David Einhorn

Welcome, depending on how far you wish to drive, some guilds that may be within driving distance include:
- Philadelphia Blacksmiths Guild https://sites.google.com/site/stuarttheblacksmith/home/hammertymephilly-the-philadelpia-blacksmiths-guild

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

- Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association: http://www.paaba.net/

- New Jersey Blacksmith Association: ?website?

- Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild http://cvbg.org/
- Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac http://www.bgop.org/
- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://www.masasmiths.org/
- Tidewater Blacksmith Guild http://tidewaterblac....com/index.html

- Chesapeake Forge Guild meets at the Kinder Farm Park in Millersville http://www.chesapeakeforge.org/

For a more complete list visit: http://www.abana-chapter.com/

Those small vises have screws rather than legs to clamp them to tables. 

Welcome, depending on how far you wish to drive, some guilds that may be within driving distance include:
- Philadelphia Blacksmiths Guild https://sites.google.com/site/stuarttheblacksmith/home/hammertymephilly-the-philadelpia-blacksmiths-guild

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

- Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association: http://www.paaba.net/

- New Jersey Blacksmith Association: ?website?

- Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild http://cvbg.org/
- Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac http://www.bgop.org/
- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://www.masasmiths.org/
- Tidewater Blacksmith Guild http://tidewaterblac....com/index.html

- Chesapeake Forge Guild meets at the Kinder Farm Park in Millersville http://www.chesapeakeforge.org/

For a more complete list visit: http://www.abana-chapter.com/

On 11/3/2015, 10:57:46, JHCC said:

Keeps the fire from getting too big. Also, by reducing the amount of oxygen that can get to the coal, it helps bituminous coal convert to coke.

Yes, it is called fire management.... But to see how fire management works, it really helps to have a good firepot and forge.  With a lesser setup this advice may simply not work so well,.....if at all. 

Welcome, depending on how far you wish to drive, some guilds that may be within driving distance include:
- Philadelphia Blacksmiths Guild https://sites.google.com/site/stuarttheblacksmith/home/hammertymephilly-the-philadelpia-blacksmiths-guild

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

- Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association: http://www.paaba.net/

- New Jersey Blacksmith Association: ?website?

- Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild http://cvbg.org/
- Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac http://www.bgop.org/
- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://www.masasmiths.org/
- Tidewater Blacksmith Guild http://tidewaterblac....com/index.html

- Chesapeake Forge Guild meets at the Kinder Farm Park in Millersville http://www.chesapeakeforge.org/

For a more complete list visit: http://www.abana-chapter.com/

Doing S-hook after S-hook teaches hammer control and lots about technique.  You don't want to end up as a person specializing in making one type of item like hammer heads or knives but unable to do a simple straightening of a pair of tongs..... Yes, last week I helped someone making a hammer-head realign the jaws on a pair of tongs that he was struggling unsuccessfully with. 

1) Neil has a very good point.  Hand hammering and power hammering have the same movement of metal in common.  Learning to move metal by hand will lessen frustration when you first try using a power hammer.  I took a course on making pattern-welded knives with Rob Hudson many years ago.  The students worked as teams of two people, and a Little Giant power hammer was used for forge-welding and drawing out the billets.  By the second day of the course the more experienced member of each team was doing all the power hammer work for their team because the lesser experienced member of each team discovered that they didn't have the experience and ability to work with the power hammer. Working with a hand hammer gives you that experience and knowledge.

2) Forge welding involves pushing the liquid surfaces of multiple layers of metal together so that those liquid surfaces merge.  If the hammer instead strikes the metal with a sharp blow, the layers are more likely to bounce apart.  With most blacksmithing it may not matter if the hammer is striking with a dead blow or a sharp blow, but it does matter when you are forge-welding.

3) Trying equipment and using it, preferably in a classroom or other situation, is a good idea so that you can decide for yourself what equipment best fits your needs and work style.  Many years ago I purchased a stick welder before taking a welding course, and had to live for a while with the frustration of using a welder where you could not adjust the amperage properly until I could afford and could justify replacing it.  As an experienced welder I expect you would not recommend a person to purchase a welder, or any other equipment, until taking a course and learning a bit about welding machines/equipment. 

Welcome, depending on how far you wish to drive, some guilds that may be within driving distance include:
- Philadelphia Blacksmiths Guild https://sites.google.com/site/stuarttheblacksmith/home/hammertymephilly-the-philadelpia-blacksmiths-guild

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

- New Jersey Blacksmith Association: ? /

- Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild http://cvbg.org/
- Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac http://www.bgop.org/
- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://www.masasmiths.org/
- Tidewater Blacksmith Guild http://tidewaterblac....com/index.html

- Chesapeake Forge Guild meets at the Kinder Farm Park in Millersville http://www.chesapeakeforge.org/

For a more complete list visit: http://www.abana-chapter.com/

Welcome

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

Based on a publication date of 1956, only about 59 years of the 72 year copyright has passed. 

