JimsShip

Very nicely done! When I saw the set up, i thought he was going to heat a rod in the fire (and questioned if that would be cheating) but the way he did it was very impressive!

I never thought about using cable myself, but would love to see some pics of what you have all done with it..

Ricko- Seriously? You are too lucky. I want that cone mandrel!

I use coal as well, and often have to quickly pack up shop and drag everything back in the garage, and i don't have time to let the fire die out. Someone here gave me a tip to shovel all the hot coals from the forge into a bucket of water. The coke will float to the top, and you can look over the sunk stuff to see what you can dump. (I sift it off and let it dry) It's a bit messy, but it allows me to quickly put out the fire and not waste anything. You'll learn soon enough what's clinker and what's green coal.

Hey all, just wanted to pick your minds for a second. I recently took my son to the North pole Village to see Santa here in Upstate NY, (a nice way to spend a day in July!) and visited the blacksmith elf there who had a very cute set up, including a little jig someone had made that turned out horseshoe nail rings with a simple crank of a handle. I took a picture of it, but now that camera has gone the way of the 8 track and i'm having trouble remembering how it was done. I searched around, and did find this neat thread for making horseshoe nail spoons (http://www.iforgeiro...nail-spoon-jig/) and a great discussion on the pros and cons of mixing fantasy and reality when selling goods, but no rings. Anyone have any ideas? (And please, I know I can do them by hand, but my forge time is limited, and i'd like to make this so I can pump them out cold while at my desk. The hospital frowns on hammering in the overnight hours!) Thanks- Jim

I'm suprised no one has mentioned Duct Tape yet, it's a standard item in my first aid kit. I use the high grade stuff to get out all sorts of embedded pieces. I use a sterilized needle to open the entry way a bit and rub the tape on and peel off. It usually gets the offending item out, as well as a few hairs you'd never expect to be there! It's also great for packing bleeds and other wounds during transport to the hospital. (Wrap the wound in a cleanish rag first!)

I have to drag out the forge, anvil and tools, and usually by the time i get the fire going, I have to stop. I have more unfinished projects nagging at me than i care to admit, and it seems my list of things i see and want to try keeps growing by the week. My family and work must come first though, and as i've become more involved in this new addiction, i'm starting to think there will never be enough time to do all the work i'd like to, so I just try and make what litle time I squeeze out count, and enjoy it.

"Repourposing" in my opinion, is taking something old and making something new out of it, but still keeping it's original form identifiable. RR spike knives, steak turners or whatever still resemble RR spikes. Using old garden rakes as coat or tool hooks, old wooden shutters as mail holders, or milk jugs as bird feeders, etc. would fall into that catagory since you could instantly see what they were originally used for. People (like me) like these items because it offers a unique, and sometime artsy new look at everyday items that would otherwise fill a landfill somewhere. Brake drums used in forges on the other hand may be considered "salvaged", since most people would never notice what that was before becoming your forge. Same thing with springs or any other metal drastically changed into an entirely new form. Make sense?

An oyster shucker is a small knife used to pry open or "Shuck" a live oyster. They're very common on the coasts. In Connecticut where I was raised they have an annual Oyster Festival where people stand around shucking and slurping down oysters and beer. Eating raw oysters is an aquired taste (One I haven't developed, I'd rather have mine stuffed thank you!) but these would be a big hit there!

Great tutorial! I combined the images with the explaination in a word document if anyone wants it. (I don't know how to post it here) I like to print and save these in a binder for future project ideas. I look forward to seeing the photos. I'm still a bit unsure of the blade angles, but i'm sure it will become apparent when forging.

These are awesome, how did i miss this? Was this an instructional? I'd love to see this done in steps. What size shoe did you use?

Hi there and Congrats! Do me a favor though, and get all those pallets and drop cloths away from the forge. You look like you're one spark away from seeing the whole thing go up in a blazes.

I found Tin punching to be very relaxing on days I can't get the time to drag the forge set up outside. Perhaps you can do some designs on the oil cans for candle holders or something? I know it's not forging, but it's still pounding metal!

I like the whole set-up, I'll take two! ^_^ (You don't have to paint mine though!)

I see photos Whirly. Maybe your settings are off or something. Cute little anvil.

What's that one in the back?? I like the size of that pan better....

Happy Birthday! Looks good to me, Have fun!

Awesome. Wish I said it! For the record- The Great and Powerful Wizard didn't have any formal training either, so I guess it really is up to the recipients of your gifts to decide the value of your worth.

