Go here on google.
http://books.google.com/books?id=kbLmAAAAMAAJ&dq=american%20blacksmith&pg=PR1#v=onepage&q&f=false
To download the pdf, on the upper right click on PDF. It's about 77 mb.
Sorry Grant. I was refering to the ebay seller. Here it is.
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-41-AMERICAN-BLACKSMITH-MAGAZINE-ANVIL-VISE-FORGE-/150525488516?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230c04ad84
They are also selling it as a buy it now for $16.57. You can look at several issues free here. http://books.google.com/books?id=kbLmAAAAMAAJ&dq=american%20blacksmith&pg=PR1#v=onepage&q&f=false
Most light dimmers are not built to handle motor speed control.
You can try something like this.
http://www.harborfreight.com/router-speed-control-43060.html
I came across this on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/BUFFALO-FORGE-35-BLOWER_W0QQitemZ290503109539QQcategoryZ26224QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5125611967266798238
You may find this interesting.
http://www.math.psu.edu/dlittle/java/parametricequations/spirograph/SpiroGraph1.0/index.html
Or this.
http://michelle.esfm.ipn.mx/~mrspock/spiro/
If you have access to a lathe, turn a circular groove in the end of a rod so that when struck it will make a dot impression surrounded by a unpressed ring(from the groove) then surrounded by a ring impression.
Mark has a couple of books out and is working on a third-
http://markaspery.net/www.markaspery.net/Home.html
Not inexpensive but well worth the money. Book 1 would be a great help if you are getting started.