Hammered

Oddly enough I used to make chainmaille before I got avidly involved in blacksmithing. Everything from small keychains & jewelery to coifs and Hauberks (I had four of those.....two full length to the knees with footman slits). I never bothered with riviting my maille because todays high tensile wires eliminate the need for that provided you're working with the proper gauge. I don't know if I still have any pics kicking around. I think I lost most of them when my old PC went down for the count.

I should have added that it was great to meet everyone. There were alot more names than I can keep track of though. It was a great turnout! FYI.....I tried Mick's version of forgewelding without flux yesterday. I made it work!!!

[Also found out that Waldies's shop is available to OABA members who are also menbers of the Milton Historical Society who need shop space to work. The cost is about $20.00 for the day.] I thought Darwin said it was $20.00 for 4 hours....or did he correct himself later?

If you don't have a fear of horses and can stick with it, it would seem to be a good profession to get into. I know of a local farrier that specializes in making customized shoes for horses with severe foot problems and deformities. Something of an orthopedic farrier if you will. I know that he makes very good money doing it, but also that he's got quite a bit of schooling behind him. Personally, I have a mighty respect for the big beasts and wouldn't get too close no matter what you offered me.

Great find! I can't wait for yard sale season to start up here again (right now it's a bit too cold and snowy for them). It's true what they say about one mans trash being another mans treasure!!

Thanks for the feedback so far. Honestly, two things that concern me are...potential additives in lubricants that might harm my blower, and secondly the current cold climate.

I just wanted to throw a question into the wind as it were. I just bought myself an old hand crank blower that's in very good condition. I believe that it's stamped "buffalo forge co." This thing puts out an unbelievable amount of air with only very little cranking (I've just made the change from and old hairdryer and the difference is incredible!). Here's the question......The blower has a lubrication port at the top. I'm just wondering what the best lubricant (in our wonderful Canadian climate) would be. Unfortunately my shop area is not heated, so until I get the forge fired up it's quite cold this time of year. I remember tripping across a post at some point mentioning using ATF as a blower lubricant, but I'll be darned if I can find it again. I think I've also come across a different thread where someone had mentioned 90 weight gear oil. I don't want to do any unintentional internal damage by tipping in the wrong stuff. Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

That's the one I bought. I find the split leg quite a nice feature. Usually just fasten them around the bottom though. They also have straps that are designed to fasten futher up around the thigh, but I find those ones a nuisance.

A brand new 200lb anvil would be the top of my list. (Problem is I think Santa would come down the chimney like a missile with that in his bag!) I've also been telling everyone that I'm hoping Santa will leave coal in my stocking. (grin)

Worst burn I ever got was when I was flippin burgers back in my high school days. Had a pair of tongs slip into the fryer and I instinctively reached in to grab them. Luckily I'd turned it off about a half hour prior so I could drain and clean it. Sat at the sink with my hand in cold water for the next half hour. I remember that I hurt for a long time after that and had that "stretched skin" feeling longer still. Came away scarless and no longterm adverse effects. I was lucky. Had a near miss in the forge not too long ago. I was forging a piece of stock using tongs. At one point I put the stock back into the fire and set my tongs on the anvil to get something. As I turned back around I bumped the tongs and they fell to the floor. I didn't pay them any mind for a moment as I had my hands full. I noticed that the top of my right foot was getting rather warm and noticed that the hot jaw end of my tongs was lightly resting on top of my running shoe and was slowly melting its way through. Luckily I'd read about the trick about a foot fitting into a 5 gallon bucket of water a while ago and I stuck my foot in as fast as I could. Didn't get burned at the time, but now I now ALWAYS wear my leather work boots in the forge area in addition to my gloves, apron and glasses.

Looks a heck of a lot better than what I just threw together. Just made the switch from gas to coal on a VERY limited budget. There's nothing wrong with the hairdryer for now (that's what I'm still currently using), until you perhaps decide to upgrade to a handcrank blower. I've been watching for a used one myself, but they generally go for around $175 - $200 (canadian dollars) when they do eventually pop up. Me thinks I have to start selling some pieces and I'll be able upgrade.

I run an automotive parts department. You'd be really surprised how far coffee and doughnuts go when you're looking for favours to be done and deals to be given. (One thing that works in my favour is the fact that I know most of the boys at the local wrecking yards on a first name basis.....and coffee STILL helps.) Just my two cents.

I do believe the slack tub cure was for poison ivy. I just finished reading the book. I really enjoyed it and found it very useful as a novice.

Swing with my right, and horn to the left.

I attempted to go through my local Home Hardware at first and they looked at me like I had two heads when I asked them for blacksmithing coal. They did a supplier search on Thak and came up empty. According to Robb at Thak's you should have your local store contact Todd Cressmans dept in purchasing at head office in St Jacobs. Once I realized that Thak was just under an hour away, I gave up on the Home Hardware idea and just took a drive out directly. Apparently it is advisable to call or email ahead if picking up in person.

I just learned something. Thanks!

I successfully cut open an empty propane tank back in the spring when I built my gas forge. Removed the valve, filled it to overflowing with water about 5 times to flush it. After repeated flushings the thing still REEKED. I'm told that propane is actually odourless. They apparently add something to it to give that awful smell so that propane leaks don't go undetected....same as natural gas. At the time I left the tank sitting outside for another week, flushed it again, and partially filled it once again before cutting it with a cutoff wheel. Successfully cut both ends off the tank without blowing up, but had visions of something horrible happening the entire time. (I should mention that the propane smell hung on to those cut pieces for about another week or two.) If I had to do it again I probably wouldn't. Either opt for an automotive freon tank (they tend to be slightly less in diameter than propane tanks, but still have a fairly thick wall), or change your gas forge design (if that's what you're building).

I just want to point out that my name is NOT making any reference to alcohol or any other mindaltering substance other than blacksmithing. First time I spent the day in my friend's shop, I was a bit like a kid in a candy store. At the end of the day my head was spinning with all sorts of ideas, and I was still trying to digest everything he'd taught/shown me that day. You could almost say it was a bit of a high. I can pretty much say that I was hooked from that day forward. I was "hammered".

I work in automotive repair. It's sometimes nightmarish to see what the lack of a tune up can do to an engine. Go with your instincts about replacing the plug, air filter etc. If you're thinking of rebuilding the carb yourself make sure you know what you're getting into. Sometimes its worth the money to have someone familier with small engine carbs rebuild it. I attempted my own rebuild on a snowmobile carb once, and I just couldn't get the darn thing set up right when I was done.

I've been a member for a while. Just kind of lurking in the background and learning what I can from you fine folks. Figured it was high time I introduced myself. I'm what you can call a newbie blacksmith. I got introduced to the art about a year ago when I had the opportunity to spend the day blacksmithing with a friend of mine over in the UK. I had a crash course that made my head spin, but also left me with endless ideas. On my return to Canada I proceded do all kinds of research and build myself a gas forge with the help direction of David Roberson. I've since been spending time aquiring and manufacturing various tools and setting up a temporary workshop for myself. I just finished taking an introductory blacksmithing course at our local blacksmith shop and have rediscovered the beauty of a coal fire vs gas. I may just have to construct myself a coal forge now. I'll apologize in advance if somewhere down the road I ask a stupid question or two. It's been an ongoing learning experience so far. All in all though, I've found my blacksmithing community to be full of extremely helpful people who just seem to be a breed apart from the rest. It's been an extreme pleasure to be associated with them so far. Sorry for being so longwinded.