GregDP

She's alive. The this is with a lot of restriction on the shop vacs' flow. I may switch to an old hair dryer I use with my other forge.

I think you have a great idea of what you're doing. You've got a nice looking knife in the works there. I wouldn't bother forging it down any more personally. Any thoughts on handle materials yet?

Thanks I'm burning coal. I'm wondering if it'll cook fast enough with out the heat transference from the thin tin sheet metal now that it's clayed. Sounds like a sweet set up. I'd love and thrifty bellow idea's I took this little bellows contraption camping a while back with a piece of one inch pipe a few holes drilled in it and capped. It was cool to get back to the basics with sledge hammer anvil and ground forge. I can't wait for this for this to cure! I've been so spoiled by coal! I just don't want to make charcoal, but the shop is too quiet with out the roar of the shop vac. I may end up doing it anyway just sure the day is productive.

I don't do real well wit people. I guess that's why I stay in the shop. But no one will sale my stuff for me. I've opted for etsy personally and I hope it supports it's self with enough work.. Talking doesn't come naturally to me but it does to my wife to be and she makes a great sales person. When I get a forge set up that allows for demoing while looking professional she's promised to help out. Consider getting a sales person! And remember what others have said about nay-sayers. Sorry you had such a poor experience.

I've never done this before but unless you have one of these but would the material thickness matter if you planned to taper it? I would think tapering the ends of the 3 and 11/16ths piece to the same length and and hammering it around a one inch piece of round would work. As long as they're symmetrical and all the same your in the clear right? Post some pictures once you get it worked out sounds like a fun project!

A good smith has a good relationship with all his tools. I find myself cursing mine still at times. The thin sheet metal I'd been using burned up last night so this morning I set out to stop curing and make something I hope last. I spent a couple bucks on kitty litter and some steel pipe a couple weeks ago in anticipation. The clay slurry is JoCo hand dug red clay, unscented kitty litter and woodash. I think I spent just enough to temporarily cure this sailors mouth. What do you think? I've got a few more bricks.. I think the firepot could be deeper.. but I haven't used a side draft forge or seen one in person. Thanks in advance for any links, tips or just saying I'm on the right track!

If you have ever done any gas (ox/ac) welding, you bring the left side and the right side of the metal up to welding heat (almost liquid), then add the filler rod and a little heat to liquify all 3 metals and form the weld. You then keep the puddle going to weld the two pieces of metal together. Electric arc welding is much the same, two pieces of metal and add filler rod to the liquid puddle to form the weld.

Great examples of the type of research that has gone into fluxes from bone ash to fluxed rods and wires and shielding gas mixtures. I save my scale flakes, Charcoal dust and file dust as I've heard they're useful. I'll leave the bone thing to the pro's. From what I understand scale comes from contact with air. Most fluxes just prevent that. It can also be done if all the atmosphere around the work piece is burning like a scaled up scarf I suppose.

The scarf is formed so that when pressure is applied to the metal, any impurities are moved to the side and outside the weld zone.

From what I've learned from doing it wrong a few times and please correct me if I'm wrong.. (if anyone wants a few pictures of probably common mistakes made in scarfing I've saved some - pm me)... The material you roll over onto the piece you sit on the anvil (a giant heat-sink)has to hold it's self securely while you reach for a hammer. Try this part out before hand.
If the scarfs don't heat up to temperature/melt/spark at the same time ask yourself these questions the answers could be helpful:

1. Where they both in the same fire or part of the fire?
2. Are the pieces to be welded the same size?
3. When flux was applied did one piece cool more than the other.
   

From what I understand scale comes from contact with air. Most fluxes just prevent that. It can also be done with by just insure all the atmosphere around the work piece is burning.

I watched Billy Merrett weld a damascus billet of maybe 1-1/4 inches thick. He had a broken hammer handle (the wooden handle part) floating the slack tub. He brought the hot billet out of the fire, laid it on the anvil, and hit it with the end of the wooden handle. He explained that you did not want to squirt your weld to all corners of the shop, you wanted the metal to make contact, mix, and form the weld.

He's a talented dude.

I guess I am using the wrong style hammer to get good forge welds. I should switch to a ball pein hammer. (grin)

I've been meaning to add a heavier ball pein to my collection. Would the impact centered better squirt out the impurities like flux than a flat faced hammer?.

