Bill Roy

Last Saturday, 1/23/2010, six of our ODBSA members went on a field trip to visit member Marshall Ecker's Old Farm Forge. He has been an avid antique tool collector for many years. In addition to blacksmithing tools, he has a large number of old goosewing broadaxes. To see pictures of Marshall's shop and his antiques go to the ODBSA website and scroll to the bottom of the "Current News" page. When you click on the first photo the slideshow will automatically start. Be sure to come on back to IFI and leave a comment.

Three Rings on the anvil for Jay...

I hunted and shopped for a year and half before I found a decent small anvil, and paid almost $2.00 / lb. for it. And I'll tell you, I was really pleased to get it, too. Most of the anvils I saw were wrecks or going for $3.00 to $4.00 / lb. Now, if Mr. Moore's beautiful collection was out in circulation, do you think it would have an affect anvil prices?

Whatever its age, it's a beauty and at an awesome price. Your vigilance paid off royally. Congrats!

Thomas, There believe that there are slate mines about 1 1/2 hour northwest (Monson) of Jim. Would dry-stacking slate be a safe option?

Asil, Our blacksmith group ODBSA watched Jerry Funderburk demo one of his Hebo machines last Saturday at his fabricating shop in Evington, VA. It was very impressive, indeed. They are very versitile (and expensive) machines. He used one of his machines to precisely twist 1" square bar - cold! I'll bet he knows who to put you in touch with. His phone number is under the contact info on his website. Evington Iron Works

ODBSA February Meeting at David Tucciarone's Sunrise Forge, Rustburg, Virginia Demonstrator: Fred Crist Subject: Presenting a touch of class: “Contemporary Sculpture Through Blacksmithing" John Elliott of Blacksmith Supply will be there with his truck of blacksmithing wares. Please visit the schedule of events page on our website for times, directions, and details. Old Dominion Blacksmith Association

No, David. This poll was meant to generate some discussion and maybe help you gather some additional feedback from other members (and maybe some knowledgable non-members) for your article. I didn't realize you'd already written it so quickly. If you were to spill all the beans in the forum now, it'd be like finding your Christmas present in your folks closet and peeking to see what it was. That would spoil all the fun. Please, don't. But, if you were to maybe toss out just a small bone to chew on, it might get folks thinking and adding their two cents...

So, ODBSA Members... What do you think now that you've seen Jerry's demo and shop? Is a fabricating shop really the modern day blacksmithing shop?

On behalf of the ~30 members in attendance, THANK YOU Jeremy Funderburk for giving ODBSA the opportunity to visit your fabrication shop, Evington Iron Works, on Saturday. Your demo was fantastic and a great way to start the New Year for Old Dominion Blacksmith Association. We found it to be a great learning experience, and it's nice to see your business doing so well. Let us know when you're ready to sell Grandpa's old anvil.

Yes, Bobby did a nice job putting things together for next year. And about that August demonstrator... "aspiring blacksmith" is the understatement of the decade!

2010 - Old Dominion Blacksmith Association Event Schedule (2nd Saturday of the month) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ January 9th............Jeremy Funderburk.................Evington Iron Works...........................Evington February 13th........Fred Crist...............................Sunrise Forge.....................................Rustburg March 13th............Lee Sauder.............................Germinal Ironworks............................Lexington April 10th...............Richard Bartelt........................Clover Hill Village(145th Lee-Grant)..Appomattox May 8th.................Dale Morse.............................Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing.......Waynesboro June 12th...............Jerry Darnell............................Otter Hill Forge.................................Bedford July 9th..................Danny Ward............................Danny Ward Horseshoeing School......Martinsville August 14th...........Gerald Boggs...........................Buford Hodges Blacksmithing shop.....Boones Mill September 11th.....Billy Phelps..............................Lonesome Dove Farm........................Bassett October 2nd...........David Hinshaw/John Riddle......White Squirrel Forge...........................Danville November 13th.....David Tucciarone.....................Sunrise Forge.....................................Rustburg December.............No Meeting On the ODBSA website you will find more detailed information about each event, the demonstrators, their topics, locations with clear directions to guide you there, and lots lots more. Come check us out. www.olddominionblacksmith.com

Fixiehorse, I had a similar problem after I bought an old Peter Wright. I wirebrushed and beltsanded it a bit to knock off the years of rust. Was looking sweet in the shed until my son dumped a bucket of water near it. You could almost watch the new rust forming. I used an old towel and soaked it thoroughly with WD40. Now I leave the towel wrapped around the anvil when not in use. Works great.

