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I Forge Iron

Ian

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Everything posted by Ian

  1. I've still got the centre punch that Brent gave me in exchange for a copy of some of my European leg photo's when we met at Alan Ball's place in Oz a few years ago. Only ever had to redress the point once in all that time. Really nice bloke and very good tool Smith
  2. G'Day Doug, great to see all the photo's of my fellow Pom's efforts, as well as everyone else from around the world of course. I'm wondering if the leaves I made up at Moony's were included in among the Aussie contingency? No worries if they were, quite like the idea of being an honorary Aussie :)
  3. Looks like it was yet another great year for MOONY's 'Get Hammered' event. Now that Alan Balls 'Hot Iron Muster' is most likely a thing of the past (a real shame and down to his very poor health) this looks set to become one of the biggest of the Aussie Blacksmithing shindigs. I hope that I'll be able to make it over again, Glenn is one of the nicest blokes and I know that he has to work his ---- off to make this thing happen, along with some other blokes (like my other great mate from down under, Dale Russell) and that it put him out of pocket to do it, so i hope those of you lucky enough to go enjoyed yourselves.
  4. I've really enjoyed reading this discussion I too have had a lot of people who come by the forge ask what 'period' I work in. To the point that my stock answer is now "from about 10am till 5pm, Wednesdays to Sundays" After that I will at least usually go on to say that if you could bring ANY metal worker from the past into my shop he would be able to recognise most of the tools I use. In my own view it was the introduction of water power, firstly in liquid and then in steam form that allowed the introduction of labour saving machinery into the blacksmiths shop, all of which had a huge impact on what could be produced and at what rate, but the essential process of heating it and beating it hasn't changed at all. I love the fact that I can produce work as my ancestors would have done using the tools that they would have had available but I equally love the fact that there are tools I have now to use that they didn't. For me it is the creation of the piece itself that is important, far more so than what I use to produce it
  5. I'd agree with Beth, a kid that age willing to sweat for a fair old while is as rare as hens teeth John, one that'll sweat and then turn out summat that looks as good as that is as rare as rocking horse... well you get the picture Good on you mate (for taking him on) and good on him (for proving he was worth taking on)
  6. Some very good things to listen to here. I'm also on the first steps of making a living from Blacksmithing, but I've already found that it's vital to educate your potential clients as much as possible before you give them a price tag for something. I've got three jobs on at the moment and each of them are going to make a profit. Not a huge profit but a profit none the less. If I hadn't educated the clients as to why their 'lamp', 'custom hanging brackets', 'rose arbour arch with built in benches and planters' etc were going to cost 'x' amount when IKEA sells something similar for less than half the price then I'd have really struggled to turn any sort of profit at all. All my clients have actually seen me at work, two have even had a bit of a go at forging themselves, net result they can see that what we do is ruddy difficult and is worth the money we ask for because not everyone can do it. I place a large emphasis on the traditional skills we use over mass production, the artistic and unique nature of our products and the pride and attention to quality we place on every item that comes out of the Forge doors. I also have more than one avenue to generate income, in fact right now I'm part way through applying for an adult education teachers course and also a job at a local adult education centre. One will give me recognisable qualifications to teach, the other will pay me a decent rate for doing so. Best thing is, I'll be teaching Blacksmithing there if it works out.
  7. Hotels?!!! Bed and Breakfasts!!! Eh? I thought Aussies were the rufty tufty outdoorsy types? A proper shower? An outdoor dunny WITHOUT the budgies? Witchcraft I tell you!! It's not natural! Man, what I'd give for a chance to be out in the outback again.... city life sucks, but it's a necessary evil right now. Hope everyone has a blast :D
  8. IMO way too little. You can stall those motors by hand with hardly any effort. You need something with torque.
  9. Always good to see more Englishmen arrive, even better when they stay. There's a lot of folks from all over the world here to pick the brains of, enjoy yourself.
  10. Those piccies look lovely John. Great to get to have a brew and a natter today, always nice to put a face to a name and to know there are fellow tykes venturing south of the border I hope you or some of the lads can make it over to the shinding in August, I'll let you know if the fifth is a definite goer as soon as I can. It's not down to me but the 'powers' so it's anybodies guess. If we can myself and Sean will try and make it down for the Iforge weekend too. Funds and time permitting. Tomorrow we're off to do a demo at a local show and we've got two messages about other possibles as well. Things are starting to move, this is the one pace forward I was telling you about! all the best
  11. Dale working some more branches at 'Get Hammered'

