arkie

Mel, two hints on the Dempsey twist tongs: First, make the twist at yellow heat and slowly on mild steel. Twisting too cold and/or fast will lead to cracks. Second, whether you use the anvil edge, a bottom fuller or the horn when drawing out the reins, also do that at yellow to orange on mild steel or you will likewise form cracks....it's OK to planish or smooth your reins at lower heat. Higher carbon steel like sucker rods, coil spring, etc. should be worked hot.

Jonah, that's a pretty slick rig...thanks for posting.

That "cleaned up right nice"...ready for the Saturday night dance!

I love John Wayne...remember it well.

An ex-spurt (aka "expert") is simply a drip under pressure....

Here's to a speedy recovery, Thomas. You'll be in our thoughts. Get well soon, we'll miss you.

That wrench next to the ball peen hammer is probably a Collins or Coes brand (Google "Collins wrench" or "Coes wrench"). If the wooden handle is in fine shape and the rest of the wrench is likewise, it can be fairly valuable. I picked one up for $17.50 at an old shop and found one in identical shape online that sold for $160. I now have two hanging in the shop, one a Collins the other a Coes. If it's in bad shape, it will make a fine twisting wrench if you weld a handle on the fixed jaw.

Another superb job!! Keep 'em coming!!

Good luck with your surgery, Thomas, and we're all wishing for a healthy and speedy recovery!!

That behemoth is going to set off all the seismographs in the Eastern USA!!! Wow, that's huge.

James, I think your approach to smithing is taking the right course...patience, look, listen, read, and learn. You have gotten some good advice on many matters so far. One I particularly would reinforce is the tong issue. Even though I've never used them, CMS3900 had a good recommendation regarding the Ken's tongs. Better to start with one or two inexpensive, usable, fully functional, well made tongs to work with rather than be frustrated with (1) trying to successfully make your first set and (2) not having tongs that will work as designed. Then, as you progress, make tongs that suit your needs. You will bugger up some of the first, but then that goes along with the learning process. Happy forging!

Panzer, spread some small gravel, say 1/4" to 1" size, over your dirt floor. No dust and easy on the feet.

That's gonna be a fun project and challenging. You'll come out OK, I'm sure. BTW, I assume that was a typo and your footers aren't 20' (feet) but really 20" (inches). Will be nice with all the windows for ventilation.

Robert, I'm sure your wife will do wonderfully. Mine had both of her's done 12 years ago at age 60 and still going strong. The absence of pain will be a wonderment to her.

Ben, you are making some very nice looking tongs. Your progression from the beginning to now is wonderful. I really like the shoulder on the boss, but darn it, I'm too lazy to go to that trouble...maybe later when I have spurt of creativeness. I have noticed that a lot of the competition farriers use that design, like Craig Trnka (sp?). You must do a lot of farrier work.

See if you can locate or buy a copy of the book Mousehole Forge by Richard Postman. It's fantastic reading about the history of the Mousehole Forge and the process of making the anvils. I'm no history buff, but my son got me a copy of Postman's Anvils in America and the Mousehole Forge book for Christmas one year and I was mesmerized by the Mousehole book. I think I have read it three times now, and I don't even own a Mousehole anvil (I have a Hay Budden).

BOA Meetings scheduled for May, 2017: NW Chapter: May13, Mountain Home, AR NE Chapter: May 6, Crowley's Ridge State Park, AR Central Chapter: May 20, Stuttgart, AR PM me for details if interested in attending a chapter meeting. Visitors always welcome.

That Estwing is a quality hammer, so if you grind the peen to make a gentler curve, do it SLOWLY! Don't grind any more than you can comfortably touch with your hand or you run the risk of removing any temper in the hammer head. Cool the peen or wait for it to cool before resuming grinding.

Until you can rig up a hood and/or smokestack, just get a pedestal fan or mount a box fan on a pole and direct the smoke away from you.

Nicely built forge! Heavy firepot, good. You're gonna love those big wheels.....

Welcome to IFI. You'll really enjoy it here. You sound like you are happy in the wilderness in AK. We have several here on IFI in Alaska. Get to know them. Frosty, where's Frosty????????

Use them as bases for bench grinders, tools, post vises (although they usually aren't heavy enough), post bases for fans, lights...all sorts of things. After you cut them up, you'll find a lot of uses for them had they been left intact...Murphy's Law.

Don't apologize for your English...your discussion is easy to follow. Thanks to the guys here who speak some French to help guide US along....

I find that strange, as most blacksmithing organizations are geared toward attracting new members and helping those wanting to learn more about smithing....??? You most likely won't encounter any apprenticeships in blacksmithing organizations, just folks eager to spread the knowledge of the art/craft. Wish you were close to Arkansas...we'd help you best we could at the drop of a hat!

missourikid, look into BAM blacksmiths' organization in Missouri. That might be a good source of contacts, information, coal and to learn the basics of blacksmithing. You might even have some members close to you.