Gary

Half an oak barrel in the shop. Tall metal bucket in the garage and for demos.

I have an one car garage that I work out of until I get my forge hood hooked up in the shop (10'x20'). I pull the rivet forge just outside the roll-up door to keep the coal smoke out. A very temporary set-up (two years now). I only have room at the front of the garage for the vise, forge and anvil.

I'm making everyone on my list a paint can opener ( just a stocking stuffer). My wife needed one, I couldn't find ours and I made one. Stock: 1/4 rd, 8 in. length. Spread one end in a small tapered fan and give it a slight curl on the horn. I've been just making a circle on the other end, but you could make a fancier hook. You could make the hanger end a bottle opener too, for the guys.

Rainsfire, in what part of Oregon are you located in? There is smithing to be found in most areas, it just takes some looking. Let me know where you're at and I'll try to point you in the right direction. The NWBA just held the Fall Conference in Stevenson Wa. in the gorge last month (blacksmith.org).

I agree that fireplace items are a nice touch. A pot crane, adjustable trammel and "S" hooks are good period pieces as are fire tools.

About 5 yrs. ago I was making an oxen yoke for my wife with hand tools I'd inherited from her dad and grandpa, adze, draw knife, etc. About halfway into it I thought about the metal hardware and how neat it would be to make it too. Of course I knew that blacksmiths no longer existed! About two weeks later I saw an article in our local paper on a guy giving classes in a nearby town, I'm sure it was an omen. I've been enjoying myself ever since. One of these days I'll have to get back to that yoke!

I also enjoy demoing. Much of my smithing is done at Ft. Vancouver, where we talk to the visitors as they come through the shop. Last week I noticed a small town near me having their centennial celebration (Troutdale, Or. for anyone familiar). I went out to the small historical museum to look around, started talking to the people there and ended up taking my set-up out the next day. We had about 300 3rd to 5th graders come through all day and I had a blast. Mainly made nails for each group and let each class take three with them. If you like to demo, contact your local small historical societies and see what happens. I may be back in a few weeks to smith for a group of seniors. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/4712

Ben, what worked for me was taking a three foot section of 1/2 in. round stock and making it into 3/8 in. square. I did this three times. It's part of the apprentice program at Ft. Vancouver and worked wonders for my hammer control. Good Luck, Gary

Patrickrock, below is a website with many different RR spike projects. Not much how-to but many different and interesting ideas. I have made a couple of oyster shuckers from spikes and found it good practice at drawing out and controlling shape. Good luck, Gary http://www.lametalsmiths.org/news/spike2.htm

That's a great idea. I've been trying to figure out what to do with a pallet i've had sitting around. Better than making firewood out of it!

You got a heck of a deal on that Fisher. I haven't lucked onto any anvils at garage sales in Portland yet! Most anvils go for $2.00 to $3.00 a pound, and smaller ones can be even more. Nice!

Ernie, welcome from NE Portland! This is a great site and it's getting better daily. Hope to hear more from you.

Kogatana, what type of coal are you using, and what is your air source? Soft bituminous coal lights easiest and stays lit with less air movement. If you have hard anthracite coal it's much harder to light and to keep lit, and demands a constant air supply. Is your air getting clogged where it comes into the forge?

ralphy, sounds like you're off to a good start! Welcome.

Doc, that looks like the makings of a good set-up there> Is that a Champion forge? I have one very similar to it that I'm dying to try out as soon as my hood and stack are up. I've been using a rivet forge for awhile. Good luck!

I found the picture I remembered here, link removed at the request of anvilfire with credit to Mr. Dempsey, etal. What Ted described so well they call a low loss stack cap. At the bottom is a link to a side draft hood page. I'm going to try the one on the left. It's all theory to me as yet but some say that a smoke shelf is not needed and I'm going that route. I will post pictures and results hopefully in a month or so as things develop.

Ted, that was a very clear explanation. I've seen a picture of that cap somewhere but can't find it now. The type I'm going to try soon is at this site. Forge Chimneys. There are several different hoods and a very good primer on chimneys. I hope to have a hood fabricated shortly and am looking for 10" pipe for it now. I've been looking at some building material recycling centers and scrapyards. New runs 150.00 for a 4' section new.

Good point Glenn!

I have found old pictures of blacksmiths and their shops at the Library of Congress site, American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page, and just doing a search for blacksmith or historic blacksmith photos on Google.

Good idea Scott. I wonder if one of those "lead pouring ladles" would stand enough heat in a forge to heat small parts in? Having a handle on the container would be handy.

Mike Turner, there's a farrier supply in Junction City that carries Cumberland. I think it was 22.00 a 50lb bag last time. Ft. Vancouver gets our coal there. Let me know if you want the name.

I reread Nolano's post, a sealed can to keep the weather out, or is there another reason? I keep mine in an open metal bucket.

Irnsrgn, why a sealed can?