Tommie Hockett

Appreciate the advice fellas!!! I will most certainly get more practice in. On my way to pecos Texas now, so I will be reading up on techniques while I am away from my little smithy. I will post my next piece that I make also. I am thinking myabe going a little more simple with a few hooks or something. Again thanks for the advice I really enjoy this site, everyone is very helpful!

Howdy and welcome to IFI!

Thanks Jasent! I appreciate it. I plan to do as Charles and you suggest, it will have to wait about 2 weeks before I get back home again. But it will get done though!

It is hot rolled mild steel. I'm not sure other than that. The salesman at metal mart had no clue what A36 was, he said they had hot rolled mild or cold rolled. As to the next three things. I think I do need to raise the anvil another inch at least. It is about a half inch below my fist when I stand up straight. I think my hammer is ok. My wife isn't having the same troubles with hammer marks. Which brings me to my next topic. I most certianly need to learn to finess the hammer more. My wife says that I am pounding the steel too hard. As for what I learned.... I learned that my hammer technique is terrible and I need to read up on how to move metal. I couldn't figure out how to get it to move in the direction I wanted it to. I also learned that I need to have more patience on everything. BUT I did learn that this is a hobby that I definetly want to persue! I also learned not to stick your tongue out in concentration while hammering... slag really really burns on the tongue haha

Here is mine completed this morning. It was supposed to be a spatula but turned into a knife shaped object.... I will call it a letter opener. It has alot of hammer marks and several cracks. I wrapped raw hide from a deer skin that I tanned last season on the handle. But I am proud of it none the less. But having said that, constructuve criticism is always welcome.

Allright!!! I got the LB conduit and installed it. I think we have better air control now. Its gonna take some tweaking and head scratching. We also have the forge on a movable stand. It isn't quite the same as yall were talking about but it will work for the moment, at least until I come across a propane grill stand. I will have to work more on the anvil next time I am home, it's a pain to do 3 weeks worth of chores in one week. Such is the life I chose. We also went to mccoys and picked up a five gallon bucket full of toys, haha. We got the L.B. conduit, some files, chisels, wirebrushes and a 2.5 lb hammer. Anyway I am almost done with my first project and I will post pictures when it is complete. But here are some pictures of my back porch smithy haha. P.S. Frosty. I couldn't move the forge in the exact position that you suggested due to my plug in being so far away from my blower. But I did turn it a little more than 45 degrees and moves it closer to the anvil. Allright!!! I got the LB conduit and installed it. I think we have better air control now. Its gonna take some tweaking and head scratching. We also have the forge on a movable stand. It isn't quite the same as yall were talking about but it will work for the moment, at least until I come across a propane grill stand. I will have to work more on the anvil next time I am home, it's a pain to do 3 weeks worth of chores in one week. Such is the life I chose. We also went to mccoys and picked up a five gallon bucket full of toys, haha. We got the L.B. conduit, some files, chisels, wirebrushes and a 2.5 lb hammer. Anyway I am almost done with my first project and I will post pictures when it is complete. But here are some pictures of my back porch smithy haha. P.S. @ Frosty. I couldn't move the forge in the exact position that you suggested due to my plug in being so far away from my blower. But I did turn it a little more than 45 degrees and moves it closer to the anvil.

Yall are awesome!!!! I haven't got a chance to do anything in the shop today. I've been visiting my parents and we have the grandkids tonight! But anyway I should be able to get back to it tomorrow afternoon. I happen to have a grill stand with wheels on it and I will see if it will work. I have to go into dallas tomorrow so I will stop in at the electrical supply store and get one of those LB conduit boxes. Charles, that is a great idea about the rail plate and I actually ground a fuller on tge web last night while I was talking to Frosty. I have a question though. Pardon my ignorance but I'm not sure what you mean about sculpting a set of bricks on the flange?. Thanks for the advice yall!

Ok I see what your saying. I will most certianly do that tomorrow when the forge has cooled down. And I will fogure some thing woth the tuyere. me tinks a trip to the home depot is in order :). Thanks again Frosty!

Nah I'm right handed but I know exactly what your seeing. I just don't know how to make it any better or position it in a different way. We have a very small space to work with, any suggeations would be awesome. This is the picture of my wife and our irons in the fire.... she doesnt want to be on the internet in all of her safety regalia haha. Thats why you cant see her face These are our first projects of the night. My wife's successful attempt at a fire rake and my dismal.... learning experience trying to turn a rectangle bar into a square bar... I cant get mine to upload. Oh well I will try later.

