divermike

Great job, I am planning to build an outdoor forge, with primitive wood log surround, and I want to do just about what you did, I have the firepot, and blower, I plan to put in a stack as well, terra cotta flue surrounded by a wood frame, just have to draw it up and wait for good weather.

sometime ago I got a whole pallet of rivets for 18 dollars, I finally got the collection into my new pole barn, so many different sizes and types, I gotta think up a project just to make something out of them. If you have a specific project that needs rivets, I may have what you need.

As I have been unpacking from the move, I have been making those discoveries, some pleasant and some not so, but this most recent one stumped me, it looks like a power hammer die, don't know how I got it or where it came from, anybody recognize what type it is, what hammer it might go to???

I was in an abandoned building recently and came across a worn out old work bench, it made it home with me and I ripped the top boards off and mated my stake plate to it, and it seems to work just fine, during the move my stakes got rusted up, and now I have a bit of a job ahead of me to clean them back up, but they are at long last in place and available for use.

here is a batch of wizard head openers I did some time ago, for Christmas orders. And some fork beetles.

I am in the same boat, I even got a blister where there used to be a callous. Anyway I decided to just start by doin fundamentals again, and taking breaks by playing on the power hammer. It is coming back faster, because I decided not to let the frustration mount, just go with the flow. Hammer control memory starts kicking back in fairly quickly, just be glad you don't have a master breathing down your neck and watching your every mistake.

beer..you can get paid in beer??!! yowsa, keep at it, lookin good!

I like it! well done on all!

Books, newsletters, cheap Pakistani ripoffs, nature, necessity. But mostly books, Schmirler, Aspery, almost anything from Blue Moon Press, and of course, here!

nice job on those black frog! I want one!

Jason, look up the new york state designer blacksmiths, I was a part of that group, they are great! They meet at the arc and flame center in Rochester, Candace and Brian do a great job running the meetings. Also there is a southern tier chapter, great guys down there as well. Welcome to the group!

I really love the diversity this group represents. I have consulted my insurance carrier, he is totally on board, next is the attorney, in all businesses it is good to have a "first line of defense". That is what the waiver essentially constitutes. I have spent many hours in contract and legal classes, so this is not new to me, I just know that as I know about some things, the business side of blacksmithing is among the least, thank you all, keep it coming!

Gentlemen and Ladies, I am almost ready to start my first classes in the new building, I have always taught under someone else's flag, but now it is going to be MINE...ALL MINE BWAHAHAAH, URK COUGH HACK.. anyway I need some waiver language for the signoff form, and as I was cogitating on it, I had to palm slap my forehead, you guys must have it allready!! Would any of you instructors take the time to message me with your language please?? The more the better, I wrote my contract as a home inspector by starting with a great base contract and adding as I saw fit, problem is, I don't have any base this time, but some of you do! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, take the time and get it to me. I have 4 students ready to go when everything is set, and only the insurance and waiver are waiting, the insurance is just about done.

I met him just after talking to you Wayne, if he is who I think he was, I bought a small forge from him. I am saddened by his passing, I also will ring my anvil for him.

I have learned to break things down into stages, if I am making a lamp for instance, I will set out to do one arm, and do it carefully and completely, it helps to focus on just one aspect. Or if I am doing wizard heads, I will just do the taper on several, and get them correct.

I have been looking for a little brother anvil to my Peter Wright 170 lber. I figure when I get my trailer set up for demoes, a nice small portable PW would be ideal. Well a fellow I met at quad state had a nice little 72 lber and he even drove it over to me!! It is in fine shape and just perfect for what I wanted. I am very happy to say that now I have a travelling forge, and a travelling anvil, the rest is gravy!!

I knew Don, every time I took a class in an odd location, or went to a hammer in somewhere, that guy would turn up. He looked ok at quad state, dang, he will be missed, that guy logged a tone of miles and touched a lot of folks!

A fellow I recently met was telling me a story about a buried anvil he remembers from childhood. We were discussing various topics and he comes out of the blue with this story. When he was a young man, aprox. 50 years ago, his grandad had a HUGE (according to him, maybe 750-1000lbs) anvil mostly buried in a spot he knows exactly where it is, with the point sticking up for something they did back in the last century. He told me he would be willing to help me dig it up, because he is interested in learning a bit about hand forging. He is building a post and beam building, frame is already up. I told him he absolutely needs hand forged hardware for it and I would tutor him in crafting some, if he was willing to make a deal on this beast. He seemed totally in line with this, and come the thaw, is willing to join me with the metal detector and go find this beast! I think it might be a horned bridge anvil, not sure. Problem is, May is a looong way off, and I find myself awake at nights thinking about it. Agh....patience grasshopper...

Arkie, thats the way to explain the solution, I was getting ready to do it, but yours is done so well I need say nothing further about it.

GMOORE...That was some flood! I was in Atlantic City with some inspectors who had to deal with that disaster, sheesh, talk about headaches, roads and bridges gone etc, hope you came out ok!! Glad the stand held up!

I may take it apart and see if it in good enough shape for that, once again, it is the time thing, just have not gotten there yet, but if that works it's gonna save me about 24 bucks, so thanks!

Fired up the gasser the other day, flames rolled out and a little flame caught on the stem of the gas valve, kinda frieked me out, have to contact the distributor to send a new one! some modification is needed anyway, it is on a stand, but still too low, gotta raise her up!!

No idea on fees, but having a copy of ABANA's controlled hand forging would be a great place to start training the trainers.

oooooooo...aaaaaaaaa we wants it, we wants it!!

welcome from Michigan!!