Have you thought about claying it to the size fire pot you need for what ever you're working with? As long as you can get an air source to the drain.. I can't think of why it won't work. Greg D. "Raggy" Price Jr

This is a picture of the anvil I inherited from my grandfather. It's in near perfect shape! Minor pitting but the face is flat and true.

Congrats on your luck!

Great video! Wish I'd seen it sooner! I just started playing around with forge welding. Once you get the timing down it's just a matter of sticking with it. No pun intended. Two out of three welds done this way have worked well for me! Remember to wait a moment after the sparks start. I think that's what went wrong my second time.


WARNING HUGE IMAGES

This is my third:







My first forge welding project:



Thanks for sharing and giving me an opportunity to project my project progress with the community. -Greg D. Price

I guess this means it's time to stop putting off leaf practice.

<vent> I once worked fabricating rails with a guy who replaced me with a mostly hard working, smart, older (than me) Mexican happily willing to work longer hours for cash under the table. It bothered me when brought back in to work on larger projects, when the boss was out of the shop... the sort of time that was wasted by the guy was absurd.. It was never noticed and because I'm a younger green horn I felt like when he got back I shouldered the blame silently. When I got sick of it and brought it to the bosses attention via email it was barely acknowledged. He is a busy guy and didn't read them personally or carefully enough I can only assume. When I tried to bring it up after work one day I was ignored more or less. I quit after thinking about it to work somewhere else full time. Not be taken advantage of by being pulled in to help only when a shop is over worked because of lazy employees. I'm starting a family and while I learned a lot from the guy and respect him I can't stand back and watch him be taken advantage of hoping to eventually earn full time hours. Hopefully I'll find that job soon. </vent> -Greg D. Price Jr.

Thanks for looking!

Your post has been edited.
40 megs of images were reduced to less than 600K.
Your link to more images went to a facebook page with no additional blacksmithing content that I could find and the link was deleted.

Edit: sorry about the bandwidth problem. I will re-size my photos next time. I hope this link fairs better.. I use facebook as a tool to share my photos a lot of them with the world. And I take a lot of smithing photos. I'd love to be friends on facebook with all of Iforgeiron. It;s save me a lot of unloading and wasted bandwidth to show off all of my 500 or so photos. Just to get some recognition and validation from my peers.

Selling my sword: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280674349033

I planned to use this for our wedding, but it'll help pay some wedding bills if It sales before the wedding. It's too rich for my blood, but maybe someone would like it on their mantle.

I've been working with metal for just around two years. In that time I started working on my own knives, swords and crafts while working part time.

Decorative ironwork was booming a few years ago I hear. Now every shop I've called, stopped by or know has had to scale back. Some going under. I've respected my employer, he's got a wife and kids depending on him. I've never held it against him that he hasn't been able to work me more often but it's been very difficult. When ever I've taken "real" jobs I've had to miss shop time and experience. I'm trying to grow up a bit and the traditional classroom environment doesn't work well for me. If you're like me and learn hands or kind of a have to touch the iron a few times to know it's hot type. Find someone you can communicate well with and is successful learn everything you can and stick with them as long as you can. That's what I'd really like to do.. speaking of it's late and I'm luck I have work very early in the morning. I've found this very helpful personally and professionally and look forward to reading other post on the subject.

Don't worry about denting the face when 'tapping', if you miss the workpiece under a full power stroke and the anvil has good rebound, the butt of the hammer may tattoo your forehead. If the hammer leaves a dent in the face, everytime you look at it you will be reminded to watch your hammer control! And by the way, each anvil is unique. I have a 115 pound de-horned anvil that may be pre-Civil War with rough edges and dings in the face yet has a lovely sweet spot that is just right for my blades.

I cried, I rubbed my forehead, I laughed. I learned my lesson. Thanks each of you.

A great point I hadn't considered. I'd done so with my trashcan forge worried about the zinc because it's galvanized. I didn't have easy access to a 1-inch ball barring and tested a marble on my "anvil" but didn't even try it when I got there. I didn't really think it'd be helpful.. and I hate to admit it but I'm so eager I knew I wanted it.

Something to note It doesn't dent easily and haven't notice much, it's odd be able to develop a rhythm now. I now know first hand why others tap the anvil face every so often and it hasn't dented it yet (not the cross section the flat). I'm still alert to the possibility of why it does have the tacks I know that creates heat and that changes the temper. I haven't noticed the difference yet. I also need help identifying an unknown steel. (<summery)

Thanks for posting I like the way it was presented as one piece.

