Tim McCoy

Found these in a guys back yard while alley crawling ... two forges: one's a Champion steel pan with blower that still turns - bottom has rusted out but the tuyere is still intack and a cast iron forge of unknown make has a crack that runs fully thru one side with a missing piece that cracked out ... along with that I got 346# of coal. Cost - $100.00 The blower turns freely, but clinks when it is not vertical ... needs a shim maybe. Seems small compared to some I have seen ... anyway, I always keep looking. Seller said that the stuff belonged to his dad who ended up using the forges to start coals for BBQ ... been setting in a back yard for at least 7 years.

Rich Hale Have you any info about the farriers group in the Las Vegas area?? How may I find them? Tim

UnicornForge, I would say that the video I linked you to has much to say about what NOT to do. I found it to be frightening in actuality. Striking hard hammers together, no eye protection, no gloves, obviously having no plan for the working of the steel except with verbal commands, working rather thick stock with a small ball peen used as a top fuller ... should I go on? I am still new to this ... gathering stock, building a home made anvil and getting ready to start as soon as I can. A couple of months ago, had I seen this particular video I may not have noticed the errors I see now. Just another way of saying that everything that one finds on the internet is not good information. Hence, the appreciation for IFI and other sites that engage professionals and people who are trying to become craftsmen as opposed to stereotypical backyard metal benders. Didn't mean to confuse the issue with my sarcasm about what I saw.

For a first effort the rose is great - looks delicate ... will you leave it as is or oil/wax it? What's suggested with these?

Yes, the home-made anvils are kinda interesting - basic/primitive -but the techniques - wow!?

For me, finding out about the craft of blacksmithing was very exciting. Some one else has a tag at the end of their posts that says something like, "play with fire - hit metal ... fun" you get the picture. First I searched the web and found anvilfire and other sites that seemed helpful - then I found IFI! I've read every book I can find and have started gathering my tools and found the parts for a homemade anvil that I should have together in about 2 weeks - I still need some training though and did some more searching on the internet and I found this video: . . . I hope that you can link to it ... if not, go to You Tube and search for "Artistic forged iron leaves 3" take a look and understand why I am glad I found you first! I have found more practical, hands-on info here than anywhere. There is NO local Abana group that I can find so it's off to find a local school or college that may offer training. Oh yeah, about the video, it shows many interesting things that may be totally wrong, but a new person may not know that without mentoring like I find here. Tim

Milwaukee buffer spins about 2500 RPM ... Milwaukee grinder spins at 9000 RPM zoom-zoom! It won't work to try to convert it - thanks lots everyone!!! Tim

Everyone, Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions - After rereading my post I realized I did present it as an annealing process. Meant to use a hardening process. My mistake. After further reading and studying your comments, I can see that just getting it stood up and hitting it will work fine. It's exciting to finally have something heavy to hit. As you may remember, wanting to "do it right" can get in the way of moving forward sometimes, especially for us newbies not wanting to repeat unecessary mistakes. That being considered, I really was interested in finding a way to handle a heavy piece in the back yard without a helper - primitive so to speak. Sometimes the effort to think things through, with helpers like you, helps to clarify which way to go. No photos just yet, but soon. Thanks again for all the input/support. Hammer on! Tim

Matt87, Yeah, you're the new guy ... Ha-Ha ... I am sure it is mild steel just don't know the "number". So, you want me to just stand it on end and hit it ... okay, but I'll be getting back to ya if ... it will be about a week before I can get it cut to the right length and then we'll smack it around. I thought that perhaps heat treating it would make it just a tad bit better under the hammer. Anyway, I'll let you know what happens - I was interested in the process for heat treating such a heavy piece that is unwieldy and won't fit on a forge table. Tim

Billd - I just happened across your hardy tool. Brilliant! Many of us have no welder and don't have time/funds for a welder yet. Your solution will save me and others a lot of waiting for the hardy tools we need now. Thanks for sharing! Tim

Hi, I have acquired a 4" round bar (piece used as one of 4 legs for a huge stamping machine) that I want to heat treat one end of before setting it upright as my first anvil. I thought that I could build an "in the dirt forge", use charcoal (no coal here) and set the bar (that will be 26" long so it will weigh about 95#) on a set of home made rollers on the ground .... that puts the bar horizontal to the dirt forge and will be at fire height ... with the rollers I can turn the bar like it's a pig roasting and have the end, about 4-6", get heated evenly. Once at the right color I can then roll the bar to a place nearby with vermiculite in a hole and cover the end up still in a horizontal position and let it set overnight. I do not know what kind of steel it is ... mild steel and it rings with a sharp peal. Your thoughts?? Seems like a safe way to handle this with no special tools - the rollers can be easy to assemble. Oh, it cost me $0.25/# at the local scrap yard. Thanks ahead of time, Tim

Thanks guys - just what I needed to know. I guess I will have to find something to buff up or get on my trading hat! I know that it is expensive ... $200 at the online tools stores . . . Cheers, Tim

Reidster, They are available at Blacksmith Depot. Listed as a "Chech Hammer/Hofi Style" - 2 for $20.00 (no handle those are $3.00 each). Listed as not being truly square and the metal being just a bit soft ... a tool for beginners like me. Tim

