easilyconfused

It depends on lots of factors. Relative cost of each remembering you are likely to go through 3x the amount of charcoal as coal. Do you have neighbours that might not enjoy the smell of coal? Do you have to worry about charcoal throwing embers and starting a fire somewhere? Are you trying to match a time period? I use charcoal at home that I make from the scrap lumber around the farm because it's free. I use coal when I'm at the museum. I burn lots more metal in coal and don't like cleaning the clinker all the time but I like the speed of heating and not having to have to continually add fuel to the fire. Either one is fine for me and both work well. Charcoal is a much cleaner fire and easier to tend if you're starting out without anyone to teach you how to work with coal.

Most tongs you adjust by heating the jaws past the rivet and fitting with vice/hammer. Open and close the jaw while hot to loosen the rivet and don't quench the rivet to prevent tightening again.

Thanks to this thread, I was able to make a couple for an order in no time at all and the first one turned out being the one that sold. Not the usual junk pile practice piece.

With practice you can put a sharper point on that rod than you could with a file. And then stick your self repeatedly with it while finishing the handle end of the steakturner :rolleyes:

I was searching through newsletters on guild websites and came across this one. It has a write-up on his method of making his horse heads to go along with the pictures he's posted here. http://www.bamsite.org/Index/Newsletters/BAM-JulyAugust07.pdf

I'd use a tong clip if it was me. I've started using them more often and it's made a huge difference in how my tong arm feels after a session.

I use Diver Mike's method. It's good enough when I know it won't fail and my girlfriend says it looks good and can't see what I'm talking about for mistakes. Sometimes that extra adjustment can cost you a whole piece. On the other hand, making a few duplicates is good practice if you have the time.

I've had good luck with krylon glossy clear enamel in a spray can.

I'm glad he's responsive. Hope he gets better soon. IFI wouldn't be the same without his humour.

Prevention is much cheaper and less painful though. ;)

It is also a very important vaccine as by the time you see symptoms, it is the toxin primarily working and the bacteria producing it are easily treated by antibiotics. By getting your immune system primed for the toxin release, your body can fight off the toxin the bacteria produce, before it affects your nervous system.

Thanks for the response. I was thinking the same thing.

another one is artfire.com. It's smaller and newer and less frequented than etsy but free listing for a certain amount with the free account. The usual pay to upgrade for more options and space deal.

Getting a few views. you have to be active on the forums and advertise elsewhere too though. You get buried very quickly in the listings so people don't see you right away otherwise, unless you spend the $.20 every time you relist and relist often. No sales on etsy yet which in and of itself is probably leading to no-one taking a risk as someone said earlier. I have had some sales locally through it though but people didn't want to pay shipping when they bought it online.

a couple of hundred bucks and a post vice ain't nothing to sneeze at any year. Good job.

I'll have to come up with a good sign like that when I'm done rounds this year and out practicing.

Good tip on the ash dump. I run charcoal so I don't see it too often but I have has flames coming out of the blower opening one time.

I assume it is. Baling wire works well either way as it's designed to wrap tight easily. I've also heard it called stove wire for tightening up stove pipes to keep smoke from escaping.

While not the best for tools, it does work for lots of things. I've just finished making bottle openers out of it. I also made some really good tent pegs. The ridges helped them hold. It can be inconsistent, but I've had issues with regular hot rolled steel too. As long as you pay attention to your heats and such, and accept that you may have some failed projects, it's fun to see what the twists can become.

I have put up a few threads in the forum about it but no replies. What's your shop name?

I haven't had an experience with e-bay but I am on etsy. Haven't sold anything yet but I've only been on there for about a week and a half. If anyone was interested in starting an etsy group for blacksmiths, I'd be in for joining. Unfortunately I don't have time with schoolwork as of right now to do much administrating.

I just got told on Etsy that when the person saw the anvil in my avatar on the forums, they thought I was doing jewelry and I should come up with something else that would point out it wasn't! I have no idea what silversmiths and such used for their guild symbols but since when is the anvil not associated with blacksmithing and, shudder, horseshoes?!

It's hard to say if it pays. Like every marketing tool, it's what you make of it. Be prepared to spend time advertising it and posting on the forums to get the community looking at your stuff and maybe catch an admin's eye to be promo'd. Frosty, you sure that's your wife's shop? Have her look up Ridgwayforge for stuff for you to make ;)

Like Frosty said, it's a large market place. If you're worried about advertising and having someone else get your sale on etsy, the same can be said for any website because most people google the name rather than enter the address in. That's why I make sure my shop name is the main focus of advertising, not etsy. It's also a relatively cheap access to a large marketplace with a trusted shopping cart system and it's regulated so people can feel a bit safer knowing there are ways to cancel transactions and dispute things. As well, our aspect of metalwork is relatively under competitive. I've seen lots of people also link their website and use it as their store. Frosty: The terms of agreement sate that you can link to your website, as long as everything listed for sale there is on etsy. Otherwise it's considered fee avoidance. But you can set up your portfolio for people to see and get custom works.

so far, not well but I just joined and it's not a holiday yet and I don't have much inventory. Other's I've seen have done relatively well though. Depends on your advertising. Things get buried so you have to relist a bit to keep on top.