Ted T

Transplant, welcome to I Forge Iron. I am pleased to read that that you have some training. Having some basic training behind you will allow you to get started on the right foot. Enjoy the trip so that some day you can give us some sound advice and then you can write a book! Who Knows? The sky is the limit. :) The very best to you as you develope your skills as a blacksmith Craftsman! Ted Throckmorton

I just read my first post and want to clarify what I was trying to say with a little more clearness. I think it is important to keep in mind that one or two people’s experiences do not always tell the full story accurately. I was expressing my opinion about just one anvil, and not about the all Emerson anvils. Just so the water is clear about my opinion about Emerson anvils, you would have to know that I had asked questions and opinions about Emerson Anvils first, before I bought my Emerson Anvil. Every response I received was positive, and that they were happy with the Emerson anvils. If that had not been the case, I would not have bought one. My apprehension was that I had most likely had to high of an expectation of how a new anvil should have been finished. But keep in mind; that was only one anvil. I am sure other people would think nothing of what was important to me at the time and not question the issue. I believe it has all to do with personal opinion about what is acceptable and what is not. Bottom line: I have no doubt that an Emerson anvils are a good product. But what I was trying to express in my post is the idea that no matter what company, person, or brand of anvil you buy, make sure you do your home work about the exact anvil you buy! My best to you as you get a new anvil!

My experence with a brand new Emerson 150lb. anvil was not the best. I have had it for over one year and have never used it. The problem I have is with the face of the anvil and the attitude of people I bought it from. Shipping expences are high for anvils. Make sure you are willing to pay that much for an anvil that you may want to ship back at your expence, plus pay to have it shipped back to you at your expense if they do not agree with your opinion! If I ever was to buy a brand new anvil again, I would have the company send me a several photos of the exact one they were going to send me. If you seen mine you would understand! I would never buy an anvil that I could not inspect first! Let the buyer beware!

I stand corrected on my view of what you were saying in your post now. Thank you for clarifying more clearly of about what your needs are. Just so you know I was not being cynical about including the wife issue in my response. I was only responding to what you had posted. That being said; you can enjoy the craft of blacksmithing in a very limited footprint of space. I still put wheels on everything that I can, or make it portable in some fashion. That way I can adjust what space is available to use for what I am doing. You might call it the “Accordion Affect”. It makes a small space highly usable. About 40 years ago, I had a small 8 ft. x 8 ft. tin shed that I used to house everything I needed to use for basic blacksmithing and light welding. The only thing that set out in the weather was a steel work table. A person can do a lot of work by using a Farriers Anvil (mine is a 90 pounder) that is easy to handle or store. There is no question that you can use a Railroad Track (vertical in a bucket of sand) to get started if that is all you can acquire at the present time. As you study the information that is found on this site you will be empowered with many options. I wish you the very best!

I do not understand that you have to hide it from your wife. If you have to hide what you do from your wife, I would forget doing it! It sounds like you need to get more experence with someone else and their tools, and the answer will be clear to you. Then you will know what your capabilities, interests, and priorities really are, and if you want to invest money and time in the craft. The blacksmithing process is not hid easy. Hammering is quite noisey. The smell of "products of combustion" is also quite telling, along with many other things that require some trade-off to do the craft. If you are serious about the idea that your going to do some blacksmithing, do it right from the begining, tell your wife you are going to buy an anvil. Then buy an anvil or what ever you decide to do. If you have to work another job to save the money to start out right, so be it! Many of us have. A quick start is not always a good start! I wish you the very best.

Thanks Peyton I was ready to jump into this one in the deep end! PS. I hope things are doing well for you and yours. How is that guy who lives in a "Battle Ship Gray" World? :P

Thanks for taking us along on this build. :) Your work is always inspiring!

Larry You made me laugh when you said; "Once you see how easy the sheets move compared to 1/4" plate, you may become a tin knocker! (thats what started to happen to me, then I snapped out of it )". :D Well, it happened to me when I about 64 years old when I started on my learning curve to make Repousse. I am still on the first part of the curve, but enjoy doing it!

Thank You for the Post I plan on telling everyone I know about it. Seems like it is a no brainer to heat up the lugs - Now I guess if I did, I may not have any left at all! :huh: Thanks again!

