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That thing looks like it was made for de-smoking buildings or ventilating low oxygen spaces. But like the others said, if you use this for a forge, neighbor relationships are going to suffer badly. Being the curious kind, what is that blower used for?

I worked on and taught troubleshooting and repair of Mobile Electric Power Plants in the Navy for about 20 years. 120 VAC 400 freq, 220 VAC 400 freq, 440 VAC 400 freq. Also developed computer based training for the Military on the same gear. But I suck at house current. I'll figure it out with a little help from my friends on IFI.

I got an electric air mover from Amazon. Hardwired a 16 ga. 25 ft extension cord to it using a power strip as a switch. Plugged the male end into the power strip, flipped the switch on and it blew like a small hurricane. Then I got fancy and attempted to wire a variable speed switch between the motor and power strip. When I flipped the switch again I got a nice flash from my vari speed switch but the motor kept running. My wife tripped out with the flash thought the house was burning down. I then read the instructions a little more carefully, they said "Some configurations require an EARTH ground, so a ground wire is not included with this switch." The ground point on the switch wasn't even identified. I had to laugh. I was out $20 for a switch and was set up for failure from the Get Go. The sparks were kind of pretty though. I'm using dimmer switches from Home Depot from now on. Cheaper and easier to get. Oh and I'm grounding to the motor case next time. The switch might still blow but sooner or later I get it to work. My motor is only a 120 VAC motor. I think a dimmer switch would work without burning up the motor. I plan to have it vary the input voltage. The frequency, 60 cycles should not be effected by the dimmer switch. The resistor should only drop voltage not change frequency of the input. Now if there were an output voltage from the motor, the speed of the motor would determine the output frequency.

She's getting an IFI shirt as soon as we get back from our trip. Me too for that matter. The dog's name is Holly Noel Kelly at the Vet. We just call her Holly. She was a Christmas gift. Smart too, here she is playing Monopoly. No....she can't roll the dice herself.

I found out I will miss the Dark Angel meeting. The boss has me going to California. Yes that's right, the land of wild nuts. I plan to stop off in Texas for a few days to look at some properties. Planning to move there soon. Up around McKinney. I would like to take Swamp Wood with me. I'll feel like a fish out of water and I don't want to loose my Manphibian status either.

Softcoated Wheaten Terrier. She's an inside dog, got her paws blistered walking on hot pavement one day. Now she loves shoes. Go figure. For that matter she likes clothes of all kinds, shirts, hats and she won't shake them off. She's a hoot on Halloween with her witch's hat.

So.......what is a good medium for quenching. Personally I wouldn't use old motor oil the viscosity will not be uniform and contain unknown contaminates. I'm not interested in brine infused fluid, just a good, dependable quenching agent.

Why would one need such a large vise? Yes I'm ignorant of such things cause I'm new here. I have a small bench vise but it is a good vise, the jaws open six or more inches wide. How big of a vise do I need?

Though I am new here, I have a vast base of technology and you've put together a great forge here. Well designed. Thanks for posting this thread. I am planning my first forge and expect it to be similar to your's. I may have to wait a while to tackle this project because I'm preparing to move soon. I'm going to learn all I can and build my forge at my next location. I'm moving from Florida to Texas. I just hope I shrivel up and die from a lack of water out there.

I would be interested the benefits of one brand to another. Or does it matter. Thus far I've been advised find a heavy piece of metal and use it for an anvil until I can get something better. Yet I've seen pics of anvil with attachments being used to bend hot iron during the forging process. It seems this thread has lots of anvils found and asking for help to identify them, but little on anvil usage. What are the different parts of the anvil used for, why are some shaped differently. If I spend the cash for an anvil, I'd like to know why I'm buying a particular type of anvil. Or is that in another section and my Newbieness is showing.

Charles that is a nice looking jig. And the side grinder...I'm picking it up today at HF. Glen, the only meeting I may be able to make is the one at Dark Angel in Pompano Beach. That is less than two hours from my house. How far do most forgers travel to go to an event?

Oh goody, I get another trip to HF. Ahahahagh! I'm fortunate my wife likes the place as much as I do. Belt grinder and 4.5 in. side grinder it is. Thanks guys.

Thank you for this info, because I would have bought a bench grinder and used it. You've helped me avoid a grave mistake. I looked at a rigid side grinder yesterday. Didn't even think about using it for removing stock. I've used them to prep our gear for painting. We worked with tow tractors designed to tow naval air craft like F-14s, F-18s, and so forth. Real heavy steel constructed. I hope a side grinder and an angle grinder are the same. Tool nomenclatures can vary. I've attached a photo below. Is this what you are suggesting?