Andrew and Glenn, I checked several times a day over the holidays for the forum to come back on line. (Wishful thinking, or perhaps addiction?) Because you had alerted us that it would be down from the 28th through the 31st, I was suprised when it went down early, but I was absolutely delighted when it was back up so quickly! That says to me that lots and lots of planning went into preparing for this conversion. All that work you put in ahead of time, so that we would have minimal downtime, is why you both deserve our collective membership "Thank You". I have been exploring the new site's features and would echo Mainely Bob's very well stated comments and sentiment. 2010 is going to rock on IFI !!! Happy New Year

Very nice set up, Bad Creek. I too hope to have a nice shop like yours some day. I'm just getting started and can only work outdoors. So I have to wait for good weather and then drag all my stuff out of the shed. I really like your display board. You've developed your skills quickly.

Yikes !!! Boy, you know that old saying about a picture is worth a thousand words... Please, please, say no more! I got the picture!

DA, I see you have the horn of your anvil to the right. Are you a lefty, or do you just prefer it that way? Nice shop btw.

That really depends on the condition of the anvil. Is it broken, or chipped all to xxxx, or is it like new? Before the recession, $3.00/lb. seemed to be the going rate, but lately $2.00/lb. is more the norm. Post a photo (close up of the face.)

Welcome, Ironpanda. When you get time, take a few pics in the polebarn and show us your new set up. Did your Dad have some BS equipment already?

Welcome to IFI, Josh. And congrats on the family expansion. How about posting a picture of your shop and some of your work before the baby arrives. (You won't have time afterwards. I've lived in Virginia for the last 22 years, but I'll always think of myself as a Mainer. I grew up in Scarborough and my folks were from Waterville/Winslow.

Well, I just couldn't wait any longer. My oldest son was home from school for 4 days on Fall break and gave me a great reason to take a day off from work. First, I set up the equipment that I've been able to collect and restore. And second, I went back in the house to wake Billy up - almost needed dynamite. Once he heard what we were about to do, he was up and at'em in a flash. He started the fire up like he'd done it a thousand times before. (the class we took together was just over two years ago) I haven't bought any new material yet, so all we had to work with was some rebar scraps left over from other projects, but it was something to pound on! We alternated turns working at the forge and playing photographer. We had an absolute blast on one of the coldest October afternoons on record. I barely noticed. Tried to upload some of the pictures taken, but after several failed attempts I've given up. I set up a picasa web album so you all could see and maybe comment. Picasa Web Albums - bill.roy - Magnolia Forg... Bill

Randy, I just started re-reading your book about a week ago. Great book! I had read "A Blacksmithing Primer" the first time two years ago and you autographed it for me at the Yesteryear Hammer In 2007. Being the first book that I read on blacksmithing, I didn't appreciate at the time how well written it was for the beginner. I even mentioned this opinion to the folks standing around the Old Dominion Blacksmiths Association library table yesterday. And no Glenn, I was not paid for this endorsement.

I was following this thread last night from the very beginning and I realized that I didn't have any pictures of my forge that I could post. When I was left home unsupervised this afternoon, it seemed to me like a real good time to take a couple of snaps. So I dragged some of the equipment I've restored over the past two years out of the dilapitated shed in my back yard. I only finished making 10' x 12' pad last week to firm up the gravel to support the weight. Now the forge won't sink into the ground when I roll it out. And not in the picture yet, I'm building a small table to hold my vise and some tools.

Thanks, Guys. I appreciate the warm welcome and advice.