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The vice/anvil combo is likely a Champion thats not particulairly useful as it valuable to, i shutter to mention the word, collectors for what I've seen them things go for at auction would make ya cry, you could buy a decent no name london pat and a post vice. And for upseting the hotter the metal the better(not quite welding heat but close)you be able to move a lot more metal per heat.

Hiya buddy, Welcome to IFI you've come to the right place to get all the info you need, but first click on User CP at the top of the page and add your location so you can get hooked up with people that may have knowlege about your specific area(suppliers,groups,etc) check the blueprints and getting started sections, they have lotsa forge plans with the simplest being the 55 side draft. I built mine out of a old gas waterheater tank ,some vent pipe, clay and a hairdryer... check out my page below for the details

im from quite near hagerstown

Your village called, and they're requesting I return thier idiot. This works well for me since I dont have any real customers other than "hey buddy" jobs from friends and inlaws

I'd bet for not too much $$$ you could rebuild that motor, or failing that I'd bet you could find another murray(or at least a similar product) for less than that. Check CRAIGSLIST. BTW HD customer service leaves a bit to be desired in my area, not that lowes isnt nipping thier heels on crappy service and no better prices than the local hardware store, but perhaps you could pass that on the leadership, but for the mean time support your independant hardware and building supply dealer :cool:

What map are ya referring to?

Whelp, I took the plunge and decided today was the day I was gonna make my first pair of tongs, now I've been dancing around with this for some time now and had even gone as far as cutting out all kinds of stock to make 'em, and I decided to start from scratch with a piece of 3/8ish sq 31" long and made them as described in Blacksmith Craft-Charles McRaven, except I drilled the rivet hole instead of punching. I also made a kettle hook for the fire irons.

Its up here in Hagerstown on Burhans Blvd(24 miles From Frederick) called Steffey and Findlay, the have a www. site I cant seem to find thier # at the moment. the last time I bought coal about 2-3 weeks ago (pocohantus nut is what you need to ask for) it was $10.50 for a 65 # bag or around 210 a ton, if your interested in splitting a ton le'me know.

Tell us more....

Jerry I get poco "nut" from a place in Maryland that has all those same qualities, I sometime end up with one clinker like that after about 10-15(2 days of forging) hours, but usually its a little smaller

Sounds like more than I started with, although I've just started working on some tongs I most still use channel locks or vice grips, and my "vice" is old small champion bench vice mounted to a telephone pole scrap. My first forge was a propane torch. Dont be afraid to upgrade or change your tooling, and at the same time dont feel like you HAVE to change something that works for you just because it doesnt seem like a traditional blacksmithing technique, unless of course that is your goal(aka to smith in a style of a particulair time period) or maybe you'll find you would rather create mixed media works of art/sculpture, or whatever floats your boat thats the greatest thing about "blacksmithing" it can be whatever gets your juices flowing, dont pigeon hole yerself, If you're concerned about not having enough tooling check out tzonoqu 's website about 'smithing in India.

Thanks Frosty I'll keep my eye on 2010, less of course Dan Ryan homes keep popping around the ranch, I may just sell out, pack the truck(tools, guns, and a toothbrush) and take Johny Hortons advice. LOL

Thanks for the tip welder, They're in Ephrata Pa, which happens to where the only Sonic (my favorite fast food restuarant) north of southern VA is, and I jsut looked at theyre specials and found i can probably roof my shop for about $30, lots better than the 300 I was gonna have to shell out to the evil orange empire(home depot) lol. Thanks

Oh my, atleast I can say 1 good thing about living in Maryland, I've never seen hail like that... btw Frosty thats a nice lookin shop, might be worth a trip to AK to see.

Whats an Oliver?

well at least we've still got smiths in india will to work for penny's a day(and they can smelt thier own metal). Like Ten Hammers said, I'm glad that smithing isnt my daily bread maker, cos noone wants to hear that that Fort Megis axe is 75 buck cos its hand forged, when you could go to the next tent over and buy one thats cast, from who knows what metal with mold lines and poor casting drips hangin off of it, for $25 bucks. So my heart and prayer go out to the people that depend on smithing for their income. "steppin off the soapbox"

Mother in laws are over rated as beasts of burden, they keep spitting out the bit, wont pull a straight row to save thier lives, less of course you beat 'em half to death then they're still no good... although a new hammer is always nice. ;)

Not that it hasnt been said before, but an anvil can be anything, it doesnt have to like a mousehole or london pattern, a big flat chunk o metal from the scrap yard has been many smiths first anvil, also many large bench vices have a large anvil like area on them and can be found at flea markets and such quite cheap, and a forge can be built for a few $$$ check this out to see how I build mine with hand tools and a hair dryer, and I still use it 3-4 days a week for the last several months. RED CREEK FORGE also check out the getting started pages on this site as well as glenn's 55 forge blueprint, cheap, simple and effective every thing a tool needs to be. Dont be afraid to think outside the box and for goodness sake boy DONT MAKE EXCUSES, use your brain and start bending some metal, trial and error is part of the learning curve just exercise a safety minded approach and keep a journal of what worked and what didnt.

Sam, Sounds great I cant wait for the updates!!! MORE POWERS!!! WOOT!!