Thank you very much. Google books and this site for it's preservation and storage are great tools I'd recommend for each and every new user if I had the time and energy. I'd also say download and save every idea that you've ever liked. Keep back ups. I've seen one thing and been amazed and looked back and actually understood. It's an accomplished feeling and the first step toward doing.. At least in my mind.

I'm sorry for the lengthy post but I've been under a lot of stress lately. Having better tools now has eased one aspect of it an awful lot. My work takes up a ton of time and attention for me. My time hasn't been my own and we've been planning a wedding that is out of our means already honestly. Now I've bought an anvil wedding two months away. Can you read between the lines. If you look around it won't be hard finding a post that warns about the perils of women and steel. That said she's got "nothing gold can stay" above her heart and I've got "Far from gold"... and an anvil. But we're in it for the long haul and I'm young but I've been working hard with no return (Not that I haven't worked for folks as needed when I could or when necessary). I'm a dreamer and know it, but I need to become a professional. I don't know how to. I've never wanted to be a businessman but I confronted with the fact that I have to. It took me a long time (%based on years I've lived) the to learn everything I have. Stress is a powerful motivator.In my experience people often ask the same things over and over with out research. I've done some research. I prefer helping people who've tried to help themselves. Time is the biggest investment I can make to express how I've made an effort. My hope is that often really good answers are more complex and take more investment to give...

Aye, but things like tempsticks are useful for a budding smith trying to harden and temper they're own anvil, when I stated I already knew what they were and how they were used and was still intimidated by the idea of how to create, control and maintain proper heat without guidance. I was more afraid of the time, energy, and money being wasted personally and only wanted an anvil for functionality. Don't let me intimidate you Keaton, it is possible and if you really want to I'm sure you can. But know what to do thoroughly because without someone around to ask while you're doing it and stumped it'll only be a great story.

I once was very proud of my plate steel 'anvil'. I made several trips to find it, but since using something with a bit o' spring my arm doesn't let my mouth or fingers make the same mistake anymore! :D

I'm lucky and I'll tell you why. I'm a college drop out. But I work diligently toward anything I'm passionate about and school wasn't it. Growing up I was an otaku of sorts, nerdy, fantasy oriented.. home schooled from 6th grade on self-taught.. so the internet and computers were an oasis. My classes online, my time my own by 14. By then I knew what I wanted to be.. again: a network engineer. (Previously it was mechanical engineer.) By the time I graduated at 16 I'd been working for a year and a half as a paintball reff for ActionTagg paintball it was great, I modified nerfguns as a hobby before that. I eventually got to work on markers in the store. In between weekday private games and Tagg on the weekends I bailed pine straw for 75 cents a bail as much as 52 hours a week total not counting Cisco CCNA networking classes. I spent free time on forums like with a great place for tinkers of all walks to share.
There I saw an anvil Doc had refaced and then the bug hadn't bit me. Yet I saw it as a thing of beauty still.
The summer I was 17 I met my wife to be Ashley Smith. I was still working, taking classes and now infatuated with a girl only in town for the summer to visit her mom. I was moving to (NoVa the northern Virginia area, ya know think where die hard was filmed). Great turn of events though I totaled my car before moving. I had really hoped to go to ECU or UNC and got in but young love is a powerful thing. School is important and I'd been taking classes for two years at JCC. I couldn't spare the time off in a hurry to grow up. To me it was just a piece of paper I was after. I already thought I knew everything I needed to know. Funny thing about ITT they give you the tools to learn additionally they have a very lenient attendance policies. You can miss any number of days but no more than 3 classes in a row. This is very appealing to working professionals, parents, and young college students with a budding social life and a heavy work load. But moving to NoVa taught me so very much more than ITT could have. It didn't have any sort of social life at all. I rode a bike, I worked waiting tables, at Safeway and fixing computers for folks. But I met a lot of great friends that made me a better person today.

