VandalEvil

They are pre-made rivets. Not having tools with which to manipulate pieces that small I had to go with some I picked up. The problem was I made them from 1/2 inch stock, but could only find 3/8 rivets, leaving me not much room. I've since made my second pair, for holding square stock. I made them out of 3/4 inch bar, which worked out much better, but was definitely way more work. These are set up for holding 3/4 square up to 1 inch (for the hardy tools im trying to make) and can hold 1 1/4 round. Please forgive the fuzzy pics, they were sent from phone to phone then uploaded... They aren't real pretty, but they do show improvement and hold what I need them to very well...

Do you know his rates? I wouldn't mind heading down there for a pickup truck load or so, but it is 81 miles away from me...

Big college football day today for me, but I'd love to make the next one. The fourth Saturday next month is Christmas Eve...will it be that day, or will the schedule be different?

Erring on the side of safety, I cut off a very small piece and burned it from a distance outside in the breeze. The coating bubbles and boils out before burning off, which leads me to believe it isn't paint. Not wanting to try burning it any further, I used a wire brush attachment? (not sure what that's actually called) for my angle grinder and it stripped right away. I'll pay more attention next time I pick some up and not grab the coated ones... It does seem like all of them would have some kind of anti-rust treatment though, right? Anyone familiar with car coil springs that knows of anything specific to avoid? As I mentioned earlier, I'm pretty new, and absolutely not at all a mechanic. I have a junkyard pulling some leaf springs for me this week, but they have a kajillion coil springs that cost basically nothing, a good source of metal if they work out.

Good morning guys. I picked up a coil spring from a junkyard from some random car. I'm still pretty new, so I can't tell if it's "a good one" or not, but I'd like to make a couple punches from it. I should have maybe looked more closely, but it has some kind of either paint or enamel coating, and I thought before I stick it in fire I'd reach out and see if anyone has any thoughts. I figure it will just burn off and everything will be cool, but I'don't rather not die from fumes of some burning enamel coating just because I didn't ask. I'm including a pic.

I've not been able to find the original technique. Even the sticky goes to a topic just talking about how it worked, without the specifics. I guess I got the gist of it through reading a lot of those. My dad has a construction company and knows a lot of guys more likely to have one in a garage or something than anyone I know. I also have a childhood friend that lives off the beaten path, she knows some people that have them that are likely to part with them. So a good start there, waiting to hear back from both. I figured the antique shop anvils were pretty heavily overpriced, and the Peter Wright is more expensive and further away and bigger than what I'm looking for. I'm not desperate, I'm a pretty patient guy, so I'll give it some time. I've asked around as I've hunted for various other metal goodies, so there is a pretty silly high number of people know I'm on the hunt. I'm a little surprised that there isn't a "what steel is this?" section anywhere, given how comprehensive this place is otherwise. I found a welding shop in town willing to part with some tasty scrap for virtually nothing, but I don't know what it is. Other than steel. I'm assuming it's all mild steel, but the scrap pile has some weird things that don't seem to be the usual shop scrap. I picked up a short piece of hammer head sized square stock, and about 18 inches of solid round stock about 2" in diameter or so, but I don't know how to handle heat treatment for Hardie tools or hammer heads and cant find much info without knowing what it is. I'm learning a lot from the Internet and this site, but a lot of reference assumes I know what I have in the first place...pictures can't tell what kind of steel it is, but I'm a pictures guy...

My first pair of Tong shaped objects. The rivet is a little too big (or the stock too small), and the jaws are open a bit, but pick up all of what I have stock for. The reins are not rounded, but I have to build a table for my brake drum to get a fire high enough to work more than the last 8 inches or so. Anyway, I've been told you guys like pics, so here goes. (Please be reasonably gentle, this is the first anything that I have made.) Thanks! Having a blast, and in my book that's what matters!

Found two today at an antique shop. I'm not sure if either of these are worth the asking price though, adding picts. The first one is $400. It is stamped USA, but I saw no markings otherwise. The second one is $285. It is painted silver. it is stamped with what appears to be 55 Lbs and a smaller stamp that begins paa...I had a side image also, but it won't upload for some reason. If anyone has any thoughts about them, please let me know. I also found a 120 pound Peter Wright anvil in Chattanooga for $350, but it's fairly far to Chattanooga from here. Prolly hard to tell from pictures, but it seems the best deal of the three is probably the Peter Wright, if it's in good enough shape. Thanks.

Good tips. I'm a Cable Guy by day, so I have myself and 30ish coworkers, most of whom go into 10 houses a day each, they are looking too. I live right in Huntsville off Airport Rd, so the farms are out a bit...It does remind me that I have some country Facebook friends that might be aware of something though. Thanks!

Hi North Alabama blacksmiths! I'm only a couple of months into blacksmithing, and have the good old backyard brake drum setup thing going on. It doesn't look like much, but I'm happy with it so far. I still have plenty of learning to do with air flow control, fire management, that sort of thing, and have a few planned upgrades for the near future. However. As I was just getting started and wasn't entirely sure how well it would take, I tried to go as cheap as possible, and that includes buying the cheap ASO that they sell at Harbor Freight. I knew when I bought it that it wasn't awesome, but even with so little experience I've already learned why. I know that there are other things available that can be used like an anvil, but I'd really rather just buy an anvil. I've Googled and checked Craigslist, but all I've found are other people looking to buy them, or "antiques" that are decorative. I can buy one online and have it shipped, but I know there has to be some around that are in need of a good home. I'm not especially picky, so maybe some of you have seen one that isn't necessarily good for you, but would work for me. I need something I can move easily enough, as I literally work outside, so 70-100 pounds would be best. I'm also not looking to get divorced, so price is a possible concern. It's unlikely that I'd pay more for one I was unsure of than buying one online I guess. Sorry if my post is overly long and wordy, I do that from time to time. Any leads would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I actually haven't come across a question yet that I haven't been able to find the answer to here somewhere. Though to be honest what I'm doing is way closer to "playing in fire" than "blacksmithing". Also I'd love to go out to the Athens meeting once I know a little more about what's going on. Like, once I can make my fire right every time and have at least some basics. I've built (am building?) a brake drum forge, using anthracite from Tractor Supply, and I got some "welding steel" from Lowe's (I know, I know, welding steel, but no sense in me messing up some perfectly good metal). My only real obstacle as I see it right now is I don't have a specific project to work on. Not exactly forging Excalibur in my backyard this weekend. I'd really like to know what to make first to develop some skills. Even if it doesn't sound cool, like a gate hook, or whatever. That, and it's tricky learning anything from the Internet. There are plenty of not especially skilled people posting videos out there. And also plenty of those "harbor freight anvils are garbage, you'll never be able to do the upside-down-double-swinging-windmill-hammer-of-Thor technique with that". Or whatever other thing I clearly won't be doing for some time anyway Thanks again all. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

Hi. I've been lurking here for a little while and decided to start a profile. I'm trying out some backyard blacksmithing, and have come here frequently for some tips and tricks to get started. I'm excited to get into blacksmithing. Thanks for all the tips so far, hopefully one day I'll be able to contribute myself.