Dick L.

Well I said I'd post when I gave it a try and here it is. I can tell you I'm a long ways away from a one heat horse head. This is about 6-8 in all the excitement I lost count. I still need to make a rounding hammer like Brian's drawing shows but I did do some punches and chisels. I would have gladly gone for #2 tonight but the rain has reached central MA. and I still work under the stars.:)

Made mine from an old Glass pressing mold. Cast iron 10" od 8"id. About 3" deep. Wall thickness varies between 3/4 and 1". Used it because I could but I'm sure plate works fine. Dick

Hello Jerry,welcome to I Forge.Another New Englander added I've been a toolmaker in the glass forging buisness for 30 yrs.CNC for the past 14yrs. Dick

Bob, Real nice job on the tongs. First ones no less !!! The poker looks good too. Sounds like a fun place to learn! Dick

Hi Archie, Yes I'm a member of NEB and CT. Guild but didn't want it to be member specific. It is surely an advantage to belong to any of the organizations supporting the craft. I'm just trying to see how many people interested in smithing are from our area of the country and sign in here. Agreed it would be nice to be able to communicate via the internet. Dick

I've been noticing more people from NE on the forum and quite a few right from MA.I met a couple yesterday at Brentwood in NH that are members here as well. So I got thinking if we know where each other are we might be able to get together to share knowledge or even travel together to events happening in our area. So if your from New England and you think it could work respond to this thread and let's see how many we are. Please be sure your location is listed in your user CP . Thanks, Dick

Good to know, Thanks. It was a long time since I've been by but they are still listed in the lists online . I did see a post lately on one of the forums regarding Aubuchon coal and it was favorable as well. Hope they keep handling it. Dick

I think they are still in Braintree. That is where I got coal last. Williams Coal and Oil Co., 39 Adams St., Braintree, MA 02184, TEL: 781-843-0145. Hope it helps Dick Here is a link to a list Blacksmith's Gazette Coal Sources

Welcome BMD, You will find a lot of info here as well as a lot of friendly people. My experience has been it is a very much family oriented forum. Have fun and ask a lot of questions.Once your up and going don't forget the pictures! Dick

Glad to hear you Alaskans are doing ok. I've been watching the reports online and wondering if any from here were affected. I've never seen anything like that, but from what I've read being prepared is a key thing to getting along smoothly amongst it. Dick

Sure , Here it is with my new optional corner plate. I think it's a Peter Wright but haven't scoured down the sides to find it's markings. I've had it for 26 yrs. so it might be time to identify it, just never felt the need. As you can see the edges are all big radius. Dick

Brian , Thanks for the photo of the chisels and punches ! Your not leaving us much room for excuses I can't wait to get some made up and give them a try. Dick

Hello Glenn, Yes , that is what I'm going to do. I think it will work well. I think the flat bar will be good to. The Hardie hole is 1.115 X1.145 so I will make my shank 1.1sq to leave room for any taper or irregularity. Thanks for your reply. Dick

Hi Jim, I know I've read they should have a radius. The reason I'm looking to get a sharper edge is to be able to make more definitive corners. I'm enjoying doing the animal heads and the process uses a sharper corner then I have. I can always make a square hardy tool with different radius on each side. (This thought just came to me now.. Thanks for the reply! Dick

Don't know if it's the right thing to do so give me your thoughts please. My anvil is in pretty good shape but doesn't have a sharp edge on it. By that I mean the corners are all at least 3/16 radius and larger. Some chipping. Will it do any harm to grind a step in the side down about 1/2" so I can get a nice clean radius? Thanks, Dick

Brian, Thank you for posting the process and picture!! You can count on seeing how I do. I need to make a couple tools first. I don't have a domed hammer yet and I want to make a couple punches for better detail. Also a blunt chisel. Can't wait to get at it! Dick

Dodge, I don't mean to hijack your thread but I have a question regarding the shapes mentioned. If the shape is cylindrical, either half like a mailbox or whole tube is it an advantage to position the burner tangent to the arch? Heat sources I've seen glassblowers use are built that way. I've been told they do it to get a more efficient burn by superheating the rough texture of the interior coating as well as the swirl effect. Curious what the thoughts are here in metal use. Dick

I think that turned out real well. I'm sure your friend will love it! Dick

Thanks to all for the kind words and advise ! I'll be sure to post my next one as well, hope it's better. Frosty, I'll try that next time. It was to long to do that with this one. I didn't cut it because I don't have tongs big enough for 3/4" stock yet. Another exercise I need to do some of, Tong building. Brian , Thanks for the photo of your punches and chisels, that will help for sure. If I can get half as good as the work you have posted I will be thrilled ! Dick

Janne , That really came out nice! Pretty soon I will have the confidence to try a weld. Still working on hammer control and judging the heat range I'm working in. Did you use coal or propane for heat source ? The etch really brings out the pattern. Can't wait to try it. Dick

Well last week I got the coal forge together as noted in my last thread. After doing more tapers and twists I wanted to see what was involved in doing a horse head or dragon. Though I didn't really get either I sure learned a lot on my first try. This was 3/4 X 1 1/4 colled rolled. I am happy with it but I need to make a few more punches and chisels to get detail and I think a carving block to support it like is described on anvil-fire would help alot. It was very hard to keep it in line when punching and chiseling. Does everyone doing this use a carving block of some kind to put within the vise to hold it? Dick

Hi Rob, I got an old Cast Iron mold from a glass forging company in our area. It's Meanite cast iron. Im still going to make a clinker breaker for it but to get going I just drilled a piece of plate and dropped it in the bottom.

I did my firepot on mine. 10 in. OD. with about an 8" ID Cast Iron 3 1/2 " deep. The wall thickness is about 3/4 " .

After being away from it for 26 yrs I took part in an NEB event in Maine a couple weeks ago and that set the hook. Made a firepot from a cast iron mold. It's about 8"in dia. and 3 1/2 deep. The forge is inch and a half angle with a 1/8 " diamond plate bottom.Today I finished my forge and got to try it out. If you can believe this I still had a half a barrel of coal that I've stored all those years along with my few tongs and things. I did a few scrolls and twists. Even did an attempt at a bird head. If you use your imagination you can see it. I still think I need to dress my forging hammer a little because I'm getting more marks than I think I should. I have a slight crown in it and about a sixteenth radius around the edge. What size radius should you put on the outer edge of a hammer to start with? The truck axle in the forge didn't see much forging, that's some tough stuff at the end of the day. Dick

Very nice ! The detail is awesome. Thanks for sharing ! Dick