Pat Roy

3lbhammer, here are my 2 cents. I built a similar forge about 5-6 years ago. I also used some bed rail for the frame and legs, 3/8" plate for the firebox. The top of my fire box is level with the top of the table. I don't use refractory or firebrick on the table or the firebox and after all this time there is no sign of heat damage anywhere. My table is made of sheet steel, probably 14 gage, welded to the angle frame. There really isn't much load on it and it is holding up very well to regular use.

Todd, Mark & Peter, thanks for the comments. According to the local rules(and the significant other), the exterior of outbuildings has to match the main house. In spite of having a scaled drawing of the floor plan and all the tools, I am still in the process of moving things around to where it will all work well. These pictures are not quite current but generally represent what's there. It's a better place to work than I had before, lots of space(for now) and easy to keep warm.

I have two Hay Buddens; one about 112 pounds and the other about 163 pounds(I weighed them on the bathroom scale). Of course they have different sized hardy holes, how inconvenient. The heavier one has two pritchel holes. The smaller one has a lot of small pits on the face but is otherwise in good condition. The larger one has seen a lot of use but is still in good usable condition. Very happy to see the catalog here.

Except for one summer and fall I've always been able to work indoors. I wouldn't want to work outdoors in winter in Maine. It was a cold shop though until I fired up the kerosene heater. Yes a cold anvil does suck the heat out of your work quickly. Heating it and the leg vice as others describe is useful. The biggest problem I had was holding on to cold tools with my hands, even wearing gloves. At the end of the day the temp could reach a comfortable level as long as the wind wasn't blowing through that drafty place. I have moved on to a new shop now, well insulated and with a propane heater to maintain a minimum temperature of at least 40F. This will be my first winter in the new shop. Picture attached.

Nice set of photos. I always think to take pictures when the job is done. I got lucky a few years ago and found a #40 and paid $40 for it. It didn't turn at the time but after the ice melted out of it, it was fine. It has a different mount than the pedistal shown in your photos. There is an arm bolted to the gear box that gets bolted to the forge. Mine is sitting on the shop floor waiting for the day I decide I need it.

I have 100 glass insulators and have been waiting for inspiration, something to do with them. They are larger than those used by the OP and most are clear glass. I've mad a few candle holders but haven't been happy with my design. Thanks for the ideas.

I like the design. I just went out to the shop and made one. Mine has a curl on both legs and the curl is a fish tail scroll.

My anvil has always been set on a stump. Originally my shop had a wood frame floor. I knew I was loosing a lot of energy to the flexing of the floor and of course when I really flailed away with a big hammer the whole building began to resonate and bounce and all the shelves dumped onto the floor. Now in my new shop with a 6 inch concrete floor there is no more bouncing and I am getting more work out of each strike. Now if I could only get nice parallel cuts on a stump so that the anvil was actually level. I'm not good with a chain saw.

I used to apply parafin was or boiled linseed oil to my parts when quite warm. I've always been pleased with the results. Then I was forging with a friend and he had a mix of beeswas, turpentine and BLO. I liked the scent it gives when applied. I mixed some up along with a little Japan dryer which I read about somewhere. Everyone likes the smell of it but I was disappointed that it didn't stay somewhat liquid. I either have to heat it up to liquify or use it in solid junks like the was of before. Should I increase the percentage of the liquid components?

Not knowing what I really needed, a half dozen years ago I bought a 400 cfm blower, I don't recall what pressure it can deliver. It is way too much in any case and I have put a speed control on it. I run it nearly as slow as it can go. At full speed the noise was also just to much. I also have a slide gate damper for shutoff. I would think that 100 cfm and 1.4 inches of water column would be plenty. Obviously another option would be a hand cranked blower. I'm sure more opinions will follow. Good luck

You did fall on your head at some point in time, didn't you?

A few things matter: are all the parts there, do the jaws close uniformly. I've never been very concerned about who made the tools I use. If I were a collector that might be a different case. I don't know if IDS is a manufacturer or whether or not it was made in 1826. It is crude, you have that right. If it works, you are set.

Sturdy enough. I would clean the rust off the parts to get better welds.

This is mine with the Saltfork swage block upright.

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought we were talking about "Doors". This is one of mine, still not hung.

Nice looking stand for that swage block, Furnace1. I made mine out of angle iron, similar to yours so that I can get any surface up. It is kind of top heavy though so I add ballast at the bottom to keep it stable.

Mainely Bob had a good list as did others. I started out with two hammers, 1.25# and 4#, and quickly put the 4 aside and got a 2 and 3. I doubt you need 275# anvil to start, I started with 112# and after a few years moved all the way up to 163#, both old Hay-Buddin. I have picked up old tongs of various descriptions along the way and made a few for certain uses. I make my own punches, drifts, chisels and hardy tools. I burn coal, made my own forge but bought the smoke pipe. Get some instruction, it is a more productive way to get your skills up. Read a lot of books, haunt the internet(google is your friend), pick other smiths' brains. Have fun and work smart.

Last time I had "tennis" elbow, it kept me out of the shop for more than six months. A strap wrapped on my arm and some excercises prescribed by my doctor eventually brought releif. Something else agravates my elbows, vibration from power tools such as chain saws and 4 1/2 inch grinders. I try to minimize use of these. I have never had Molson elbow or Rolling Rock elbow or anything of that type.

Well, neither magnetic nor true north, but the north star which is a little off true north. That will keep your smithy in alignment with the astrological signs and all that "lunacy".

When I want to make things fairly secure I use carraige bolts. The head is domed on the outside and has a square nut underneath. Drift square holes through your iron to match the size of the square on the the underside of the bolt head. Drill a matching hole through your wood and push the bolt through. Then nut it over a backing plate or large washer on the inside. The bad guys can't get the bolts out without a lot of work. I do this for hinges and latches, etc.

I like it too. I will steal the stolen idea and make it my own.

I like the Norse grilling iron. What should the diameter of the thing be? What size was yours? I may be doing a demo this weekend. That would be a good piece to make. I've made too many leaves. Please tell me more about how these are used. What do they cook on them etc.

Thanks guys, I like it when someone asks a question I need to know the answer to.

Nice looking work.

that is a nice sculpture, how tall is it, 6 inches?