Hi, Just acquired a used and working Milwaukee 7" buffer ... heavy duty. I would like to know if it can be "converted" into an angle grinder? How much trouble to adapt it to hold grinding stones/wheels? It's a model 5540, 2800 RPM max and is 11 amp ... has a dial speed control. Any help would be appreciated. Tim

From the time Uncle Sam taught me to work on jet engines, through being a policeman and doing all my own auto work and doing leaded/stained glass work I learned the following: When in doubt, don't. Trust your instincts. All tools can hurt you, maybe even kill you - treat them with respect. Suit up: eye protection - masks/breathers - gloves and hard steel toe'd boots. Tired? STOP! Take breaks and think about what is next. Learn from masters before doing anything. If it ain't fun - quit! Wash your hands before dinner.

divermike - That's it! Bends that go both ways ... although the technical stuff tries to make it sound technical what that tool amounts to is something that will let you make shapes that are akin to a well done potato chip ... bends both ways. I like your description better. Have fun with it. Tim

divermike - You really are lucky ... I am reading a book titled "Metals Technic - A Collection of Techniques for Metalsmiths" Edited by Tim McCreight 1992 ... pages 31 & 32 describe the squiggly thing you have in photo 3 of 8 ... drum roll please ... its a "sinusoidal stake" used only to make anticlastic forms in metal forming. You will have to google that to get a clearer picture of the differences between synclastic and anticlastic ... great find!! Tim

I decided I wanted to learn blacksmithing several months ago. I have very little in the way of "discretionary" money so I have to scrounge. My wife supports my plan and accompanies me (she reads her book) ,when I go dumpster diving, alley crawling, and the weekly checking of the trash truck routes. In the last 60 days we have hauled home (2002 Mistsubishi Lancer 4 dr sedan) 100's# of stuff: 7 brake discs, bedrail, bolts, 6 golf cart wheels, pieces steel plate/channel, bolts/nuts/, four 8' L-channel cross beams from storage racks, 5 work stations (2.5" box channel with 3/16" tables welded on) from a tire shop, a disc brake caliber assembly, steel plate punched to be the base of street lamp, rebar, and on and on - I couldn't list it all. All it for the cost of gas and a soda for the navigator. Yesterday I went to the local Habitat for Humanity place that sells left over building material. Found seven 1.5 x 7" steel bolts, four heavy duty hinges (for the smithy I will build) and four pieces steel plate 3/16 x 4" square all for $14.00. I also went to the scrap steel yard. Hard to explain what that was like, maybe like being a blind dog in a meat house ... where to start first? Long and short of it is this; found three industrial strength springs, and a gear off of a dozer all for $0.25/ a pound. Cost me $15.00. I have a great head start on my work. Need just a few things more to build my forge and round up a starter piece of steel big enough for an anvil. If I can ever figure out the steps I'll add some photos ... Tim

Very tasty ... really well thought out design!

Amazing texture!

My wife too has relegated me to the small space in the back yard ... I am planning to build my smithy in a space 5 x 8' ... I used the patio yesterday to set my mock up card board boxes inside that amount of space, just to see how things would go. The important things all fit nicely; space for a 24" sq forge table, 12x18 anvil block, post vice, slag bucket with a narrow work bench at the far end of the space ... now all I need is the actual stuff and about 20 pallets to build the place. Looks to me like you have most of what you need and space enough to do everything except large pieces. My biggest problem will be where to store all the stuff that has been following me home for the last 60 days ... bedframes, rebar, wheel drum, box channel iron, about 50# of bolts and nuts (all steel - some galvanized but all usable) and ... more. Good luck! Tim

Many of us new guys would be willing to buy wrought iron for $2.00-$2.50/lb ... especially if you could let it go in 10-20 lb lots ... as most have to watch their start up costs ... also, is ABANA a non-profit??? If so she may be able to donate a portion for the tax write off. Have you tried contacting some of the locations that have retro village re-enactment sites ... they may be interested in buying some for their use. Just a couple thoughts ... hate to think that much of it may go off into scrap oblivion. Tim

Cannot find any coal for sale within 150 miles ... starting my forge in Las Vegas, NV ... for the time being I would like any info on charcoal used in forges ... what's the upper limit on temps? Will be using a wheel drum-air fed forge ... about 13" across and 3" deep. Have plans for wood to charcoal converting system ... mainly interested in something to get started with until I can make a trip to Sedona or Flagstaff (nicer trip than going to Pheonix) for some pea coal. Will check with local ferriers this week-end. Thanx Tim

Hello, New here - just building my first forge, brake drum, hair dryer, etc. Have acquired part of a truck tow hitch, "L" shaped weighs about 33-35# for beginners anvil - found a pick at a yard sale for $2.50 for a bick ... also had aout 20 nail stakes (concrete forming stakes) follow me home - round, flat and sqaure. Anyone have any experiance using these? Also found a piece of steel plate cut to be the in concrete base for street lights ... about 18 x 18" with the center flame cut out for wires and holes cut at corners for the mounting bolts. Does cut with hacksaw ... slow, but it does cut. Would really like to know about the stakes though ... thought they would good to practice with. Photos to follow. Thanks!! Tim