Woody Thank you for posting “The Demonstration By Richard Hanson © 2003” That should be a mandatory read for all blacksmiths prior to giving their first demonstration. If they are prepared, then they would not have to come home and watch a week’s worth of Dr. Phil to regain their sanity. Over and over again I have listened to most of the standard ego building statements made mostly by men in front of wives and their kids. But; I heard a new one to me last month when I was just standing by my exhibition of blacksmithing tools for a towns welcome center, when a very large and aggressive “phantom of a used to be blacksmith” blurted out very loud; “you can’t tell me that these are antique tools, I used to use them” I said very politely (honest I did), “I do not believe any one mentioned anything about antique tools; these are just the tools I use.” And that is all I said. Of course he had to continue to vent more about his greatness until he ran out of hot air. It is hard to argue with someone who will not participate. With tongue in cheek, I say the following; I find it interesting that people would become so aggressive and want to create a fuss about some simple tools that were just sitting there becoming antiques! :) Tools have a brain, only if those using them shares there’s with them.

Thanks Sam I must have missed school the day they taught about installing shock absorbers on the post vice leg. You must like it or you would not use it. Now ya got me thinking!!! :rolleyes: :unsure: :blink: :huh: :D MUmmmmmmmmmmm! I got an idea!!! Thanks again Sam!

Hot Lips! I needed a smile to day. Ya gave me one. I toasted a piece of bread over an open fire (on a Fork) Don't ask me how I know, but "dont try to clean the rest of the bread off of the fork right after you pull it from the fire!" The person who did that had lips that looked just like yours! :unsure: It took a few days for me that person to heal. Thanks for the laugh Stewart!!

Grinding wheel safety If you have any doubt about the reliability of a grinding stone after giving a good visual inspection and a "sound test" Don’t use it! Always error on the side of safety when in doubt”. Think about it! If you are wrong about your analysis of its usability, it may cause you to experience everything that is associated with pain and loss of finances. The impact of a severe injury and being out of work is not as real to people who have never had to experience it. An intelligent person will learn from others mistakes. Three times in my (59) years of working with metal I have seen, or experienced some bad things that have happened when a grinding wheel fractured and came apart. You will not save any money by using a questionable grinding wheel by thinking that “I will do it just this time, then change wheels". In a fraction of a second you may have shrapnel impacting your face and body parts. It can change your life just like that, in the time it takes to snap your fingers. Again, please do not risk it! For sure; please use an appropriate safety mask (eye protection and lung protection) while grinding. Over the long haul of time and use, the accumulation of partials can, and will count against your lungs. A person may say it never affected me. But just take a look at them later in life when it catches up with them. Although some may dodge the bullet, many will not. It is not pretty thing when it doe’s catch them! I believe we are not in this business to show how tough (resilient) we are to the products of combustion or other bi-products of friction, or gasses created during the metal fabrication process. I do believe we all want to be safe and healthy throughout our lives. Here is just some information that may be useful to you. It is not complete, and I suggest each person studies more about this subject for themselves! When grinding, the small metal shavings flying off a grinding wheel are often traveling over 200 miles per hour over a distance of less than 18 inches. The old baseball adage of “you can't hit what you can’t see" certainly holds true for anyone who thinks eye protection isn't needed. INSPECTION, HANDLING AND STORAGE Grinding wheels and disks should be inspected after they have been unpacked for shipping damage, and then “ring” tested prior to use. The "ring" test consists of suspending the wheel from its hole on a small pin or finger and gently tapping it with a light tool such as a wooden screw driver handle. The tapping should occur within 45 degrees of the vertical centerline. A wheel or disk in good condition will give a clear metallic ring. Large disks and wheels should not be rolled on the floor. Abrasive disks should be stored in dry areas not subject to extreme temperature changes, below freezing temperatures should be avoided. Undetectable cracks or fractures not visible to the eye may occur in wet wheels if they are exposed to temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.Breakage can occur if wheels are taken from a cold storage area and grinding operations begun before the wheel assumes room temperature. Grinding wheels and disks should be stored as close as possible to areas of use to reduce handling. I must sound like on old record being played over and over again. But I cannot stress how important safety is in our craft. I care about all of you! Be safe! Ted Throckmorton

ramsie11 You said; "i personally own a half inch thick welding table i use quite often for everything. i havent yet made the "second tabletop" that i mentioned. i want STRONG hinges and my local supply stores dont carry them." Due to all of the things you have told us about that you have made, the answer is simple! Your a blacksmith, Just make yourself some STRONG HINGES. :)

