civilwarblacksmith

I personally would not make the firepot any thinner than 1/4". With a 1/4'' firepot as long as the forge is not used day in and day out at 8 hours a day, you shouldn't have to line it with anything. Any thinner, you will have to line it with a refractory clay or cement.

I like the size of it. Seems to have plenty of working room.

In most cases depending on what material and the thickness of the firepot and the amount of time forging usually will decide whether you need to line it or not. If you are using a brick fire pot, such as the one I had at the homestead; line it with clay or some refractory material. It keeps the brick insulated and stops them from cracking due to heating and cooling. If you are using a fire pot of 12 gauge mat. (3/32 in) It need to be lined. 1/4" in thickness for a fire pot I would say doesn't need to be lined if you are just a hobby smith and it is not run 8 hours a day all week. Once you get to 1/2'' plate and up no lining should be required. As for the pan area surrounding the fire pot. Doesn't need to be lined. The insulating factor of the pot should protect it.

When at a re-enactment and need to sit down to take a break and get something to eat. So your fire doesn't go out if it is mainly a coke fire, put a small chunk of wood in it and cover it over slightly. Your fire will continue to burn using the wood keeping the coke alive.

Always make sure you put pictures of your actual work on the website that you are going to sell and make sure let them know you can do custom work if you want to do custom work. Also an idea from a buddy and fellow smith from Mississippi Vance Moore, use your business cards as your price tags. That way they get the price of the item as well as your card.

Lot's and lot's of business cards. I used to sell a good bit on e-bay but due to rotator cuff surgery in Dec. it has cause to barely be ready with inventory for current events. I made sure to send business cards with every purchase. If it was to a re-enactor, I added extra cards so they could pass it on. When I go to events, I always make sure cards are out and now with the web page have gotten work. Check local fundraisers that are being done by non-profit groups who are looking to have businesses place adds in program flyers. They are usually fairly cheap. For a 10 dollar add you could reap alot od business.

brass hammer

I think it looks in good usable shape, as is. A few nicks along the edge can be taken care of with a grinder. If the are deep, get a welder with some hard rod and then grind them flat.

Make sure the shop has plenty of ventilation. If you can put a solar powered or regular powered fan in the gable ends of your shop or the highest will help greatly to draw alot of the heat out while pulling a draft through windows and eave vents. Drink plenty of fluids. You can also buy neck wraps that an absorbtion material inside of it. You soak these in cool water and the material swells. Wear it around your neck like kerchief and it will keep you cool.

Worrying about working in a small metal is no different than working in a large metal shop. I work at Evapco. We make commercial refrigeration and heating units like water cooling towers; evaporators; forced draft unit that you see on office buildings, hospitals, etc. Alot of metal in this place, more than in our smithies. The building is wood/metal construction. I work in the sheetmetal dept. running press brakes, shears and CNC punch machines. All we worry about is shutting the machines down in order to protect the computers. Only thing to worry about in my smithy is protecting any high dollar machine from a power surge.

When a married man makes a mistake, there is always a good woman behind him to remind him of it.

Just to ask. Do any of these places sell coke or charcoal? we might also want to add places that sell Coke and charcoal to the list of suppliers unless we put them into there own section. Some people need to use these fuels instead due to where they live.

Here are a couple of contacts with a guild in the Florida Area. FLORIDA ARTIST BLACKSMITH ASSOCIATION Pres: Bill Robertson 5079 Sundance Lane Tallahassee, FL 32309 (850) 668-2876 [email protected] Ed:Steve Bloom PO Box 760 Archer, FL 32618 (352) 528-6508 [email protected] Florida Artist Blacksmith Association Affiliate Liaison Rep. Bill Roberts -Ornamental Metalsmith Custom Design Metal Arts 3740 NE 40th PL. Ste. D Ocala, FL 34479 Custom Design Metal Arts Studio - Bill Roberts, Ornamental Metalsmith. Ocala, Marion County, FLORIDA Hope these help. If you are in Northern Florida or the panhandle, GA. or Alabama might be able to help.

The Blacksmith Primer by Randy Mcdaniel in either the book form (easy read and informative on a level a new smith can understand) or in the 3 set DVD. Would recommend the book first. Least expensive. Recommended by the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Blacksmithing Accademy.

This is pick up only as they do not ship. Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Maryland Westminster Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland $7.00/ 50lb bag members $10.00/ 50lb bag non-members

Lucky charms

Hollar!!!!!!!!!!!

If you make a bellows. Use a marine varnish as it will seal the wood from rain and other adverse weather. Also, use canvas instead of leather and paint it with the black plastic Dip-IT paint. It will stay flexible and should weatherproof it. Using the canvas will also make it easily replaceable.

Was looking for that blueprint. View the video on that blueprint. It will help also.

Here's a video from Youtube that will show you in pictures. YouTube - Forging a nail

confederate

Marriage or ball and chain

I have a blower (and if I ever get it back from the fellow putting new babbits in it, I'll post the name. It was Pitt and something) that is supposed to be dated 1857. It is a crank that runs on 2 leather belts. Hopefully he will have it finished this month.