Eventlessbox

Thank you for posting about these forges. Seems like people feel a stigma about talking about them if they didnt build it themself. 

How large are the burner ports on the forge? In case I decide to replace burners with some frosty-T later.

Also how is the red rubber hose they provide attached. The seller I found offers a $20 discount if you don't get the regulator kit from them so I thought I might use my own.

Finally a question for our gas gurus. From what I read about specs they come with 1" ceramic wool insulation. Properly sealed with castable and a final coat of reflective, is this enough insulation. 

Really appreciate the info as this was a route I am seriously considering to replace my ugly metal box when the bricks start to wear out.

Leather conditioning like the kind you would use on say a saddle or baseball glove? Is that something they would likely have at a tack shop? I live in farm country.

I appreciate the help. This blade is priceless to me. 

Today in the shop I took some time to detail my father's KBAR. It took me a while to find after his passing and the leather had begun to grow fuzz mold. 

This knife was the possession he was most proud to have as it was given to him in thanks for his service in Vietnam. 

I would appreciate any suggestions on what I should use to keep the handle and sheath protected so it doesn't start to grow mold again.

Pictures please if you can. We love pictures. 

Array has a nice ring. Pun intended. 

Too many is when you've bought them all in a 100 mile radius and none of the new Smith's can find any. 

For the sake of saving glen bandwidth here is the thread with the forge and the tongs.

My first forging was with my "ugly metal box" forge. My first attempt at not only making a forge but also welding and metal fabrication in general. It is a propane forge. My anvil, whose name is stumpy, is a 12 pound sledge hammer embedded in the end of an upright log and held in with a piece of round stock and some conduit brackets. 

So far the few things I have forged have been a fire hook for my fire table on my patio. And as I didn't have any an attempt at a pair of tongs. The hook came out looking ok for a first go. The tongs are....."rustic". Lol.

But I learned what was working well and what deffinatly didnt. And frankly i had a blast. 

Also to show that even in the get go you bring a lot to the forum. I didnt even think of asking what I should start with. I'm going to try half of these suggestions next time I can fire up the forge.

Welcome to the forum. I'm sure one of the many seasoned Smith's with chime in soon. I am a new smith as well, fired my forge up for the first time a few weeks ago. Excited to see what you make. And if you feel discouraged after your first tong attempt hit me up and I'll show you a picture of my first set. They are quite ugly. Congradulatijns on taking the first steps on what I hope will be a long exciting journey for you.

Boz,

So pretty. Congratulations.

Lol. She is actually quite understanding. By which I mean I got her a puppy for Valentine's day to get out of the doghouse.

I keep having this same argument with the wife. She says it's expensive. I respond with, " but that tool has so many other uses on the homestead", i.e. the welder I bought last week to finish assembling my forge" Although I'm not sure I'll be able to apply the same argument when the time comes that i buy an actual anvil. Lol.

P.s. yall really are a bunch of dude who know where their towel is.

Welder,

Welcome from a fellow new smith. Beautiful forge box. Can't wait to see the beautiful things you make with it. 

lou,

I found my regulator at tractor supply. Is up to 30psi and was about $25.

Welcome,

I'm up in dixie county myself. If you have a moment I'd be grateful if you'd share the source you found. I have a box forge I made but got hosed on shipping for my bricks and will need to replace them soon enough. 

I am at the same stage as you, just starting out after quite a bit of time gathering data first.

Ninja, 

Yes thermite is powdered iron oxide and powdered aluminum.  But it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. Once it starts burning it is basically impossible to put out and can burn straight through an engine block. It doesn't just need to be treated with respect, it needs to be treated with a healthy dollop of straight up fear as well.

Macleod,

Welcome.

I promise you bring plenty. I'm a fledgling smith myself, just fired my forge up a week ago. Your questions and the things you share, both success and failure, brings a new view. You may very well ask something no one else thinks of. 

Yep. Lesson learned there with that first attempt. With those first tongs I made I was using the rest of the bar as a handle since I didn't have tongs. 

Found a makers mark on them. A GE inside a diamond. They are from GE ferriers supply. 

Love those scrolls. Reminds me of the one trick or treater from nightmare before christmas.

Ok. I will definatly watch some videos on them. If they will hold flat bar they will help me make a better pair of tongs than my first attempt. Was difficult using pliers as tongs on that first try to be sure. 

Oh wow. They were only $10. They were next to a bunch of cattle and pig snout grabbers. I wasn't even sure they were for forge work, just thought "hey, I can reforge the bit." Lucky day.

ADHD, That is stunningly beautiful. 

Got these today from the local flea market took guy. Was looking for advice in changes I could/ should make to the bits to make them better able to hold stock. Mostly flat bar for now but also some round or square at times.

Beautiful as always. How do.you plan out the fluteing(sp?) On your handles. Or at this point are you able to just free hand them without issue?

Thank you for this. Seeing a piece start to finish is truly educational and entertaining all wrapped into one. 

A day late in posting but my shop session yesterday yielded my very first pair of tongs. 

Thomas,

Bless him. My wifes grandfather was a marauder pilot during WWII and till the day he died had trouble talking about it except when he went to marauder reunions. I was blessed to be able to attend one of these reunions. The men who served were truly cut from a different cloth and as the years pass and we lose them the world is a less rich place. May you be able to attend many more of his birthdays and absorb as much from him as you can. 

The thinner reign ended up quite thin. I realize now it doesn't show too well in the pictures. But I don't feel great about how fine of a reign that would give me.