JimsShip

My wife found this gadget in a magazine and thought it would be something i'd like to make, and although I like the idea in general, (and I do think it's within my forging abilities) I can't help but think that the "hook" apparatus would get incredibly hot.

I mean, how would you remove the marshmallow or hot dog without getting burned?  Seems to me there'd be a lot of S'more related injuries!

Has anyone ever seen or used something like this?
 

Here's a site that sells them and has a little video of them in use:http://www.almanac.com/product/fire-fishing-pole  

When I took my first smithing class, I learned on a coal forge so that's what I built for myself (and later upgraded to an old champion forge from a barn sale)
I'd like to get a gas forge someday for quick lighting and ease, but I do like the old time feel of the smoke and cinder, and for me the cranking of the blower is strangely relaxing

.
I work from my garage so my forge, anvil, and my 5 gal bucket/quench tub all get carted out into the open and put back when i'm finished. The equipment takes about 5 feet square of space when stored.
The bench with my post vise and other tools is permanant but I use that for everything anyway so i'm not counting that.
There's also the inevitable can of salvaged scrap metal and tossed projects that seems to be growing more and more. (I have a habit of working and reworking a project to death until I get ticked and toss it in the can until a later time when I can go back for a fresh look!)

It's very easy to get carried away looking for all the things you think you need, but really when you're starting out stick to the basics. An anvil is nice, but you only use as much of it as the hammer hits on the other side at one time, so use what you can find and keep an eye out. When i started, I wanted a bellows blower and a brick forge like the one i saw, but all i had were pliers for tongs, and a brake drum for my forge. Little by little i got better and eventually lucked out and started collecting things I felt i needed for my forge. (Most here will tell you it's a never ending quest!)

Most of all have fun. 
 

So correct me if i'm wrong, but a wheat head it 2 bars twisted together, then forged with another set of 2 bars twisted together? (Both in the same direction?)
That looks awesome.

How did you make the rose? I've done "Russian roses", but that is just rolling the petalas around a stem, they do not have the bud leaves under the blossom as yours does, how did you do that?
It's very nice, especially for a first attempt...

Very nice knocker tantofolder! I can see how the knocker was made, and the rivet that secures it to the backplate, but how did you forge the mounting part of that plate?
It's awesome...

Sounds great! Try and score a swage block for me! (P.S. I didn't know blacksmiths used thongs way back then!). :P

If you left the ring open a little in the front (like a c-clamp), you could easily use a single band to make the stand.
I'd also be interested in getting a few horns if they were affordable, that's a neat idea!

That's it Stuart, you are officially on my list of non favorite peoples.

Oneonta has been my home for the last 8 years, and apparently, YOU'RE the reason I can't find any blacksmithing goodies around here!
To say i'm jealous of that haul is an understatement. :angry:

I think you've found an excellent forge!
As far as what to do with the strap, why not try folding the ends down and out, then drill (or punch) a hole on each end. That way you could mount it to your stump, and then you can make some S hooks to hang some tools from it. (Like a pot rack!)

Just a thought...

Very admirable! Nice job.

"A troll cross is a circle of iron crossed at the bottom worn by early Scandinavian peoples as a protection from trolls and elves."
They believed an amulet of crossed iron would ward off evil that may lurk in the woods. 

I heard about them in >this ifrogeiron thread.

Google images has several nice ones made by others to see.
 

If someone has a band saw, I always thought there'd be a market for selling pre-cut cross blanks. I'm sure there are more like me who hardly have time to forge, nevermind prepping stock!

Horsehoe nail rings are popular, but they don't supply much visual excitement.  (It may be nice to give them something to take home though)
Troll crosses are pretty simple, and can be given or sold at the moment as well. I've always thought the backstory of them is almost as fun as the end product.

