ThorsHammer82

Have you named your beast yet? what a beauty.

I'll buy the lump charcoal if thats what I need. Same size requirements as the coal? I was thinking maybe 1" chunks and smaller, but if I've gotta go to 1/2" or 1/4" I will on the coal. I'll take some pictures when I get a chance to work on it again. it's definitely not pretty, but it will get the job done.

Its my understanding that fire bricks are more dense than regular bricks. The wet area might not be as deep as you think. You might try cutting 1 to see how wet the inside is. If they haven't fallen appart yet from the freeze thaw cycle you're probably safe from that. but you do want to dry them out before you build anything out of them. stack them up a safe distance from a fire. Close enough to get warm, but not to close that they get hot. The warmth will get the moisture out without causing the bricks to explode from rapid expansion of gasses.

I'm in the same boat Kolby, but I'm on the wet side of the state. I'm almost done with my forge build, then I will start on my Anvil build. I'm starting with a RR Track anvil because I could source the materials for free. I've got a connection to a local rock quarry so I'm going to try to hit them up for some other large chunks of metal to see if I can't come up with a second heavy anvil for free. we'll see how that goes. I'm an avid hobby welder so moving to forging, to me, seemed like the next logical step.

I've found that the guys on this forum aren't so much anti newb as they are anti lazy. basically, do your research, find the information that's right in front of you. Some times this can be harder to do than others, but so far, they've been very helpful to me at least. 

eventually I'll get to an NWBA function, but for now I'm still an armchair blacksmith. Hammer time to me means the same thing as hood time. Nothing beats doing for learning and the more you do the better you get. both in welding and what I'm hoping I will soon find out in forging.

I've gotten about 90% done on my brake drum forge. All that's left to do is trim some sheet metal and build a frame out of angle to keep the fuel from falling off the table. I'm using an old small propane BBQ frame as the base to give you an idea of the size of the table. I'm going to end up at $0 cost for both my forge and anvil build. I plan on finishing up the forge this week, and starting on the anvil next week.

But my question has more to do with fuels than it does with the forge build. 

I found a score at a garage sale this weekend. A bucket of Coal. Lumps the size of soda cans. What size is best for forging so that I'm getting a decent fire but not wasting a lot of fuel?

also, I plan on using briquets for the most part as thats whats available in my area (that I've been able to locate in my limited searching) do I need to do anything to the briquets before I use them? of just start a fire and throw them on?

Correct my noviceness if I'm completely off base here, but with a lack of a power hammer, to get depth, wouldn't it be easiest to cup the pieces to allow you to use thinner material, but still get the depth desired?

if you're looking to make "thank you" items, many domestic auto brand logos will be easy to form as key chains, wall signs, etc.

Just remember to pay that Karma forward.

Timothy,

I think you're compairing oranges to Apples. If you build something for a singular purpose, a gate for example,  there is only one thing that it can do. Be a gate. It can't be used in more than 1 purpose. therefore, yes, the maker would be liable to injuries as a result of interaction with said gate. But even than certain injuries would be exempt form any fault of the maker. Smashed fingers because someone stuck their hand through the gate while it was closing. That injury is souly the fault of the injured. However, a knife. which has multiple civil purposes (cutting food, cloth, rope, carving, shaving, skinning, etc) as well as having the ability to cause bodily injury to others if used in such a way. The injuries forced upon others are the fault of the user, not the maker.

The same goes with nails. they can be used to hold any number of things. It is not the makers fault if the nail is used for horrific things.

you said you turned down a military contract based on moral grounds. Thats great, and a luxury that living in a free country affords you. No all craftsman have this option however.

I think that spirituality always has two sides. It can be used for good, and it can be used for bad. But even good intentions can be turned into evil things in the hands of evil people.

If Bach was writting for Justin - You should blame him! The modern  PC. thought of "don't blame the maker is a crock" The guy/company that made the Sarin gas and the guy/company that sold it to Syria is as guilty if not more so than the Assad regime! If you know its moraly reprihencable don't do/bye/make or sell it-period. I think/believe that you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you!

 

That said I also believe in "an arm,  leg, spleen And an eye for an eye" :)

 

I think that smithing can be very "spiritual" and it can be a total grind usually more of the latter when you are making money and more an escape and thus spiritual when there are'nt deadlines or vast numbers of mindless repetitions to stupid deadlines.

 

The folk who "follow the trade" as it were seem to be mostly the salt of the earth(whatever their induvidual beliefs or religion) and I for one feel blessed to find myself in their company! 

 

Sorry for the rant,

Ian

your pointing out oppressive regimes who more than likely demanded those products, both gas, and nails in ancient times, under threat of death not only for the worker but for the workers family. Can you still blame them for making said product? 

I'm sorry but personal accountability only comes into play when free will is allowable. the same reason why some people are convicted of war crimes and some people were just following orders. a drunk driver hits a pedestrian, you don't blame the car maker. Someone get's fat, you don't blame the person who made the fork and spoon. 

Sorry to derail the thread, but you need to take into account all the variables before you place blame. and I'm sorry. I refuse to call a craftsman a criminal for building a product that could be used for any number of purposes, whether it be a nail, or a knife, or an axe of a gun. after it has been made, it is the user who is responsible. not the maker. and you cannot place blame on innocent people for the actions of criminals.

holy crap, people still roller blade?

now back to the subject, my wife was given a wrist guard to sleep in as well, though she hasn't worn it in several years. but hasn't hade any issues lately either.

in the long run hot dipped is far cheaper that primer and paint. hot dip once, paint and primer every 5-10 depending on use and location.

