Tracemaster

I was thinking about removing the angle iron you see on the forge since it seems like they would get in the way. I decided to mount is horizontally for, simplicity, mobility and cost efficiency. Smart thinking with the sheet metal, would aluminum work or does it have to be steel?

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, so please let me know if it is. I have made a couple of posts looking for advise on building forge and anvil stands and i finally got them built (after a lot more hassle than it should have been). Here they are, i built the anvil stand from scratch, but i wanted to start with the forge stand (since it was the one I knew I would need help with. However in the process of helping me the person that did got so frustrated they just went and bought me a tool stand from harbor freight. I have not mounted the anvil, as I am still deciding the best way and best location to do so.

I done lost my angle grinder (I don't know how) and the only hacksaw blade I have is bent and, I have been trying to cut a piece of 1/2x1/8 flat bar for half an hour and I'm less than a quarter of the way through. I would fire up the forge and just hot cut what I need but I'm not allowed to use the forge at the moment. Is there another way to cut the flat bar or do I have to wait?

Pnut, I just used up my one trip for awhile, I should be good to go, I just got to figure out what the best I CAN do is with what I got today. I don't recognize your name I recently found this website, and knew I was getting a trip to home depot sometime soon I just didn't know exactly when for awhile. Well it also happens we were going to my dad's who is getting rid of a bunch of his stuff (for reasons I would rather not discuss). So I also managed to get railroad spikes and some other odds and ends. The purpose behind this post and my other one was to try and prepare for this trip. Simply put "just getting into it" wasn't really an option for me if your curious as to why just read through my other replies if you haven't already.

Thomas thank you for trying, but can i ask how else you are supposed to find a solution when you don't even know the problem? People say i could scrounge for steel and materials, but how? I see your point that you did not live in god neighborhood either. My neighborhood isn't bad with crime per say. It's just full of hoarders and not nice people. Also it's illegal and enforced for me to raid alleyways here (ridiculous I know). I am not trying to be difficult. I have wanted to do black smithing for the last 5 years, I just don't want to sully the one chance I may have to do it.

Sorry i haven't been on in awhile I have been trying to figure this out, and to be honest i thought people were done replying to this post. As i have said i have no mode of transportation except for a maximum of once a month . I have no bicycle, no friends (very important one there, since not many people believe me), no drivers licenses, and certainly not a car. You can just call me trace if you like, it is my name after all. when i said i am in a bad place for steel, the reason isn't due to seclusion or stuck up neighborhoods. The reason is that everywhere Is that I just don't live in a friendly neighborhood. As for the stand I am able to go to home depot today, so i am going to buy whatever material i can afford and figure it out from there (if something else happens to be figured out before hand i can likely get at least a partial refund by reselling it to my brother). Also in terms of the legs being under the anvil, they are. the legs are made of 2x6s and the top board stick up above the base of the anvil slightly.

Frazer that makes sense, I posted another option a few days ago and many of the same people responded (including you), and I am getting a bit frustrated because in both questions most of the answers see like they are saying it won't work because of a, b, c. you fix it with x, y, z. Though I do not believe I am getting "tunnel vision" (I believe you told me that in my last question as well) I do wish to start with the best that I can given my limitations.

Hey Goods I know everyone here is trying to help, and i appreciate it. I was unaware until recently that there even was blacksmiths organizations, let alone anywhere near me. I have contacted the Rocky Mountain Smiths and am waiting on a reply. As for the steel I have some leaf springs, a piece of titanium, and rebar right now, but as for when they run out my only recourse is Ebay, and they are fairly expensive (part of the reason money is super tight).

Everybody I understand what is being said, i really do. Given what I and about to say I apologize if it comes off as rude, that is not my intention but I can think of no other way to phrase it. I have a 17 inch piece of railroad track, I live in a awful location to get free things anywhere near me, no friends, and maybe a once a month trip to a single location that I want to go to. To be quite frank All I'm seeing is things I have thought of before, have had over a year and a half to think about all of it and only now am I in a position to even think about acting on it.

