Bully

Waist to knee, that I picked up for the right price "FREE" from a old technical school that was closing down. Not sure what hide it comes from perhaps cow. I find that my jeans stay a lot cleaner with it on. Only drawback is that at times I could do with a slit in it so as to hold iron between my legs a little better but not doing that all the time so shall leave as it.

Hey Dale that shop looks familiar, me thinks I've worked in that one and watched you work a lot harder LOL....Count me in I will attend. Your coke or mine?????? Cheers Bully

Hi Allen, What fuel are you using (sounds like coke) my fire does the same after a while and it is exactly what has been mentioned, impurities in the coke/coal that form a sticky paste similiar to melted plastic. I use a vacumm cleaner also and find it to be very suitable in supplying a constant air supply (have a airgate attatched) when I lose the airflow somewhat or the fire does not seem to be heating correctly I just open the airgate and stir the base of the fire and if I can, get rid of any clinkers I find, or just dislodge them to another area of the fire. You need a good fire in Ballarat,I lived there for 18years cheers Bully

Thanks guys, its great to hear that other dads have there helpers and that they to are very proud. We have to constantly remind ourselves that they absorb and retain so much from our attitude to others, actions and overall life experiences and that we are the blueprint for their morales/ethics and drive in todays society. I have yet to meet a blacksmith that has had poor values/attitude to others and as such one of the many reasons why I have taken smithing on with a passion. IFI should be proud of the quality of its members and what they represent as a art/hobby/lifestyle...Now where did he put my hammer??? Arrghhh found it ...next to his bed.(must show him how to pack up correctly) Cheers Bully ps Gobsmacked has many a meaning here in Aus to name a few, elated, shocked, flabagasted, amazed, stunned, taken a back.

Ken wheres that corner cause I'm just happy to sit and listen....

My wife's birthday was today and when I got up to go to work at 5:30am my young bloke did also and said "Dad when you get home can we do some blacksmithing cause I want to make Mum something for her birthday". "Yeah no worries mate" He's always in my smitty with me and tells me he is learning heaps, he even has his own anvil. I ran a bit late getting home from work and when I did my wife said "Go and have a look at your son". Well what I saw made me proud as punch. My son had lit the forge by himself and was banging away making his mother a hook for her birthday. He was wearing his safety glasses and his glove. I was gobsmacked, very proud, but shuttered at the hazards because after all he's only 7. Have spoken to him about the dangers being numerous and although do not want to queunch his spirit he is not to do it again without his old man, he understood. Has anyone else got a little blacksmith in the family, proud very proud. (Shall post a pick of him creating his work soon) cheers Bully

I use coke and have a vacumm cleaner as a blower with 2 air gates (one for fine tuning the fire) and utilise a brake drum (large off a 4x4) as a fire pot. I found when I 1st fired up the forge that I was burning a lot of coke until I introduced the 2nd airgate and allowed the excess air to be diverted (pvc stormwater gate) this reduced both airflow and noise from the air escaping from a larger exit. My fires now are very controllable in regards to size /heat. Coke I can get quite plentiful and cheap if bought in bulk ie trailer load. Not quite sure what I paid as it was some time ago but it was around $200.

Well done Bob I'm still trying to forge weld and as said the word is "still". I tried to weld 2 different thicknesses being a coke shovel to handle but could not get them at the right temp at the right time, never mind its all experience. I had limited succes with 2 peices of the same thickness with a fresh fire. Tomorrow when I light up I will try a deeper fire as been mentioned above. Cheers

Love your set up Ian looks very user friendly and tidy what brand of blower is that and hand or electric? (cant quite make it out) and if thats a lab in the background then it is doing one of 2 things a lab does best, sleep, and the other eat (grew up with them) Same with the tong situation have not been able to make a working set yet (but will) Am going country shortly and hoping to pick up some tongs/tools from a friends Aunt whos grandfather was a B/S (she told me she needed the shed cleaned up wooohoo) cheers

Just a couple of pics of some hooks, a snake, ss leaf and a dogs head (I did a while a go but prettied it up with a brass brush). Learning everytime I light the forge wether it be fire management, hammer control, correct tong choice/fit and on that were the dog can sit in the shop as burnt fur stinks. I am starting to favour a pair of large pliers as tongs and they have been performing fairly well to date, does anyone use same and or should I break this habit before it becomes a problem (for whatever reason??) Cheers stay safe thanks for you all sharing your knowledge.

