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I Forge Iron

Outsider_Looking_In

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Everything posted by Outsider_Looking_In

  1. Hi all, After a long time of lurking and idlly day dreaming and thinking I final have decided to get off my butt and do something. What started all of this activity was finding this in the wood near my house. Used as a bird feeder by the local pheasant keeper until it was replaced with professional, plastic feeders and discarded. By the time I found it it had rusted through in several places and the wooden legs had completely rotted away. After a bit of googling I found that while Zirconium wasn't poisonous, it could cause health issues if inhaled or ingested, so I gave the drum a wash out with water and soap on the off chance that there was any chemical remaining after all these years. Then the real work began. After nearly two hours of labouring with a blunt hacksaw, which was the best I had available (unfortunately) I finally managed to remove the base of the drum. You can see the cuts in the base where the bird feed dropped out of the drum but more about those later. After a long, cold drink and a sit down, I thumbed a lift into town from a relative (I haven't got round to getting my drivers licence, despite having been able to drive for nearly 2 years. Laziness and all that). One successful shopping trip later, I returned with a 5kg bag of lumpwood charcoal and a pair of these. I know that for a basic 55 forge that it is un nessisary to used refractory material, but I wanted to seal those holes, as well as trying to protect the badly rusted metal. I know that the ashes from previous fires will provide limited protection but there is nothing wrong with occasionally using belts AND braces (well, except as a crime against fashion). The cement is rated up to around 1250*c and should do the job. Although I freely admit that I am incredibly ignorant about the vast majority of blacksmithing and related subjects. As I type this, the fire cement is currently curing with a food fire and I am currently hunting through my Dad's shed for material that can be turned into a set of tongs. If I have done something wrong or you you have some useful advice, feel free to say.
  2. I found the Mokume Gane forum last week and have been spending a lot of time there (and on youtube) doing research. It looks like a lot of fun and a huge range of effects and colours can be achieved. But I am a humble student who can't afford any fancy materials to play with, and I can't use pennies as they are currently being saved to pay for a teaching session with Owen Bush. But I will keep saving and keep reading and who knows what will happen. And there will certainly be photos
  3. Right, description time. 1,2 and 3 are just the general shape of the piece that I have in mind. Almost certainly not the final product but just something to help visualize what I have in mind. That said, I really like the shape of 3. The other doodles are the kind of layering that I am hoping to achieve. All the designs are very low layer count (with design 5 only having 3 layers) to emphasis the effect and the contrast between the been the bright and the darken steel. 4 and 7 are simple twist Damascus but 8 is a little more complex. The idea is that a bar of twisted Damascus is cut in half, with one of the half being turned over and the layers deliberately mis-aligned (or possibly aligned depending on my mood at the time) to produce a arrow pattern. I have NO experience with Damascus and therefore I have no idea if any of these ideas are practical. What are your thoughts?
  4. Honistly, what I have in mind isn't really Damascus but it was close enough that it was easier to say that than having to explain. I'll be right back, off to redo some sketches and scan them in
  5. I just noticed this sub-forum and thought that I should quickly say hi. I have always been interested in how stuff is made, high tech stuff at first (which is why I am currently studying a computer science degree) but then slowly working back down the manufacturing chain, till you end up at blacksmithing, the very first stage in manufacturing anything. Due to the fact I am currently studying full time I am planning to assemble a small, portable forge and anvil (probably about of a brake drum and a piece of scrap steel) and concentrating on making small items (simple jewellery) and some basic tools. Once I finish at uni, the sky is the limit.
  6. sorry that I haven't responded to any of these questions, I have been swamped with Uni work. she graduates in a couple of months :P I am currently saving all my pennies to attend one of Owen Bush's courses, or organising a one-on-one session, to learn some of the basic skills. And I do realise the Damascus is a complex and time consuming project, but I want to make her something unique and special to say congratulations and I am making a deliberate effort to make the design as simple as possible. I have sketches if you would like to see what I have in mind ^_^
  7. Hi all, I should start out by saying that I have not yet put hammer to metal, but I am currently hunting for parts to make a brake drum forge and a rudimentary anvil. But I can't stop my brain from designing and I have a few questions for a small piece I would like to make for my girlfrind as a graduation gift. The main question is this: Is it possible to forge weld both oil quenched and plain metal together without losing the finish? I am hoping to make a small necklace with a very simple twist pattern Damascus and I really like the idea of the contrast between blued and polished metal. I do not know if this is possible. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a book or give a few pointers to help me out.
  8. I did consider using a sledge hammer head, but I plan on doing some reasonably sized projects and there is nothing wrong with looking around for the available options before making a decision, is there? As for the forge, I am currently sourcing parts for a coal forge made from a wheel hub and an old hair drier. I am a currently unemployed student, so I'll be doing this on a shoe string budget. But that just seems to add to the fun. Or is that just me?
  9. I have always wanted to try my hand at blacksmithing and as it is a new year it seems like a good a time as any to start. However, I have run into a bit of an issue: the lack of anything resembling an anvil. A bit of googling and quick trip to ebay and I know I CAN get an anvil but they are either very large and over the top for what I have in mind or small and intended for jewelry. So a little more googling and it seems that a lot of people recommend fork lift tines as a good anvil substitute and relativity cheap as well. I am in the process of doodling designs for the anvil itself and the anvil mount and I have a few questions: 1: Will the fork lift tines need heat treating in any way to ensure that they have the right surface (hard, tough and produces a ringing noise when struck)? 2: What is the best way to mount an anvil? Onto a large, heavy block of wood, or would it be possible just to place it onto a sturdy table or workbench? I will almost certainly have more questions but I will try an be clear and to the point. And thanks for the help.
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