    © © Ian Lowe

  12. Phil (Forgemaster) at work while Dale looks on

    © © Ian Lowe

  13. Ian

    Dale at work

    Dale forging some of the branches for the memorial tree at Glenn's "Get Hammered" last November while Phil gets ready with his own piece in the background

    © © Ian Lowe

  14. Ian

    Dale and Phil at work

    Dale and Phil at last years 'Get Hammered' hosted by Glenn 'MOONY' Moon at his workshop in Braidwood NSW

    © © Ian Lowe

  15. Ian

    Dale and Phil at work

    Dale and Phil at last years 'Get Hammered' hosted by Glenn 'MOONY' Moon at his workshop in Braidwood NSW

    © &copy Ian Lowe

  16. Hi John, I've heard of the NHIG and support what they stand for (even knowing I wouldn't meet their standards just yet, still gives me something to aim at eh?) I've no transport but I'll speak to Sean and try and convince him it's something we should go to. It's be a great chance to meet Lucy and the family and have a look at Fire and Iron. If you're going it'd be a chance for me to fill you in on the trials and tribulations I'm going through in person, give me a ring tomorrow afternoon if you like and I'll have a definite answer (07899780703). Can't make any promises mind, like I say, not my van but I will do my absolute best. Sunday we've got a demonstration day at a local event in London, looks like a busy weekend may be in store :D
  17. Very nice stuff John, any chance you can show us the rivet header/snap you used for attaching the scroll. There's not a lot of room between the back of the rivet and the scroll and it'd be nice to see how you did it.
  18. You'd be more than welcome to stop by my shed when you're back in blighty phil. It's central London, Stepney way. Send me a PM if you're interested
  19. She'll be right Phil, Sheila's dig scars.... I'm with you 100% about not having folks sitting down near the anvil, either hand or power. Done it myself and ended up with a hot off cut sitting in my lap winking at me thanks to Brother Sean working six feet away. Lucky I had my apron on...... I'm trying to get hold of some decent polycarbonate or THICK perspex to make shields for when I start demoing at the farm or out in the wilds. H & S is bonkers over here at the best of times, when you throw ankle biters into the mix it's not even funny
  20. Hi John, I'm really sorry, I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to log onto the site for ages and I completely missed this weekender. I'll try and see if we (myself and Sean) can make it over for the one in September (I looked on the guilds website) We might even try coming along to one of the shows the guilds at nearer to London before then. If I get a chance I'll send you an email with a bit of a progress report regarding what we've managed at the Farm in Stepney, it's not been, nor is is yet, all plain sailing but things are moving forwards. We might be having the Farm relaunch in early August now, but that's to be confirmed. As I say I'll fill you in on the details by email. Sorry I missed what looked like a good weekend and please consider yourselves welcome to come up to the smoke to say hello any time you're in this neck of the woods. Ian
  21. You take off your glasses after a days work and the room gets noticeably brighter? You then have to blow on your glasses to make sure it stays that way. They make a crackly rasping sound when you put them back on? (fine grit really is a pain). Latin fun: Ad Malleus et Manus omnis artes statumen
  22. Agreed mate, they have a tendency to try and warp/move so you lose the nice straight lines from the chisel. Thinking on it, would putting a twist into the tail as you looped it round on itself help? I'm thinking that your stretching the outside and compressing the inside so a twist might let you keep the lines in order by off setting that. I've got a dead clear image of what I mean in me head and can't explain it properly > Might just have to make one and try it for myself to see whether I'm talking claptrap or not...
  23. Sorry John, I wasn't clear what I meant by a four way twist hammered back to flat. As you rightly say four cuts down the centre of the bar, twist a set number of times, flatten back to square, four new incisions down the new centres, then twist back in the opposite direction half the first number. I could have made one faster than trying to explain myself properly. LOL I helped a student (Manni) make a dragon door knocker that had a tapering pineapple twist for the body and tail. Fun but quite challenging to make it look right. here's the link: http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=25319
  24. If I was making that shape I'd forge it from square stock. Make a very short 90 degree bend in the stock. Forge down a shoulder right next to the bend, leaving the mass for the hammer head over the edge of the anvil and then shape that to roughly the shape of one side of the hammer, draw down the handle, then split the piece down the middle of the mass left for the head and fold out the two halves.
  25. I don't suppose anyone has a source for these in the UK do they?
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