jake pogrebinsky

Gentlemen,i have to say this.Frosty knows just what a freak i am,and the rest of you are just about to find out.I only wish that i was articulate enough to explain how strongly i feel about this,and,in the same time,how i respect everyone else's thinking-please believe me!But: YOU ARE VERY WRONG!!! Electronics,mechanisation in general,is what's killing blacksmithing. QUALITY in forging can ONLY be achieved intuitively-by forging.IT cannot be substituted by CAD,or anything else. Scrolling tools and jigs are the beginning,completely mechanised production is the logical end.In between-the loss of anything valid both to you,and the customer. The shapes of the ironwork are determined by it's crystalline structure,and the weakness and the inefficiency of a human hand is exactly what ALLOWS it to take place,not INTELLECTUALISATION. And,yes,of course i'm starving,holding these views. And,yes,they'll pry my hammer out of my cold,dead fingers,when i do finally croak of malnutrition and my pathological,misguided stubborness,but: Verily,i say unto thee-do not degrade our poor beleagered trade any further,and thyself in the process-let the WalMart perjure their eternal soul-go forth,and FORGE something...The cost-,and other efficiencies are for the bean-counters,not blacksmiths. With the absolute respect to all of you,Jake Pogrebinsky,Galena,AK.

I'll second Mark on all that.Nice setup,but there's no provision for an ash-dump.That will nesessitate a clean-out once an hour,or so,as well as before and after work,so if you can,try to use coal that makes clinker,rather than ash.And what you have in there in the photo looks suspiciously like briquets-you don't want to use them,too much clay mixed with that charcoal dust.The real charcoal they sell at the stores is way sexy-pure as the driven snow,and kicks the heat right out,but goes away right now too,and is way too expensive,so that the soft,bituminous coal that makes clinker is your best bet.Best of luck!Jake.

Nice hot-spot,looks like you're in business.I'm terribly envious of your access to coal-flying it in here at more than $1 a pound...must be nice!

Thanks,gentlemen.

Well,greetings and salutations to everyone on this,the most esteemed of the ironworking forums.It was most kind of Glenn to invite me to join,can only hope not to give him,or any of you,a cause to regret it. I owe all of you a debt of gratitude,for,though unelectric,and certainly unelectronic,for many years,through a good friend,vicariously,i've learned much of what i know from this forum-thanks a lot. I've been forging now for,oh,8 some years,and learning,if anything,to keep my mouth shut,and listen-the main blacksmithing technique,i find. Of formal schooling in this trade(or any other)i have none.3 years ago,a local charity has given me a grant to attend Mr.Hofi's class,in his shop,but that particular event was cancelled,and,having many constrains travel-wise,i ended up buying a LG25 instead-a terrible trade-off,but could not 've been helped at the time. If anyone's interested in seeing some of my junk,here's a link:http://picasaweb.google.com/jakesiron.,but computer-retard that i am,i screwd something up,and it can only be found on yahoo... Again,thanks to everyone here for carrying on the noble trade,much flattered to be here.Safe and constructive forging to all.Respectfully,Jake Pogrebinsky,Galena,AK.