Hello, to introduce myself, I've just started smithing, pretty new to welding too. Been a wood worker for years and been wrenching on my own cars all my life so metal isn't totally new to me. Father and grandfather were metal workers, I've been around it but just not done much myself until now. I welded up a garden sculpture for a "suprise garden attack" some freinds did for another friend who is fighting cancer. That was so much fun, I was burning wire every chance I got but I found that there are alot of limitations to just Mig welding (I call it cut and paste). So I built a gas forge and a burner using the instructions on Helmut Helenkamp's "Iron-to-live-with" web site. I can't believe people just give that kind of information away for free. Also all of the great blue print pics and instructions on this site. WOW blacksmiths are good people. So now I'm pounding on hot steel every spare minute I can find. The learning curve is steep. I got a 55# anvil mount on a tree stump, a post vise found in a scrap yardm a collection of hammers and I made 3 pairs of tongs by welding on long handles to some vicegrips I had. They're OK but I can see that I'm going to have start making myself a collection of tongs. Any suggestions of what kinds would be the most versitile? I plan on doing mostly ornamental for home and garden, also motorcycle accessories. Oh and another thing I noticed. When people find out I'm working metal they ask for things like knives and trellises like it's nothing, like it's easy and fast. What's up with that? What do you tell people when they ask for stuff?