I will consider everything that has been said and figure out something that i can afford. Thanks to all of you.

There should be plenty of room on the part the trains goes on though right?

Natkova what do you mean by your anvil becomes a cutting tool?

Thomas Powers and Frosty, my apologies I likely should have mentioned this earlier I do not believe mounting the track vertically is an option as it has already had a horn cut into it. As for the knuckles thing I plan to make literally anything i can think of that will be useful. Won't putting it at wrist height cause more stress on the forearm and wrist joint? I have wrist problems that is why I am asking. Also Thomas, please elaborate on your second sentence i do not understand.

These 2 pictures are a anvil and forge stand designed to scale. The one with the blue thing is the anvil stand with a piece of railroad track on top of it with a total height of 30.5 inches (my knuckles). The blue thing you see in the picture represents a piece of square tubing that i intend to use as a hardy hole. The legs on the anvil stand are 2x6s and the base is 2x4s. The forge stands legs are 2 2x4s on each side and the base has 2x4s underneath 2x6s. I am pretty limited on space as shown in the last picture. I can step out of the workspace but the stand have to stay in. Does anybody have any advise either on the designs or other possible designs? Anything new must be able to be moved somewhat easily. Thank you

How long are your steps? I measured mine and they are just over a foot so 4 feet is 3 or more steps which seemed far. I'm sure you have it established well just interesting that 4 "is a "step or half step"

to everybody who has replied, I thank you, I have re read everything that you have said and everything I have said and came to the conclusion that I may have seemed like a jerk some of the times. This however is not my intention, I tend to get caught up in my own thoughts and what is said, so that when my questions are answered It often times brings up more questions, and the longer this goes on the worse it gets. So i apologize it was never my intention, you have all been incredibly helpful.

Frazier: I agree with this especially considering when I am done for the day I will have to literally move all of my things into the house or in a different location outside. This is my first shop and I am here to get as much information as possible before I go to home depot. I have a propane forge made out of a 15 pound propane tank. Chris Williams: I will create some designs for what you suggested and figure it out from there. what do you think about attaching a piece of square tubing to the anvil stand to use as a hardy hole?

Ok cool, i just thought of how to show you the workspace. This is a 3d model built to scale, i would just take a picture but nobody else is here. I am 6 foot tall and I can step outside the grey area. to the left a short ways is tree branches and to the right is my front porch. the structure you see in the picture represents the workbench i designed. the area at which i can put thing such as the anvil and forge ends where the grey area stops.

I can't go to fort collins but this is the first i have heard of the rocky mountain smiths do they charge?

That makes a lot of sense actually, in fact my original plan for an anvil stand was to make one that you could stand on for this exact purpose.

My railroad track has a horn cut into it on one side would this still work and what are the advantages to such a mount?

Please elaborate on what you mean by mount vertically. I plan to mount the anvil in the same direction as if you were laying railroad track.

So you think put the hardy hold closer to the anvil stand? The anvil stand is the structure on the corner. Doing this would cause me to have to travel well over 4 feet to access the anvil, isn't that a little far? My first thought was to put the hard hole over the leg and support, but my main 2 problems was that i was concerned for anything i punched out to burn my leg on the way down (both my own and the workbenches. The other thing is how would i attach the flat bar without interfering with putting tools in the hardy hole?

I have my front yard as a shop about a 2 and a half foot wide sidewalk to my door that is surrounded by grass that i cannot do a lot of damage to as i do not own the place. I looked at the read this first and i am located in cheyenne wyoming. As i said i have very limited space, only about a 2 and a half foot side walk up to my door that is surrounded by grass that, i can stand on but not destroy to badly. I have a 17 inch long piece of railroad track as an anvil, and i do not generally have access to things such as propane grill carts, as I have to rely on my mother to take me from place to place, and all free stuff is gone within an hour here.