Brewsky88

Dear diary...jackpot Now just have to find room for them.

This found its way into my truck while I was out galavanting around today. Cutting edge from a bulldozer, 13" wide by 47 1/4" long by 1 1/4" thick, couple edges are even already beveled to weld together. Should make for a nice anvil if I can't get those fork tines I've been eyeballing.

Lol. That is some other research that I need to figure out. I know that a propane burner is way overkill for melting down aluminum and have heard that it will weaken a steel crucible and make it fail much sooner than it would in a coal fire. So I'll need to learn how to dial back the burner and find the sweet spot where the aluminum melts but it isn't subjecting the crucible to unnecessary heat.

Duly noted, I'll keep that in mind

I intend to start small, using round or square stock in the 1/2" neighborhood. It's relatively inexpensive and I feel will show me just how much the metal moves without requiring heavy blows. Thinking some tong and hammer hooks to mount to my "anvil" stand might be a good start, then maybe move on to a slag scooper for my melting crucible.

Makes sense. Did a search that took me to a couple different websites and showed me that there are a couple dozen different types. My guess is that a universal v-bit or wolf jaw would probably be the most useful at a novice level. Is this correct?

Welcome My wife's blessing came when I told her that once I start learning some basic things I could recoup some of the money by making small things to sell. Will it happen? Doubtful since no-one will really care about little coat hooks or a "what the **** is that thing" but the fact remains that I COULD, and that's what matters. LMAO

Think I've got an idea for most of those, planning on sticking with the old mentality that a blacksmith should make his own tongs so that will likely be one of my first projects. Have a drawer of poundy thingies. I dabble in a little leather working so I can make my own apron, forging in the nude sounds like a worse idea than welding in the nude. I always wear eye and ear pro now because my ear drums think they're anvils and ring nicely all the time, I thank guns and uncorked headers for that one. Now I just need something to hit, er, heat

Welcome to the forum and welcome home! Being active duty, I know some of the feelings and some of the pain all too well, be it my own or those that I serve with. Thankfully you were able to get through it.

Maybe whoever is hiding in my backyard will mow it for me, it's the least they could do. Lol. I prefer to let people think I'm an idiot than to open my mouth and remove all doubt. Always been one to do as much research that I can on my own instead of posting a new thread asking a question that has been answered a million times already. Regarding the anvil build, I may incorporate all 3 ideas into one setup. Have the fork tine material as the main striking surface with as much mass as I can under the hammer, round off and taper the head of the sledgehammer into a horn with reduced risk of chipping because it won't be taking big hits, then figure something out for the square stock of the hitch. Maybe as a surface for finish work, or see about making some hardy tools with it. Thoughts?

Brand new to the forum and the forge. I have always loved working with metal and always had an interest in blacksmithing. Until now, getting into the community hadn't been anywhere close to the top of my financial priority list, but now that I have a little bit of disposable income, what better way to use it than by introducing yet another hobby because guns, race cars, and off-roading don't cost enough by themselves. I convinced the Mrs by saying that this one could potentially make me some of the money back...she bought it I'm currently in San Diego, CA and research has shown that this is likely the LEAST popular place for blacksmiths, can't blame y'all, I'm surprised CA doesn't require forges to have catalytic converters. Anyway, I digress. I've been doing a lot of Google Fu and out seems that a lot of what in looking up brings me to this forum, so I figured I might as well join the party. About the only things that I have so far are plans for a small foundry and a forge and have started gathering my materials for the builds. Both with be propane fired to avoid hassle from the EPA. Kidding. About the EPA, not the propane. I hope. Time is a luxury and I'd rather not spend it getting/keeping coals hot. Besides, I have a gas grill so I have the fuel source already on site and built a burner for the price of a big bag of charcoal, high pressure regulator already purchased. I have access to a couple 10 gallon air tanks that I will be cutting open and lining with ceramic wool and covering with satanite (sp?). Now for the expensive part, an anvil, I don't have THAT much disposable income. I had kicked around a couple ideas for this. First starters, the ones that would cost me $0. Taking the head off the 12lb sledge I have in the corner and sinking it halfway in a stump. Research on this showed that it is a VERY controversial topic, some say absolutely no way ever, some love them. So I took another walk around the garage and saw an old hitch, 2x2" steel bar welded in an L, the long end being 12" and the short at 10" with a 1/2" plate gusset welded in. That could definitely work. Then there's the fact of the small work surface with both options. Usable? Yea. Ideal? No. But like many have said, a less than ideal anvil is better than no anvil. Today I got my big break, found out about a shop that has a couple big fork tines laying out back that have been there a couple years. I went to check them out and they're 2 1/2" thick by 6" wide. Dear diary...JACKPOT. Just need to wait until next week when the manager is back so I can find out if I can repurpose them