primtechsmith

.....wish I could go.....

I second Thomas. Take a bunch of pictures and give us a detailed report. PLEASE.


Peyton

There are people from time to time who tailgate at the meetings. One guy shows up usually and has a few blowers, but no guarantees.....as far as the 5gal. bucket is concerned.....you can ask around when you get to the meeting. There are always folks interested in things like that.

Hope to see ya on the 19th!
Peyton

I bought one of those hammer a couple of years back....it was ok. It found its way into Iron in the Hat the following meeting. I think the reason the hammer is so cheap is because it is not finished...The handle needs to be taken out and put in more securely...and it is quite soft. The hammer was very dead and the face was getting messed up forging hot material...but then again I may have gotten a bad one....good luck.

I use a Tom Clark....it is some what a Hofi style. I bought one from him and not Hofi because I met Tom and Tsur at Quad State and I had some cash.....best purchase I have ever made.

Peyton

got a new planishing hammer and some mini anvils(up to almost 50 now!)....they were for my birthday not christmas though....same day so close enough! LOL.

I did get a new leather recliner for christmas...a relaxing place to read up on my blacksmith books and somewhere to draw out new projects!

I feel guilty for this year......I came out so good I feel like a thief! LOL!!!!!

Peyton

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone!!!!

Peyton

We use rock dust......its about 10 buck a truck load. I have been to Tom Boone's shop where he has a concrete floor with his forging area being gravel. There is a slight step down to it...pretty cool. Best of both worlds.

I like the softer flooring. Easier on my back, feet, legs, etc....and a lot nicer to pieces I throw on the floor to cool. Also a little bit of work with a rake and its brand new. Also easy to level stuff too....just dig out a little on the high side....

my .02
P.

The shop I work in is laid out to conserve the heat of the maerial you are working on, and physical steps....ultimately time is saved here with this layout.

The layout has the slacktub tucked in close to the forge. Partly under my blower...
The anvil is directly in front of the forge.
And the post vise secured about 4 ft in concrete on a monster piece of square tubing.

Everything you need is a half step away.....not pictured is a swivel shelf on the post vise corner of the forge...this will swing out to be beside me while I am working at the vise(holding chisels, jigs, etc....) There is also a hammer hoop on my post vise that holds a "cold" hammer. This is when I want to lay into something cold....we never use our forging hammers to strike cold metal, chisels, punches, etc....

Here is a visual....Top view of what I am talking about. I got a bit bored today at work....the kids are all working on an open book test. So I have the day to be bored out of my skull!!!!



Hope this helps.

Peyton

can I soften up the end I want to hit? I don't want a chisel hard from end to end....to a hammer hardened all the way from face to face. Bare with me..........if it ain't cold or hot roll I have no idea....LOL. Even then its hit and miss!


Peyton

stroke..................

Right inner forearm....Mike had me practicing using jigs and long heats to make big s hooks out of bar stock. Also a good lesson in drawing out a taper on bar stock.....anyways. The piece was NOT hot enough and I slapped it in the jig and went to bending.....well she jumped out of that jig and into my forearm.

I pulled out the bar stock....it kinda sunk in a little.......I then looked over at Mike and he reacted just like I thought he would: With a smile and "Not enough heat. Saw that right off."

Later that night I dug around it with my pocket knife to try and facilitate the natural wonders of healing by letting it bleed and scab over to fill in the "dent" left behind. It never bled when it happened, guess it cauterized itself.

That was a good one...wasn't as bad as it sounds...but it was deep and hurt. Makes a cool story now though when someone notices the scar.

I am also always burning Mike......he asks to see something I am working on so I just hand it to him....hot(black heat).......I am just a good apprentice doing what I am told. Nevermind the fact I have a welding glove on and am handing him the hot end.....


Peyton

Don...
Mike and I joke about that scene from time to time. He introduced me to the Lonesome Dove series....I love a good western.

Mende....
Mythbusters revisited that myth later on and got a smith out in their area to use his gasser to heat them up and then quench it in what looked to be "super quench".....he also let them take back what looked to be an ozark(Tom Clark Ozark School of Blacksmithing) anvil to use for the tests....the results were about the ame. Nothing exploded just some cracks and chips. Cool none the less.

Peyton

Hello everyone.
I just finished talking with Alwin about his demonstration coming up on January 19th 2008!
10am-3pm
Location: Yesteryear Forge. Amelia VA.
!!!!!!!!!IRON IN THE HAT!!!!!!!!
Lunch provided

Alwin has some great things in store for the meeting:
~bear heads
~roses
~fluxless forge welds
~free shaping fire shovels with a swage block and vice (as opposed to using a jig or shovel form) which are then forge welded to a shaft
for a one piece fire tool
~different leaf forms
~making a corkscrew
~making a bottle opener
~and dragons

It is going to be a very FULL day of interesting thigns to see and learn.

DON'T FORGET:
Trade Item: "Something that lights the way" Forge a Candle holder, lamp, etc...
look here for more details and ides: http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f47/upcoming-trade-item-4256/

PLEASE RSVP TO ME FOR A LUNCH COUNT ASAP!!! president@blacksmithguildofva.com

Thanks,
Peyton

All, many of you may not know this, but ABANA does have
and will continue to develop, educational/training programs.

