K. Bryan Morgan

FROSTY!!!!! Now dang it young man get better so you can get back to giving us a hard time about things. Loved seeing you posting again. Hope your recovery is swift.

When I'm looking for software, I usually go to SourceForge first. Just on a hunch, and also because of this thread, I went there an looked up CAD. There were 209 different open source free programs for cad applications. Not all would work for what we do. But many would. I'll go through the reviews on them and see which is better. I am used to Autocad. It's very pricey, and I don't need it anymore. But I can see having a cad program for doing scrolls, gates doors and the like would be very helpful.

Here's mine. Simple break drum forge. Made with 1/8" floor plate and 20 ga. steel 2x4's. Made the tuyere out of a piece of cast that I found that was dome shaped, and the piping is 2" black iron. Works great. I can burn metal anytime I feel like it.

My prayers go out to you and your family. I lost my dad to cancer 10 yrs ago and my mom just this Aug, also to cancer. You are not alone brother. Knowing that is sometimes a comfort. At least it was to me.

-36F here in North Pole Alaska. Don't think I will be forging today. :D

You are not alone. I have been through this with both of my parents. They unfortunately are no longer with us. I hope and pray that your family heals and is well. Bless you and your family.

Teejay, Just about everything is hard to come by here. If I don't make tongs I have to order online, which I haven't done yet. Hammers are easy, there are lots of smithing hammers here. And coal. I have yet to find any drifts or punches that are blacksmithing specific. But, making them will be fun and a good way to learn. I can't find any swages, or fullers. May have to make them too. But that's the fun of this hobby for me. Getting the knowledge to make what I need to do it. Rio Bravo- I have traveled the world. Served my country. I've been on all seven continents. I have, in my time read over 7000 books. I have three degrees. I am about as well rounded as a person can get. Right now I am reading, besides these books, The Count of Monte Cristo, for the second time. I was written in 1844.

Unicorn, Yes I plan to get all the books by Jim Hrisoulas in the future. I have much to learn about smithing before I'm ready to make blades. And, I would like to thank everyone else for the great suggestions. I have found on Google books a bunch of older freebies that are out of print out of copyright that are free to view. Oh and also on Anvilfire.com.

Hey Jake, no I didn't take you seriously. I knew you were messin. No worries. I honestly admire what you do. Not for me for sure. I want to insulate the shed anyway, put in a heater system. North Pole gravel has coal heaters that would work great for the shed. And I can build a brick forge in there with a nice side draft hood ala the Hofi style. It has a wooden floor so I would need to nail down some sheet metal on it so I don't burn it down, put some duarock on the walls too. I saw that used at a smithy in Kansas, it worked very well for them. Just some ideas I've been kicking around. Thanks Mike that's a great idea. I may just do that in any case no matter what I end up doing.

Jake, Thanks for letting me know about the coal. I don't know if I am ready for that much commitment for the Healy coal yet. I'm supposed to be getting a propane forge here in a little bit and have a shed to use it in. Not insulated yet but that's not hard to fix. I know you rough it up there on the Yukon. I must admit I admire your commitment to that lifestyle. I've been though many hard things in my life, but, I know I couldn't do what you do. Iron Bear, the books are in the $20 to $25 dollar range, the only one I personally wouldn't recommend is Hot techniques and striking projects Blacksmithing, by Jose Antonio Ares. More of an art book. It's short on teaching and long on look what I can do, in my opinion. As for the others I've read the parts I need to to get the information I want to make the things I'm practicing on. The one I am currently enjoying is The Blacksmiths Craft. But all but the ones I mentioned are very good.

I know what you mean. I've been addicted to books for a long time too. Its a standing joke between me and my girlfriend that I am older than dirt and the dinosaurs are younger.

They just re launched the site. This link works Purgatory Ironworks

I'm getting a bad forge jones going (what I get for moving to a sub-zero winter climate) and went and bought a bunch of blacksmithing books to read and study, also for references. Not that there isn't tons of stuff online. But, sometimes a hard copy seems easier for me to read or get into my head. So far I have collected, Blacksmithing, Basics for the homestead, by Joe DeLaRonde, The Blacksmith's Craft, by Charles McRaven, Practical Blacksmithing and Metalworking Second Edition, by Percy W. Blandford, The Complete Modern Blacksmith by Alexander Weygers, The Backyard Blacksmith, By Lorelei Sims, and finally Hot techniques and striking projects Blacksmithing, by Jose Antonio Ares. Wow what a mouthful. Anyway I figure I can learn a lot from these fine folks.

Alrighty then. That's one mean looking squasher. Love the color. Congrats. :D :D

They look good to me...much better than the first set I made ..or the second for that matter....:D

Phil, I understand your frustration. I made two sets of tongs so far and both are UGLY but they work. The second set is a little better than the first. Like my football coach used to say, "Keep running that play till you get it right." So, I'll keep working on that skill until I get good at it.

awaiting scraps to come

Hey there welcome to the forum. I'm in Fairbanks, I know its quite a ways from you but there are many smiths in Anchorage. Chime in and remember we like pictures.

Got a good laugh out of that one.

Excellent work Joe. I really liked the scene where the ball peen hammer was being raised right at the camera. Looked like it should have been in a 3D movie. Well done on the RRSK. Love the music, keep up the great work. :D

How you want to mount your anvil is exactly like I have mine mounted. When I got it, it had a horn ground into it, so I couldn't mount it on end. The bolts keep backing out and I have to constantly ratchet them back in. There isn't enough mass under the hammer to give much rebound so I have to hit hard. Which isn't that much of an issue for me, I'm a big guy. I have another piece of rail that I will mount on end. I feel it will work much better for me. If I had things to do over again I would mount the other piece of rail end up first, and weld a large thick piece of plate to the top. On a side note. Does anyone know of any anvils in the Fairbanks Ak area. I'm looking for one here without much success. Have fun with the rail anvil. It's good to learn on. You can beat the heck out of it and not worry about missed blows. But put it on end you will be much happier.

From what I understand they are 1095.

This is alcohol abuse pure and simple. How dare they limit beer. It ain't right I tell you. (sniff, sob) :(

I made some pics of what I had done and wanted to post them. Rasser Frasser thing wouldn't let me. I know I wont come close to making them exactly the same. But, if I can get them looking close enough and they work, I won't care. Yippy, it worked. Rats, it didn't work Darn drat and rasser frasser. Still won't let me upload pics.

Looks like a great find. I'm looking for one myself, hard to find in Alaska.