My father is a carpenter and I've always helped him as he needed it.. or allowed.. my parents wanted more for me than they had and told me so. I grew up watching my mom work in a factory (Cant Actually Tell ya the name 'cause of angry 'SSBlackbelts') building tractors. Nine years she worked. She was one of the first woman on the floor when she started and took pride in being able to pull her weight. She saw a lot including a steady decline in important areas. In a team meeting my mom let a xxxx slip in. She was bringing up the passionate subject of quality to a suit. I've only heard her curse twice or so my short life and that's because she's devoted to that sort of thing. But before she could be there ten years as the company is laying folks off (recession not lawsuits due to anything in particular) what would have been a slap on the wrist, most times for most employees instead became elevated when the suit said she felt threatened by the language and tone.. that was a big no-no. I learned a few lessons from that but I'm very sympathetic given the circumstance. Plus I'd worked fast food but detested the atmosphere. If you work too hard in a place like that.. well it isn't appreciated or rewarded but resented. If you stand out and management is happy with sub-par standards.. well you've been to the the drive thru. Both my parents worked with their backs as much as their minds and it takes a hard toll. I do the same thing now that they warned me against doing.. but I'm very fulfilled by the work I do and very proud of the life I'm able to live working with my hands. I feel if all knowledge was shared openly and more people were creating things they love the the word would be a better place filled with beautiful objects and happy people - Thanks mom and dad.

I moved back to NC, when I was 20 after my mom lost her job, I and eventually Ashley moved to NC to live with my little sister while she graduated and my mom moved to VA to be closer to my grandfather. Within a couple days I answered a local craigslist advertisement looking for shop help, someone who could read a tape measure and pass a drug test. A small two man fab shop called All American Ironworks and I started out cutting parts but moved up. Rails, gates, window boxes and more than a few unique jobs. I was planning on finishing my degree but something caught fire in me there. It was where I saw my first piece of blacksmith work it was made by Lucas House of Iron house forge. That was two years ago and while work has been insanely busy/slowing to a halt/insanely busy there I've lived inexpensively taken odd jobs and worked for my self as I always have. A year and 3 months or so ago I went to Lucas's shop, someone I'd never met, and said "I've been looking into blacksmithing and was very interested". He showed me around his shop. We shot the xxxx and he was kind enough to give me some odd shaped firebricks. I didn't have a credit card at the time and no idea where to acquire them locally. I haven't been back since to see Lucas, but that was all it took to get the ball rolling. I'm very thankful I hope you check out all three sites.

I'm proud to call myself a blacksmith and Iron worker. It's been a long road (from my perspective) and I've learned being self employed doesn't mean you don't have a boss. It means you have many different bosses. The work I do fulfills me and tomorrow I'm taking a huge step on a longer road. The skills I've learned no one can take away and I can do it anywhere. It's a grounding feeling. After the wedding I'd like to travel eventually, there are open shops across this country and only time will tell for us. I'm very lucky to have a loving woman in my life and a wonderful job.


If I could list every website or book or video I've watched and thank each and everyone of them personally I would but I've simply lost track and to do so would be impossible for me. I read a post on blacksmithing blog (can't find the link, interestingly enough a person had given me ) recently linking to How to steal like an artist and 9 other things nobody told me. And it made a lot of sense to me. I know this sounds silly to me as I'm putting it into words. I read that and I knew who I was. More than that I new I wasn't alone.
I'm inspired by everything I see so to start off a few things no one told me and one thing someone did tell me:
1.I've worked in a few other trades just enough to learn skill is acquired through practice and repetition. Knowledge comes with patience, dedication and reiteration.
2.Listen, or read more than you project; even the openest of persons may not give you that valuable piece of advice if they think it'll just go in one ear and out the other. Something I'd like to say about that transfers especially well online. I've always enjoyed message boards, <i> I've grown up with them </i>. Some folks have more or less time to read than others. For me I personally would like to respond to a lot that I read. Kinda like shouting at the screen in a theater or sitting on the couch with your friends every community is a little different with how they respond to what you say and how often... Another effect is the "wrong effect". Ever notice how if you say or hear the same thing over and over you start to believe it, I think they call it brain washing. Myths and folklore are born in small* communities online just as they did in the days of old in little scattered towns.
3.Some folks like to watch you learn n' struggle. If the right efforts there when you least expect it you'll find out you got/get what ya needed all along.
4.Most want you to be successful. Some don't. They're the type that tells you to take the high road so there is more room on the low road.
5.Happiness doesn't only come with money. - I'm sure someone has told me this, but never without a "but". I'm giving it my own spin. It's art.
6.If someone corrects how you're doing something and you think you're right. Remember there are several ways to do the same thing even if you're right this time you may be wrong next time. Respect is often given in turn. In the work place I've often had to bite my tongue knowing (with out being told) it would take longer to explain why I thought I was right than it would to just do it. I've developed my own techniques that fit my dexterity and physical abilities. But I have learned much more from others.
7.Not all free advice is good advice. If I pay for something it's mine but credit is due. If I find something and it wasn't anyone else it's mine. Something I heard someone else found out from someone else that sort of advice deserves a warning label, sticker and neon sign. If something is freely given to me in good faith then it should be appreciated none the less the quality.
8.If you have a local blacksmithing community at least test the waters. I waited over a year to attend my first abana meet locally as I'd been warned against it. My first meeting I found a supply for coal and got a tip that has helped a ton "Keep your thumb off the back of the hammer" something I had been doing unconsciously when focused and many other great insights. Thanks NCABANA guys Triangle region. That said one of my more self fulfilling moments was a solitary one there. There were several boyscouts learning the ropes. I observed the various demonstrations and talked quietly with several other smiths who were observing or offering helpful advice on this or that to each other. I watched a gentleman teach how to make spoons and square nails. While I'd seen most of it done before through pictures and screen it was interesting to watch. I asked if I could try a square nail and he very thoroughly showed me how before leaving for lunch with the rest of the crowed and I was left alone to work.

