Richard Tuesday Williams

Hi Joel. I am near Robertsbridge. Ok I see - that makes sense. Ill check out BABA Facebook page and Nick Bates - thanks for that. Maybe thats an idea - find other people who also want big steel and split cost. Im off to a scrap yard Friday to get some coil springs. Ive requested to join the Facebook group - thanks

Thanks for replies I’m located in East Sussex so probably a little far for collecting anything from Northants . Thank you for offer though. I was looking for a big chunk of mild steel to make a striking Anvil and then some smaller sections of tool steel to make some hammer tools etc . My problem is I don’t want to buy a 6m length of striking plate steel as it will cost a fortune. Ive checked out Brundle they sell 3m lengths which is better anyway . There is a historic railway 10 mins from my house perhaps I’ll go there and see if there have any big section steel I can buy / have . Thanks

Hi All, I recently set up a forge and I've been having great fun making things from scrap from around the farm. However there is nothing large section...only small bits. Can anyone recommend anywhere to buy small quants of Steel in the UK. For example I was looking at making a Striking Anvil, A small hammer etc. Parkersteel and others sell these larger sections by the 6m length.....very expensive. Is it possible to buy larger sections in smaller sizes, e.g a 2" x 4" x 12" mild steel for striking plate ? Thanks Richard

Hi all, it took me a while but I've finally got the forge going. I have a metal forge front that came out the forge when it was last used a few years ago. Works great. Ive been having great fun with it and hope to learn some new things. Ive so far just made a handle that controls the forge blower round the back out of some old scrap. Thanks for all the help and input. Richard

The iron plate is referred to in the Moxon book also; "in the back of the Forge against the Fire-placers fixed a thick Iron Plate, and a taper Pipe in it about five Inches long, called a Ttwd, or (as some call it) a Tewel-Iron marked *,which Pipe comes through the Back of the Forge, as at C. into this taper PipeorT^W is placed the Nose, or Pipe of the Bellows. "

Mine is a photocopy ! There are also exerts of it used from other traditional timber framing books. There is a full version available here - (below) and you can buy off Amazon for £25 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015028306002;view=1up;seq=1;size=125

There is a brickwork section too ! yes the language is sometimes difficult in it but you get used to it

Kozy - there is a well documented history of the place being a forge (from 1450). The current forge was built 1750 and has been described as "smithy" or "Blacksmiths" since then. It was working forge as early as 10 years ago, although the original chimney was not used. Thanks for all the pics and info. The Moxon book is excellent. I actually have this book (the carpentry part) and was not aware it even had a smithing section. I will take up some of the four to see if I can see how far the front portion of the forge protruded and I think I am getting a better idea from these pics of the likely construction. I will of course keep you all posted !

https://shelburnemuseum.org/collection/blacksmith-shop/ Looks fantastic. There are some general pictures on the attached link if you click slideshow.

Thanks for the pics and info, this is really really useful for me. Shame these places are all in USA and not in UK as I would love to look at them.

Thanks for that.I will contact them. From pictures I have found of this. It does look like it may be a similar set up.

Thanks for the pic. Any ideas of how the front section that has been removed would have been constructed ? Many Thanks

Hi all, I have acquired a derelict forge built in 1750 which is located in East Sussex, UK. I am doing some preliminary research to find out what this would have looked like and how it would have operated. The forge as it currently stands; I know a limited amount about forges but from preliminary research and how the forge looks, I would imagine it has had a front section of masonry demolished. I would also at a guess assume the chimney is built in the centre of a small square room as the bellows would have been located behind. Does anyone have any photographs or information of similar set ups I could look at to get an idea of how I will rebuild this and put back to use. Many Thanks Richard