John NC

Ken, Will is still associated with the JCGEP. He doesn't have any classes on the schedule at the moment, but I hear there are a few in the works. Last time I saw him he was working with Cherokee kids to re-establish a blacksmith shop in their community. Fire on the Mountain was the same day as Sylva's Greening up the Mountains festival this year. I chose to stay in Sylva and sell iron.

Glad you're going to be ok, ptree. Guys and Gals, please wear eye protection all the time in the shop. Just get into the habit. And if you smith seriously consider stout, old fashioned safety glasses with glass lenses and side sheilds. They cost a few bucks, but IMO they are worth it.

Thanks guys, glad to be here. Frosty, the gas is not filtered. It's only about 50-60% methane though. The forges had to be tweaked (drilled orifices, bigger blowers) to get them burning hot enough. They don't run hot enough to forge weld, but that's no big deal to me right now. Estimates are that we have about 20 years worth of gas in the landfill.

Hello everyone, glad to have found this resource. I just read through the forums and most of you (just kiddin') sound like you're pretty decent folk. I grew up in PA, lived in NJ for 20 years, and just escaped to the mountains of NC two years ago. I've been blacksmithing less than a year now, but I do it seriously, not as a hobby. My shop is at the Jackson County Green Energy Park, and as far as I know I'm the only smith using landfill gas to fire the forge. Everyone's welcome to visit, just call the GEP folks ahead of time so we know when you're coming. Glad to be here, John