LITTLEJOHN

Awesome work the style is very nice as well !

Nice job on the tongs ! As the line goes the tools don't make the Blacksmith the Blacksmith makes the tools, Keep up the good work and always keep those around as you keep working ,you will be surprised years down the road at the progress you make just from practice and the desire to get better !

Arftist I just was rereading the posts on this thread and you said you trained a guy for 18 months and he left and joined the Marines and you didn't come close to recouping your cost.I hope you can look at that a different way and I am sure you didn't mean that in a bad way ,but in a way he paid you great compliment and all of us who live in this country.He went and is willing to put his life on the line so we can enjoy freedom and keep doing the things we enjoy.The financial loss is great but the loss of freedom is greater.Having not served myself I am thankful to those who do.Thanks to all who fight and have fought so I can enjoy freedom.Who knows how many others he has influenced because of your willingness to teach him.Keep up the good work Arftist your willingness to take someone on is keeping the trade alive and your legacy as well.

I for one am very thankful to those retiring smiths who want things passed down to someone who will use them.I have been fortunate to be on the receiving end of one of those situations.I have gentleman who has helped me get started and has taught me things that only someone of 48 years experience can.He has sold me equipment for half of what he could have gotten for it because he told me he wants to see it used.On my end that makes it even more special to me because I think of him when I use it and will be forever grateful to know that he took an interest in me and was willing to share that knowledge.So to all you smiths willing to pass things down to us beginners I say thank you and I am glad you share your skills to help us keep the trade going!

Merry Christmas to all as well!!! May you all be so good as to get not a lump of coal but a bag! May God bless you all and may you have a Happy and prosperous New Year !

I don't know if it would work but if you could get it to dry and want to stick with the whiskey barrel you might go to the local auto parts store and try some of the brush on bed liner for pick up beds. Once dry it should seal and provide a tough waterproof coating and should be fairly heat resistant.Just a thought.

I am not sure what model the blower is but I know it isn't a 400.The one I have is on a small fairers forge and is mounted on the lip of the pan.The only markings are champion so there might be something I am missing or not looking at that tells me what the model is.

Well guys here is my problem I have champion forge blower that is getting loose in the bushings/bearings and starting to leak more oil.The oil leeak doesn't bother me that much since adding oil is easy,but it's starting to make more noise and I would like to get it rebuilt before something happens and does major damage.Do any of you know anyone who rebuilds them? I live in central Illinois but don't mind shipping it if I can get it done reasonable.Thanks for any help!

Welcome aboard ! As you know by now how addictive this trade is and this site is a great help to all of us who have that addiction ! Be sure and post some of your work and again welcome !

I have had good luck taking old blankets of fiberglass insulation and laying over the part to keep an even and slow cool down process making sure the whole part is covered and holding in the heat.

Thanks Glenn and Andrew for all you do to keep this site going ! It was a long time spent here on some snowy days in Illinois ! I know that when its to cold to forge here I can come to this site and not spend those days in boredom.This site is truly my winter fix when I cant be at the forge! Thanks again!

Yes I am a forgeaholic as well ! I love the equipment and am always looking for that new piece of equipment hammer anvil tongs whatever goes with the trade.I love the smell of the coal smoke and am constantly looking for scrape to make something out of as well as looking as things deciding how I can make them as well. In addition I look for spare time to forge whenever I can. It is a painless disease with only the occasional burn but one which calms the soul and brings relaxation to those who have it. Yes truly am addicted to this thing that only a select few enjoy those of us who are special ! At least I think they are complimenting me by saying I am special . Ha Ha .

Ken welcome I am new as well only been on board for what seems a short time!You are among a great group who are willing to help with anything they can and share what easily becomes an addiction! They share there knowledge to keep the art alive! Ask and learn all you can and no question is to crazy to ask.Here is a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.Welcome!!!

When I started getting interested in smithing I was given a book by an old smith who helped me get started. Little did I ever think there would be a correct height for your anvil to be set at.The book explained that the correct height should be equal to the distance from the floor to a closed fist with you standing strait up with your hands to your side. If your anvil is is at the correct height you should be able to take a pine board and place it on your anvil and strike it with you hammer and leave a full imprint of your hammer.If mounted to high you will leave the imprint of the half of your hammer nearest to you to low the half away for you. If you miss the board the height isn't the problem.Little did I know then that this is such a skilled science and sometimes trial and error.

I have a 156 lb Hay Budden and I love it . As for getting started once you do you won't want to stop.This is my first year and was fortunate enough to find a smith in my area to help me.I am waiting now to spend some time with him at a museum were he works the first two weekends in Oct. You will find that this site has all kinds of great people willing to help you and answer questions you have getting started and help preserve a piece of history.Welcome aboard and enjoy being bit by the bug of blacksmithing.

City Coal and Asphalt 225 N.2nd Street Pekin,Ill 61554 309-346-0564 Pocahontas No.5 Bagged,Barrel,or Truck Load call for pricing. Last that I bought was a barrel 400lbs for $58.

Could it be used for a countersink for a flush surface after riveting ? Just a thought.

"That went over like a pregnant woman in a high jump."

"That man could tear up an anvil with a rubber hammer." "That fits like a saddle on a sow." I don't know who first said them but my dad always used them and they have always made me laugh,and as they say laughter is the best medicine!

Being a beginner I decided on a name one day when I was working, and decided on naming mine Four Leaf Forge. First because of my irish heritage the association of the four leaf clover and the good luck with finding it and second because of the fact that I was very lucky to find an old smith that was willing to teach me the trade and fill me with material to read and study to learn all that I can as well as help me with any equipment needed. I have truly been lucky to find such a willing old smith. Hence the name Four Leaf Forge.

Nice photos Reb! The smithy that got me started works in a museum that is the original blacksmith shop in a small town south of where I live in central Illinois.He has invited me to come and share some time with him doing some forging there and I am looking forward to it.I think it will be great to stand and work where a piece of history was preserved.Thanks to guys who spend their time demonstrating in the museums and passing on the skills to us beginners.Truly this is an addictive trade!

Nice work Kevin! Keep on forging looks good!

After reading Wagonmasters,what got you started in smithing question,I thought I would ask,what was the first thing or piece you ever forged ? The first thing I forged was a BBQ fork.I was doing real good until I put it back in the forge to finish forging the tines and got distracted and left it in a little to long and when I pulled it out the tines I had started were gone,melted away.Well that was ok I just split it a little more and finished the tines it turned out alright and had a laugh thinking if I could have only saw the look on my own face when I pulled it out of the forge seeing only a stump of what use to be the tines.So tell us what was your first project and what was it made out of ? Let those memories take you back.

I have always hung on to things of old so to speak.I have enjoyed blackpowder hunting and studying crafts of old,I have been a welder for six years the modern equipment is great but does have limitations lose of power etc.I started driving a bus and spotted a forge sitting in someones back yard.After work I went to the house and ask the old gentleman if he was interested in selling it.I explained to him I knew nothing about blacksmithing but would like to learn.I remember the look on his face when he told me no one was interested in that stuff anymore.I told him I was and wanted to learn all I could.He told me he had been smithing for forty years and would teach me all he knew.Well that was the start he has given me a dozen books to read and shared much knowledge as well as helped me aquire the equip.needed.I have just started forging this year and wish I had time to do more but I have a lot to learn and I have been lucky to not only forge steel but a friendship with someone willing to pass on the knowledge of a trade to keep it alive.Thanks Chet!

Thanks for the advice.I will definitely have to put some serious thought into it.I like a challenge but may be more than I want,dollars and sense wise.Thanks again!