Bad Creek Blacksmith

I suggest placing your grinder close to other machines that you are going to use the grinder next. Like bandsaw, drillpress,and cut off saw. I need to move my grinder but it is mounted on a table pedistial.

Every thing looks good for a first try......keep them and as you make more see how you improve. Nice new apron hope you have some safety glasses to go with it,and wear them all the time.....it doesn't take much for the fire to pop a piece of hot coal out and hit your eye. Have fun and keep safe.

I use coal, but would like to have a gasser for production work.

Dave, When I talk about torch to heat it up I'm talking about a little hand held not the O&A torch. You would be throwing to much money away heating up small projects to touch up the finish and to haul it around to demo's. So if you still need me to send you one PM your address and I"ll stop by Lowes tomorrow when I'm in town.LOL

I like the idea my son wants a pair don't know if I have the time.

FieryFurnance, One good thing about using a linseed and beeswax finish is you can touch up your pieces on site. This is still a indoor finish and storing stuff out in the shop it still gets rusty, and like you said in containers it bumps around. When you get set up look at your pieces and heat the ones up that need it and re-wax them, use a propane torch its faster and get you on the forge quicker.

I'm right handed and have the horn on the right side. The only reseason it puts less strain on my back not having to reach over the anvil to bend something, without cracking my knuckles on the anvil. I have also moved the anvil around to suit my needs.

The old shop we work in at the fair grounds was built around 1864, the floor is about 2 1/2 to 3" thick and is white oak. White oak was used alot because it held up with out treating it and its all over the place. today its like concrete we do have cement boards laying around the forges and anvils. I don't know what the foundation was the building was moved and it has cement blocks now. The floor has held up great for its age the only thing that we had to do was rebuild one of the forges, found out there was no foundation.

If you are going to make a living at blacksmithing insurance better be at the top of the list.

You can always tell them you have the experience, your just trying to make a living now.

Well to add mine, the orginal name was Smashin' Pumpkin Forge because metal is being smashed and the walls are painted orange. I didn't care for the name because I think of the Punk rock band. So I went with Bad Creek Blacksmith, being the creek that runs by the house is named that. Well my wife made a nice plaque to hang in the shop and she put Smashin' Pumpkin on it so thats really the shops name and I didn"t want to change it here. My name is Paul Giardini guess it doesn't matter what I use their all long names.

Dave, If you need anything turned on the lathe or cut with a plasma, get in contact with a vocational high school if you have one in the area. They are there to help out the public and the kids get to learn on reading drawings ,dealing with people and working with the equipment. All you have to do is supply the material. Good luck. Paul

You have been busy, it all looks great keep up the work.

A friend got me started, he had an extra blower, firepot,and anvil all for $110.00 I was hooked.

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you for sharing your knowledge and skill through out the year. God Bless each and every one of you. Paul

Good idea!!!!

Beth really nice railing I like how you did the flowers, simple but a perfect touch. What blacksmith wouldn't like a ton of coal in their stocking.

When cutting the moustache use a hand held hot cut. Place down from nose about 1/4" and centered on nose angle it out to the edge of material and cut. Most of the time you don't put a mouth on the wizard because the moustache looks like it is covering the mouth. Hope this helps. Had some pictures and can't find them. I'll try to get some on thursday it might help.

I use a small ballpein hammer or instead of a texture use chisel and center punch and put some kind of a design on the cross.

firebug, nice looking forge need to resize pictures, it would be easier to view. Once you start using the forge you'll be able to tell if you forgot any thing.

Guys, Thanks for all your information I got you throwing ideas out and I get to sit back and enjoy. I hope this post helps someone else out as well.

Go with the shop that is already built, reason why. 1. save construction cost 2. You can always take water with you. 3. the money saved by not building can be put towards materials, tools, tables, tools, and more tools.

Brought home 250lbs of free coal today. Saw the ad on craigslist 2 weeks ago and forgot to call. Saw it again last Tuesday and called, someone else was suppose to get it and he didn't show up,I did. Didn't take a picture figured ya'll know what coal looks like.

Awesome! You did it this time what vision and talent.

I plan on making some tongs, working on some 1'-1 1/2' stock, any thing that a small hammer like this will handle. If I find out its not what I want I'll sell it to someone else or give it away.