I've never seen a rugby game, where can it be watched.

News to me, who is selling/making lightweight vises?  Are these newly made vises, and/or of some non-iron material?

Once you repair the leg and mount, and then mount and tighten the mount up,  the vise and its spring should work ok. 

Don't forget to:

- join a local blacksmith group

- continue to take classes and go to blacksmithing presentations and conferences

- locate your local steel yard (like a lumber yard but they sell steel)

- find your local supplier/store that supplies refractory brick and cement to artists and businesses.

Non-credit blacksmithing course through the college I was attending at the time, about 42 years ago, in a little shop behind the guy's house.

Welcome, depending on how far you wish to drive, some guilds that may be within driving distance include:

- Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland http://www.bgcmonline.org/

I highly recommend taking a course or two at the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, you can find further information about beginner and intermediate courses on their website.

- Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild http://cvbg.org/
- Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac http://www.bgop.org/
- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://www.masasmiths.org/
- Tidewater Blacksmith Guild http://tidewaterblac....com/index.html

- Chesapeake Forge Guild meets at the Kinder Farm Park in Millersville http://www.chesapeakeforge.org/

- Philadelphia Blacksmiths Guild https://sites.google.com/site/stuarttheblacksmith/home/hammertymephilly-the-philadelpia-blacksmiths-guild

- New Jersey Blacksmith Association: ? /

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

-

For a more complete list visit: http://www.abana-chapter.com/

- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://masametalsmiths.org/

The bottom line is whether you are going to even *consider* following advise to get and use a guage.  You asked for advise, people provided it.

Welcome, depending on how far you wish to drive, some guilds that may be within driving distance include:

- Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland http://www.bgcmonline.org/

I highly recommend taking a course or two at the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, you can find further information about beginner and intermediate courses on their website.

- Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild http://cvbg.org/
- Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac  http://www.bgop.org/
- Mid-Atlantic Smiths Association http://masametalsmiths.org/
- Tidewater Blacksmith Guild  http://tidewaterblac....com/index.html

- Chesapeake Forge Guild meets at the Kinder Farm Park in Millersville http://www.chesapeakeforge.org/

- Philadelphia Blacksmiths Guild https://sites.google.com/site/stuarttheblacksmith/home/hammertymephilly-the-philadelpia-blacksmiths-guild

- New Jersey Blacksmith Association: ? /

- Pennsylvania Artist Blacksmith Guild: http://www.pabasite.org/

-

For a more complete list visit: http://www.abana-chapter.com/

What happened to the New Jersey Guild?

One way to remove the loose rust is to wipe it with a 3M pad.  Then when you spray it with clearcoat you will have a nice patina finish.

You might wish to contact: PITTSBURGH AREA ARTIST-BLACKSMITHS ASSOCIATION

• President
  John W. Steel
  2063 Lovi Road
  Freedom , PA 15042 USA
  steeljw@comcast.net
  (724) 774-6757
•  
• Editor
  Chris Holt
  1630 Camp Meeting Rd.
  Sewickley , PA 15143 USA
  paabasec@gmail.com
  (412) 741-6171
  Website: www.paaba.net
   

Could not respond to the other thread so here is what I typed..

Demonstrating to the public

What you make depends on the situation and the needs of the facility and the audience. If you are there to repair things at the fort, do that. If you are demonstrating for other smiths, focus on showing techniques they can use, such as how to use different areas of the anvil. If you are demonstrating for the public, then stick with small quick projects that can be completed in about 10 minutes. Ideally, I suggest having one person who works at the forge while the second person talks to the public.

But most important is to understand the safety issues when demonstrating to the general public. The safety of spectators is your number one concern, and your highest priority. Children's faces are at anvil level, therefor:

• All cutting on the hardie is to nick the spot, then break the two pieces apart using tongs. Absolutely, do not let a hot piece of metal fly across into someone's face or body, or across the room.

• No forge welding if there is any spectators present, ever!

• Have a fence of some sort to keep the public, and especially kids at a safe distance.

• Aim your blows and position the project so that scale does not fly in the direction of the public.

• Do not heat the metal to the point that sparks can fly into your audience.

• If your demonstration can not be done safely, then don't light the forge. It is better to have a cold forge and talk to the public, than to risk the audience.

• If possible have someone experienced at demonstrations there for your first demo, so that he/she can coach you on any safety issues.

Check to see if the event or museum's liability insurance covers your demonstration.

This is not a complete list. If possible acquire a copy of the blacksmith shop demonstrator's guide from a historic blacksmith shop, such as the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland [BGCM].

The answer depends on size of vise, availability of vises in your area, the asking price, the condition of the screwbox and threads, and your ability to repair the vise. 

If my memory serves me correctly, Abraham Lincoln was once asked how long his legs were.  His answer was, "long enough to reach the ground".  I guess he needed his legs to support him too.