Don A

Joe, The only problem with the rivet style forges, to me, is the depth of the fire it allows in its natural state. Clay, or even fire brick, built up to create a deeper firepot or "duck's nest" will definitely help you out. I think you'll be fine for light work... 1/4" "S" hooks, blades from files, etc... good and portable for demos. You'll find out soon enough that fire depth and stock / fuel capacity will be an issue if you start trying to work big stuff. Not that it can't be done; just not as efficiently as a full sized forge. Good luck and keep us posted, Don

Dave, I have an 18 year-old son, and I have advised him to take a sort of three-tiered approach to job training, however he seems at present to be led in a different direction. But in this day and time, versitility is going to be a huge factor. Here's what I would recomend: 1. The business college stuff would be good to have under your belt, whether you remain self employed or enter the market. A legitimate degree is always a leg-up. Plus, you can do your own taxes 2. Get some CAD training. This can open up some opportunities as well (I do CAD based GIS mapping for an electric utility... started out in print graphics). CAD is a very marketable skill, but it is great for design work. A 3-D rendering of a project saved out as a .pdf and sent directly to the customer lends a touch of professional class. 3. Get certified in welding. I've seen your work, and you have a natural tallent for metal work. Again, that piece of paper can carry a lot of weight if the self employed thing doesn't work out. A man with buisness smarts, CAD training, and a welding certification is going to make for a versitile worker, whether for himself or as an employee. My $.02 Don

Good looking set up. Where did you get your pipe (chimney)? What diameter is it? And yes, let's see 'er in action! Don

I found this to be a very informative article: Lowdown on forging by Kevin Cashen

You forge like a girl... ... I hope that someday I can forge like a girl! That is beautiful work. Don

Enco carries a product called Acetal and they say it is also known as Delrin. I know that a lot of the Case knives with "artificial bone" were Delrin. The Enco catalog shows that they have Black Acetal in sheets (up to 2" thick) and rods (up to 4" diameter). Not sure if this is the stuff, but it's the closest thing I can think of. You can get a foot long 1" rod for around $5. Might be worth a try. Keep us posted. Don

Thanks for sharing that. I look forward to giving it a try. One thing though... is that really 220VAC coming in or did you mean 120? Don

Very nice. You pictures have been stolen and stored in my "I'm gonna make one like that someday" folder. Please explain a little about the tray rig there on the left side. Don

Nice. Any idea when this would have been made and in use? Don

I find that a simple linseed or linseed/wax combination looks good new, and if the pieces are actually used as they are intended (in and around a fire), they naturally take on that "used and seasoned iron" look that we are all after anyway. A wipe-down with a greasy rag from a day's cooking will keep them looking very authentic, just like seasoned cast iron cookware. Don

To confirm what's already been said, I got started with an old style vacuum cleaner and used a cheap dimmer switch to slow it down. Used it for a couple years 'til I scored my Canedy Otto hand crank, but it was still running when I took it down. It served me well. Don

If you live anywhere near your electric utility, used poles from their pole pile can make for a quick and sturdy frame for a shelter. The average distribution pole is 40 - 45'. Base gets hit by a car, crews saw part of top off for repair... you can still end up with a good 20 footer. We give ours away to get rid of them. Check your local utility and see what they tell you. You could do a 12x12 with 4 poles. The space I'm using is 10x12. It is actually stall #1 of a 3 stall shed I built from said poles. That's 8 three to four foot deep holes dug by hand... not easy, but it was free. Don

I was the one that made the kettle stand that LeeRoy mentioned. Here's the thread: Big ring for a kettle stand My ring was from flat stock, bent the easy way, but you might have some use for the method described. I'm thinking that it might work if the supports on either side of the void were big rounds slotted to fully support the vertical side of the angle iron. I did mine cold; you might have better luck doing the angle hot. I could also see rigging a curved swage beneath the supports for hot work. I'm afraid that trying it across the tool that I used for the flat stock would be too unstable to keep things running straight. You never did say how wide your stock is. If it is like 1/2 or 3/4", this might be do-able. If you're talking about 2 or 3" angle... that could be a bit more difficult. Don

Do you have a torch? I could see finding a 3 or 4' piece of plate and a 2' diameter circle of some sort (pipe cut-off as mentioned above, manhole cover, etc.), fixing the cicle in the center of the plate and fashioning a hold-down for one end. Start at the hold-down end and heat & form a couple inches at a time. You could do something similar with a forge, but it would be a lot of back & forth work. Don

Cowboy brand is great to work with... as long as someone else is paying for it. Now if you're doing small stuff, like 1/4" S hooks and smaller knife blades, you can get a lot done with a $7.00 bag of charcoal. But if you're forging 1/2" stock all day, you're gonna go through a lot of fuel. Making your own is by far the cheapest. However, if you could get some inside information from a local restaurant or steak house that uses real charcoal, you might be able to contact their supplier and get a whole pallet at a discount. The park I volunteer for used to do this. Don

Thanks for posting those links Sweany. Keenjunk was a lot of fun. I spent a lot more time lurking than I did posting, but I sure did learn a lot there. And I love that monkey picture. I still want one of those.

I found this in the internet archives (I remembered seeing it a long time ago): Blower Plans This is from Tim Lively's old site.

Check this out: sharpening-scythe by hammer and stone

A lot of folks use red barn paint for waterproofing canvas to use for primitive shelters. I think it is either latex or oil based, which might be flexible enough for a bellows. It might be a good idea to paint the outside and let it dry, then finish the inside with a coat of borax... mix with water, paint it on, let it dry. This would proabably help as a burn retardant. This is what I'm planning for mine. I will, however, test the paint on some scrap first. Good luck, and keep us posted. Don

The key word here is "brothers". This Proverb does not imply unwelcome "hammering", but rather challenge and exhortation from one willing brother to another. Being challenged by those with more understanding than we possess makes us better. I think this has both a practical and scriptural application. Blacksmithing, martial arts, music, etc., etc... you get sharpened by being around folks that can push your limits. I am thankful for Christian brothers that have cared enough for me to "hammer" me on occasion. Don

I have read that, in the past, scythe or sickle blades have been sharpened cold in the field with a stake anvil and a hammer.

Great work Dave. Somebody got a great deal on a fine piece of craftsmanship. Only one thing, and I am notorious for over-building stuff, but I think I would have either turned the curve of the braces in or left them straight. Turned out, they kinda look like springs instead of braces. I know that piece will never see nearly that much weight, but it's just one of those hang-ups I'm prone to. I think you did really good time wise, and I understand about keep the cost down through the learning curve, but I believe you're ready to start curving up a bit price wise. I hope you have a touchmark that you're stanmping your work with. I'd be proud to have my name on that one. Good job, Don

David, I know that this example probably has more of a Nordic vibe to it than Celtic, but I was thinking something like this with the flared ends hardenend:

If you can find some W-1 drill rod, it'll work great, and don't overlook round files, like the larger chainsaw files. I would keep the hard section on either end and leave the rest softer. I'm afraid if you hardened the whole loop, it would eventually break. Full hard 1095 or W-1 doesn't have much flex to it. I like this idea. Keep us posted with pictures as you work through it. I've been making a few heart shaped steels out of W-1. I forge the heart just like Brian B. taught us on here, then harden 'em. They look and work great. Don

3.6 in 149 I draw in AutoCAD for a living... I should be a lot better at this. You can tell by the time that I work for municipal government.