fat pete

i started with the same trouble.... i found GStongs in WA ....nice for the price... I got two flat ones and 2 diamond shapes the work for round flat and square pretty good deal

and burned his finger

thats great news...with all the people helping him he will come around again ...no doubt... hats off to him

if your straining to hold those tongs you will develope big pain in that arm.....same with the hammer...it WILL hurt....u may be a big tuff guy but i guarrentee you will make yourself sore if you strain with either tool, Hammer or tongs

put the scaled metal in vineger for a couple o days the mill scale will come off alot easier.....or i will knotted wheel the bugger....and plain old borax...

for that kind of money you can find more suited way less complicated ... forges

any old train yards around... apiece of rail works good too and you can usually obtain with a little snooping around junk yards and steel plants....thats good steel for an anvil

i just made 4 welds with a guy that uses a press....heat it flux it heat it press it...maybe 1 more heat flux press....done....1st time i saw it i thouhgt thats the ticket....seems way easier to use the press on some types of welds........

i use a bottle to lite the fire....i have one of those trigger type lighters for the propane...so i make sure i lite the bottle before i slide it into the forge and open the gas valve, so it dont blow back at me in the face....my set up is in the gallery but i have mine with the back facing the outside of a garge door on top of a shelf type table and then i put a firebrick to cover the back of it....seems to cut dowm a little on the scaling

you are just sooo excited....lol... i couldnt wait for mine either i drove to quad state to pick it up 2 yrs ago....lol....propane is heavier than air...u want good ventilation so put a co2 monitor in the roomm you r using it....bubble check your connections at the tank... does your model have an ignitor? if not light your propane bottle first...and dont look into the forge when u r lighting it

i use 60pounders...i can lift them filled ...they fit accross the back of my little canyon p/u...lasts about 40hrs in my Habenero

WAH-LA is spelled "viola" SEARCH BEGINING BLACKSMITH ON THE FORUM....find your local blacksmith group... you WILL hurt yourself if you do not learn some basic use of the tools involved...

i got some from a guy who got it from a guy who claims he got it from a dredging company.....i know there are some up in ct....

thats great makes me feel a little less inadequate....I can only hand hammer right now...I also just recieve JPH's knife making book ...he goes over the billet subject....I am putting a piece together as we speak.....Thomas I hope I am not offending you by being a little precocious...lol

whats so hard to believe you wore off an edge on the bottom of an anvil?

400 layers.... see he is way over my head...lol.... u have a press dont you Mr Powers? I also notice a press is the ticket for pattern welding Civilwarblacksmith....how do you sell that piece of damascus??? i use these materiels cause they r cheap to practice with...u r telling me its not a bad combo

I have been told by a few guys not to worry about the mill scale or blue on pallet straps...far be it from me to disagree with Mr Powers (over 4K posts)...lol but i find that when i weld i like very clean surfaces....ruffed up even a little....it seems to increace my percentage of succesfull welds....

i believe there should always be safety discussed. Frostys accident had nothing to do with smithing. I would think the family would appreciate the fact Frostys situation is the inputus to the beginning of safety awarness for a group he belongs to. I believe we should always discuss some of the inherant dangers we face in our trade. We should always.... think 2x- bang once, if you will. There is a post right now with a guy doing something with a grinding wheel that should not have been done. Most of us are alone in the shop with enuff stuff to level a nieghborhood. I wish Frosty and his wife the best and fast healing but safety in the shop should be a daily affair

there is a pic in the gallery of a smal mokume gane 4-5 inch little utility type dagger under fatpete....when the gallery opens up again you can see that one.... i get alot of scraps that make little cool things

i am gathering stuff to build a grinder also....i got a 12" but need a hub and berrings..that cost 167+ i could probably find someone to make one cheaper....then to the tensioning device...more bucks....then an idler...more bucks....motor....more bucks...i want to build one but it is starting to look like a pain in the butt....i ave played on some really nice grinders... i havent played on a grizley i wanna tho ...i get the same as you said some good some not as well...look at this....USAknifemakersupply.com and look at this YouTube - No Weld Grinder Knife Grinder Walk Through Plans Built Tool

to reduce the rusting ...after you are dipped and clean use baking soda to nuetralize the acid...then wipe ...

nice job...would make a good blueprint!!!

i went and got a 60 pounder ...i timed the first couple of uses and know my tank lasts about 40 hrs...I can also tell by the condensate on the outside of the tank...it is all guess work... i like the scale idea!!

cement is hard on your feet ....the older you get the less tolerable it is...power hammers and cement are not buddies...I have seen them used that way....clean up is easier with a soft floor...there is none... a woodshop i would think is a bit doifferent, but standing on cement is just plain uncomfortable.... I pan to use a combo of 2B modified with some screenings on top and clay underneath, my hammer will be set on a couple of large timbers for steadyness.....the welding room is cement and the clean bench room is lso cement....but the forge area will be a soft floor

is it worth it??? well considering you dont have to feed it and they dont go bad from sitting on a shelf, if ya got the moola go ahead.... I took things a little slower...I pounded many different ways to see what fits....everyone is different....i was once asked in a class ...." why when people throw balls and other items do they use their whole body to throw the object but with a hammer they r rigid?" look at some blacksmith you tube clips and watch the old guys who had to stand at the forge for hrs all day, watch thier swing....