rich_c

I'm going to pull a little bit of internet necromancy and revive this old thread... bark-eater: if you're still following this, here is Dave Collier's website: https://brokenhammerforge.com/. I've taken several classes with him and he is a fantastic teacher to include welding. He helped my build my anvil stand (avatar picture) and stand for my leg vice. It came with a good re-familiarization of stick welding, which I hadn't done in a while. I'm in a similar situation. I'm looking at getting myself a small welding set up for making tools and jigs. Though I'm going back and forth between a Hobart stick machine (stick/MMA is what I learned to use while in the Marine Corps) and a Lincoln MIG machine.

I did some cleaning up in the back yard from the snow and rain we got over the winter. Checked on all of my tools, etc., and preparing to do some work since the weather forecast calls for decent weather.

I worked on the ABANA NC Level 1 projects. Tapers were good, but I still need to work on making staples and s-hooks.

It’s been a little while, but I set up my backyard forge underneath a canopy tent. I decided to do a little “progression” work. I used a piece of 1/2-inch square and worked down to 3/8-inch, then 1/4-inch, and ended with an 1/8-inch tail to create a loop. Then I cut it off using a hardy tool. It felt good to swing a hammer again!

That table is awesome, Gewoon!

I got lucky finding that at an estate sale. The deceased was an avid wood- and metalworker, and had a nice shop. Many items were spoken for except the forge blower. I checked it out and cranked it a couple of times. The movement is nice and smooth and it pushes air easily. I paid for it immediately and loaded it up in my little pickup truck. Hahaha! My nephew (3) was over. He was decorating the driveway with my youngest son (9). As for everyone posting photos of their work, that is fantastic and a good source of motivation! I've been going over my notes and videos from the ABANA NC Level 1 course I took a little while ago and I'm going to use that to start over and get back into swinging a hammer again.

As it's been a while since I've actually done anything, I inventoried my shop. Going through my stock of mild steel, checking tools that have gone unused for over a year, and (still) trying to plan out some sort of structure to work in/under. It's been a while since I've chimed in on this forum, so I hope everyone is well. I did add one new item to my shop. I found this at an estate sale this past Spring and it followed me home. IMG_0039(2).HEIC Here's a .jpg file of the photo I just tried to post in my previous comment.

It followed me home… … after I signed the delivery receipt and walked back into my house.

JHCC, those gosh darned dogs just don't understand the effort that goes into designing stuff. Hahaha!

Since my "shop" is packed up in my shed until the weather improves, I have been on YouTube University rewatching videos and trying to not go crazy. I hope that all is well with everyone!

That's a good idea for a helmet hook! The cracks might be from forging at too cold of a temperature? I'll defer to those with more experience and knowledge, hence the question mark.

I immediately thought of stump anvils when I saw them. I’m going to clean them up a little bit, so I’ll keep an eye on their sparking when I do. The shorter one has some marks on one of the long-side faces. It looks like someone tried to drill into it and there are some chisel/punch marks, also. That side will probably be kept down against the stump.

I picked up these two chunks of steel today. The one on the right is 3-1/4” square, about 9” tall/long. The one on the left is 3” x 4” rectangle about 5-3/4” tall/long. There is evidence that they were each cut off from something larger. I don’t know what grade of steel they are, but I’m thinking of using them as small striking anvils using my homemade stump as a base.

You're shop is looking good, Paradigm11.

That looks nice. I'll admit to being a bit jealous.

As an aside to the serious conversation here, I'd like to add that Black Bear Forge is John Switzer's shop/YouTube channel. He is, as I have heard another blacksmith say, the "Bob Ross of blacksmithing".

Shainarue: I run an electric cord out to my forging area for my coal forge blower and a light for working after sundown. I’m going to try setting up my box fan. Frosty: Thanks for the advice! I’ll look into the plants. I used to have some really good bug repellant that I had “held on to” after getting out of the Marines. The warning label mentioned it could melt some plastics, though. Hahahaha! jlp: That looks awesome!

The two bottle openers are made from mild steel. The hook-shaped bottle opener was made from 3/8-inch round bar. The “loop” shaped bottle opener was made from 1/4-inch by 1-inch flat bar. The leaf beneath then is made from copper.

I made these recently.

I gotten eaten alive by mosquitos, so I called it quits before really doing anything. I really need to build something to work in, instead of standing in my backyard under a shelter tent.

Frosty: Sorry for misunderstanding you. Yes, the second photo was for the leg vise stand. As a matter of fact, here's a picture of both of them. The leg vise is sitting in seated in the bottom "catch" ring and held to the table with a c-clamp so I can mark out the mounting holes. Both are tripods, based on the information I've found here on the forums and from a few blacksmiths. It's the best option since my forging area gets stashed away into my shed when not in use for long periods of time, bad weather, etc. Some day, I'll have a structure to have a shop to work in.

JHCC: I forge outdoors, but my forging area is in the back corner of my yard by the shed. It was more about getting them out of the back of my truck and inside my fence line. Frosty: Yes, that’s my vise. It was resting upside down at that moment. Once I get it in place on its stand, I’ll take another photo. I need to drill the holes into the plate first so I can mount it.

My new anvil stand and post vise stand. These were made with a lot of help from Dave Collier/Broken Hammer Forge in Henderson, MD. I can’t thank him enough. Now I can get back to work! Following up: this isn’t my forging area. I took them out of the back of my truck and set them in the yard, at the edge of my driveway, during my lunch break. I’ll move them into my forging area later today.

I am getting set for a new anvil stand to replace the one I made out of 4x4 fir posts earlier this year. I am also going to make a stand for my post vise. I bought the steel needed to make a tripod stand for both the anvil and vise, and have scheduled some time with a blacksmith who has the facilities and tools to help me with the build. I honestly can not wait to get them built so I can get back to forging.

Thanks, Frosty! That’s her routine for me. She doesn’t act that way for my wife. My wife brought her home two years ago, but she immediately abandoned my wife and has been next to me since.