stonetrooper

Back scratcher. Definitely a back scratcher.

The favorite that I have seen is Dan Tull's shop in Georgia. He calls it "DAN T'S INFERNO". Get it...Dan T's instead of Dante's.

Thanks. I'll be here all day. I have read of the dangers of forging with galvanized metal on another site and, being new to blacksmithing, would have easily made that deadly mistake had I not. There are other guys out there I've seen on the forum that are new that may not know of the consequences of forging galvanized metal. I figure it can never be repeated too many times. Check out this link of a very experienced blacksmith who, for some unknown reason, decided to forge with galvanized steel and died shortly after. Shop Safety III Zinc Metal Fume Fever If anyone wants to donate money to a fund for Iman, send a check to my home address and I'll be sure his children, Bigtime Eediot and Shesure Izzan Eediot, get it. You can make the check out to my name.

I recently finished reading a great book called "The Joys of Forging with Galvanized Metal" by Iman Eediot. It shows all sorts of things to forge by heating galvanized bolts and other galvanized metal. I emailed the author to tell him how much I enjoyed the book but oddly enough was told that he died shortly after publication. Does anybody have any thoughts on this book?

My wife would kick me up and down the street if I were to spend $2600 for a hunk of iron. Nice anvil though.

I was trying to do my Ed McMahon impression from the old Johnny Carson Tonight Show. "You are correct, sir."

You are correct sir. I was going to mention it but I was not sure what it was called and I didn't want to look stupid on the forum so I just went with anvil and forge.

In the movie "Fly Away Home" Jeff Daniels plays a metal sculptor and there was a scene with him in his shop with a forge and anvil.

I'm new to the forum. Philip, what are you doing in China? Are you from there? Did you move there? Just curious. Take care.

Cool. Thanks!

What is you favorite movie or song that features or mentions a blacksmith or blacksmithing? One of my favorites is in "O Brother Where Art Thou" at the very beginning when the George Clooney character says, "Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?" http://youtube.com/watch?v=9jZFD255UYI&feature=related There are also several scenes in the movie A Knights Tale with Heath Ledger of blacksmiths and armorers making armor. Lots of anvils, forges and iron being pounded. http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Utj_42t1YY Another one of my favorites is in Wagner's opera Der Ring des Nibelungen. I guarantee everybody has heard the "Ride of the Valkyries", the piece played in Apocalypse Now when the Huey helicopters were attacking the village. That piece is from this opera but I digress. There is a scene where the Gods descend into the underworld to recover a stolen, all powerful gold ring. Here is what it says in the liner notes. "During the interlude the hammering rythym of the motive associated with the toiling Nibelungs grows more and more insistent, and finally passes out of the orchestra all together to eighteen tuned anvils heard behind the scenes. In this striking sonority the theme grows louder and then fainter again, as the journey takes us past the forges where the dwarfs work, and eventually the darkness clears to reveal a subterranean cavern, which seems to open into narrow clefts on all sides." Here it is on Youtube around 1:20. Needless to say this is my favorite part. I love hearing all those anvils being hit then they just fade away as the Gods leave the toiling dwarves. I bet an opera has never been mentioned before on this forum. I apologize in advance for trying to bring a little culture and sophistication to all you blacksmiths. Can anybody think of any more?

Stop teasing me. What is the 55 Forge? I'll be starting to build my forge from a cast iron sink soon but would love to know if there is something better and easier to build. Do tell!

I stopped back by yesterday on the way home from work. Turns out the blower is a Lancaster Champion. I told "the old man" that I've researched it and have found prices ranging from $75 to $100 for one that works. This one is stuck pretty good. Has anyone else ever tried to buy something and your eagerness to buy it makes the seller hesitate and not want to sell because they think you know something they don't? That was my impression. When you think about it he never would have given that blower a second thought had I not stopped by and shown an interest. He said he bought it for $100 but never used it. I told him I would definitely put it to use if I could get it going again. I said it was a risk for me because I very well may not be able to free up the blower and would be wasting my money. I said I wanted it mostly for the challenge of trying to fix it. He said he would ask somebody else (his son or son-in-law) if they wanted to sell it and give me call. Either way is cool. I'm sure I'll find a blower some where. Again, I've had lots of people on this forum offer to sell.

Ironrosefarms. What are you doing up this early? I guess you boys in Indiana start work pretty early. It's funny you mention your father in law. My father in law is another one that I'd like to upload all his knowledge. Yesterday he helped me put a used B&S engine on my lawn tractor that I threw a rod on last weekend (see "Doesn't that just beat all" post). I say he helped me but really I helped him getting tools and doing what I could. Mostly I just marveled at his knowledge of taking an engine apart and putting it back together. He had never done this kind of engine before but he knew what he knew and figured out what he didn't.