I read number 8 countless places in forums and websites so many people couldn't have been wrong and I should have dawn that conclusion sooner. If you're reading this and holding out I'd like to make a small point. The internet is like Halloween. Often seen as a faceless whole and that goes for how folks talk it's often trick or treat. The less mask people wear the more honesty and helpfulness you get the way I see it. More than that I'd wager a man that's worked his whole life to learn something is more willing to share with a person he can relate to face to face more than a few characters on a screen. But everyone is a little different.

Art is theft, but so is life. I'm influenced by everything around me whether I want to be or not. Surround yourself with the best influences you can and you'll develop better as a person for it I believe. More so I find explaining myself, or teaching helps reiterate.

Here are some of my earliest forge constructions. I wanted to get into propane but I had just enough money for an anvil and some natural lump charcoal. I now jokingly call my old anvil "my harbor freight 25lb'er". That's 'cause it has so many nicks n' dings. In reality I got it from Agri supply 'AGS' You can find similar cast alloy anvils at harbor freight for less or at other tractor/agriculture supply places if you're looking for local suppliers. Ask for Farrier or welding supply sections. -- If you are not ready to jump in head first or if your willing to wait I recommend taking the time to find a good anvil. Fill that urge to "Do something" by attending local ABANA or similar meetings and what you need might find you.
But if you're like me and want to get as much practice as you can then you will want to use anything. But first let me tell you a bit more about myself. My first time heating up metal and working it was actually at home before I was even allowed to touch an A/O torch in the shop.
I showed a lot of interest and gleaned a lot of insight on other tools but I used a grinder and and band saw almost exclusively for many months in the shop. Sometimes drilling parts while day dreaming about a hammer n' punch* (*Day dreaming in the shop leads to missing digits just a joke folks!) . That is not including the core, hammer, impact cordless drills used on installs. But the MIG and Oxy/Ace torches were for experienced hands only.. I took that to heart.
I got better at preparing and organizing cut list while labeling and deburing parts. I learned along the way the difference between a 1/32 and a 1/16 is important at times but . Sometimes standards vary as stress does and deadlines impose at times but mostly it depends on what the part is for. You don't start off knowing little things. A 1/8 off ain't bad if you're fast enough as I've been told while framing houses.
1. Maintaining and caring for all your tools is very important.
2. Checking the squareness of the blade and the clamp is important.
3. The plane of the stock it's self is important. More so when cutting several pieces of stock welded together at one time. Sagging or shifting piles of stock.
4. While if you must you can grind down something too long or very carefully weld something to short but that takes time, additional clean up and it messes up the eb and flow of things. The little quick task that make a shop run like clock work and when that happens it cost money when competitively bid jobs are priority.
5. What side of the blade your measuring from is a simple mistake but I've been warned.

