I just signed up here. Looks like a good time to learn about blacksmithing & forge welding.
I grew up in my grandfather's construction company building, wiring, plumbing and remodeling houses. Just out of high school in SC, I went to a TEC school to be a tool & die maker but my (British) instructor suggested I'd make a better blacksmith. As part of that training I took some basic metallurgy courses and did some heat treating too but that was 30 years ago. Eventually I became a general contractor myself doing remodeling ,repairs and cabinets until I had to get a "real job" due to the economic slowdown in the late 70's.
I spent 24 years with a large power utility in NC/SC. I was a millwright, multi certified welder, machinist, crane operator, etc - it all came under the title "power plant mechanic". I had to have my hips replaced so I was out of the "hands on" work and became a turbine generator outage planner.
After my second set of hip replacements I took the "early out".
Not knowing where the world is going it seems like a good time to learn to build and use a charcoal forge for welding as well as learning to make the charcoal fuel.
Even if I never have to make a forge weld, I'll enjoy learning how to do some real blacksmith work. I'm ready to learn!
