ChiefCodeX

I have a drum rake forge (picture below) and after talking to a more experienced blacksmith I learned it had a few problems. First it isn't deep enough and I need to be able to put the metal im working on into the fire flat and not dipping towards the bottom. It also needs a way to control the air flow. I was thinking of adding a plow disk around it but then realized I need a flatter piece of metal, or I would ust be recreating the problem. Also I am trying to keep everything either really cheap or free.

The second picture is of the plow disk

DSW I know you mean by people not knowing how to put stuff together. The reason why I asked that question was because my dad does a lot of woodworking and I have grown up around it. Hopefully I'll be able to transition those skills over to blacksmithing. What I love about building/designing stuff is figuring out the best way to make it work, and having an end product that works really well. I do like the Christmas ornaments idea( Christmas presents maybe). Frosty thanks for the idea, and don't worry about coming down on me. I love all the advice you guys give me ( its actually why I love this forum so much.) I actually hope that members like Frosty, Glenn, and DSW and others will comment and add their experience and knowledge to the discussion.

What exactly do you mean by frabicating. Like putting stuff together, making sure it fits right?

Any advice on what shapes to start practicing with first.

I didn't think about water and electrical. The bellows I really want are the hand cranked ones. I almost hand one but the guy changed his mind( he was giving me an anvil, forge, bellows, and some metal, but he just changed his mind a said no when I got there). I used one out a Jerry w's place and they seam to work pretty well.

Would the rheobox allow me to control how hard the hair dryer blows or does it just turn it on and off

I wasn't trying to be rude and sorry if I was. I respect you and other more experienced blacksmiths opinions. Your opinions are why I use this website. Advice from someone more experienced then you is worth more than gold.

I certainly don't doubt that you are a way better blacksmith then I am.

What is an inline box,or a rheostat. I don't have a fire extinguisher but I have a hose and a bucket of water ready.

Ok so currently I'm using a hair dryer as my bellows. It's hook up to a brake drum forge by some steel piping. My problem is since I use charcoal it sparks up so much that I can't get near the fire when the hair dryer is on. This means I can't see the heat color of the metal or if its burning. Is there any way to control the hair dryer or should I find/buold a different bellow.

Here's i video i took of it. Please excuse it's shortness I was trying to take a picture. Also is there is a picture of my set up.

trim.csXuOL.MOV

Lots of knives get sold at these gun shows. For every 10 booths there's at least 1 knife booth. Knives sell very well around here, almost everyone is willing to buy one. Even if I don't sell knives at the gun show, I know gun forums and other places that will buy up knives like crazy. Even if there only 300 dollar knives. BigGunDocter I've seen a little of Dave Ramsey and his financial peace university, it's pretty good financial advice/plan. I'll have to look up Fiery Furnace and ask him some questions

Steve I don't know how much you've been around guns and gun shows, but I know at least around here guns and knives go hand in hand. Where's there's a gun owner there's a knive owner. In fact there are way more knive owners in texas then there are gun owners.

Jerry I've been wanting to join balcones for a while but the sign up sheet makes it sound like you have to be 18 ( 2 more weeks till then). Also I won't be able to go to any meetings for a while as I have wrestlin tournaments every Saturday. Steve Sells actually you'd be quite surprised how many knives get sold at gun shows. For every 10 gun booths there's a knife booth. They sell knives from anywhere between 50 to well over 300 dollars. Not to mention most of it is manafactured plastic knives. I personally go an skip all the gun booths and head straight for the knives.

DSW I understand what you mean by the little things. Fortunately some of those things I don't pay for at least not yet. I won't have to worry about electrical, water, ac, or stuff that comes with the monthly bill of the shop. I'm still a teenager living with my parents and my shop is an area behind the shed in our backyard. Not to say I don't have to keep track of the rest of it.

I was thinking about starting out by selling knives at gunshows, there's a goods market for them there. Also I could sell knives to people I know as I already have a list of 10+ people who said they would buy one from me. I could do this to start off then ease my way into contract work

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I would like to start a blacksmith shop. I'm a broke 17 year old junior in highscool. I'm curently still working at my first job and I hate it. Now with wrestling season coming up I can only work on Sundays. The inspiration behind opening a blacksmith shop was that I would be able to work when I want. That means i could work any time i free time. My question is how do I get started. I just got started blacksmithing and haven't really made anything. I know I should save up some money before I go completely dependent on this shop, but other than that I don't know much about running a buisness or how to build up my skill enough to sell my work.
 

I am a beginner blacksmith, who just got my hands on my first real steel. i would like to sharpen my skills, or begin to have skill I should say. What would be a good project for a beginner blacksmith, that would help with my hammering, or other skills.

All I know I it has Mexico stamped on it, and what my dad told me. Also it would not surprise me that most Mexican rebar is made from one material. In southern Mexico there are lots of derailments. Two or three a month. They once had twenty three derailments in one month

It has Mexico stamped on it

I have no problem with using or buying other steel. I have two huge piles of scrap steel at a friends ranch, i just need to pick it up. Also I got this rebar for 50 cents a piece, the idea was just get something to hammer on as I had no other steel. I have no idea of a project yet, I thought maybe a knife. I know it's hard because I worked it and it took quite a bit of hammering to work.

I know it's not the greatest i the world but is this Mexican rebar (not regular rebar) worth using on a project. I do t mind it being hard to hammer, I can handle that.

Well I know that they can't use it for building pools ( my dad works in the pool business) because when you try to bend it it just snaps and sends shards flying. That's why pool builders refuse to use rebar from Mexico.

So I bought some cheap rebar to practice with. I know rebar is not that good of a steel. I found out the other day that it is mexican rebar. It is made from railroad track and is very hard. I was wondering if that makes it a better steel than regular rebar, and does it make good steel to use on a project. I was thinking maybe tool steel.

Here's a pic

That and I need a stump for my anvil. It's a little low where it sits

Currently I'm practicing with rebar and a small sledge hammer

This is my first forge took me a couple of days, and 40 dollars to build. Tell me what you think.

never mind i found him