I am getting to work finnally!!!! I will post pics of my mashed up steel later. But the forge is up and the anvil is level and at decent height.I also went and bought some mild hot rolled drop off. The people at the metal sales didn't know what A36 was they said they had mild hot rolled or hard cold rolled. Anyway here is some pictures.

Wow thanks for all of your replies. I will remember to search through bing or google for future searchs. JHCC you nailed it bud, no matter how I phrased it on the search box I came up with people talking about their blood sugar haha. Lou loved the videos thanks and Frosty I didnt realize that my topic would bait the curmudgeons until your response actually made me laugh out loud :). Thomas your book suggestions are awesome I appreciate it. You are going to keep me in reading material for the next century! I tell you I would love to peruse your library.

I looked it up on google but I get very conflicting answers. I remember hearing (at some point in my sgort inexperienced life haha) that you could add carbon to steel by heating it up and dipping it in sugar. I am not plannong on doing this I am just curious if it is possible to do? Thanks for yall's time and apologies if there is already a post about this and I missed it. Also not sure if this is the correct place to ask. Would one of the moderators be so kind as ti move it for me if it is the wring place?

old trick... really dirty but it will form a good bond. put petroleum jelly on your beard.... A couple of the old timers I used to work with told me about it at my previous job. I had to wear a specialized respirator for a machine that I ran because of the coolant spray. It works well. but your beard will be nasty by the end of day. As an upside though it is a decent beard conditioner.

I love the rural hertige show on RFDTV. I think my dad has a subscription to the magazine. they covered a guy that makes hand forged garden tools a few weeks ago. Awesome stuff!

I cant imagine what you are going through but you and your family have my prayers and sympathy. I am so sorry for your loss.

ok I gotcha. I did a little of that back in highschool. I trapped coons but I used snares. keep up the forging bud that stuff is awesome I cant wait to give it a go when I get home!

I think it looks nice...... but I have no idea what a trapping hammer is lol

I hate shaving but I tell you I would be proud to shave with any of those. my favorite is the wootz with the juma ivory snake scales. those are awesome!

that is absolutely beautiful.

WOW!!! This gives me alot of ideas to try out on my piece if rail thanks Charles for starting thw thread and thanks JHCC for showing it to me and everyone for some awesome ideas.

Duly noted Frosty and I appreciate the advice. Im ready to get everything setup so I can hammer on some steel haha. I get carried away a little bit. when Im away at work I pass the time by thinking about stuff at home and Im a problem solver. So since this is my latest big project it tends to inhabit a large portion of my brain haha.

Thanks frosty! I have an old set of tongs that was given to me a few years back... I collect tools whether I need them at the time or not haha. Although Im not sure what kind they are I will try to get a picture of them tomorrow and pit them up. I also heard that you can draw out the old style of tinsnips and make the into tongs? I have several old rusty pairs of those. I will check into getting some A36 as soon as I get back. Im on my 14 day hitch right now. I didnt get to finish my box bellows but I have most of it done and will post a picture of it when I get back.

thanks guys.Thomas I will keep that in mind I did see a metal sales warehouse the other day in sherman Tx I will have to check it out and see if they will sell me any drop off. JHCC if you can forgive my ignorance but can you explain a little more about what you mean about a fuller and the hardy cut off edge... I think I know what you mean about the cut off edge, but as for the fuller... I thought that was an indention in a knife blade? Also how would I fit both of them on the central web?, Unless they dont need to be very big. Also thanks in advance for your help. Great Idea on the drawer handles notownkid! Also yall all have my apologies if I offended yall. I accidentally put a cuss word in my original post.

well guys and gals, my wife and I almost have our setup complete enough to at least hammer on some steel!!! I have my "anvil" setup now. Although I need to move it we don't like the placement. So all I have to do is make my box bellows tomorrow and we will be cooking...... forging haha. Then I need to aquire a vice of some description. Also check out our scrap yard haul. We got alot of rail road spikes, some cable, a ginormous bandsaw blade, 2 leaf springs and a piece of one, 3 big coil springs, a metric xxxx ton of lawn mower blades and a few odds and ends like pieces of plate steel and a sprocket and some stuff that I have no clue what it is. Came in at around $60 plus we had fun doing it!

yeah thats my bad I put blower instead of bellows. And noted when I reline it I will most definetly take the rocks out. Thanks for the awesome advice as always. I cant hardly wait to get back home and try it out!!!