Gabriel DigDug Davis

It's hard to be offended, when it's such good positive criticism. I didn't grind any of the edges, to a sharp point, I felt like that would have been taking it to an extreme. but I did just take a 40 or 80 grit flap disc to the table, to take out a few of the small grooves made by someone giving it mis-hits before me. As for welding, I actually went to a trade school for it the last 2 years of highschool, and am a bit rusty, but with a few practice strokes on some scrap metal, and I should be able to get my proper amperage set after that to do some filler welds. Thankfully I have a family friend that has a shop with both a wire/stick welder and an oxy/acetylene torch with different head attachments. As for the trip to Ohio, It would be about 800 miles (one way) for me and that most definitely manageable. How many people gather at this conference typically? I hope to be well on my way by late September, with a few homemade trinkets of my own to trade. Still thinking on a touch mark, have a list jotted down with a few ideas....but nothing concrete...With time I suppose. Thankfully, My parents just came into a storefront, and I already have a place to sell my wares to start gaining a revenue, once I have some worth selling. Thankfully i live in a vacation area, and the summer always makes the lakes gush with tourists looking for homemade creations made by the locals, hahaha. Moving forward, Is it smart to just start a new post, when I have any questions, or is there someplace most of you congregate on the forum here? any threads you might be able to link me to, with good topics for where i should start, or great techniques? or even maybe show me some of your own products.

Glad to be here, and thank you guys for such a warm welcome. Those are actually lava rocks that I used at first when iI just had charcoal. I wanted to see if it would actually help keep a better heat, and eventually took them out once I switched to anthracite never used briquettes except to maybe help with starting the starting fire. The anthracite I can get going, Even been able to get a couple pieces of 30" stake, just a bit harder out in the elements. Pvf AI: I have checked out ABANA, and the closest places are in Southwest Iowa, and Northern Minneapolis, in the cities. I'veI joined a blacksmith group for Des Moines, on Facebook and they have been super friendly, even inviting me down to work at there forges, which I plan to do once the weather gets better, and I'm better financially. I like this idea of hammer-ins and meetups. what are some other good gathering places to find blacksmiths? Pow-Wows? Biker rallies? and when are they? I've since Ground down the top of this anvil to a nice smooth finish, still a couple of gouges, and I need to fill in that huge divet on the side of the table, with a welder. is there any reason to choose stick welding, over wire? I usually see people weld with stick when it comes to their anvils

Hello fellow blacksmiths! I just started in the trade (and by just starting, I mean I was given a rivet forge, a few tools, and a 100# anvil, for Christmas) And have been having the most difficult time trying to find other blacksmiths in Northern Iowa/ Southern Minnesota that I can glean some knowledge from. I've watched a grand array of Youtube videos, on how to forge a wide assortment of different things, but I find it hard to actually put some of that education to the anvil. When it comes to me, and I would imagine most of you fine folk. I feel that I would learn so much more, with some hands-on training. This cold snap in the Midwest has made it no picnic to get started, especially since I have no shop to speak of. My setup is basically in my backyard at the time being, and mother natures likes to be quite fickle. I live in Northwest Iowa and would love to know if there is anyone nearby that can help a young 27 year old, get into the business. I am a man of small means and would prefer to horse trade, perhaps heavy work with a strong back, for some schooling. The closest place that I can find actual soft coal is in Ames, IA ( which is about a 4-hour drive for me) besides that, I have been able to find anthracite in Mason City, which is still about 2 hours and 30 minutes away from me. What I've learned about the super hard anthracite coal, is that it's quite hard to get burning, and stay burning without throwing my arm out of the socket with my crank blower. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I hope I can learn and grow to be one of the very best blacksmiths in my area. To give you a general idea of what i am working with, I will attach some photos of my set up.