OldeScouter

Table fab looks good. There will be plenty of room for fresh fuel, tools, and things in the fire, without you getting poked with the handles.

It followed me home, can I keep it? I'd have to say that half the stuff in my 'collection' was accumulated that way. The leg vise came from a field near the old house in Detroit, [free], and the No.15 Vulcan anvil cost me $50 while looking at used chairs, at the 'new' house. The agreement with the wife is, I can keep it, if it stays in the garage. The trucks stay outside.

I consider it one of my hobbies. Haven't thought of trying to sell anything, just make gifts, needed items, and trinkets. Otherwise, it's a self-taught anger management class, use when necessary.

I've made basic ones from 1/2in rebar, and decorative ones from 1/2in sq H.R.

If I had this project to do, I'd lay a few courses of cement block foundation walls, to shore up the open side under the shed. This may be considerd a 'ratwall' depending on your local building codes, and may requires a footing poured first. Then I'd fill the space inside the walls with rocks, gravel, and a top coat of concrete, with a extra spot formed and poured, to be level with the wood floor, for the anvil.

No, the wiring diagram looks all right. You might want to have all pieces of the wiring the same gauge. I see you have 12/2 for the switch wiring, but the ATX cpu cord is 16 gauge, rated for just 10 amps. It may heat up from all the juice you'd be pushing thru it. I would suggest you find a heavy duty extension cord or STO cord, with a 14 gauge/ 15 amp rating. [ basic rule of thumb: 16 gauge=10 amps; 14 gauge=15 amps; 12 gauge= 20 amps. ] I use that same setup on the garage and trailer forges. I just wired the dimmer into some 'scrap' yellow STO cord [14/3] from work [panel shop], which I use a Stinger shop vac for the air blast thru 1-1/4 inch pipe.

Never be afraid to learn something new; be it from one older or younger than yourself. OldeScouter

Just a scout leader, who does metalworking as a hobby. Been part of that since '98. Also been a part of the PM1225 railroad group since '77, and became a member of MABA in 2004. Still learning how to forge stuff to do it myself, or to teach or demonstrate to whomever wants to know. Did my first taste of "coal and hot iron" in the Owosso AnnArbor RR backshops in 1986. Been doing a little bit of hot forging ever since. It's a self-taught anger management class. Been doing blacksmithing demos at a Detroit area council summer camp 4 years now, whenever my troop is there for the week. I have a forge I've built into my utility trailer, that doubles as a charcoal bbq, when I tent camp. I also have a 'modified' brake drum forge in the garage. Both of these use an 8" frypan as the firepot, which is cheaper to replace the a real one. The air for both are fed thru 1-1/4 pipe with shop vacs, and a light-dimmer setup for temp control. The trailer runs with a marine battery and a 400w inverter, and has been run a week at a time b4 charging. Both use donated coal from the Owosso yards. I have started a site on yahoo groups for the MB. Just teaching the next generation of Leaders. Olde Scouter Green Dragon Forge

just another smith from the suburbs north of Detroit. DAC Scout leader in a troop and a crew, who does smithing demos at Cole Canoe Base, during the Summer Camp seasons. Joined MABA in 2004, been a part of the PM1225 [RR] group since 1977, at MSU campus. Did my first real blacksmithing with them in 1986, in the old AnnArbor Backshops in Owosso forge room, with 1/2x3 bar stock. They needed hinges for a door that was 'accidentally' backed thru with a boxcar! Met Tinker2 at this moth's MABA meeting.