Ecart

. Ecart, PRACTICE, then more practice, then more, then more. There is a reason why i don;t have a girlfriend hehe. I will enjoy, new hammers, new forge, other new equipment, new shop, soon to have a nice new belt grinder, working out good.

HA! I think that is the same hammer that I have from Blacksmith's Depot! Mine just doesn't work as good as yours. I can't seem to get the same quality as you - yet. Hope you enjoy.

Ecart, yah shoulda done one better and told him yeah it is, and if yah give me a $50 dollar bill i'll stick my tongue on it, and when he gave yah the $50 just stick your tongue to the bill and put it in your pocket;).

Smokin' Anvils? How do you keep them lit? (as in like a cigarette) Anyway, I have not had this problem yet; I work too slow to heat multple pieces at this time. But when I was working the ABANA booth at the state fair, I brushed scale off of the anvil face with my bare hand and somebody in the crowd asked me, "Hey, isn't that hot?" I told him it took a while for the heat to transfer from the work to the anvil. I should have said, "Nah, not when you've been doin' it as long as I have." :rolleyes:

Sam, Layout is a simple process. There are 2 ways of doing it. Draw or just a sketch with measurements and then measure or use simple math to determine.


1. Draw an actual to scale drawing of the top as below:

2. Draw an actual side View and an actual end View to scale as below:

3. Now you have 2 ways to determine the slant angle dimension, which in Layout is called the True Height.

a. Determine the distance by actual measurement or

b. Use Hypotenuse, .

Well, Pault17 and I met yesterday at the fair. I think we both had a good time. I was off to a rough start, but then again I was trying some things that I have never done. Of course they didn't turn out exactly right. By the end of the night I was working on door pulls for screen doors and leaf keychains.
Don't let Paul fool you, he's better than he lets on.
I'm looking forward to getting back into my own forge and putting out a few projects and taking on some more complicated things in a little time.

2@25 doesn't seem that bad. Especially considering that I would spend much more than that if I had it shipped or if I went to get it somewhere. PM me and we'll set up the swap. :D

I have room for at least one.
We'll settle up when I get back

YES!!! Bring me two bags if you can! Thanks, I appreciate that.

I'm still fairly new to blacksmithing, considering that after two or three years I am finally actually learning something, but I agree with the advice given so far. In my day job as a saw filer, I was taught that when hammering out lumps in a saw blade, as you hold the hammer, someone should have little problem pulling the hammer out of your hand. You hold it loosely. I'll have to practice Ian's technique and see how it works for me. But I'll probably do it when no one is around. Do you know just how offended people get when a cross peened hammer comes flying through the air at them? :confused:

Oh, and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you.

solvarr, yep. But I've never burned coal in the new forge I finished building recently. I have to get some. I also have to wait until this burn ban is removed, I guess.

Pault17, GREAT! I look forward to seeing you there.

That is one good looking hawk! I'm always amazed by your work, Robert. Once our burn ban is lifted and I get some coal, I can't wait to try my hand at my first hawk.

Nice forge ya got there, Sam. That's a good looking future tomahawk . . . I mean ball peened hammer laying with the fire pot in that second picture!
My grandfather was a mechanic. He passed away in '92 just before I got out of the Army. His tool box is wasting away in the garage of my mother's house. Last year I found his ball peened hammer - in good shape- a punch, a chisel and a body hammer. I carried these in to my mother and asked her if I could have them. Her response was, "You're not going to melt them down are you?!" "NO!" Said I, "I'm going to use them! I need tools for my forge!"
I like the ball peened better than my cross peened hammer.
Anyway, I thought it was a good story.
Now we need to see some new blades from your new forge. I'm still in enamored by that custom seax you made.

It sounds like you've met up with some of the same guys I have!

Edited to add: This has been a rough year for me as I know it has for a lot of people. My stress levels were through the roof, I'm sure. But my wife commented this week that I seem to have mellowed out after getting into the forge at the fair. Anvils, hot iron and hammers are pretty good for beating out a lot of frustration.

Solvarr,
This was the first of our events that I have made, but it obviously left a good impression. Up until now, I met a few grumpy guys that said they would teach me, then didn't for whatever reason. These guys at the fair really were eager to teach and to help however they could.

Candid,
I agree with you there. This art is fascinating to me. I enjoy having people around who will not only tell me how to do it, but show me too. Then let me mess it up a couple of times until I've got it down.

Didn't really know where to put this so if it is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it.
First, I've been offline for a while since my father's death in early Sept. So, I'm glad to be back.
Now, earlier this summer, I joined NC ABANA. I haven't been able for various reasons to go to any meetings since. Well, they always run the booth at the NC State Fair. I volunteered and got the chance to work there this past Saturday. It was a blast! I learned more in 12 hours in that booth than I learned in two years basically going it alone! I didn't get any pics though. But I'll be back there this Saturday and trying my hand at something new. If my wife will trust me with the camera, I'll take a few pics and see if I can learn to post them.
Last Saturday I made three meat forks and a hook. I gave one of the forks away (shouldn't have done that, maybe) but I still have two. I think that this weekend I am going to work on a dragon's head finial for a fire poker. We'll see how that works out. Any local smiths going to be there? Stop by, ask for Eric and say, "Hi."

Thanks Candid, I am going to sit down very soon and write a tribute to my father. It'll be something that I can pass on to my children and they can have some recorded memories of their grandfather.
Leah, I'm spending a lot of time in his shop now, because I feel close to him there. But later this week, I'll be back home and won't be able to take that time. There are many questions that I could ask him now. But he's physically not here any more. But like you, I rest assured that he is not sick any more. I told him when he died that we would be there soon enough, just wait for us a while.

Thanks for the kind words. Today was the viewing of the body. I got to hear from so many people just how much my father has impacted their lives. That really did me a lot of good.
I am remembering things that were long forgotten now, memories that should never have been forgotten. But I rest in them and let them bring a smile to my face.

Hi sfduck, sorry I didn't see this sooner. Thank you for your care and concern.
But on with an update. My father, George, passed away yesterday from pneumonia. I have lost a father, a hero and my best friend. But I know where he is and I'll see him again one day.
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I talked with him briefly, and told him that I was proud of him and proud to be his son and that I love him. He will always be with me. He was a special kind of person.
Thanks,
Ecart

I have to find another place to put the treated 4X4 posts that are going into my kids' new swingset. I need a hood on my new forge to draw the smoke out of the shop. Since I am just getting a good start at this, I need to come up with places to store tools and steel that I am not using and I need a good work table. But I will be moving within the year, so all of that is on hold until we get our new place.

Hi Garyleed,
I'm still working on all of this myself, so I'll leave the answer to those more qualified to answer it. But I have family in Jax. I was born there myself, but was very young when we moved to NC. Just wanted to say welcome and I look forward to seeing how things progress with you as you grow in your skills.
Eric

Oops! I can't believe I forgot about this! Thanks for the reminder, Glen. Hey, even if I don't win, I'd readily give $20 to the construction of their new shop. I may manage to give more. Who knows?

What a shameless plug!!! I'm going to check it out! ;)

Certainly not as dirty as coal either since the impurities are already burned out.

I have a Blazer you can take anything you like to as long as I can have the leaf springs.
But I'm taking us off topic. The Seax is looking good. One day I'll have to try one.