It looks like you are post #100 Stew! :P But I think he meant my post (# 98) and i didn't mean any offense. I didn't know mentioning religion was not allowed, I thought it was just to be respected and not argued over. Apologies. :unsure:

Here's a funny story that may help prove a point. :D 7 years ago i attended the wedding of a couple. (Please let's not drift into the ethics or opinions of that union, and move on...) I spoke to the woman who performed the ceremony (a friend of mine) about her qualifications and she told me she was ordained by a non-denominational church in the mid-west. Online. So after having a heck of a time at the reception, I took my wife home and while she slept on the couch I looked at that site, and in a matter of 10 minutes I had myself ordained by them and was issued the title "Reverend", and awarded all the legal rights of the ministry to do perform marriages, give last rights, pretty much anything a seasoned preacher would be able to do. (except circumcisions, that's a medical legality, but really, who wants to do that anyway?) I printed out the official certificate for my wall, and woke my wife to inform her of my new standings in society. Now, I forgot about all that until this thread, and contacted the church and to my suprise, my name is still on the registry, and i'm still legal and official. Technically, in the eyes of the law i'm a 7 year certified minister! Does that mean i'm a better preacher than someone who spent their life training and studying in Catholic schools or a monastary? Surely my paper is just as valid as theirs? Of course it doesn't. Papers are just that, a nice recognition from a paid establishment, whether it's a school or an aprenticeship. A man could get the same level of knowledge by reading the Bible himself as he would had a monk showed him how to turn the page. (Perhaps he may even learn more his own way by interpeting what he's read without outside opinion) Please don't get tied up with the religious comparison here. I understand your point of wanting to maintain a standard of some sort, but in reality it would be the work of the individual that will make or break the opinion of his or her customer, and either sustain or sink them in their efforts. DO NOT take this post to be anything other than a certification to hang on a wall. Discussion of religion is not allowed on this site, so please do not go there.

But wasn't it your opinion that all that certification made you a better tradesman? My Father was a sheet metal worker, who fabricated his own ductwork for his heating and air conditioning business. I worked with him since I was 12, but never took the certification tests because I hated working in attics and crawlspaces. Now a days most ductwork is fabricated and the tradesmen certified couldn't make half the stuff we did back then. My Grandfather and Uncle owned a plumbing business next door, and I never certified there either but can install a bathroom with the best of them. Certifications are just papers needed for insurance and decorations on the wall. Do you really think that means more than experience or actual hands on work? There are many ways to a goal, I think it's a bit pompous to assume yours is the best, and hilarious that you get defensive when asked to defend your position.

It's nice that you'll have this forge, as well as the great experience with your Dad for years to come! Crackpot Forge lives on! :D

I don't think Glenn was taking sides, that was for everyone's sake to keep the conversation on topic, and not drift into your choice of avatar, or whatever. You started this by saying your training made you more qualified, and others who have not had that advantage posted items for review to show their skills. (Amazing work by the way!) I don't think asking you to do the same is trying to get rid of you. (If you were local we'd invite you for a few beers, stoke the fire and see what we could hammer out!) Should we have a contest? Lets pick something to forge, and see what everyone does with it. (Stewart does something like this in another thread.) I personally would falter at the task, but i'd love to see what everyone else submits. Street smarts over Grad know how..... :ph34r:

Ok, here's my 1 cent. I'm pretty new at all this, but I love all of it so far. I've taken a few weekend classes to get me started, built a forge from scratch with what I could learn here and there, and scrape together any scrap I can bang on to make what I can for my own pleasure. (For the most part, I usually just make hooks, nails, a few candle holders and a lot of ash!) I am not wealthy or lucky enough to have any sort of professional training, or travel the world as you boasted, but that does not make me a lesser smith or student. In my opinion it doesn't matter if you obtain knowledge though the hallowed halls of some university or from the hard lessons of everyday experience, it's the drive and determination of the individual that matters. My hammer hits the anvil just as hard as your does, and although it may take me a bit of trial and error, or a few hours of reading and research to aquire the tips and lessons served to you on your silver platter, I will ultimately equal and maybe someday even surpass your skill level. Be careful riding the high horse, the air can be thin up there, and the fall off the saddle is a long way down.

Not much more to explain- get a 5 gallon bucket and mix the sand/cement together dry. (3 to 1 ratio- if you use 3 scoops of sand, use 1 scoop of portland cement) Make enough to have leftovers! I'd rather have too much than to risk having to line the forge in layers! Add water and mix until it becomes a nice putty. It should be wet all they way through, but keep it's form when shaped. On my little rivet forge, I covered the bottom about 1/2-3/4" thick, covering the edges of the tuyere, but don't block the tuyere itself (You'll need the air for the fire!). Afterwards (when it dried of course) someone suggested I shape the lining as a bowl with the edges built up and the tuyere lower in the middle, so that coal would feed downward. This seemed like a good idea, but since I was already done I never redid it, and truthfully I don't think it's made that much of a difference. Let it dry thoroughly for a day or so. I am by no means an expert, but this was my experience and it's worked for me so I thought i'd share the favor.