chyancarrek

Hey Tom,

Make a jig - if you make one wavy bar, eventually you're going to want to make more. You'll get consistent results that helps with assembly.

I build all of my jigs on top of angle iron - that way I can clamp them in the vice for stability.

Use stock stout enough to form the material at heat. Forge it into the shape you want giving yourself about 2" extra on each end. Then weld it to the top of the angle iron.

When you use it, clamp one end then use a pair of tongs (make or modify a pair for this purpose) , moving along the length to form it into the curves

I also write on each one of my jigs the length of material it takes to make my most commonly produced length (the ravages of old age - I always forget to make notes so having that measurement written down really helps).

If you go this route, post some pics of how you approached it.

Welcome Smokey!

You've come to the right place. You'll find lots of help here.

rmcpb's right, you'll need to start with the basics and like anything else that's worth doing, practice -practice-practice. It'll be worth the time you spend doing it.

Don't be shy about asking questions and read everything you can get your hands on about getting started.

Most everything you need to make a modest forge and the tools you need can be gotten inexpensively or made yourself so check out the blueprints section.

Take pictures as you go along and share them with us as it will make it easier to give you suggestions.

Welcome to the club and have fun!

really like the style of this work!!!

Thanks Johannes!

The trunk was made from the Bankari for a fellow who wanted hope-chests made for his grand kids ( I built three for him)

The copper bowl was made from drop left over from signs made for a local Credit Union

The bowl with riveted copper was made from drop that was left over from other projects in my shop

I cast the fire-dancer chalices from some discarded aluminum racing wheels.

The most enjoyable thing about using reclaimed materials is coming up with ideas about how it can be used!

What on God's green earth is the actual liability for just having a strong mailbox?!

It isn't if you just create a strong box. It's if you specifically design it to do harm. It's also illegal to set up booby traps on your property to deter trespassers.

We live in a litigious society - Anyone can sue you for just about anything. So many people don't want to have to take any responsibility for their actions or behavior.

About 12 years ago I got into a fender bender (my fault) - I didn't do but $350.00 damage to her car (bent the bumper). She sued me for 1.2 million dollars.

Fortunately the jury saw right through what she was trying to do and only awarded her $18,000. But it took five years in and out of court and tied up a court room for 5 straight days in the final trial. I know she gave most of that settlement to her lawyers - but $18,000 was still payed out for a $350.00 accident.

In this "me first / me only" society we live in, there's no shortage of people who will leverage their own misbehavior then try and make you pay for it. Saddest thing is that in many cases the courts support it. It's created an atmosphere of complete paranoia about liability.

Randy,

I hear ya - Like all Utopian visions, it had a pretty short life span. Working to "service the memory of" wouldn't work over the long term for me either but I do like Hubbard's eclectic writing style and his compilation of other works.

Congrats on getting your work there! Hope it turns into a regular placement.

Randy,

Wonderful work!

I'm a big fan of the Roycrofters - Ol' Elbert is one of my favorite reads.

Were these commissioned pieces?

1.5 -2 x dia. works for a proportional head.

I'll use more or less depending on the look I'm after and what kind of stress the piece might see or the shape of the area where the rivet is.

Hey Holz,

Sounds like you're off to a great start!

So many of us started just like you - an interest grows into a passion for the craft.

Welcome to IFI! You'll fit right in around here.

I use only reclaimed materials for all of my products.
Everything from old farm/heavy equipment to discarded furniture.

A woodworking friend and I recently purchased 14,000 linear ft of Bankari and Brazilian walnut that was rejected at a lumber yard due to yard damage and customer rejection. All of this was destined to be cut up and headed for the dumpster.

Everything (well almost) gets used. The small drop from larger projects gets turned into smaller pieces or used as components

It's amazing what's out there if you have a little imagination.

Here's a couple of pics of what it gets used for.

Watch out for liability---if you build a mailbox designed to cause harm it can cause legal problems later.

Exactly Thomas. That's why I put the - would you, should you - statement on my post.

I came home one day to find my mail box crushed and the 1/4" wall pipe and plate mounting-post bent in half. There was a note on the front door from a witness.

Turns out that it was a road rage incident where two fellas were combat driving and one lost control of his 70's era P/U and went off road over my mail box. The witness said the plate the box sat on caught the side of the truck over the rear wheel-well and sliced it open like it was made from tin leaving about a 4 ft gash down the side - the truck then took off without stopping - I'm thinking the guy got a surpise when he looked at what happened.

When I had put that post in a year earlier, I wasn't thinking at all about it being bash resistant - just wanted to make sure it would stay where I put it.

A buddy of mine used a piece of cast iron water main around the mailbox then welded fins using one quarter thick by three inch wide plate along the long length all around the circumference. He spaced them about one and a half times the width of a baseball bat apart. He got the idea from a fella who was besieged with bashers.

The fella told him the fin spacing increases the chance of the bat (or whatever) of getting hung up and wrenched out of someone's hand. It also slices pumpkins to pieces.

I don't remember what he used for a post and anchor.

Do you want to do that? Should you do that? Does it work? I dunno - but he never had any more evidence of someone taking a swing at it. Maybe just the site of that monstrosity was enough . . .

We got a couple of buckets of those at Ft Vancouver as a donation.

It slips my mind as to what the guy who donated them (he worked for the RR) said they were. Some sort of clip I think.

You're right about them being hard! We made lots of punches, chisels and the like with them.

A friend of mine makes his living producing tongs and punches for other blacksmiths and specialty fields. (gstongs.com)

If you find the right niche and market yourself well, it's possible to make a fair living.

What are you thinking of doing?

Welcome Chuck!

You'll find all sorts of info here and some great folk.

Enjoy!

Let us know how it goes!

My first one didn't look anywhere near that good.

I did 6 years in an 1840's shop - and it's up to par with many I've seen.

Great job!

Hey toymkr,

Shoreline, is that up around Bainbridge?

Welcome to IFI - this is a great site - you'll get all sorts of good info and conversation here!

Hey Maddog,

Give these folks a try.

I incorporate rare earth magnets in my wood-work to hold metal elements in place.

Good selection, fast shipping, economical and no electrical shock risk!


Amazing Magnets

Great link Archie!

What an opportunity for that fella!

Jose,

Amazing pics! Hope you and the neighbors didn't get scorched.

Welcome Craig!

Glad to have you join us!

A couple cold packs for more sanitary treatment of burns. Burns infect much more easily than most skin penetrating wounds so a soak in the slack tub can result in infection. Some guys keep a little bleach in their slack tubs but I don't like it's corrosion promoting characteristics and it evaporates pretty quickly too.Frosty

Thanks Frosty!
You're right on the money. Using the tub is something I've always done over the years and never had issues with it but certainly don't endorse it as advice to others.

Welcome Frank!

Look forward to hearing your input!

Welcome Neal!

Glad to have you participating!

Welcome Simon!

Glad to have you onboard!