MC Hammer, break it down. Sorry had to say it. And you did. Regarding HF, if I understand you correctly I need to shape the striking face of the hammer similar to a rounded Ball Peen Hammer. I need to get a couple more things as well. I'm starting from scratch. No bench grinder, no welder, heck I don't even have a proper hammer. I've learned a lot the last couple of days which is good. Thanks for your time.

Thanks, I have one of those tubs but it is for the boss' alovera plant. Getting another tube is easy. Sounds like I need to make a trip to harbor freight to get a hammer and glove and maybe some tongs. Thanks for your time.

Thanks Will, I know a JABOD is effective from reading the threads. But they scare me for some reason. I'm afraid it'll burn up. If anyone can screw something up it's me. It sounds like a good experiment but then it seems like a lot of what forgers do is experimental. Making my own charcoal sounds like a lot of work, I've not read enough about it to try it. When I said I was clueless in my introduction I meant it. I feel like I have a lot more to learn before I say "FLAME ON." Thanks for your time.

Though classified as a Newbie I'm not sure if it is bad form to post here...that said respectfully I submit "It's better to shoot for a star and hit a stump than it is to shoot for a stump and hit the ground."

Oh great...and I have short term memory loss, meaning I don't retain info I read and must go over stuff repeatedly until it sticks. Thanks Big Gun you made my day. lol

Standard frequency for house current in the US is 60Hz. 50Hz is used overseas in Europe. One actually needs a converter to make electrical equipment functional overseas. Hz (Hertz), Frequency or Cycles will effect performance only because equipment is designed for a specific frequency or cycle. But reducing a voltage does not change the frequency of the voltage. Take a motor that runs off 115/120 volts for instance and its rpms is 100, dropping the voltage will only make it run slower. Unless there are internal solid state electronics that require 115/120 volts to function. Marc it sounds like we are on the same page for variable and constant speed motors but I really like your info on burning the edges of the fire pot and just changing airflow with a gate. Iron Dwarf, you work with some heavy duty motors. I've worked with electric motors that could be configured for 440 VAC or 220 VAC. Cycles remained the same at 400 Hz due to the naval aircraft they serviced. It sounds like the system your motors are plugged into are designed to accept various cycles. That is a whole different can of worms.

Frosty, thus far I have only dressed finished blades with no handles. I shudder to think of using grinders, scrapers, and files to remove stock because of my inexperience. This probably a silly question, but...what type of grinder would one use: a bench grinder would be my first guess. I have very cheap files whose efficiency would be questionable. Plus what type of scraper would be used. I've been a mechanic/technician since I was a teenager. I worked on gas, diesel, and gas turbine engines. Used plenty of scrapers to clean parts but scrapers for bladesmithing may be different. If it is not too much trouble could you give a little clarification on types and quality of these tools that would suffice. I would be grateful. Thank you for responding to my post and providing such good info. Below is my latest knife and sheath. Damascus steel blade, Elk antler, and sheath (dyed not painted) The antler still has some of the fur on it. Big Gun, Tampa is a five hour drive from me. Dark Angel is closer and they have a class scheduled this month. I may sign up for their class. Thanks for the info and responding to my post.

Clay, I think I want to stay away from propane. Here's a silly question, can one use charcoal like Kingsford, to forge with?

Thanks for all the info. I'm the kind to jump in with both feet. But I've learned to learn all I can about a topic before jumping in. I have lots to learn. I know skill will be something that only experience will bring. I will have to pace myself getting everything required to start banging on glowing iron because of funding. I'm currently doing simple wood working stuff as a hobby one of which is making knives from blanks ordered off the internet. I spend 40-50 dollars on good Damascas steel blanks. So far I've only used Elk horn for handles. In my profile you will read I spent almost 10 years building computer based training for Naval Aviation and Engineering fields. Much of it I'd never even laid my hands on just photos. I had to read a lot and ask a lot of questions. But I figured the systems out and made some great animated training programs. Not bragging, I guess I'm trying to say, I have good research skills and I depend on subject matter experts like for their knowledge. Thanks a lot for your time. Thomas, I plan to search the net a lot, and try to hit some of the ABANA meetings. I started looking over the only FL group's website a few minutes ago. The knife workshop sounds interesting but I will have to get permission from the boss. She may have plans that day. I hope that networking will put me in touch with the right people as well. I have a friend who intends to weld up a brake drum forge. I might be able to hook up with him and double-team this effort. Thanks for your time.

What is it used for?

For general information, an electric motor is an electric motor, is an electric motor. What matters is the electricity getting to the motor. Reduce the amount of electricity going to the electric motor and it slows down. Try using a light dimmer switch to turn on the motor. Those can be picked up at any Home Depot or Lowes, or instal and adjustable restate between your switch and the motor to control the amount of electricity to the motor. I use to teach troubleshooting and repair of mobile electric generators which used electric motors.

As suggested I filled in my profile with Location, just south of Jacksonville, FL. Thanks for the info thus far.