At present, and as a direct result of the ABANA Survey, we
are reinvigorating the Journeyman Program. Bob Bergman is
the chairman and originator of this program, Dan Nauman is
on this committee and there will be others named to this
program committee soon.

The Controlled Hand Forging lesson series is the handywork
of Dan Nauman, Jay Close, Tom Latane, Peter Ross, Tal Harris,
Bill Callaway, Derick Glaser, Bob Fredell, Doug Wilson, and
myself as ABANA Board member.

You can find out more about this link:

[ABANA] Controlled Hand Forging

Presently there are lessons 1 thru 15 posted and soon we
will have updated them thru lesson 21. These lessons are
a valuable resource for those who want to learn.

As for the Journeyman Program, it will over time incorporate
the fundimentals of Controlled Hand Forging and provide
a networking resource for those seeking a career path and
the shop owner seeking qualified employees

Stay Tuned, ABANA is on the move and I hope you will join
us in uniting the Blacksmithing Community! Please check out
the [ABANA] The Artist Blacksmith's Association of North America, Inc. home page for an exciting educational offer.

Bob and Dan have the list of over 100 people who have volunteered to help this
program.......Peter Ross, Nol Putnam, Tom Latane, Caleb Kullman, Bruce MacMillan,
and the list goes on, Jonathan Nedbor, and yes Gerald Boggs....this is you isn't it.

Yes I am that Gerald Boggs :-)

Nice work.
Good to see some more Virginia people coming around!

Peyton

That is REALLY cool! Good job.

Peyton

tbr.
That's a great proactive attitude to have. It has been really great to have these discussions on here to get everyone from the nay sayers to the supporters and everyone in between involved in the discussion...

I would also like to know the stance of those in other parts of the world...that would be a cool addition to all the discussion that has already occurred. There are a few affiliates of ABANA that are outside of North America...

Peyton

20 mule team borax, coal, air, patience, and my 2# Tom Clark cross pein...

Couldn't resist...

Peyton

I know who really is to blame....the apprentice.

If you don't believe me just ask Mike (yesteryearforge).......I "put things away" all the time that he has a VERY hard time finding. I thought it was a good place for it!!!! Doesn't that count for something????!!!???? LOL!

Peyton

Nice idea. I like making key fobs....I have a few ideas bouncing around in my head now with making some.....thats now in there with the others!

Thanks for sharing.
And congrats on your first customer!

Peyton

lunch time!!! Deli

Time....
Make sure you are careful when forging tubing.

Some things to remember:
*Heat will travel up the material a lot faster than it would with solid steel.
*DO NOT breathe any of the fumes of the plating that may be burning off.
*Plug the end of the tube. It is creating a vent for all the heat and/or fire from the forge to travel up and out.
*Be careful when you quench it...steam will escape from the open end and will burn you.

Just some things I have found useful for forging tubing....I know I missed a few...

Peyton

I went ahead and posted the 2008 schedule on the guild site for everyone to start planning their road trips!!!!!!! This is going to be one heck of a great year!
Blacksmith Guild of Viriginia - Home to see the schedule.

Thanks.
Peyton

Just in case some of ya'll haven't yet. The survey is on [ABANA] The Artist Blacksmith's Association of North America, Inc. at the bottom right of the page is a link. Sharing your views in the survey means ABANA WILL hear you.

ABANA is the 600 pound gorilla in the room sometimes that no one wants to mention. I am glad we have had an opportunity here to express our concerns and aspirations for them. The more we discuss this I think the closer we can come to making ABANA better than it has been.

It's easy to say you won't join an organization because of specific issues. But those issues can never be fully adressed if no one takes an active roll in change.

I teach Civics...and I always hear people's political views when they find out I teach government. I always ask them....Do you vote? If the answer is "no" I then ask: How can you complain or argue with a system you choose not to participate in?

ABANA is only as strong as its membership. Together I think we can all take our views and ideas to help ABANA represent all of us. From those like me(a 27 year old beginner) to the professional and beyond. ABANA does not serve all of my needs but by paying my membership and having a vote come election time my voice counts for something, and I can approach individuals as a concerned member. ABANA is not a perfect organization, and there are aspects I am not happy with but I think we can all work to make a change for the better.

I guess what I am trying to say is that it is so easy to point out the faults and problems in something when we are not involved in it. But how can change come if none of us takes on the challenge of doing so? I for one will keep my membership active...

I hope we can keep this discussion going...

my .02
Peyton

make room Dan.I'll sit awhile too....

This is a letter sent into the CBA for their newsletter. It has appeared on several sites I have seen and wanted to also share it here. Mr. Aspery makes some great points here.

Peyton

I have copied this from: Alex Bealer Blacksmith Association |

Article from CBA newsletter by Mark Aspery



As the article appears on the Alex Bealer Blacksmith Association web page which is copyrighted, the quote has been removed and a link to the article put up instead. Site Admin