Unfortunately this man is not a blacksmith or I guarantee you I'd volunteer to be his striker. He is an old man who does wood working, tinkers around his workshop and can build or fix anything. Basically a vast bank of knowledge. For those who have seen the movie The Matrix you remember the main character having that hole at the base of his skull where they could attach a cord connected to a computer and upload knowledge of anything from taekwondo to how to fly a helicopter instantly into your brain. I always wish I could upload into my brain all the knowledge of some of these old men I run into. I know that it's taken them years and years of mistakes, busting their knuckles and blood sweat and tears to acquire that knowledge and that's what it will take for me. I could hang out with some of these guys all day just talking.

Have I been assigned my first mission from the members of I Forge Iron if I choose to accept it? OK. I'll do it. This post will explode in 5...4...3...2...1...BOOM!

Thanks to everybody for their responses. I may just make an offer and have fun trying to get her running again. If I can't at least I'll have something to hang a hat or coat on. Or I can sell it to some unsuspecting dolt who is just getting into blacksmithing....oh wait, that's me.

Yesterday on the way home from work I stopped by this house that is about a mile from where I live. It's on this country road and the family runs a florist shop. Anyway they have several barns and in front of one of the barns there is an anvil. I stopped to ask the owner if he has any blacksmithing tools that he would like to sell or knows of anybody that does. He said he has had lots of offers for his anvil but he's not selling. This guy was great. Your typical "old man" who is so full of knowledge you could sit and talk to him all day and just soak it in. Anyway, he did show me an old blower and asked me how much I'd pay for it. He crawled over a bunch of junk to get to it and was unable to turn the handle. My question is how much should I offer for a stuck blower knowing that I may or may not be able to fix it? Are the odds usually good in freeing up a stuck blower. I love the feeling of satisfaction bringing back to life a dead tool. I was thinking $35 since the going rate of a working blower seems to be $75 to $125. Like an idiot I did not get a look at the maker. I may stop by today and ask to see it again. Everybody out there who has a blower and has contacted me I have not forgotten about you. Just biding my time.

Right now the thing at HD is to "get more aprons on the floor" meaning more employees in the stores. They of course have to find the money to divert to the stores. How do they accomplish that. Laying off 500 people at the corporate office a couple of months ago and cutting back on alot of other things. I was a customer of HD before I worked there and I experienced the decline in customer service so no argument here. I hope to be a part of the turn around. You can do it. We can help. Also no argument on your last statement.

So what you are saying is instead of a clinker you had a........drum roll please....a stinker......(buh duh buh).

Great narrative. I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation. Wonder how my first experience will be.

I'm going to have to find this engine used some how. I spent $500 for the Murray and it was used. No way could I spend $500 plus for a brand new engine. I need something in the $5-$10 range. I'll hold my breath. Seriously I'd be willing to spend $100-$200 for a good used engine. Thanks for the links to the websites. What is the horse power of one sheep? The Murray is 14.5 HP.

This is the boat I'm in. I too create things. I'm am a graphic designer for The Home Depot in marketing and advertising. I spend months upon months sitting in meetings, sitting in front of a computer, pushing a mouse around, making requested changes to an ad (move this down a little, make that a little bigger). All this just to sell some products from The Home Depot and make someobody else a lot of money. After all of my effort and stress of sitting in Atlanta traffic driving a 50 mile, one way commute, the thing I create runs in the paper, is glanced at by millions then is unceremoniously put in the trash or under a puppy or bird. By then I've already moved on to others ads where the process is repeated over and over again. The reason I love blacksmithing is the act of taking something like a 1/2" square iron bar, heating it till it's pliable and shaping it into something functional that will outlive me by hundreds of years. I do alot of woodworking building furniture and other pieces that are functional. I've always thought what would happen if you left one of your iron pieces out in the weather and a piece of wood furniture. Even though the iron piece may rust, it will outlast that wood furniture by many, many years, centuries perhaps. I have found pieces that had been on the ground in my barn for I know 60-70 years that I know were created by a blacksmith. You just know it was not bought at Walmart or made in Chinese factory. I cleaned them up and they are still usable. Longevity. Leaving something behind once we pass from this earth that people will be able to say: "This was made by my great great grandfather in 2008 and I'm now passing it on to you."

TOO-shay DRSJP. If I did not know any better that is the way I would pronounce. Thanks to everybody for trying to clear this up for me.

Yes and no. The other mower is just so I don't have to stop cutting grass until the Murray gets fixed. The Murray is much more powerful and has the 42" cut which makes world of difference in the time it takes to cut. When I have the money I would like to fence in sections of my property and have some cows and goats. Used to have 4 chickens but my wife was not crazy about them and would not be crazy about having other critters. Please do not ever mention that home improvement chain that starts with the letter "L" on this forum again. I work in marketing and advertising for The Home Depot so if everyone out there can help me out please do ALL your blacksmithing shopping at The Home Depot. What the heck are electric tape and plastic posts with solar powered chargers used for? Kidsmith, I may still be interested in your blower if you can let me know when you'll be in GA. RBrown, let me know what engines you have that meet the criteria I listed at the beginning. An hour or two north of Atlanta is no problem for me if the price is right.