Daswulf

There are spring shops that custom bend leaf springs and could probably make you exactly what you need. If you know what you need. 

 Cheese fries please!

Your all set then!  First check out the local guys and see what you can learn from them. First hand learning is way better then anything you can get from any YouTube video or a few pictures online. After that get your rotor, research a simple brake rotor forge and the T you need and get what you need and have the welder help make it. After that a hair drier can probably get you started with coal. The info is out there but remember that bad info is out there too. Just like me giving you advise, I'm not a professional blacksmith but a hobby blacksmith/ artist/ auto body repair guy  but I've successfully made a starter forge. The other guys that have given you advise know way more then I dare say I ever might. I just know that forging has been a great joy and like seeing others take it up.  So. It's up to you now. You have more to start out then many do and your young enough to have a head start and your parents are on board. Be safe. Remember PPE (personal protective equipment) it's no joke. 

Well being young you have time to source materials on the cheap. Any auto brake repair shop should have loads of used junk rotors. Can't say many of em wanna give up their scrap but I'm sure after a few places even one place you could end up with one. After that it's a matter of if you have access to someone that can weld or not. Remember there are ways to make a forge for anyone who is willing to look for how to. Get your parents on board. Also look to see if there are any blacksmith groups around you. That's your best option. Do a bit of research into your options and then ask from there if you can't find the answers. 

9 minutes ago, EJRailRoadTrack said:

- 2 questions. What forge design should I gow ith if I didn't use a brake drum? And Were all of our guys first forges brick forges?

In reverse order, I've never had a brick forge. My first forge is what I'm still using. 

And in my opinion I'd go with a brake Rotor forge. I did and it worked. There are plans on here for the 55 forge, or you could set in up in a table to hold coal. That is only My opinion from My experience, as it was simple and inexpensive for me. That answer tho can only be answered by you. What do you have to work with? How much Can you spend? Heck you could have a hole in the ground with a pipe running into it to push air. Once you see the complexity and simplicity of what makes a functional forge look at your options. 

The more I see this picture the more I like it. It's very artistic. 

I made a brake rotor forge  the inner part of the pot"rotor" is 2" deep with an 8" diameter. 2" dia. Black pipe for a T with an electric blower. It works fine using coal. There are better ways but it was what I had and has worked for well over a year and is still going strong. While paying attention to what Does Not work, as is stated on IFI  all the time, build a well thought out forge. Everyone here is trying to help.  But they want to help people who are serious. Who is going to want to spend their time and hard earned knowledge on someone who would say they would probably just quit anyway.  Frosty is right. But if you seriously want to try, go in with a positive attitude and give it your best. You will get a lot of differing opinions when asking hundreds of blacksmiths from around the world. 

We all have days like that

Dang nice work!  Only could be better with ears. Love the look tho. 

Really cool idea. Nice work. 

Looks like a nice functional lil knife. good work.

On October 21, 2015 at 3:36:38 PM, JME1149 said:

Thats a nice looking bottle opener in the background. Hope you did the necessary quality control overchecks.

It's been well tested  

On October 22, 2015 at 2:55:21 AM, Frosty said:

I may have just missed it when you said so. Keep em anyway you can look back on them for a good feeling when you get shut out at an auction or beat to a dream sale.

One of our guys just got a 250lb Fisher in near pristine condition and a swage block for $50.00!!!! He told us the story at the meeting Saturday but I was so overcome by envious . . . Nevermind!! I don't recall the story.

Frosty The Lucky.

I get what you mean. And I'd be envious too  . 

I'm still trying to figure out how to track this stuff.  sorry for the late replays. Thanks for the comments  

Wow still things I'm learning, it should notify you of comments on pictures. Or maybe I should caption my images I put up 

i didn't make these, I picked em up in a box lot at an auction for a buck. Had uploaded it to show someone in chat and see about possible uses or changing them to be useful. As of Saturday they have been used as pickup tongs and for picking clinkers out of my fire.