Thomas Dean

Howdy from EAST Texas! Glad you could make it aboard. My Tae Kwon Do instructor was from Taiwan, moving to the States when he was 10. He doesn't know squat about blacksmithing but is AWESOME in the martial arts! Look forward to see some of your work when you get to "heatn & beatn". Once again, Welcome.

I bought the 'U.S. Steel buildings' shop that is 30'x40', too small! hehe. Friends from church helped me put it up and we all had a fun time doing it. I made each one an item once I got the forge up and running and they were very pleased. The only problem is there is no place to hang a chain fall or hoist as there are no trusses/beams. Will have to make an 'A'frame. I framed up the 2 end walls and put regular tin on the back wall and the front wall looks like a building from the late 1800's early 1900's, the old storefront look. I have 12'W x 11'T double doors on each end wall and 3' service doors. the bid doors are like barn doors, open both or 1. Dirt work and slab cost more than the building! I've been in it for approx 4yrs. now.

cheftjcook, HOW COOL!! Wife and I live on 60 acres of East Texas pine and hardwood, (takes less than an hr to mow the yard, rest is trees!) Closest neighbors are about a 1/4 mile on either side. So I really don't have too many complaints! hehe. I do have a little buddy from church (9yrs old) that will ask nearly every Sunday if he can "come out to my shop and do some blacksmithing". I keep telling just whenever you want come on! (He comes from a very stable family and really doen't need the mentoring like your little friend.) I would talk to the Mom and let her know that you are in no way trying to "move in on her job" but if you enjoy the kid let he come! They all need some good adult mentoring and it sounds like you are up to the task! Thanks for sharing you story... Didn't mean to sound preachy... Archie Zietman, Good plan and a steak turner is fairly easy to do. I made a split cross last summer for a friend that raises bees, got close to 1 1/2 pounds of bees wax! That stuff is over $13 for a # in the hobby stores!

THANKS primtechsmith! Man I was thinking I needed to make a pair of these bookends but your explanation for them excludes me! Saving me some time and material! I guess I can spend that time making something else now. Whew! I have purchased about 8-10 new blacksmithing books in the past couple of years and haven't read all of them yet! So, does that mean when I do finish them I will need bookends then?! Wondering minds need to know.

Howdy Mac, and welcome to the group! I am a welder also, been at it since '73, maybe one day I'll get good at it. You being in OKC you are close to some fantastic smiths; Bill & Diana Davis, Gerald Franklin, Larry Mills, & Sweany. There are a bunch more but I think these are the closest to you. Check out the Saltfork Craftsmen Assoc., there is a meeting most every weekend of the month in your state. If you ever get to the Longview, TX area give me a call!

Howdy Uncle Levi! #1 Tom Clark's 'Ozark School of Blacksmithing' in Potosi, Mo is an excellent school. I attended in May of '05. $670 Mon.-Fri. 2 meals p/day and room. #2 Robb Gunter's school in Moriarty, NM. M-F $800-900 room and meals extra IIRC. Frank Turley's school in Santa Fe, NM. $2500 for 2 weeks, meals and food extra. Have a friend that attended Turley's school and he spoke highly of it. Tom has a max of 10 students (that many forges) but usually limits it to 8. Tsur Sadan, the instructor, will stay and do demo's after class if students want to stay. You can also stay a 'play in the fire' if so inclined til LATE! There is no particular order of these, I just listed as they came to mind. Do a Google search on these and as mentioned in above post check out the ABANA site. Good luck and have fun!

Dennis, I don't think I would repaint the anvil, just 'get the red out' and let it do what it wants to. A light oily rag used to whipe it down once in a while and the beauty will look more natural. IMO My reasoning for not repainting, it will not elliminate the problem, just change the color. If painted, any time you use the side, such as making a bend, the paint will burn giving off fumes you don't want to smell, albeit they may not be harmfull, they still STINK! Funny how that works, not seeing something until you show the world! then everybody thinks, "Man, how does he work in that mess!" At least that's the way it is with my shop. My sister-in-law saw it once last year and commented on the "arrangement" but "if you know where everything is...." Made me feel sorta bad...NAAAAW! On the problem with the vent pipe. Check with some local businesses and see if they would like to donate some funds. (the worst they could say is 'No') You could do like I did. I used 18ga., got a local sheetmetal shop to shear, roll, and tack up. I did the welding myself. Built a sidedraft and attached the pipe to it, ran out the side of my shop and up. Has such a good draw it will pull the fire off a match, and I get NO smoke in the shop, even with all the doors open. (2 11'wide x 12'tall doors on each end of shop) Good luck and keep us posted.

ApprenticeMan, you are right. Sorry if I offended, was not my intention. I will refrain from any mention of ethnic background in future posts. Once agian, sorry. But he sure did do some nice work! :)

1st, 60yrs ago AIN'T ALL THAT LONG AGO!!! 1946!?! That's even after WW2 not to mention the depression! So getting the shop to that era should be easy. I'm thinking more like the late 1800's early 1900's would better fit this shop. Also, the visitors may be thinking more in this era. I volunteer in a circa 1860's shop in Dallas, TX at times and EVERYTHING modern is in a back area, totally hidden from the public. They don't want to see that kind of stuff, they can go to any shop and see electric grinders and the like. Let them ENJOY the experience of seeing a TRUELY OLD SHOP. They will walk away with a greater appreciation of what you are doing and what our forefathers did 'way back when'. Thanks for sharing! Hope I didn't sound too negative, but like rthibeau said, "you asked. :)" And please keep us posted on the progress. Would like to see how it ends up!

