4elements

I like our "traditional"; smelt, buy, find or reuse metal, get it hot and beat it into a shape we like. The rest is details

Frosty, you must have looked at my profile. I should update to say Granite Falls, WA , but nobody but close locals know where that is

Frosty, Thanks for the reply. I've learned so much browsing this forum. The only propane forges I've used are at NWBA meetings open forge time. I may build one for portability for when I retire. I might like to do demos and fairs. At my home smithy I burn charcoal

I just finished reading this whole thread. I didn't see anyone suggest putting a stock tank heater in their water bath. There are some very knowledgeable people posting, what do you think of this idea. I'm not using propane yet but may sometime so I'm just curious

Couple of years ago I lost the tailgate of my small trailer on the the the Pilchuck river bridge near where I live. i spotted what looked like an iron plate in the water. Last week I convinced my son to wade in since the water is low. There were 2 plates, 1" thick and about 20"x14" with hand hold cut outs . Maybe 120# or so. It took both of us with much difficulty to pull it up with a rope 20' from the water up to the bridge. I'll get the other some time, he wouldn't go back down for the other one (water too cold, iron too heavy), it's not going anywhere. I plan to make tools, swages and such.

At the time I was more limited by lack of knowledge (ignorance). i hadn't seen any forums or blacksmith organizations, only books. I didn't know what the box was to think outside of. Yes, i expect the white cast is brittle but not like glass. I have put some small dents in it, but no cracks or chips. My thought in posting was both for feedback and for anyone who like myself who went the same route. Thanks for the input

I'm new to this forum and not as experienced as many here, but of like to share about my cast iron anvil. I was limited in funds when I went to purchase mine. I couldn't find a steel one in my price range so I got a cast iron 200lb from grizzly tools (Chinese). After a very short time I noticed dents and dings that I felt would make it useless in a short time. I was at the time taking a basic welding class and had access to the metal shop at the community college. First I milled the face flat again, then using an oxy-acetylene rosebud and a water hose i heated a1 1/2" area to bright to orange and quenched with the hose. With the anvil being a huge heat sink that was all i could do at a time. I went over all the surface with overlapping heats with the intent to create a white cast face. That appearently did the trick at least for the light work I do. I now have about a 1/4" hard face. Id like to hear from the collective experience on this forum