Hawgdirt

Newest pair of flat tongs, kind messed up the boss. I've been plating stuff with a brass brush,  I really like how it looks. 

I don't know what the permissions are,  but ill click on one of the BP links and I get an Error code: 1F176/3 and it says I don't have permission to view the article.  But I'm not sure if the brick forge that is on there is right for me.  Looks like a real big fire pot.  I'm buying the firepot kit from blacksmith depot. It would be nice to be able to access those Bps though. 

I know there is a blueprint for a brick forge, but I don't have permissions to view the Bp 100 series.  Not looking for anything fancy.  I'd like to build a forge like the one I've attached minus the chimney. Basically a brick table with a firepot.  I'm just not sure how to build the table part, I assume you got to have a metal top and put the brick on top of that. I know where I'm getting my firepot just not real sure how to go about making it. 

Well I do appreciate all the responses as it helped me make a very good informed decision.  Three months of blacksmithing experience and I love it.  It truly is satisfying to forge a piece of art or a useable tool. I know nothing about horses and got interested in it because of blacksmithing.  From what I've seen and read I would be getting into it for the wrong reason and just end up frustrated and quit anyway.  So I'm just going to focus on blacksmithing and maybe set up a booth at a fair one day or an etsy shop.  Don't think I'd make a very good farrier if my sole reason for doing it is blacksmithing.  I appreciate the eye opener as it has saved me a lot of time and money. 

It was definitely a good feeling having a decent looking useable tool. This is my second pair, but I have a lot of attempts in the scrap pile. I think what really helped me this time is I finally found an edge on my anvil that isn't so radiused so I was able to set it down fairly well.  The other day I tried to make those fancy shoulders on tongs,  definitely don't have the skill for that quite yet.  And I know what you mean needing a thicker boss and that was my intention.  I think I need 3/4 stock because those were forged from 5/8 and I still didn't have enough material. 

Thanks for the advice, I just ordered me a v jaw swage block so that should make it easy.  I also tried my hand at using a brass brush and I really liked the finish it left.

Figured I could just post pictures of my attempt at v jaw tongs instead of making a new thread. For the time being ill just make this style tong instead of the bolt tong with the curve in them until I get more experience. This is meant to pick up rr spikes or larger stock. I'll be making a hardy hot cut soon dunno if these will work for holding large stock or not. Everything went great until I put in the rivet. I'm in desparate need of a bolster plate. I also don't have a tool for making a nice v in my tongs so I just used edge of my anvil for now. Is there a tool for making the v part in the jaws of the tongs?

I understand that someone with no experience should not be learning on a 100k+ horse. My point is if he had no interest in teaching me then a phone call would've been just fine. I didn't know he only shod race horses.  It's not that big of a deal I was just saying it was a little aggravating as soon as I get there he tells me he can't train me. But it's alright I'm not dependent on getting a job so it's really not an issue.

It definitely looks like something I'd enjoy doing part time. Seems like it'd be easier to make a little income on the side from farrier work then blacksmithing.  Just gonna go with the flow,  stop trying to force things and learn all I can about blacksmithing. 

I reckon for the time being I'm just gonna focus on blacksmithing and learning the trade. I'm rather exhausted from tracking down farriers.  Meet with one today,  after telling him I have 0 experience over the phone.  I drive 45 minutes to meet up with him. After I get there we chatted for a bit and said he can't really teach me on racing horses. He recommends I go to a school then call him.  Watched him shoe a horse,  sorta felt like I was wasting my time since he ain't gonna teach me anything, so I left.  It's possible maybe I missed something but I figured, maybe you could've told me over the phone that you can't teach someone with no experience? So with that being said gonna put farrier work on the back burner and just focus on blacksmithing. 

It was very neat to watch the color run and to see that it was hard, did a file test and didn't really cut like it did before had. Was able to hear and feel the metal crack being put in water so that was good learning material. As far as ambient light goes, my forging area is outside under a lean to and sun was shining. I reckon if I ever start forging quality items ill have to heat treat at night.  I know it's frowned upon by some people,  I've read mixed reviews about using motor oil but that's what I have on hand right now. 

On 5/15/2017 at 10:41 PM, Lou L said:

I found this article very instructive when I started making punches and such.  I think it is a great place to start.

http://www.bamsite.org/tips/heat.pdf

Enjoy learning about what treating.  It really was eye-opening and exciting to me when I began to learn exactly how complex steel was.  Heat treatment opens up limitless possibilities for what you can do with a given steel (assuming it has carbon enough to harden even a little).  It also opens you up to a world of errors and hard lessons.

