tkunkel

Nice set of photos to show progress. I admire the skills and patience to take on a project like that......

Ausfire, Thanks for the invite! Have a busy, safe day. Have enjoyed seeing all the items you have made and posted. Thanks for the inspiration! Tom

Ausfire, very nice website for your museum! Your place would be a must see for me if I were visiting that part of Queensland! Thanks for sharing. Tom

Thanks for sharing the photo!

Really like the pattern you have on your knife, Heap of Jeep! Just learning pattern welding and really enjoy what you and others have been cranking out!

Foundryman, Nice eye candy on the pattern you have! Thanks for sharing. JustAnotherViking, like the texture on the doors, along with the skulls....you will definitely have a very one of a kind forge!

Bubba682, Any photos of your tealight candle holders or your swage? Thanks. Tom

Good solution to your issue of clamping larger pieces. Nice scroll work! What type of protective coating will you be giving this piece? Thanks.

Inspiring! Those students look like they had a great time and your time was well spent! Good job!

Nicely done. Nice texture. Need to remember that twist!

58er, very nice proportioned hand, lifelike pose, and nice finish! I would love to be able to forge something like that.......Good job!

Prayers for you and your family, Thomas.

Very nice instructional video, good explanations and production values. Nicely done!

Try Seattle Pottery Supply for ITC-100.

Nice setup! Well done. The handles of the tripod pieces look like they would get hot and melt......am I seeing that correctly? I like the simplicity of the whole setup!

I have enjoyed the sharing of stories of customers and their demands. It reaffirms that one should know what jobs/clients they want to take on and what jobs they should refer to others. I have sold a few items at farmers markets and have been asked if I could do this or that project. Over time, I learned to say no and refer them on to others. It does come down to an education of the customer, that they understand the work involved, the time spent learning, etc. Even if you put a video up at a sales table, customers can sometimes feel that the speed and apparent ease that you work, the price should be lower. I tell friends that there is a recovery time for certain hammering operations (at least for me, a weekend/occasional hot metal pounder) and the cost of Ibuprofen to be added in!;) My wife sews, but focuses and enjoys quilting, not making drapes or clothes, or even mending some item I ripped. Sometimes, customers feel since you know how to do one general skill, you can and will do all items involving that skill. Thanks, everyone for your input and making this a great learning site!

Didn't stay that way too long. I think this picture was when I first loaded it up with tools.

I liked this rack that I built, until I got more items than it could properly carry. All swivel wheels. Need to build another one, will probably make wider.

Take care! My thoughts and prayers are with you.....

Dustin, Good job on giving your wife flowers. Nice copper work. I read here someplace about buying and taking apart plastic flowers from a craft store and seeing the shapes of the parts and trying to mimic those in steel or copper. Good luck on continuing your flower tradition! Tom

More thoughts and prayers for safe procedure and rapid healing, to get back to hitting some hot metal!

Tanner, I live in Chelan. Go to the Northwest Blacksmith Association website and you can see a list of its members and where they live. I don't remember whether you need to be a member to see the list but lots of good people in this group. They meet monthly in Longview. Another group in Spokane, Columbia Fire and Iron, has spring and fall hammer-ins. Good luck on your blacksmithing journey.

I make a form out of plywood/chipboard to bend cold conduit to make an arch. Sawed out what radius I wanted, tweaked a bit for springback and worked for what I needed. Good luck with your project!

"Trees and Giraffes"? That is what I saw......Very nice pattern in my opinion.