In my first stint working in the shop angle grinding was probably the most important skill I learned. There are a lot of nuances that go into it at first. Many stones, cutting disk, sanding wheels, flap disk, pads and brushes. And then you have rotary tools and files. Each have a place and a use. Some are more or less useful worn depending on the task. Changing attachments takes time, multiple grinders in my own shop I find extremely helpful. A lambs tongue done right*, not a bent 45, but a split and welded carefully ground lambs looks xxxx good. A little 3/8 hand held belt sander makes for a great tool. In decorative work careful attention to detail is important, each weld, sharp corner or piece of random splatter is a flow. A well finished done 90 degree welded piece of cap looks seamless. This eye for detail is developed over time and by looking for flaws in the work of yourself and others. Many customers don't even know the difference until they've seen it and it's undeniable. I'm very lucky to have touched and seen first hand quality work. I've since been able to increase my skill set a bit and I'd like to address some of the things I've learned while welding and working in a full time fab shop and how that's helped me be a better blacksmith.

When you get something that cost a little bit more from someone here in the states you pay for quality of life because we're lucky. I worked for wal-mart in between lulls at AAI works. In the two years I've barely made enough money to get taxed for if that tells y'all financial folks anything, but I volunteered a lot. (I don't like to talk about money honestly I prefer to leave that to business folk, but a man has to eat and fulfill his financial obligations. People don't know how you feel about something until you tell them. Thats' a personal lesson I've had to learn from experience over and over again and I'm thankful to finally understand. Thank's Love) I digress, the point is I had seen the high cost of living (I'm a documentary video type of guy. They're available to anyone online free often and a great way to stay informed even to know what biases are out there; in my opinion you can even just listen to them half the time). What I did there made me unhappy. Why? If you've seen the documentary please indulge me: It was a good job. I was very lucky to find a job paying anything in the double digits a hour around here. Already a hard worker after my mom had been fired I was very much so the ideal employee when I was there in my opinion.. That is to say.. when I was there my heart was far from into my job.

Long story short It's been a challenge and I think I'm a better person for it. I've really had to push myself to work at times. Push past creative stumps, frustrations, failures. But I'm proud of the things I've managed and would like to sell them. I need cash if I'm going to advance. It's sad but true I have to sell out. What I've recently learned is: that isn't a bad thing. Everyone has to eat and while I know my work has some flaws, glaring ones to me. It is appreciated by some. I know many people who have things they don't need, many nick nacks may be high priced compared to what they appear to be but it cost a bit more to eat in the states and the quality of life we have here is more expensive and better than folks making a lot of everyday items. The only sort of thing I can afford. What they are to me is a accumulation of raw hopes and dreams. I've given away more than a few knives and hatchets, sold 3 for $20 (a fair value, I've never afforded more than a $20 knife, but so much less than minimum wage it's unreal; what is a fair price?), for me they're simply arrived at forms while not true craftsmanship in many ways it is art. How do I market and sell my product line on line and in person. I don't want to have to be there. I'd love to do demo's and events when I'm ready but I'm not yet. I've always known it wasn't always what you know but who, I'd kinda like to have a bit of both in my pocket. I hope y'all have enjoyed getting to know me recently. I know I've posted rather frequently in my short registration here but I hope it gives some insight to who I am and shows that any help will be very much so appreciated and maybe I'm not just a bunch of words on a screen to ya anymore. With the internet our world is getting a bit smaller in a lot of ways and I think that with effort and responsibility people can move past the immature nature sometimes brought on through obscurity.

Nothing you say can offend me I've heard the line get a haircut and get a real job. But any helpful advice, articles, websites or anything else would be very helpful. I'd also like any advice on jobs I could get that would help me learn and grow in my field. I don't have money for school and already have student loans. I'm very willing to move after our wedding in June. Thanks I like writing more than most. - Greg 'Raggy' Price

Thanks for taking a look. When I could invest I bought the lump stuff. When I first started to make a go of it and quit working at walmart.. a rather soul sucking job but it was stable and had a 10 percent discount. I wiped out 3 stores buying charcoal with my discount. It was great for a while. I have a wood pile and have done odd jobs and tree work, and some fabrication work when given the opportunity to support my work addiction (ain't that a definition of blacksmith?) but it's been nice to get away from wallyworld! It's helped in making my own charcoal to get this far but I've been posting so much because forging is no longer a man the fort constantly situation for me any more. I'd often start off a day getting a barrel burning for charcoal and occasionally annealing large stock in the process. (I chopped tons of wood before getting coal. (before I introduced a blower to my charcoal making process, much quicker than just relying on a chimney effect to get all the small hunks to a roar.)

