backyard smith

That would make a great blackpowder patch knife! Thanks for the post!

very nice...love the unusual shape!

My fav is a 3 1/2 pound straight peen I bought for a dollar at a yard sale. It needed a new handle and the only marks on it are USA on the side. I love that hammer!

I have both straight and cross in in a couple of weights would be lost without any of them. I do however use my 3 1/2 pound straight the most. Hoped this helped.

I welded a piece of leaf spring to a hunk of square stock that fit my hardy hole. Was pretty simple. I will however be trying Grant's idea with the axle this spring. TC

Kinda nice to see those numbers. I come out in the middle. I make blacksmith touchmarks. Anything that will fit on a 3/4" square is $150.00. Mine are blacksmith specific in that they come with a handle. Couple samples:

There are two things I never go cheap on that is taps and chisels! I like taps and dies made by Hanson. They are strong and hold a edge well. I would buy just the sizes you are going to use most often at first, then expand as you need them this will spread the cost out over time. So it won't seem so bad. As for lube, I like sticky oil for taps and dies. I would buy cutting oil at a place that treads pipe or in a pinch I'll use chainsaw bar oil. Remember to back off the tap or die as you are cutting and clean the chips off, this will save you lots of broken taps. Also there are different styles of taps( first cut, second cut, bottom and gun..ect) know what you need when you order them. Hope this helped. TC

I had made a comment in another topic "it's good to be mates with the owner of a scrapyard" my mate would let me swap out rebar and any of my other scrap for his m/s with a 20% markdown That is 100kg of mine for 80kg of his. That way we both win!

So try to find an aproachable yard and make a deal!

P.S. rebar makes nice jimmy & crowbars.

Ian

I can buy all the scrap steel I want for 25 cents a pound in north east PA. That includes better steel like leaf springs and wire rope.

That hinge looks great! I have made many and repaired a bunch. And I melt some bees wax in the hinge area when I'm done. It lasts for a long time and keeps things from rusting.

just called my scrap yard to make sure I gave you the right prices. Steel is .10 a pound and number 2 copper is 3.15 a pound. I'm in north east PA.

I get a endless supply of rebar from friends, and I'm finding that it is difficult to work some pieces and others work fine. Is there a way to grade or test the pieces to separate the bad from the good? Thanks TC

Great shop! but I would put the gas cans a little further away from the forge. But it's your shop :D

That was one of the neatest things I have ever seen!

Never heard Queen sound so good! Thanks for posting it.

I broke a 130.00 knife field dressing a deer. When I call about the warranty I was honest and told the company that I had hit the back of there knife with a rock to break the pelvic bone. The very nice lady on the phone said "If you are going to do that you better start making your own knives". I laughed and told her to have a good day. I've been a weld fitter of 20 years. So I had some practice working with metal. Thinking back to high school metal shop, I remembered files were good steel so with a hunk of railroad track, a ballpein hammer, the family wood stove and a old file I pounded out a new knife! I showed the knife to my buddy and he said "what are you some kind of blacksmith" Then asked me to make him a fire poker and I did! Now I have a complete Smithy in the backyard and my neighbors hate me...but I'm happy and my wife loves the fact we (you all and myself) can make something out of nothing!! Thanks for listening TC

It's not much but it works! Started with a old homemade steel charcoal grill, a break drum, some scrap pipe and a use water heater blower. Probably not the prettiest forge in the world but if I'm not careful I can melt the end of 1" key stock.

It's not much but it works! Started with a old homemade steel charcoal grill, a break drum, some scrap pipe and a use water heater blower. Probably not the prettiest forge in the world but if I'm not careful I can melt the end of 1" key stock.

The coal company in my town doesn't sell smith coal so I use what they sell and it works maybe not the best but it works. If I could get some for free I would surely give it a try. Worst case you can give it to someone to heat there house. TC

I using a brake drum forge at the moment. I want to build a new forge come spring. But a cast iron fire pot is not in the buget. I have 1/2'' plate torches and a welder. Will a steel fire pot hold up? Also will the steel pot effect my forge welds? Thanks for the help...TC

I spent 150 on my first anvil and had to do a week of rehab on it. With some very expensive welding rods and sevral grinding wheels! Yours looks like it's ready to use, I think you did good. TC

my first anvil was a rail. To make the horn I welded a 10''peice of round stock to one side with a small brase under it. it worked great till I got a real anvil. I still use it now and then due to the fact it is way more portable. There are also a lot of photos out there of railroad anvils. just a google away.

That puts my brake drum forge to shame!!!! I know what my next project is going to be come spring. :D

I didn't hear anyone bring up the issue of zoning. I know the town I live in, would not allow a business at someones home but they will allow a hobby shop. I personly like working in the backyard but there are some restictions. I don't have room for the big tools. (power hammer, mill...ect) If you are looking at going into business for yourself I would go with the bigger shop. If your a part time smith like me out back is fine!

Bought my anvil and post vice at a farmers yard sale in rural PA. Wait till summer and drive around the backroads on the weekends. I found things I've sold and traded to other smiths. Plus it's fun! TC