Spiritual?? I don't know. Blacksmiths, like all others, are good and bad, and do good and bad. I was reminded once that a Smith made the nails that cruified people, and many other insruments of torture. Me, I just make pretty stuff, for the most part.

Blaming the maker for the use of a tool is like blaming Bach for Justin Beiber. The blacksmith who make the nails that crucified people was just making nails because someone asked him to make nails. He didn't know what they would be used for, and even if he did, a paying customer is a paying customer, and as many members here can attest, making a living as a blacksmith isn't exactly the easiest thing to do.

This is something I wrote for the passing of a well respected member of a welding forum that i'm part of. I feel it'll ring true here as clear as the call of an anvil.

"Heaven is not a place where the streets are paved with gold. It is a place where people are at peace and never out in the cold. Heaven for me is not wings and harps and song. It's beads and sparks and tongs. My heaven is a work shop filled with every tool. A place that cleans itself and is always the perfect tempature of cool. The beads are always perfect. The settings always true. and when I pass through those gates to join those who went before me. I'll dawn my hood for the last time, for there's work to do before me."

I'd love to see your designs for that? Cool idea!

Just an image in my head right now. I've got a long way to go before it comes to fruision.

Just for future reference when I do get a real anvil, should it be rusty, wouldn't sandblasting the non-working surfaces be a complete no-no?

 
 
Do you mean like this one? Made by one of our members, Keith Mahoney, (who also happens to be secretary to the UK's National Blacksmiths Competition Committee) It was seen at various UK shows on the NBCC circuit in 2012 (for details of this years shows go to www.blacksmithscompetition.co.uk and see similar quality items on display at them)

Chest by Keith Mahoney 1.jpg Chest by Keith Mahoney (1).jpg Chest by Keith Mahoney (2).jpg Chest by Keith Mahoney (3).jpg

Yes and no, Yes as in the straping and details, no as it it doesn't incorporate the wood part of the project. My long term goal is to make two chests for my boys to serve as toy chests in their youth and keepsake/storage chest when they get older.

Here is a fairly basic chest I made. It is made form old packing lumber I hand planed. Hand cut dovetails. I made the hardware and some of the nails, the rest were antique nails recycled from an old cider press. I didn't make the lock, someday? I use it for a shooting box for my flintlock rifles.

Thats beautiful simplicity right there. and almost exactly what I'm looking to do. I'm torn on the curved top as the chests I want to make could make really cool coffee tables if I make them right... HMMMMM

I don't see much improvement in function here.  It would be a pain in the butt to forge tools to fit the hammer eye.  It offends my sensibilities as a serious craftsman it makes me want to say mean things.

Pain yes, but thats not to say it can't be done. and it still allows the use of hardy tools. something my little RR track anvil will not have the option of.

I'd like to see a treasure chest, where you actually rivit straps over the curved top and build corners and everything from scratch from the rivits, to the corners, to the straps to the latch/lock and hinges. as for the video, The project is cool, the video itself could use some work. A lot of off center action, and out of shot action. I can't critique the smithing as I don't know enough yet to voice my opinions on that.

Function before form guys. Function before form. That being said, The prettiest girl in one town could be the ugliest girl if she moved to another town. It's all about what you're comparing it too. As it stands, His anvil is much prettier than mine.

If they were hot dip galvanized than moving parts are going to get locked up. end of discusion. if you want them galvanized you need to have all moving parts separate, and they need to be made to account for the added material build up from the hot dipping process.

Next time just have them do the parts separately, and assemble them after it's been dipped.

I'm thinking if I cut to between 1/4" and 1/8" and score the face with a cold chisel I should be able to get a fairly clean break. at least nothing a little grinder work wouldn't be able to clean up.

alas, that is one of the few tools I don't have, a metal cutting band saw. Thow it is on the list.

Definately. The only real smithing I've done was in boyscouts 15+ years ago, but I'm an avid welder and there is definately something spiritual about working with metal. I'm currently in the process of building up a small hobby forge to add to my metal working abilities and knowledge and I can tell you without a doubt The time I am most happy is when I'm manipulating hot metal to my will. I think the only thing that could make me happier, is when my boys 3 and 11 mnths are old enough to learn. I find my zen when I'm welding. creating something from metal is not only a test of skill, but inginuty and artistry as well.

The only reason I ask is because I've got a few sections of rr track. all are under 4' long, closer to 3' or less. All were torch cut. I'd like to clean up the ends but not cut off/waste more than I have too. The two longer sections will be cut to matching length and used as the base for the shorter section which will be dressed to look like a traditional english anvil as best I can with a grinder and cutting torch. I'd like to have a clean cut end oposite the horn which would mean using the 14" chop saw to cut it clean but I want to know if I need to cut all the way through with the saw, or if I can get close and than manage a clean break at the track surface. I plan on leaving the top side of one of the supporting sections hanging out on the non-horn side of the base to give me another area to use as an anvil/hardy tool giving me the best of both worlds as far as track anvils go (vertical and horizontal possitions). In order to do this I need the ends of the supporting tracks to be straight meaning a torch cut is out of the question. The vertical track will be sunk into some hardwood to act as the base. of the full height anvil.

no, I'm 6'5" can anyone give me a recommendation on the best approximate final working height of an anvil for someone my size?