The Plate the way it was set up at the time time of this photo I had a spike wedge placed through a hole wedge up. Neither hardy or pritchel just a 5/8 hole that is sometimes useful. Necessity has been the mother of most of my invention.

Lastly yes I'm sure it'd be an easy task, but I was afraid of it and still am. I was using charcoal only when these were taken. It would have been more difficult then. -- Point is I could get it hot enough now easily to make it look solid but I wouldn't have a lot more faith in it. It's not bad enough to break, might be a target spot for rust sadly if care isn't taken. I do plan to work it out a bit more but a lot of times I start out with only the basically of ideas in what I'm doing. The more I do, the more I see my ideas getting closer to possible and that's been a lot of help. If it looks doable I may try it yet but until then it'll be waiting. For now I've not done a successful forge weld yet but but haven't tried it with coal. I feel I know whats been wrong with my former attempts. So soon I'm sure. It's only been a few days of me playing on my new anvil and most of that has been straightening stock a much easier endeavor now.

If you'd like to see some more photos of my process check out my facebook. Facebook.com/gregdp.

(PS - I'm honored to see the move to the sword section, I was weary of calling these swords after my first lame sword I made more out of eagerness and audacity than anything else I still think it looks neat though so here it is.. whats the point of all these pictures with no one to see 'em!)

I want to save you some time and effort and say no. The average person isn't a able to with easily acquired tools or more time and energy that it would cost to work most day jobs compared to the cost on an anvil. A lot of folks I've found that have made good anvils do so for only a few reasons.

1. Because they can and want to prove it to themselves or others (this is admirable to me an exchange of knowledge. I'd love to see quality anvils being manufactured made in America affordable to us in the states again but steel is a commodity and the demand simply isn't around. Yet.)
2. because they can't find an anvil period.
   

Freight is expensive and online is very competitive but depending on your location a good anvil is worth the time and money. While anything can be an anvil. It takes a bit of luck and a lot of research to properly temper a hunk of tool steal if you are familiar with the theory already and know what makes a good anvil you can do it. If you just want to give it a try I recommend anything big and heavy. Concrete isn't a good idea, but the scrap yard can yield good results if they sell to the public. I got a big ol' piece of of plate steel for cheap that was roughly torch cut. A little grinding and cold forging (mild steals mushroom and absorb the impact instead of returning it) I've found a sledge works great on a rounded edge to give it a bit of hardness just to somewhat resist dings. Long story short it was a lot of hassle but got the job done till recently. Just don't consider this an anvil, but maybe you'll find it helpful:



If you're really excited and just have to start but can afford or find an anvil; find a blacksmith group near you. That's probably the best place to find an anvil or get any help at all to boot! Enjoy learning!

(edit - Railroad track is a great starter anvil and was my ideal choice. I never stopped looking. I've never been able to acquire it personally as I hear it's illegal and very difficult to cut without torches, don't bother with anything other than several large abrasive wheels and a power source in the field.. at least that was always my only other option personally)

Keep an eye out around you. Research how heat retention and radiation work, roughly understand it. When I was in your shoes and wanted to up grade I'd collected some stuffs, pipes, a grill, hand tools. Unscented Kittie litter and wood ash with a little hand dug clay will take you far but an old grill or 55 gallon barrel with a stand will work fine. I hope you find some inspiration from these photos. On my trashy ol' forge I use a shop vac with a ball valve. The hose nozzle fits over 1/2 and with a hoseclamp I can easily release the stress on the machine when restricted by slidin' it further forward or back revealing holes.

My old ground forge now makes charcoal:





I started humbly.







Then built my trench forge slowly. One layer at a time slowly around a piece of pipe. It uses a hairdryer or shop vac. It's great with I load it up with charcoal and then add wood. Gasses circulate from the wood and ignite but when closed and air restricted if I have enough coals I can make charcoal on the fly, it just takes time management skills to hand a charcoal set up if coal is unavailable and propane is too expensive.





When I adopted coal I went back to the drawing board.







There is an infinite number of possibilities. I once set out to be a blacksmith and now I find that is a title that has many meanings. Become a creator and the world is your oyster.