Lou

I read that off, and while I was able to harden and get the colors to run, I was a little confused on the critical temperature. I was using a welders magnet and tested it before going in the fire to make sure the magnet stuck well. After putting the metal in the forge I tested it at different stages. Either I'm doing something wrong or the metal im using has a very low critical temperature. It wasn't even glowing dull red and it wouldn't stick to the magnet. I thought metal had to be very hot to become non magnetic.

I appreciate all the responses, good thing I was trying my hand at heat treating or I wouldn't have learned anything. 

Thanks for the replies, guess I need to look up some information,  I don't even know what tempering is.

 Just wondering where I might have gone wrong.  I was punch a hole and it just snapped in 2. Third picture is what I made out from, looks like pto shaft which I thought was hard metal. When I hear treated it I got it to a dull red and stuck about an inch of the tip in water.

I'm not exactly sure what to look for but looks like you take pride in your work.  It is a little childish but first time I talked to him found out his wife works with my mother and little did I know they both hate each other so I'm sure that had a lot to do with him not calling, but in my opinion still very unprofessional you can at least call or text. 

But I've found 2 more willing to take me under their wing.  One recommends going to school,  even said he'd throw some work at me once I learn enough.

Well I reckon its back to the drawing board, we agreed on a time, said he'd call, and nothing,  never so much as texted me to say he don't wanna do it anymore.  Called all the farriers I could find and no one wants to do it.  I'd hate to spend a lot of money on school without trying it out first but might be my only option.

That's some real good information. I've seen a few videos and while the blacksmithing aspect got me interested,  the whole skill set of a farrier looks like something id enjoy,  hopefully this guy doesn't cancel on me,  I'm looking forward to it.  Is it recommended you go to a horseshoeing school eventually?

I am intrigued by it all that's for sure, if nothing else it would be a great skill to fall back on if coal industry tanks. He did mention that you need a strong back which did concern me.  I mean I have a strong back as far as picking heavy stuff up with ease but it does tend to hurt after a few hours of bending over, then again I don't know anyone's back that doesn't. 

I found a farrier down the road from me, very nice and will let me apprentice with him.  Gonna start Monday just picking up horses feet to make sure I'm not scared of horses. So pretty excited about that. One thing I was confused by is he said while he does forge horseshoes, he said most of the time he buys his horseshoes and modifies them. Is that standard practice for a farrier or do most farriers forge their own horseshoes? Either way super excited to learn a new trade, hope all goes well.

Sounds like good advice. Just thought it might sound a like silly to other  farriers that I'm interested in farrier work because of blacksmithing.  I just figured,  so far I really enjoy blacksmithing.  I work 6 months out of the year at my current job, I'd love to find another means of income so my wife can quit hers, farrier blacksmith to my knowledge, give it a shot. Where do i find farriers in my area?

Hey everyone, 

Well I got about 1 1/2 months of experience and just been kinda researching which type of blacksmithing I'd enjoy the most. I buy my coal from a farrier supply company and saw all the business cards for farrier and figured there must be a huge demand for farriers.  It sounds very interesting but my thing is I've never so much as rode a horse. Are farriers mostly horse lovers that got into blacksmithing and not a new blacksmith that got into farrier work because of blacksmithing? I also enjoy "attempting" to forge tongs. Maybe that might be a route.

Well this was my attempt at making v bit tongs. They resemble v bit tongs but they're not very useful. Not really sure the best way to make the v part. I put mine in a vise just like the videos but they kept falling through.  I made an s hook and a spoon yesterday as a confidence booster.

They may not be perfect but I forged me a working set of flat nib tongs. Learned a lot from trying again and again.  I did learn never to use 1/4" rivet. Just wasn't enough meat on them.  I'd heart it up and try and set it but it just would collapse on itself, so went with 3/8 and that did the trick.  Those are not cracks by the way,  just the flaps from the rr spike. Didn't forge weld it together.  I did have a question,  what is a bolster? Is the bolster and boss the same thing or different things?

I believe I've found my problem. It's at my 45 degree set down for the boss. I'm setting it down right on the or a little behind the first set down so I'm too far back and my first set down is way too deep if that even matters. I think I'm also having difficulties with my set downs because the old anvil I'm using,  the edges have large radius on them.