notownkid

I'll agree with JHCC & Brian here "Three Nails Forge" would do double duty for you. You know what you are trying to convey and others not so enlightened will not notice the reference. Being in business even slightly in business is not the location for "conversions" in my eyes. It is far more important that you live and honor your beliefs by practicing them quietly 24/7. In the end run that will do you the most good in business. But also in the end it is what makes you happy with a name is the most important but just keep track of the bridges you might burn on your trip to happy. You have by now noticed this a tough group to ask opinions from. They from all over the world with hundreds of backgrounds and beliefs or disbeliefs for that matter. Everyone tries to have your best interest at heart even if it doesn't come off that way sometimes. Enjoy your Forge!

From what I can see of it in the pictures I'd buy it PDQ and have it in my shop by morning. Not many swages around for sale in my area.

a lot of us are Non Profit and not by design.!

Left out was NJ, and a couple of different dialects in Maine alone, us Native Vermonters (those few of us left) have our own as well. I know my way of "VIL" like village is the correct way and the rest are all wrong. That should start it rolling along can't wait for the njanvilman and frosty's reply!!!!!

here is a picture I have of a striking anvil of Brian B's which I took a few yrs. ago in NH. I hope to make one similar and it looks like a pritchel hole in the corner.

An uncle told me once many years ago "Just because you eat breakfast doesn't mean you will see lunch". He didn't realize just how true his words would become as he was killed in a truck wreck near his farm one morning. Deepest condolences to Preston's family..

After 60 yrs I feel I'm an experienced Beginner. I say I was apprenticed so long the guy died to get away from me. I became highly skilled in certain aspects of Blacksmithing, starting the fire, cranking the blower, picking up the shop area which was an open slant roof thingy which was a treat in VT in the winter. As for the rest what I thought I knew a lot has proven to be wrong and what I was sure about with age I've forgotten what it is, or was or might have been or where I put it down last. So all in all I'm experienced in making scrap and noise along with smoke. I have saved a lot of historic tools & Items from the scrap yard and information from being lost to the dust bin of time. I'm making plans to pass them along to the next generation if there is one. It worked best when I learned not to take everything so serious, Important thing is I'm Happy.

She is now at rest and on to a much better place after a full life. she left a family that loved her and Nothing else really matter. Lisa will have her memories of her mom forever. One can't ask for more than that. You are all in our prayers Dale & Carol

I haven't seen the thermometer higher than 24F in 5 days, -13F this AM and suppose to be colder tomorrow. May get above freezing Wed or Thurs for a few hrs. Went to the shop today to check on my 4 wheeler's battery maintainer told the tools I'd pickup where we left off in late March! Enjoy Mr. Powers and the rest of you "South of the Border" blacksmiths.

I have an old tool box & tools I'm giving to my son that HAD a bunch of assorted sizes 1/2" sockets, guess it will be a tad lighter when he picks it up. Super idea Jim. AH this very true, most everyone on this site will have your back but need the info needed to form an answer. In 1964 when I had my first computer class we were told "Garbage in Garbage Out" if you put in the right info you get the right answer out, as true today as then. PS from what I see you have the pick of the litter (minus myself) working with you here.

I knew I should have put radiant heat tubing in the concrete floor when I did the blacksmith shop.

Fabulous Work Thanks for sharing.

One of the smarter thing we did when we built this place is radiant heat under the floors and in the concrete of the basement. regardless how cold out the floors are warm. now saying that, how long do you suppose it would take a 213lb anvil that has been in the shop at say average temps of +20F to warm up enough to be a heat mass setting on the radiant floor? Either way the wife says no and my son seems unavailable to lend a hand in moving it so I may load it in the car and take it to Florida with me. Bet that is another NO. Oh Well

I tried that a couple minutes ago and thought it would work till the wife said "I suppose you got that idea from IFI?"

New England Blacksmith's Pres. at the Murrell Metal Shop in Colraine Mass. holds an anvil repair event every Jan. and have for many yrs. They repair anvils there on that day but I know this yrs. has bee sold out for a while. Look it up on NEBs sight and call for next yr. I would think it better to go where they have done MANY with good results than somebody who can weld and has opinions on the rod. They have a number of experienced people on hand that day to do the welding and you do the needed grinding. Never have heard anything negative about this event. Esp since you are in NH.

#1 Get my blacksmith shop finished. #2 get finished moving in in general house & other shop.

All that mutant says. I ran auto dealership with pair shop, we used a number of not expensive cast vises as we needed 7 at a time worked for us and some got pounded on hard changing u-joints till we bought a small press. Not everyone starts out with everything they want or think they need.

very nice indeed

any size you have is perfect size esp. if money is tight. It beats Nothing at all. My shop is within 75' of a 3 story barn and while it is a small concern I just watch what I do and keep an eye out for possible dangers.

I was tolling the internet looking for Blacksmithing places and IFI popped up, I spent an hr. looking through the site and joined to see more that night. over 3 yrs ago now enjoyed every time I've been on and have met many neat people here. Unless I'm in the bush away from electricity and internet I check it a couple times a day. Most educational place I have found.

To all our "Down Under" friends Merry Christmas today you always are ahead of the rest of us! If you don't celebrate Christmas then Happy what ever holiday you do most of which I can't Spell. Enjoy the day and prepare for 2017.

the wooden blank ones on the bottom are the ones I've seen in a number of NE Museums. I don't think I've ever had a horse that would have enjoyed these. Seen enough so some must have.

I'm sure they do as well, I have that book. Headed to CT for Christmas today so will be away from the library. Have a great Weekend.

Shoes for caulks were last I knew still made esp. for heavy horses. The ones I have somewhere in my shop have two holes in the toe area and one each side of the heels and caulks were driven into the holes. I have also seem some that the holes were threaded and the caulks were as well so they could be taken out if the horses were not going to be used for a time. These caulks would raise up the foot an inch or more and have the horse balance on these 4 points when on hard floors like the barn or truck going to the woods. They were sharp and would tear the floors of the stalls up and the truck or trailer floors. they of course had pads of leather under them, before the days of the plastic bubble pads. Horses were stopped and had their feet checked before going in the barn or truck as they would ball up and slide across the floor, with these sharp caulks aiming at everyone in sight. We had the little snow hammers on all the teams on their hames and used regular during the day. Regular horses that are kept shod during the winter have the pads and welded borum on the toes and heels for added traction on ice days even in the pasture but again all should be stopped before going in the barn and cleaned out. I've heard of horses severely injured sliding on the floors and falling. Even unshod horses in winter will ball up and slide on the floors can't be too careful in winter. Like the snow hammer we always had hoof picks hanging by the barn door and when I finished cleaning the farm out I took them down and brought them with me I'll rehang them by this barn door as soon as they reappear. Somewhere on here I posted pictures of tractor chains made from old caulked heavy horse shoes that I picked up. In cleaning out a couple old barns I've found and kept boxes of caulks again lord knows where after the recent move. I've seen in museums horse snow shoes of wood with wire/light strapping type holders to go around the hoof??? Never have talked with anyone who used them or saw them used. I also doubt I've ever owned a horse that would have put up with that, I figure one step and instead of the cow jumping over the moon it would have been a horse on his way to the moon. Pictures I have of teams hitched to the road snow roller of old they didn't have anything. Our winter ox shoes had rolled heels and toe pieces for ice/traction but we tried to keep the oxen off anything that was ice.

While in a stables helping to harness and hitch a new team I saw a farrier use one of these on the horse he was shoeing. I mentioned it to him as not seen one used in a while his reply was, under his breath, "The owner is holding the horse" AH was my reply.