JWCarlson

I am a computer and I am monitoring all of you, especially Sam. In my spare computation cycles I am also causing (like guns and pointed knives) all of the ills of the world. - Computer

It's coal... some junk coal I bought from someone. Few hundred pounds for $20. Doesn't break up into chunks but mostly breaks into "sheets". Once it cokes up you can break it up pretty easily with a poker into ping pong or smaller pieces. And the size of the fire is directly proportional to the two goofballs cranking on the blower. We were also heating up (to anneal) some rail road clamps and spikes so we had some pretty good size chunks of steel in the fire that you can't see.

This is only my second forge fire (my cousin and brother have never) and we didn't really know what we were doing. But we had fun... heated up some metal, pounded on it... Here's some pictures of the day. My brother is in the Packer's shirt and my cousin thinks he's funny wearing Viking garb around us since we're huge Packer fans. Was great besides the fact that they wouldn't quit constantly pumping the blower... I guess that's part of the fun! Thanks for lookin'!

Haha, that's awesome. Though I wonder about some of these people's physical condition if they can't move a 60 pound box of metal.

I'm just upset that you've got a way more negative rating than I do. UnicornForge would have a fit knowing the rating system was being used in such a way.

That's very cool!

Between me, my dad, and my brother we've got dozens of antlers laying around in the garage. If you want to pay shipping I can get some to you. Otherwise you can go through EBay probably. These would be whitetail deer antlers.

That all hinges on if your wife is blind or not.

Awesome! Making your own anything and putting it to use is always gratifying!

That's awesome! Sounds like she won't be a hard one to get rid of when you find the right man for her ... tough to find a woman like that nowadays!

Then it's knifes that can be opened one handed, then any knife without a safety lock, then any knife with a point (ask the UK), then any knife period. This is the same deal as they pull with gun control... "It's only 'assault weapons'" until you read what assault weapons actually means... I guess as long as they aren't taking your .22 squirrel gun it doesn't really matter, right?

Part of me wishes there were wild hogs in Iowa. They'd make great practice and I've heard they aren't bad eating either! I might have to track down someone with a flintlock and try it... it sounds like a blast. Moisture sensitivity is a big deal here, though.

This hunt was a .50 T/C Encore... hardly a "muzzleloader" by any standard. But I've killed a few deer with a more traditional muzzleloader (non-inline) percussion caps, etc. No flintlocks though I've always thought it would be neat to hunt with one.

Well, I had Thursday-Sunday off work and my brother had the same days off. Since I've moved 1 1/2 away from home we haven't got to hunt nearly as much... he gets lots of time in the tree bow hunting and harvested 5 deer this year with his bow. We spent Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings out on public land looking for whitetails. As is the game this time of year it's all about FOOD. We found where they are eating. Saw over 40 on Thursday night including a nice buck but he was too far away and came out too late. Saw and had shots at deer every night ranging from 30 yards. I decided I would fill my tag with an adult doe if the opportunity presented itself tonight, we were holding out for a buck but the bucks are feeding in the wee hours of the morning. I took probably the biggest doe of my life (shot a 125 pound (field dressed) MONSTER with my bow a couple years ago). 125 yard shot that looked great. She took about three steps and hit the ground. I high fived my brother and handed off the gun saying "You wanna double?" I knew he couldn't resist. Had a doe at 175 yards but we waited and another adult got to 138. He smoked her. Turned out that my doe got back up and crawled through the brush or fleed in the comotion following the second shot. She went quite a ways but we found her. Nights have been in the negative double digits here the past few nights so it's been very cold for us but what a great time with my best friend! Nick with his packed up on the sled. Me with my doe. Me on left, Nick on right. Size comparison, mine up top. Both adults but the one of mine was quite a bit bigger. Thanks for looking, hope everyone is having a great new year!

Same. I'm just beginning and getting after it on a regular basis would be great. It's too cold here for me to re-arrange my garage to facilitate taking all of the gear out and putting it back in... plus it's hunting season for a couple more weeks. I'm hoping for a warm spell sometime before March to get things moved around and organized.