Thanks Matt found that to be very interesing, hard to comprehend the scale of works

Yes jeans in the laundry (buried deep) spraded them with stain remover .. All should be good (ps thanks for not tellin)

Got home from work tonight and thought because I've been hiiting the iron pretty hard over the last week (every night) and I have a demo day tomorrow at a historical day that Dale has invited me to, that tonight I would give my arm a rest. In stead what I thought was cause I feel to much air is being supplied to the fire when I shut the air gate off (vaccum cleaner no dimmer) I would rejig it with another air gate (vent) so away I went. Did that then thought better test it. So lit a fire with some charcoal I had. Burns well I thought, very controllable, yes have solved that problem,,,MMmmmm best put a bit of iron in the fire, only cause its going, just to be sure. Needless to say I made a nice fire rake that I had been wanting to do for a while. Thing is I was still wearing my good jeans prior to starting and because I was'nt really going to be hammering I did not put on my leather apron. Well cut a long story short nice job with the rake but better not let the missus see those jeans....Love this hobby.. And the knowledge/experienc(s) you all supply cheers stay safe.

I went into my smithy the other day and the first thing I do is look at my anvil (Dont we all?). Well what I saw confused me???? I observed what looked to be a damp spot..thats funny I dont have a leak in the roof..even weirder is, it has not rained....MMMmmmmmI dont remember working with any lubricants on my anvil...what the???? So I moved cautiously closer..hovered over it..placed a finger on it..raised my finger to my nose and sniffed.....frowned somewhat...my brain and senses processed what I had just done and came to the conclusion...rather quickly..'WHAT THE'.......that smells like??....perfume!!!...'WHAT THE'...."MEG...MEEEEGGGGGG" (my wifes name) She arrived to say "Yes honey?"...." Whats this?'...."Oh I just thought I would remind you what I smell like considering lately you have reminded me WHAT YOU SMELL LIKE!" Yes she had placed a dab of scented oil on 'MY ANVIL' what could I say but "OK honey message recieved loud and clear... NOW dont ever ever ever do that again BECAUSE THATS NOT WHAT YOU DO TO AN ANVIL" She's a cheeky girl and I love the fact she lets me play with my iron.... But there is limitations....dont you agree????

You guys are very lucky I am trying desperatley to find a hand cranked blower for a reasonable price if, as I stated I can find one at all. It appears us Aussies did not use blowers all that much down here forging was either done with bellows or just the hot air that came out our mouths. As for something following me home anything would be better than nothing although I did find a nice srewdriver on the footpath the other day....

Thanks to all the info that came back as to a brand name it may be DOMINO or known as a Domino tool (Stamped on it) cheers might have to see how much it goes????

Thanks Brian you are the 'man'. As a beginner your knowledge and explanation of tech etc are fantastic, love the drawing and the fact that with a bit of patience, effort, creativity...did I say patience maybe one day I may come within a whisker of what you can do...did I say creativity???Thanks heaps appreciate your time..cheers stay safe Bully

Saw this on ebay (Aus) under antique blacksmith tools. Does anyone know what it was used for??? Had stated that it was ex military.

Very, very, very nice work thanks for your time.

Have not really burnt myself to bad (my 7 yro had a red iron in the fire and took it out and turned on me one day and yes I still have a nice groove on my forearm.. and yes he is still proud of his mark...learning moment for both of us...) I have some sheep skinned gloves (wool for those that dont live in the cooler climates) but have found they contain the heat a little more than need be (cant iniatly feel it on the first grab but it rapidly climbs) was warned by my teacher but hey experience 'Is the best teacher' and its what I had at the time. Oh well as to the groove .Chicks dig scars and my wifes a chick...thats all that matters.....and she likes the fact I have a hobby that keeps me home........stay safe

Heres a couple of pics of my second dogs head I made out of a track pin. The first I made, as much as it looks like my dog (bit rough though he's a short haired pointer) did not work out on the camera. This was actually going to be a bulls head, the horns turned out to be its jowls, but as I have learned (am learnign) funny thing about heated iron push it one way it goes another (should of listened to my ceramics teacher) anyway my friend has a boxer so maybe a nice gift for het to place in her pot plant prior to her boxer digging it up cheers.

Thanks to all you have clariyfied my question and sum cheers Bully

Thanks for the comments, due to the lack of space thats where the fire extinguisher ended up but with the points you raised yeah might not be the best place. As for exits I figure cause its open on one side thats my main exit if need be. LOL I knew someone would ask what the gauges are for. I just had em laying around for years and thought I would put them there for looks so in answer to your question Frosty 'nothing but visual'. The fire alarm is actually my switch to turn off and on the air supply (vaccum cleaner) which is located in the black box under the bench. The air is regulated by a airgate and excess is either blown up the hood/flue (or on me) although I dont have to as it draws quite well. As for being to tidy watch this space, you should see my other shed lost the dog for 2 days in that one. Cheers

Thanks heres a couple more but this time a little larger (I hope)

Yeah Frosty he's very suspicious looking. Dont know what happened with the photos and why they are small. Have tried something different and attatched another just to see if I have got it right.