Atta boy on the anvil!! And good for you for getting your boys out in the shop and spending time with them...they'll be gone WAY before you want them to be!! Teach them good, safe, work habits, they'll thank you later! AND you don't have to just "sit and soak", you are welcomed and encouraged to comment on any subject. Look forward to seeing some of your work also. Welcome aboard!

I made one from a quarter in '71. Gave it to my sweety, now my dear bride and she will still wear it on occasion! I held it in my hand and used the inside of the spoon, tapping on the edge until it was the right size. I had seen one with 2 interlocking hearts that had been made by a person we now know as an illegal alien. Please, I intend no offense here. The man was an excellent craftsman, shame he couldn't pursue his talents.

I knew it had to be easy...Thank you for the directions!!

I know the new format for the Gallery is better but I am having a difficult time at finding the new pics posted. The old gallery you could see the new pics at the bottom of the page and it just seemed easier for me. I'm sure once I can figure this one out it will be better. Will some one out there please help this poor old country boy so he can see the pretty pictures! That is after you get through laughing at me. Thanks.

These were used mostly for heating soldering irons. (although they were used to thaw out pipes just as you would use a modern torch, A/O or Burnz-o-Matic)There are "V's" on top of the torch to hold the irons while heating. Irons were sold in pairs, heat one-start soldering while #2 is heating and switch out as needed. "White gas" was the best fuel to use, we know it now as "Coleman Fuel". Kerosine was also used but GASOLINE was NOT used, too dangerous (like the rest isn't! HEHE) As mentioned above, your best bet (and safest) is to clean and polish it up, place on shelf and admire! Also if you have an iron clean it up and place on top of the torch as if it is being heated, makes a nice display. The ones at the Big Box stores are much safer and easier to use!

Welcome aboard. There's alot of smarts on this forum and all ya got to do is ask! Nice looking anvil. Once you get to making hinges, and other items for your wooden boxes I wouldn't be a bit suprised that you will do more blacksmithing! It WILL get in your blood. Have fun.

Keykeeper, check this site out.... http://www.forgemagic.com/bsforum.php?long=true There is a short thread I started starting on Wed. 12th at 10:06:52 (you need to scroll down to there) It gives some fun things to know about your anvil. Don't know if you have found that site yet but a lot of the folks that play here also play over there. also has a nice gallery with some awesome work posted.

Keykeeper welcome aboard! Those "toys" you are seeking will come, just keep your eyes and ears open! and YES that 70#er is excellent to start with. Where are you located?

Welcome aboard Jim. Where you from? You will find this to be a friendly and informative site. If ya ain't sceerd ta ask someone will answer! :)

Nice clean fun! Thanks for sharing.

I have come to the conclussion that people that run others down have to do so in order to make themselves look better, so don't give them the victory! I, for one, enjoy seeing other peoples work, it's a good learning tool and gets my creative juices to flowing.

HOWDY from EAST TEXAS!! Glad you came aboard. post some of your work for us to drool over. :)

Nightwalker, I in NO WAY intended to down talk your stand, just suggesting when you are able to do something different you might want to. A wooden stand is good and will soften the ring of the anvil some. My first stand was a 18" dia. oak stump, #2 was built from 2x10's. Check out the anvil stand Mr. Hofi uses, this is the type I have under 2 of my anvils and will be makeing a 3rd soon for my 105#Hay Budden. It is also the type under all the anvils at Tom Clark's school in MO. "Ozark School of Blacksmithing". I totally agree with him on the positive aspects of this type of stand, especially if you need to move it from time to time. Mr. Woolridge has a MASSIVE stand, 300# of concrete in a pyrmid shape that is also nice, just a tad bit harder to move if you need to. hehe!! Was in his shop the 1st of June and it is set up real good and I do like his stand and it is simple to build. This adds a lot of mass to you anvil! Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!!

Nice looking anvil. May I suggest mounting your anvil on something a little more sturdy. Look in the blueprints and also under the "show me your anvil stand" (I think) in the forum to see different stands. I believe you will be happier with the result having sturdier stand. It gives your anvil more mass and you can work larger material. I have a 127# with the same markings and the rebound is AWESOME! seems like nearly 100% but I know that is impossible. ;)

henerythe8th, THAT my friend is a VERY good suggestion. Hope the young man heeds the advice.

Howdy Nightwalker!! and welcome. I'm in East Texas, just out of Longview! There are a great bunch in your area that meet every 2nd Sat of the month, the North Texas Blacksmith Assoc. Our daughter and son-in-law live in Dallas and when we are en the area I try to make a meeting. I also volunteer at the blacksmith shop in the 'Old City Park' in Dallas. I think it is called 'Dallas Heritage Village' now. Once again WELCOME!