I think one of the best qualities of the site is it's feedback concerning safety, since as you mentioned, a lot of us don't have the years of experience some of you have.
I would rather hear a safety tip I already know a hundred times than miss one altogether.
There's no reason to take offense, or get defensive. You could simply have said "Yes, I noticed it wobbled a bit, I'll have to check it" and saved yourself all this drama.

(And yes, you can lose a limb due to a crush injury. I know a guy who lost his leg after one.)

Maybe i'm way off, now that brass has been mentioned it does look like it has some sort of weathered finish.
 

I need a little more info. Where did it come from? Are you trying to replace it or match it?
It looks like a carpet tack, or on of those tiny nails they use in the wood slats under carpets. (see pic., i'm referring to the small ones in the strip, not the larger ones that nail to the floor)
We took out our carpets and I stepped on more of those little buggers than I care to remember!

Yeah, I'm thick in the head. I need sketches for all of these ideas for me to understand what the hell you're talking about!
I can never visualize stuff like this when people try and explain things to me.  I need nice big pictures, and demos to fully grasp the meanings.

I like the idea of a bottle opener/bracelet though. I just need to find a wrench small enough to be comfortable.

Those are cute! Too bad my appetite requires a bigger utensil (although they'd be perfect for the diet i'm supposed to be on!)

I made a spork that I seasoned with spray vegtable oil, and baked it in the gas grill for an hour or so.

Wow, that looks awesome!

I questioned using the wheel side as well.  I'm guessing you're setting it up this way so that you could still use the hand truck to move an anvil and stump along with your forge?
That's going to be one heavy load!
Hope you don't get a flat tire!

^{Excellent thread.
Always a good day when you learn something new!}

Thanks Glenn,
Search options only works when you enter the proper name of what you're searching for! (until today i've never even heard of the "smithin' magician"!)

OK, I Googled "Smithin Magician" and I can't believe i've never seen this before!  This is awesome.

 found this IFI thread regarding it, but the link for the blueprint on the last entry is no longer valid, does anyone have a copy?

I think this seriously is one blueprint that should be recreated and archived!

 

I fell into Blacksmithing while searching for a class on arc welding. (There were none near me, but the Blacksmithing course was)
That being said, the only welding I know how to do is forge, and truth be told I still need a lot of practice.
Joints I think look good break and some I think are horrible are still together in the scrap bucket.
Sometimes i feel i'd like to master everything there is to know about Blacksmithing and keep the skills and traditions alive, but then I find myself working an idea, and suddenly it becomes more important to me to complete that project in the best way i'm able. If that means having it welded by a friend, then that's what i'll do.

Like Frosty, I love working the fire and hammering, and the strange therapeutic cranking of the blower, but i'd still like to broaden my skill set to include all forms of metalwork, including arc welding.

Just out of curiosity, the original project for this conversation was welding a lag bolt into the closed end of a wrench. How would this be forge welded without crushing or misshaping the circular end of the wrench? I would think in this case arc welding would be the best choice for the sake of appearances.

Welcome aboard!
I had a thread about makng a horseshoe nail ring jig here: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30113-horseshoe-nail-ring-jig/?hl=%2Bhorseshoe+%2Bnail
and in that thread is a neat link on a set up to make little spoons from them. (Some say for spices, but it was questionable if they were ever used as such in the old days. They're cute anyway!)
You can also go to youtube and search horseshoe nail crosses, and there's a few videos on how to tie them.
I've never tried a heart with them though. I was thinking of making a bottle opener with some of the larger ones.
Post some picks of what you come up with, you may have the inspiration others are looking for!

Thanks for the info.
I never get mad at anyone, I was just curious to how this all works.
So you're saying if I buy a UL listed lamp kit and install it myself in a base I create, I still need to have it cerified by an inspector? How expensive is that?
Seems a bit excessive . I mean, if I were wiring an entire house yes get a professional, but I would never think I'd have to involve code officials for a simple lamp.
Guess it's better to be safe than sorry when it's going into someone else's house.