It sounds like you are on the right path. Now; be determined to be the very best at what you are being taught! In the final analysis it will pay off! The effort you put into it now will be there (available) for you to draw from later! Keep it up; I know that I will be looking forward for additional up-dates! Ted Throckmorton

Forging a Frog If I was going to forge a frog, this would be my approach. 1. Find a photo of a frog that I (you) would like to produce. 2. Buy some clay. -- Yup! I said clay. 3. Measure how much clay stock you have before you start. Here is a Suggestion on how to measure for how much steel stock you will need: Lay out three pieces of square stock (side by side) that you will be using to forge with. Then remove the center piece of stock. Fill in the center (between the remaining pieces) with clay. Pack it in, and then use a piece of round stock to roll over the two pieces of steel so as to pack the clay that is in-between uniformly. Or you could trim it square with a knife (you get the idea). Bottom line is that you will make the clay stock the same size as your steel stock you are going to use. Now, measure the length of how much clay stock you have made. 3. Next; rough mold the clay with your hands into the size and basic shape of the frog you want to forge. After you are satisfied that you have molded the basic shape of the frog, re-measure the clay you have left. Subtract the amount that is missing from the amount of stock you started with, and that will give you a rough idea of how much steel stock you will need. 4. By using clay to practice with you can also test the punch patterns such as the eyes, slits, half-rounds, and on and on. This will quickly let you know if you need to make a new punch or modify the punches you have. Note: I would suggest that you leave a pigtail of steel on the frog (work piece) to use as a control handle during forging, one that you can cut off later. 5. I would also figure an order of operations based on (first things first) of how you are going to shape the frog. By practicing with clay first, it may assist you in determining what tools you may need to assist you to obtain the shape you want. Skilled use of clay forging practice will aid you with the concept if you hand hammer it lightly just as you would hot steel. The bottom line is to apply forging basics, basics, basics. I hope this helps with some ideas. The best to you! Ted Throckmorton

Dave, you knocked a home run with this excellently correlated and articulated instructional video. And then you added the icing on the cake by addressing the questions posed on the thread. I do not recall having ever seen a video that was more detailed, complete, yet put into simple understandable terms as this one. When I say you knocked a home run, I mean you cleared a way for all of us who were on base to come home with a good understand of "Exactly" what to do without interference. You should go into the business of making/teaching and producing Videos also! Please keep it up. You have raised the standards up several notches. My best to you ~ And Thank You Ted Throckmorton

Reduce your photo size by changing the overall pixel dimensions to smaller size, down to 600 x 600 pixels. I know the program is supposed to do it, BUT! My experence with uploading photos onto the site changed for the better when I reduced the size of my photos FIRST. ERRRRRRRR good luck! :unsure: If I am incorrect, just pretend I never wrote this Frank! Ted Throckmorton

Bentiron1946 I know that what I am about to say will not reduce your pain and the associated stress that it brings with it by the pain restricting “what used to be your normal health and way of life”. But it is not about what I say, but who I know. I, as many others who are members of I Forge Iron also understand about pain and the confining, restricting, and depressing effect its presence brings. In fact I am allergic to pain killers. So I have no choice but to accept the pain associated with my issues “face on”. The good news is that I have been aware of several members who have been in such bad shape that it sounded like they were not going to be effective as a craftsman again. But prayers plus time have returned to them what was thought to have been lost. As of this time I have had two different doctors tell me in essence to “just go home and have a good life” After that a second doctor more or less “said just be thankful for what you can do and just go do what I could do.” Several times part of the counsel I was given was: “But look how old you are” I could not accept their opinions. After all of that positive counseling, I knew that I had to make a committed decision on what to do because I had run out of help here on this earth that I could find or afford. I thought OK! &--#60;_&--#60; Hummmmmmm “I know what to do” :) I knew that I needed the very best help that I could possibly attain due to how sick as I had become. I have that help now. And, it has all been paid for 2,000 years ago. Pain got my attention, and now I am paying attention. So pain at a certain level has become a positive influence on my life. I rely on prayer. My very best to you! Ted Throckmorton

Thomas, I agree with Brian about your excellent post about Flux Types. I also thought your post that was contained with-in the thread called “Introduction and Question” was expressed in a simple, direct and useful manner for the benefit of new or old hands to read and refresh themselves with some basics of acquiring steel that was safe to use. The other posts had very suitably covered the aspect of “What steel not to buy or use”, and then you brought the topic over the finish line of “What steel to Buy or Use.” I am truly grateful for you and several other knowledgeable people who continue to give freely, and share their hard earned knowledge and skills. Thank You Ted Throckmorton

WOW - Never underestimate what you first see. It took me a life time for my eyes to open!.

