tanks. One for the BBQ (and backup for the forge if I run out). I fill up when I get 3 empties. I down use coal very often so I only have about 75lbs of it around.

Hey Chris Which acid do you use?

Mine is "I don't do straight lines". If they want that kind of job I send them to one of the local fab shops.

I think Pieh Tool sells exactly what you are lookign for. piehtoolco.com

In order of income - phoenixrockgym.com Owner of rock climbing gym Blacksmith - desertratforge.com Rope Access tech - ropeguy.com

Pick a name that fits you and, all else being equal, has a good marketing ring to it. I selected Desert Rat Forge. I live out in the desert and friends have referred to me as a desert rat for years. Around here "desert rat" evokes the image of a unique "excentric" crusty old fart. I play up the part for clients. I even have two burros that greet folks that come to my shop.

Just goes to show that you can make some great stuff without a fancy setup!

I've had a BigBlu 110 for three years and I love it.

Here's a pic of a "sun" wall hanging scupture from 7 spikes.

I never really consider the cost of materials. I first figure out what the project is worth to the client. Then I figure out if it is worth my time to do it. All my work is custom mostly functional but artistic. Once you enter the realm of art the cost of time and materials becomes a fraction of the job. That is why I can take a piece of steel that cost me $1.50 and sell it for $175 as a candlestick or a door pull. $60 of stock turns into a $1200 railing. I'm not a machine so I don't try to compete or price my time as a machine (pieces per hour, etc). I started blacksmithing as a hobby and turned it into a part-time business. I have two other businesses that involve my other passion of climbing. For me success is when play and work become one.

I collect the full price upon delivery/installation. Since material cost are a relative small portion of the total cost I don't bother to collect any money up front. I also tell the client if they don't like the product they don't pay. I've never had a problem with this arrangement.

I do not have a CO detector. My forge is located next to the garage door. On the other side of the shop I have an open widow with a high speed fan blowing outside. This creates a nice cross breeze which is great for forging, welding, grinding and other mess making activies.

A friends dad is cleaning out his shop. He was a prolific metal artist in the 60's here in the Phoenix area. Did a lot of stuff for the local banks - mostly large torch cut murals. So far I have adopted a 150lb Peter Wright anvil, a 4ft cone mandrel, an anvil stake, a sheet metal break and shear, a ring roller, a pickup load of sheet steel and copper along with some solid bar stock, a big grinder (needs a new cord). Nice guy - he is fun to talk to.

My shop is in the half bay of a 3&1/2 car garage attached to our house. I pull my truck out and have enough room to move around - built a 6 by 20ft rolling gate in it. The power hammer, flypress, anvil, drill press and work bench are lined up against the wall. I wheel my propane forge out to near the garage door. I also have a post vice on a pipe with three feet I can bolt to the flloor when I need a second vice. I have a small coal rivet forge I drag outside when I need to use it. The wall behind the power hammer has a 8in round hole in it so I can work stock longer then three ft. I built the garage before I joined the way of the hammer so the ceiling is only 8ft. If I had to do it over I put in a higher ceiling with supports for a trolley hoist. The garage and most of the house is built of Perform Wall - 10 in thick walls of styrofoam and concrete so the DB doesn't hear me - except when I use the powerhammer. When I get a some spare time (ha) I want to add a power exhaust vent to the ceiling - a bit more covenient then the fan in the window.

Aaron @ SCF - The only holes in my Rat Hole anvil are the hardie and pritchel holes.

I love my 250lb Rat Hole Forge anvil. www.ratholeforge.com Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Hi Ludo; For tons of good info on welders and plasma cutters check out Lincoln Electric. For some quick basic (not even close to all-inclusive) info here goes. Welders come in two basic flavors stick and wire-feed. I use a 110volt Lincoln 135plus wire feed (MIG) welder for my projects. I use flux-core wire so I don't need to mess with a shielding gas. This makes it real convenient. The welder is stored under my work bench. When I want to weld I just grab the gun, flip the on switch, pull the trigger and I'm welding. I use it almost daily. This machine is small and very portable and since it only needs 110volts I can take to any client site, plug it in and weld away. I also have a Lincoln Procut25 plasma cutter - also 110volts. This machine is used to cut up to 1/4 inch steel - so it wouldn't work for railroad track. You will also need an air compressor for this machine. I use it to cut out shapes from sheet steel - mostly 1/8in thick. This is just a start but I hope it helps. Have Fun!

Half a million for a rock with a piece of metal glued into hole. What's he been smokin?

This is a pic of a candlestick that was very popular during the Hidden in the Hills Art Studio Tour (www.hiddeningthehills.org) I was just in (Cave Creek/Carefree Arizona). The surrounding area is high income so that does come into the pricing equation. If your are selling a candlestick you can only get so much money for it. If you are selling a piece of art that also happens to be a candlestick you can charge a lot more for it. It takes more effort on my part to talk to folks about my art and how I work but in the end I make more money. My business name is "Desert Rat Forge". That sets up certain images in folk's mind before they ever meet me. They expect a rustic craggy/wild person and thats what I deliver (and that's who I really am). That fact that I have two burros next to my shop helps a great deal. When a clients friends asks them about something they bought from me they just don't get (it's a candlestick). They get a story about a guy in the desert with burros who plays with hot iron. This process sets me up to do some nice commissions where price is secondary to the product I deliver. I do not price by the hour because I don't do production work. I don't bother to figure out materials cost. Painters don't - paint and canvas cost squat but they can get thousands for a painting that tickles someone's fancy. OK - so how much did I get for these candlesticks - I mean art pieces - $175 each... and I sold 9 of them. Do good work and be proud of it. Make a name for yourself and price accordingly.

I remember seeing these swages and the same long rambling BS message at least a year ago on eBay. Apparently he hasn't found a sucker yet.

Hi Pat, You should be able to get a nice bend over the edge of your anvil - unless the edges have been chipped off over time or ground down a tad to far. If this is the case you might try laying a piece of angle iron over the edge of your anvil and making the bend over it. Have fun and keep hammering - it will get easier.

If your welds are good they will takes tons of abuse. I use my 110volt gasless mig to weld up all sorts of tools. You can also make some great texture dies. I use 1 in angle for the post on the bottom of my hardie tools. Some folks around here use the 1in angle to put up their illegal "for sale", etc signs. The signs and posts keep falling into the back of my truck. BOG! Experiment. If it breaks - make it thicker.