HWHII

I noticed that, too! They were a nice size, not the huge ones you usually see. That's okay, that just gives a smith the chance to find and use it. There has been a number of barns/shops with tools as you said. I wish they gave contact info so things we see could be found.

Did you see the Von Dutch Harley with a vw engine that was owned by Big Daddy Ed Roth?! Amazing and they bought it for $21,000!

I watched a episode last night of American Pickers. For those who have not seen this show, it's about two guys who travel they country looking for antiques.

Last night they were in North Carolina and in a big building loaded full of stuff. They find this old bar and start to haggel over the price of it, but on top of this bar sit 2 great bellows. Fantastic looking! The bar happens to come out of a blacksmiths shop / tavern by the name of Jean Laffete in Louisiana. They keep on haggling over the bar and never give the bellows a second look. They end up buying the bar for $50 and says he will sell it for $100 for a $50 profit. I'm thinking to myself the real gold is on top you dumb XXX and you can make more money off the bellows.

I have watched this show for sometime and can't begin to tell you the number of anvils, post vises and other blacksmith realted items in the background they just over look and they see no value in.

So for all of you looking for blacksmithing tools their out there go find them.

Welcome aboard Doug, glad to have you. I'd warn you about persuing the urge as blacksmithing is an addictive craft but what the hey, I like spreading the affliction. Nothing speaks to the soul like using mankind's two oldest tools, fire and something to hit with to bend steel to our will.

Hook up with Harold if you can, he's a great guy. Oh yeah, if you decide to visit some decent temperatures look me up, Alaska is a pleasant place with good fishing.

Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome Doug! Where in AZ are you?

People come to my shop and are in awe of the equipment I have aquired. It is modest to some I have been in. It has taken me along time of buy, selling, and trading to get what I have today. I'm not sure if I can put a honest price on all of it.

The cost of this hobby can scare some away very quickly. I tell them all you need is a passion to learn and the rest will follow. You can get started with very little if your willing to settle for less as you go.

Here In the AABA we hold monthly open forges in Phoenix at Grizzly Iron and at my shop here in Tucson. This gives people a chance to come in an beat on some hot steel to see if they have the passion.

The best thing you can do for someone who is interested is invite them over lite the forge and not let them get over whelmed with the cost of it all. It is just one tool at a time.

I am not a big fan of AC welding. It has its purpose for inexpesive welding. I like 6011 and 7018AC for welding rods. Regular 7018 will run AC but if you can find 7018AC rods they are formulated a little differently to run smoother. It will also give you stronger welds than any of the 60 series rods. All AC welding can be a little tricky when welding out of postion. I have been in situations welding heavy AR500 plate which is very high carbon, very magnetic which can cause severe arc blow and hard to maintain a arc. AC 7018 was the only way to get the job done. Good luck!

A pretty typical result for AC 7018 and lack of penatration. I agree with Clinton and his suggestions. Did it crack on its own or while you were chipping the slag off? If you had a stress riser from the butt weld,or crator crack, hitting it would cause the crack to run out. Try running a T fillet or a lap fillet weld on one side and braking it and see if you get a better result.

Follow your heart. Life is short.

Some people get caught up in doing what other people want them to do and not allow them to wander on there own. Our parents would have loved us all to be doctors or lawers, but then who would fix our cars, build our houses and of course build beautiful art out of metal. Go ahead walk down the path you choose and if you find you don't like it pick another.

You will be all the wiser for the one you have already walked down. ;)

Like you I welded and fabricated for many years before I started to blacksmith. For a long time I would tell people," I do blacksmithing work ", and like others have mentioned it was not until I gained confidence I could say," I am a blacksmith." I have a very long way to go, a lot more to learn and experience before I would fell comfortable adding the word master in front of it.

Nice Eric! Glad it went well for your first year. I wanted to get up there to see you but just could not make it happen. Maybe next year.

SCORE!!!!!

Alot of good looking items you have there! I hope you do well. If your willing to share alot of us might learn from how much you charge for your items and the time it takes to make them.

I saw this the other day for the first time and was also blown away. It is true not to judge the book by it's cover.

You are always on my list.

I would say $45 to $60. I would bet you have about 2 hrs in the one. You might already know if you plan to make several at one time in steps, your production time will come down. If you can get them done in a hour you will be doing all right.

I have worked as a metal fabricator in some form for over 30 years. Blacksmithing is just one path I chose to go down.

When working in a big fab shop I could not wait for my day off on Sunday so I could light the forge and have some fun. It's what got me through the week.

Now I've had my own business for five years. Some days it is a chore to go in and light the forge or turn on a welder and go to work.

Don't get me wrong I still have a deep passion for it, like being married to the same woman for a long time <_< . No matter what you do in life you have highs and lows.

A true joy in life is doing what you love to do. So many people never find that kind of happiness.

When I first stared out I was friended by a old blacksmith by the name of John Thames form Alabama who retired here. One day he brought a post vise with worn and chiped jaws and asked me if I could weld it up for him. So I TIG welded it and wire wheeled it and gave it a coat of oil. When he came to pick it up I would take no money for it. So later that day he returned with another post vise, basically a clump of rust and gave it to me as he saw I still did not have one. So I fixed that one and still have it today. Over the next few years He would bring me a post drill, and a old Marvel power hack saw. and buckets of coal. He worked with me and taught me alot. The most important is how to be a friend and to give from the heart without expecting something in return. I miss his friendship alot. May he rest in peace.

I thought the same thing when I got my first blower, had oil everywhere. It is like Thomas say's. I keep just enough oil in the bottom so the bottom gear can pick up the oil and throw it around.

FANFREAKINTASTIC!!!!!!

Nice work! I also like the old press brake and shear in the back ground.

I'm with Frosty here. I have 3 pair of Whites boots. According to them I have a 9 1/2 F. I also wear meta-tarsal boots. I have had these boots for 8 years had them resoled once and I where them every day when I am working. Before I use to wear Georgia and Iron Age meta-tarsal boots. Best wear I could get out of them was 2 years and they could not be resoled.

Very nice! Would like to have one some day. Just missed out one one last summer.

We should be thanking you, and we were glad to have you Randy. You put on on great demo!

If anyone else is looking for first class demonstrator for there group, Randy come highly recommended. You won't be sorry.

Over $7000 of my income last year was by making railroad spike bottle openers and steak turners, I think I'll keep making them.

A Blacksmithing Primer by, Randy McDaniel. When I first started I learned more from this book and dvds than any other.