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The 42 is cast into the metal. Thanks again for the input. It's just too heavy to throw away. :) Larry

Thanks to all. Larry H - Is this a spark test? Because with the exception of wrought iron, I find it hard to differentiate.

I'll try to get a picture up.

Hi, I have this big (over 300lbs) of what I think is cast iron. It is 6x6x30. Any suggestions on what I can use it for? (Other than aso [anchor shaped object]) Thanks, Larry

A couple of polished pieces about 5 in. long with a spike welded on each one might make good bookends.

Small point: Meteorites don't come from Jupiter since it is a gas planet. Most of them come from the asteroid belt which lies between Jupiter and Mars. I couldn't see the film for some reason but it sounds like a really cool pendant. While looking at some of the sites about forging meteorites it appears that additional earth metal is almost always used because of the absence of carbon in the Ni/Fe meteorites. Neat stuff! Larry

Hmmm.

I have used straight cut offs, but no more. I only use the curved one Brian and I made. While cutting carrots the other day I realized that chefs use the same principle of small contact area. When chefs slice, the movement of the blade is to put the point down and rock (curving) back toward the handle, thus causing the same effect as the curved cut off. Try it yourself: Cut a carrot the way chefs do and then cut straight down and you'll see the difference.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Thank you Rusty!

Hi, This is my HB. It weighs 145 and the serial number is 173602 (although the 2 looks like an afterthought.) Can you find a dob for it? Thanks. Larry

Hi, I had the opportunity to go to Brian's this past Nov. I wasn't his best student. I was a little overwhelmed with information, and the processing and implementation of that information wasn't easy. This is not Brian's fault it is mine. I have always been somewhat mechanically retarded. (I use that word correctly.) After a few days I did start to put the pieces together. When I got home I began to build a smithy. Now it is almost done and I'm getting some good time at the forge and having fun. The things I learned at Brian's are becoming clearer and the idea of multiple dies on a hammer face makes sense. Definitely give these techniques an honest try. I've taken the advice of a number of people on this site and I pick and choose what suits me the best. If you teach blacksmithing, go out to your forge sometime and work with your off hand (mine is left). It's a good way to know how a beginner feels. Thanks Brian. Larry

"you get the drift..." Good one David

It looks like he was using the jig for spreading and for straightening. The video wasn't too clear on it. Does anyone have a better view? Thanks

I picked up my spiral duct today. It's 16ft long and 12 in. in diameter and cost $50 new. Now I will (with your help) figure out a way to put it through the roof. I know that Brian somehow wedged his through a rectangular metal frame. I think he said it was a "cam" effect. Any ideas? Thanks for your replies, my building is ahead of schedule.

Thanks everyone. Dave, the only power hammer I'll ever have in there is the one I made with Brian :) . The door is 3ft wide and the big windows are for light of course. I got them on Craig's List and paid $10 for the door and the windows were thrown in for free.

oops

Thanks for the relies. This spiral duct is just what I'm looking for. Is it stiff enough for transporting on a roof rack? This is where I am in the building process. I used to have an 8x8 area and this will make it 10x20.

Hi, I have noticed that Brian Brazeal and Alec Steele have what look like culverts for chimneys. I know Brian got his near his home in Mississippi and Alec is in England, does anyone know where I can get one in the New England area? I am almost finished a new smithy and I think I would like to try one of these. It would be less expensive and I just might find that it is a permanent solution. Thanks, Larry

Brian will give you what you need and what you want. Whatever you want to learn is up to you since he personalizes the lessons. If you're not sure what you need (as I was not sure) he'll get you going in the right direction. I was not used to standing for 10 hours a day and I had never swung a 12 lb sledge so I was ready for bed each night! Brian however often stayed in the forge long after I left, so have no worries about getting a lot of forge time.

Sorry Pug, I don't remember. The finished head weighed 3.6lbs.

I hope this works. The pictures are of the first two things we did when at Brian's. As he does with most of his first time students we made a curved hot cut hardy and then a hammer. For the rest of the time I used those tools. A before and after picture of the steel cylinder and the hammer head made from a similar piece of steel. I was practicing tapers and Brian was at the other forge making something. I stopped to watch him as he created, in a short time, a picture frame with a bird, cattails and leaves, and a moon. I was impressed as he forge welded the tiny bundle of cattail leaves onto the frame. He showed me how he had forge welded the corners just as I had attemped in a previous lesson and he said "Do you want it?" I blurted out "YES!" It was too big for my small bag and so Karen shipped it to me and it is now in my home. They are very generous people especially when it comes to sharing time and knowledge.

Thanks for the replies. I'll try to figure out how get a couple of pictures up.

I had the good fortune to get to Mississippi and to work with Brian. My wife had watched Brian in NH last summer and to my great surprise and delight, she and her family paid for my time there. (Which means no birthday or Christmas presents for a long time, and that's fine with me. :) Brian and Karen were great hosts and we had some interesting mealtime talks. At the forge I felt frustrated for the first couple of days at my lack of technique (I have a long time interest but not much forge time.) and my failure to understand the lingo right away. But I got more confident as time went on and I learned a lot. I must say that I was nervous about striking for the first time with Brian's head seemingly in the path of the big hammer. But he said 'nobody's hit me yet, focus.' The hammer we made is beautiful and I was reluctant to use it, thinking it might look better on my mantel.:) I am now home and looking over my notebook and putting to practice what I learned. Thanks Brian and Karen, I enjoyed my stay.

Thanks.