I am glad you would give us an up-date. Sounds like you had fun! :unsure: I also had the exerence. They had injected me and we were waiting for the doctor that needed to be there to arrive. Quite a bit of time passed and no Doctor! Then we overheard a nurse tell someone that the Dr. had already left to go to a city 120 miles away! Now that gave me a feeling of confidence in the system :P I made it, and it all turned out OK. Thanks again for letting us know! Ted Throckmorton

Sucker Rod Poison WARNING FYI - Sucker Rod: A steel rod that is used to make up the mechanical assembly between the surface and down-hole components of a rod pumping system. Sucker rods are 25 to 30 ft [7 to 9 m] long and threaded at each end to enable the down-hole components to be run and retrieved easily. Sucker Rod is mostly available in or near Oil Field towns. Here is some information that you may want to ponder should you choose to use “sucker Rod” for forging. To use Sucker Rod as a material to forge with, sounds like a good idea. I use it myself, and have done for many years. But; a person needs to be informed about the possible dangers involved with the purchase and use of some contaminated Sucker Rod. This post is just a heads up for someone who may be interested in protecting themselves from the simple (but dangerous) world of the un-informed. Buying and then using some bad (contaminated) sucker rod by an un-informed person may lead to some bad and dangerous outcomes, and then have no idea of what is going on with them. Most people I have talked to over the years have said this issue is not a real problem. And that is only because they have not run into the problem. But it could be a big problem if you accidently got some contaminated rod. If one person buys some contaminated rod is harmed by it, it is a blacksmithing community issue! Here are some extracted comments that were made by some members quite some time ago about this issue that should make you at least aware of the potential. Be wise and study up on this yourself if this is something you are going to use. Anyone wanna die? Oil rods/casing out of a h2s well will kill ya,,, is up to you but.....be warey "rotten egg" is not good = less than .001 in a 8 hr. period but when ua heats it turns to sulfer dioxide = deadly please don’t mess w/ rods-casin that came from a sour well!. sorry (by) Jimmy Seal - - - - - - - - - - Author unknown: Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials- which have been known to contaminate oil field steel to the point that it is thought too dangerous to be set to scrap for re-melt. Not a big issue but worth thinking about if you happen on a pile that appears abandoned. In the last little while most scrap processers have been required to certify that the level of radioactivity is below a certain level. I don't know the details of the NORM levels and only know about it from the papers reporting of law suits and people being sent to jail. - - - - - - - - - - PLEASE Just be wise when you buy it and use it. Best of SAFE forging to you Sir! Old Worrysome Grandma Ted Throckmorton

After reading this very informative thread, anything I could add to the issue of the twisting problem would be pale. What I have to say (2c worth) does not answer the “Twist Problem” but it leads to something that I think is important that Mike Hr. said. Mike-Hr, when you said: “Eat the time, or gear up”. I about fell off of my chair laughing. How true, how true, how true :P . After failing the first two times in starting and running a Blacksmith/Welding shop, I tried one more time (3rd time) back in 1974. After trying to think smarter this time instead of working harder I had an evaluation of my “shop business practices” analyzed by the graduating business class of a collage. With a fine tooth comb they went through my records, asked detailed questions about my business practices, my training (craftsmanship skills and business training), types of tools/equipment, material purchasing practices, and how I used the most important thing I had, and that was “my time”. This was my third attempt to make a business work good enough to support my family. I went under the first two times due to not having a real business plan or experience with business management. I gave myself away each time. But this time (3rd time is a charm) after evaluating my approach to business, they felt that I was finally applying good business practices, and my skills were sufficient. But; their report pointed out that I had reached a point to where I should either go back to my back yard and do it as a hobby, or tool-up and buy materials in larger quantities if I wanted to continue to make a living and not sacrifice my time and health. The only reason I was able to make the business run to this point was at the sacrifice of working long hours into the night each night and back again early in the morning. So, I tooled up, and I invested in buying large quantities of steel and supplies which added to the profit side of the equation. As a result, it paid off. I increased my productivity over double and was able to get some sleep finally. I only wish a friend had said to me early on; “Eat the time, or gear up”. My best to you all! Ted Throckmorton :P

Thanks!!! I have been waiting for the report! :)