teejay

Its called Zrytec (sp) its an aluminiam alloy with zinc and tin.I have it written down somewhere if I find it I'll post the mixture

Magnetic North works quite well

Well I got suckered into blacksmithing,my cousins and I are all members of a tractor club and one of them stood up at a meeting 3 months before their show and announced that Teejay has an almost complete blacksmiths shop and is going to put on a 3 day demo for us!I had never lit a fire just collected tools to hang on the wall! I asked some of the old timers in the club for some advice. I know that some of the old farmers had done some smithing for themselves. The advice I got was little gems of wisdom." Learn to swing a hammer with either hand so a year from now your shirts will fit right!"or my favorite "If you smell something stupid burning let go its HOT" So I put a notice on what used to be forgemagic "Help teacher needed quick in C. okla."Well 2 people answered Jim Carothers telling me about the Saltfork group and Mills he had lit 1 fire! Found out he lived about 6 miles from me we got together banged around for the next 3 months and went to the tractor show.He brought a car or truck axel that was way oversize for what we actually needed and proceded to make a fire shovel out of it 16 hrs later we had a shovel that had been burnt,mangled and twisted. I use it every time I go to the shop, 7 yrs later it is still my most prized tool. Joined the Saltfork group that year and still in the process of learning new things every day.I thank my cousin at least twice a year now with dinner and some iron work now and then.

My shop is 30'x30' and I use 2 wood stoves on real cold days ( Okla has lots of windy days ) When its real cold I heat the anvil with a 1/4" plate off the forge . When using wood stoves keep them at least 18" from the wall.even in a metal building we are required to have triple wall pipe going thru the wall.

tops,tops,tops

For tools Look around at the flea markets,and farm sales or auctions.For mail order sales try Blacksmiths Depot.com,Piehtoolco.com For beginner projects and stuff check the blueprints section,

Thomas Dean lives east of dallas you might talk to him

Take a horseshoe rasp and heat it then drive the coarse side into the handle,it will give you a checkering pattern like on a gunstock. Easy on the hands but will give a good grip then coat with linseed oil.

Steve get ahold of the NJ blacksmiths - NJBA New Jersey Blacksmiths Association : ABANA (Artist Blacksmith Association of North America) affiliate. check for their next meet and go if you can, I"ll bet you"ll find some smiths there that are willing to teach and help you if you just ask,and don"t be bashful about it.You might find one that lives close by and will help. Good luck

Learn to swing a hammer with either hand ,that way your shirts will fit right a year from now!

If you smell something stupid burning LET go its HOT!

As the saying goes "By hand and hammer do the arts Stand"

About 3 yrs ago I took my 14yr old nephew with me to a demo and he overheard me telling a spectator that this was the most fun thing I've done in a long time.My wife took him home later that day and he ask her if that was the only fun you got to have when you got old! Guess I'll have to show him how to ride a shaving horse!

Only have one a 100lb hay-budden

I don't have a shop I have a 30'x30' toolbox