Hi everyone!
I've spent the last couple of years building a small sailboat in my garage. It's a Sunfish-like critter (aka: Clonefish) made of wood, epoxy & varnish. The hull is done, now it needs hardware. For this boat all the hardware will be bronze. They don't make much bronze hardware for small boats any more so I'll be beating bronze rod, bars and plate into submission.
My background? I'm a retired software guy who appreciates the opportunity to do something besides stare at a screen all day. I've about ten years experience in my rudimentary home machine shop. Back in 2019, when we could do such things, I took a one-day course in blacksmithing and a one-week course in "Metalworking for Boatbuilders."
Right now the smithy is a Larry Zoeller burner and a NC Tools anvil. That's enough to get small bronze bits the dull red that I need and hit on them. Once the boat is sailing I have a few chores around the house that could use some smithing and will probably make myself a small forge.
