Du7ch

Another set of openers... simple and effective. I apologize if the picture is out of focus as my camera is broken.

I personally use El Diablo brand lump charcoal. We have it here in west Texas at Albertsons at $15 for a 40 lb bag. Seasonal of course but the season is fast arriving. Best deal I've found on a budget without a long drive or ordering bulk.

I've had some ideas but haven't quite tried them as I'm missing some tools I'd like to make first... Procrastination at it's finest!

Slightly old post but I must say, as a US Army Infantryman, that knife would have been a god send in my tours in either Iraq or Afghanistan. Keep up the good work. I hope to get to your level someday!

Hmmm.... A wooden chest, eh? Love to see your ideas for that. Been thinking about finding reclaimed barn wood and building a chest with all hand forged hardware and trim.

Unfortunately, the one thing I'm missing is honest to goodness tongs. I have various pliers and such that I use but haven't broken down and ordered the tong blanks from Ken's Custom Iron, which are less than $10 each due to the flat rate shipping. I can order 4 with the same shipping and handling cost as 1. Why waste that money at this time? I'll likely fire up the forge and make a set this weekend if my work doesn't get in the way (Working toward a promotion currently).

Funny story... Not 3 hours after I posted that last night (roughly midnight, and I was still at work, alas, I haven't been home in 3 days but can practically see my house from my office~) I was perusing the maintenance yard looking for a spare "elongated fuel transfer attachment" to fuel up one of my HWMMV's and wandered across a stockpile of 6 freon tanks and a military air tank set aside. As much as I wanted the air tank, it's proportions were too large for anything I will have planned for quite some time, so I let it sit in the pile either until I break down to my obsession or some other passerby snags it up. On the other hand... It would do well cut in half and capped with pipe caps (The same we discussed in the Ladel blanks topic). That one tank could very well make 2 decent sized double burner propane forges much like the one I was taught on at Mr. Thomas Powers' Shop away from Shop. Hmm... The possibilities are endless and I am ultimately distracting myself from accomplishing more work today even though I'll likely be working well past midnight for yet another night this week.

I've been practicing that. I get a lot of scrap cut offs from a welding and fabrication shop on post currently. I had my eye on a few freon tanks in our maintenance yard that I was inquiring about. Unfortunately they have recently disappeared and are no longer available to me, so there goes my propane forge body. I'll have to go see what they may have on the main base that may be available for my use. I appreciate it gentlemen!

I have been slowly shaping an anvil shaped object from an approximately 18" section of rail. I have multiple "anvils" now that range from a block of steel to an industrial scrap cylinder to a homemade bick horn from 2" thick cut off scrap. The best tips I can give you are: 1. Obtain a copy of The Complete Modern Blacksmith as Thomas mentioned above. The book is gold! 2. Ensure you never force an angle grinder with cut off disc when cutting the rail. Most likely it is used and has been work hardened to the point that you will burn out your grinder if not careful and patient. I opted to shape a rough horn and it took me an ample amount of time to do properly. 3. IF you so choose to drill a Pritchel and Hardy Hole, and lack a Drill press, I found that a small masonry bit works well as a pilot bit to allow you to bite with your larger bit.

Charles, just had a quick peek at Salt Forks site. Definitely informative and makes me wish I didn't live so far away! 8 hour drive to make it to the northwest meetings is just a bit out of my range.

I'm using an old brake drum in the ground with piping and for now, my wife's blow dryer. Lump charcoal is in abundance here and thus has been my go to. Naturally I plan on building a mini gas forge for my use. I have had an immense amount of help from Thomas Powers, being on the furthest west part of Texas, most of the others are 8+ hours away. I will be trying to make it to the SWABA meet in Albuquerque in February.

With further thought, I figured I should post a few pictures of the rest of my set up. Lacking a usable stand and table at this time, I've been working low to the ground with an in ground charcoal forge and the block of steel stated above staked to the ground.

As a beginner hobbyist, working full time in the US Army, I don't have a vast amount of time or spare finances to devote toward honing my skill and setting up my equipment. I'm lacking actual traditional items but making do without. Yesterday I had the chance to do some more fabrication of my makeshift tools. Lacking an anvil, I've shaped a rough anvil from a section of railroad track and have been using a block of steel as well. Without a real usable anvil horn, I've made a stake/bick anvil from a piece of scrap I had acquired.

I sure am! There hasn't been any shortage of good company and learning when I'm in his company!

Fatfudd, I just may have to come attend myself. Just spoke to the wife and she has given me the blessing to do so but a 4 hour drive one way may be out of the question. Who knows? So far my learning has been through Thomas Powers, and it has been great buti think I'd like to see others at work.

That is a beautiful forge! Very close to the design I have had in mind myself recently. Keep up the good work! Aaron

Had to post a picture like I said above:

Intrex, you did a wonderful job on that beautiful necklace! I'm sure she'll love it!

Happy holidays and a merry Christmas to all! Spent the eve in good company and was gifted a print of a sketching of my great grandfather sketched in the 50's which guessed what he would have liked like in 1992. The original hung in the cabin of the family mining claim (recently lost the claim) for the past 60+ years! I'll have to post a picture of it for all to see.

Possibly make a handle for any of those pots or pans that might be lacking?

Here it is nearly Christmas Eve and I'm back in my hometown of Middleton, Idaho, feverishly searching for blacksmithing relics hidden away and spending my evenings reading dead posts and found that Frosty has been in my area and has family here. Makes me wonder if anyone had been able to conduct a meet up with someone to share and share alike the magic of smithing.

Fortunate enough by my definition of LUCKY

Haven't finished these ones up yet... I now have a few of them. Green tops and red bodies. Nice southwest touch.

Had a nice session with Thomas Powers, here's the 2 bottle openers I made.