SpankySmith

That snake is just AWESOME!!

When I first took my basic one day intro class we had to sign a waiver first thing, before the class even started, absolving the teacher and the shop and even the folks at the college who organized the class of any and all responsibility, acknowledging that we knew blacksmithing carried inherent risks, etc, etc, etc. I'm sure there's a basic such waiver that could be modified easily available online. If I were just showing a couple of friends how to blacksmith, I probably wouldn't worry about it (that's just me, not saying you shouldn't worry about it!), but anything beyond that, yeah...a waiver would be involved.

This is my everyday carry, I made it some time ago, have given a lot away. Pretty basic but I like it because the hook lets me hook it on backpack, pants pocket, beltloop, whatever. Very handy.

They have liquid, calling it water is a bit of a stretch....

These make me immensely grateful for some early training when I worked in the Steel Industry, when I was taught to THINK FIRST, THEN THINK SOME MORE, ONLY THEN ACT. Sure, I've violated that more times than I can count, but it's also saved my bacon more than once.

The UVEX I bought were #3 shade also. Charlotte, that's still true down here, fishing is for sport, definitely not for eating!

I'm with JHCC, I would think a cutting disc on an angle grinder would make pretty quick work of that. IIRC those kegs aren't the hardest metal in the world (or so I've heard, being a Good Southern Girl I have no actual experience with kegs, of course. )

Hope everyone who has an outdoor quench bucket remembered to dump it with the coldest weather moving in. Here in Sunny Alabama it was 13 degrees when I woke up, was glad I remembered to dump mine after losing a bucket to the cold once before.

I bought mine on Amazon. I looked at some local welding shops and quite surprisingly they didn't know what I was talking about when I said I needed some IR glasses! I think UVEX brand was the one I finally settled on.

I'll have to look on my refrigerator! The guy's card is stuck there, I'll let you know when I'm back home again and can look. I just have a Lincoln Electric flux core welder, but I had previous experience with a chop saw drawing down hard on a regular outlet, so I took the precaution of putting in a dedicated one for the welder. Works like a charm.

I investigated this issue at some length when I first started Smithin, as both cataracts and MD run in my family. I asked my own ophthalmologist and he had no clue, had to research online to find out about the IR danger and take precautions by buying some IR glasses. I never forge without them, keep a spare set for any hangers-on, too.

Esse, I had a dedicated outlet installed for my welder, if memory serves it cost something like $50 to get installed. Worth every penny.

I've seen and admired that picture before but didn't realize it was old shovels. How cool,is that?

I've had the privilege of seeing this set in person, it truly is stunning. But still....Al.....get back to work, you've had enough time to rehab that shoulder! LOL!!

Al, you have ENTIRELY too much time on your hands!

I had given up on finding one in this area and quite literally stumbled upon a Metal Recycling/Scrap yard while out driving around some back roads. Called them and they were only too happy to sell, I visit regularly now. Just dumb luck finding it.

That's just AWESOME!!!

I have an uncle who removed a ring finger coming down a ladder, he slipped and something on the ladder caught his wedding ring - goodbye finger. Ouch!

I've sold and I've given away and hands down, no contest I much prefer giving stuff away. Thankfully I don't need smithin' as an income source. Also it's easier to suck at something and give the stuff away than to suck at it and charge! LOL! Maybe when I grow up some day to be a REAL Smith I'll get back to chargin' for it.

Paint it Crimson and you could sell them faster than you could make them down here in 'Bama! Roll Tide!

Flip side of the problem, as others noted, is if you buy scrap the cost drop is nice. I was at my local scrap yard yesterday, hauled away more than I could load without help for just a few bucks. I haven't bought "retail" steel in forever, not when a good scrap yard is so close by.

I use this, got it from Lowes, ($15) caught some flack for using it because it's plastic, everyone told me that was a bad idea, but it rocks as a quench tub. It's very thick plastic, I've never had a piece so much as make a dent in it from heat. I keep a trash can lid on it when not in use (it's outdoors). It is quite large, looks like a traditional wood half barrel (I've had a few people think that's what it is until I pointed out the plastic)

Sweet, I like that.

One of those "why didn't I think of that" things. Genius! Thanks

Day after Christmas the Athens Forge Council meets, they've had coal the last several meetings. IM me and I'll get you the guys email, he'll bring whatever folks need. WOMAN of Iron. ☺️