Mike04

Started reading through some of the resources suggested, lots of good information. I am definitely going to do some more accurate drawings on graph paper, trying to figure out how much steel of each size ill need (plus a good bit for pieces that go in the pile) and get an idea of prices for it.

Luckily for us, we dont live in an area to worry about scrappers, mostly just raccoons and opossums where we are

Thanks again to anvil for the great detailed response to start and to everyone else for the references and suggestions!

Thanks for the link and more recommendations. Just downloaded the COSIRA series and went ahead and got the practical blacksmith series too. Ill start looking for hard copies too

Thank you for your thoughtful response and the info on some books to check out! Ill definitely look into those.

I might just find one that i like and try to make a copy of it to try and get the feel of how it all works together. 

The joinery part was one reason i wanted to do this project!

Thanks again

Please excuse my poor drawing ability, these are 2 designs i have for a small fence around our trash bin area. Mostly just decoration and something for me to focus on making. Lots of relatively simple and repetitive parts to practice forging along with some new techniques in joining to practice. I am expecting a high failure rate but looking forward to the challenge. Its going to be about 4ft high to the horizontal and will enclose about a 4x8 rectangle on three sides. 2 short sides and one long side.

Which design do you prefer? If for a practical reason, what reason? (Might help me consider things differently for future projects)

Stock size recommendations for the different elements?

And lastly, thoughts on doing cast bronze pieces for the corners?(ive been casting off and on for a while and have a stock of copper, tin, and bronze)

Thank you all for your time and any advice you can give!

Hello everybody, first post in this thread but hopefully not the last.

That dirk looks very nice. I like it a lot.

Just finished this up this past weekend, practicing making some hooks and decided to get some riveting practice too. Just gonna use it to hang stuff up around the shop

Got some time to hammer this weekend. Went and picked up a Champion blower and wow does it keep the shop quiet compared to my propane furnace or the hairdryer i used last weekend.

Between the new blower and the trench, i used about half the amount of charcoal as last time in the same amount of time

Played around with some different hooks and got a rake made. Had fun and gonna keep working on it

I checked and the anvil does have the number 8 cast in so 80lbs unless im mistaken.

And the adjustable chain/bar idea seems like a more versatile and stable version than the stirrup. Might have to try both and see

Also, got the trench walls built up around the firepot to give that a try. About 7 inches deep and 4 wide. We'll see how it goes this weekend

Thank you,

Yeah, i dont plan to do anything to it, just keep using it. It is quiet, I think it weighs about 70 or 80 pounds. Ill check the number on it when i get back from work in the morning

I do like that weighted/stirrupt chain idea, i think ill go with that. Thank you!

Thanks guys! I agree on the footwear, just got too excited after getting it done and didnt think about it until i came in for the night and realized i had had a lucky evening.

Im going to dress my hammers this evening, may look at lowering my anvil (its too high to hold stock between my legs and made for a slightly more difficult time punching the holes), and might try to build up some walls to try the trench out. 

Still just feeling my way into what works for me. I felt like i learned a bit just between the 1st and 2nd half of the tongs.

The 2nd half took half the time and i found out where on my anvil was flat, what edge was good to use, that using the cross peen made a world of difference in drawing out the reigns from the 5/8 round bar, and that i got it way to thin in one of the pivot areas.

Just practice and hopefully improvement now

Hi everyone, first post but been reading for some time

I built my jabod forge this weekend and just wanted to share with yall since everything you have been saying here was so much help.

About 30 inches square, 3/4 schedule 40 tuyere, hairdryer a couple inches away and angled for air control (on the lookout for a handcrank blower)

Burning lump charcoal, using a water bottle with a hole in the lid to keep fire from spreading 

Started with a firepot 8" long 4" wide and 4" deep, didnt like the way that was working and changed it up to about a 2" deep 6" circle with a mound of fuel on top. I liked that better, but still going to play around with it. Which really is super easy since its just a box of dirt

Anvil is an old vulcan thats seen better days but was free from my great grandfathers barn

I had fun, played around for about 6 hours, and made what was going to be part of a brooch (wound up just leaving it how it is), and a ugly set of tongs (but at least theyre semi functional)

Anyway, just wanted to share and say thanks to all you guys for the advice and support you put out