DennisG

Love the job. I did the same, but out of 3/8 check plate. I never put in a clink breaker just a grate made from 3/8 rod, from a mesh we had in shop. I do find with the design you have that the clinkers form about 1/2 inch above the bottom, maybe due to the air flow and no flat bottom area. Oh, and I welded my box into my forge table so there is no lip. What are the dimensions of the box?

hmmm....for me my "work" shop is several blocks away at my other house. Hard to get motivated to drive over when it is -30C. See my shop is not heated in any way. I would/will start my forge, put a plate over the fresh fire to heat for my anvil. Lay my hammers near the fire, go to the house and get water, then sit in my truck until all is warm, somewhat. About an hour or so to warm up and get ready before I can start something. Of course I now have a gasser and it is in my garage at my main house so I can just go out there, start the gasser, go get a coffee, and pound away after a few. As to the size of the "new" shop. You say you have a barrel stove in the new shop, why not start it the night before and laden it with stoker coal to heat over night. Put in an oscillation fan to move the warm air, then Bobs your aunt, you have a semi or even warm work area the next day.

I was just reading the post "Care and feeding...." and they were talking about coatings. Not wanting to high jack with my question I made this post. When you have made an object that is to be used with or around food people mention coating with oils and the one that seems to come up alot is peanut oil. Now, when giving a peanut oil coated object to a friend, or selling it do you mention this? As to selling, should you not put a nut warning on the object? Of course maybe I have missed something and that with the high heats the oil losses the reaction to people properties. Thought I would put this out there since I have not seen something on the allergy end. DennisG

Forge ahead.....yeah pun intended. Try it again, not sure of the type of gas one you are talking about but I made one and here is the link and it may have helpful info for you. LINK

not that I have tried checking in my shop but....... Up here the city made a noise bylaw for motorcycles. " 90-95 DB Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss Power mower at 3' 107dB Snowmobile, Motorcycle 100dB Power saw at 3' 110dB " The law up here is 90 dB for idle, 95dB for travel. Cars with the loud mufflers, or no mufflers are ok though.

sell them as good luck charms. you place several over your forge with ends down, this allows you the smithy to fill them with luck. A buyer must then install them at a slight "off level" with points up. The "off level' is to allow a little luck to seep out through out the year for the owner. this of course has to mean you do demos and shows

ok, not to advert for another site but....... on another site, in the how to section, go down to 79 the C-cross, that should help Link removed at the request of Anvilfire.

"It's good to see you doing this and carrying on this dieing trade" I always tell them..... it may have been dieing, but there are alot of people learning it and alot of young people taking it up. then I mention IFI and all the young ppl on here willing to learn and have posted here, they are surprised

Geez, where to start...... Just about every project shown on IFI over the last few yrs has in some way made it into my shop, be it a project or way of manipulating a project I am working on. I have learned alot from Brian and Lyle(?) about hammer making. Tons on tong making, although until this yr I had yet made a pair of tongs that worked out. Since I am doing more demos this yr I have to make smaller and faster objects ( time wise ) and last night I may have learned, from here, how to make an oak leaf. I think the greatest idea I have gotten from being on IFI, shared support. No other board or forum has so many supportive people contributing. From the professional to the first time pounding, everyone is open and helpful. I like that alot and it makes me want to keep coming back and sharing the web addy with others interested in smithing. So credit where credit is due, is to Glenn and Andrew for making and maintaining IFI.

Hey folks, been busy but now able to step in for a few min. Dana, the nails I use are right out of the box, no annealing needed, but then again, they are horse shoe nails and not "lumber" nails. I do like that link alot, gonna try it with a HS nail. I will try to take progression pics for you. Do share your adventure in making them. pics to follow if all works out.

amazing! can you add a pic of the back please?

there are bits for die grinding alum. the cuting of the bit is a VERY pronounced 3 or 4 ridges.... looking them up now...... http://www.carbidebur.com/nfburs/nfsa.htm I use the cone shaped ones. spend a few extra $$ on the good ones and they will last longer and it seems the "heads" don't come off too easily.

um, I see alot of mention of using a flux to weld, some old things I have read have never mentioned a flux. I have sure weld in my shop, used it a few times and it works ok, but for me, I am a no flux kinda guy. I find it works great. I have broken some weldeded pieces apart and they were fully welded and no seams in them. Just a little something to share and another way for others to possibly try.

Go for it Frosty, I am hoping to see him around xmas, sadly he is in a "retirement home" and a distance away from us now. He loves sharing his writings so I don't see a problem.

BP When I first started going to the Western Canadian Blacksmith Guild shop many years ago on the wall, framed for all to see, was the Ten Commandments. These were written by one of the founders, his name is John Babcock. This blacksmith I have mentioned before, but to recap, he is in his 80's, started smithing at 12 and continued for 60+ yrs. One thing he likes to do is write poetry and these commandments are his creation and I suspect pearls of information passed down to him over time. Here it is as it is seen on our wall. The Blacksmiths Ten Commandments Wander not into a blacksmith shop to loiter or fret. The Blacksmith will steer you to the door and tell you to get. Never touch a blacksmiths tools or his fire. To put you out the door will be his main desire. Show respect for your fire, make sure you keep it clean. A dirty fire will make you look unskilled to the point of being green. Never pound iron with too low or too high heat. The job will be a failure, you will end up in defeat. Hold your temper as in a good piece of steel. Ignore how others may holler, or at times squeal. Never argue with a blacksmith is one point that does hold true. Having a lifetime of experience, he knows what to do. When your work is done by the blacksmith make sure you pay his fee. He too has great expenses, nothing in life is free. Show respect for the blacksmith each time you pay him a call. This will make him more eager to serve you one and all. Share good humor with the blacksmith, it's sure to be a good plan. After all he is only human, and a most important man. Be a good friend with a friendly blacksmith are words that do hold true. Give him your best, and he will give his best to you. These are the sacred commandments by which blacksmith's abide. Enforced since the beginning. Through out the centuries they have been proven and tried.

um..... what if you don't have a thumb?

Hello Tom and welcome to the IFI forums. Could you put your location in so smiths local to your area can help you out easier. Don't be shy about questions. Post pics of your adventures in smithing and have lots of fun.

Welcome to the fun and strange world of Demos. Sorry you were not allowed to sell some wares, people who watch items being made want to own something made by the Blacksmith they just watched. Never been asked if the fire was hot, yet. You seem to have had a good time and if you have lots of people around you watching, quizzing, and enjoying, it makes if fun and worthwhile for you. Keep doing them. In the future maybe work it where you can also sell wares as a demonstrator. Maybe set up a table beside where your wife can do the sales for you.

Hey folks back from weekend demo at the antique tractor pull. Had a blast, taught alot of people the history and past of blacksmiths. I got to meet ALOT of older folks who remember having to turn the blower and seem to reminisce when they smelled the fire. The rose bookmarks were a hit. Sold out each day, though I only had 3 for day one, made another right there. Since I was camping over night I made 3 that night for today. Sold 2 before opening. Made 4 more and sold them, so total of 11 gone. Since Alberta is a western province people have a connection with horses and such, seeing an ordinary nail becoming something like a rose made all the difference. Sam, you are right, I could get small round for a way cheaper price, but then I would just be making a rose. Boring, everyday, run of the mill rose. Talking with the people who are interested in the rose, and that it came from this nail with no welds, they find impressive and unique. SoCal Dave, the nails are R14's Marksnagle, since I had to make them during the show alot of people got to see the stages, and that may have helped sales. Thanks for the replies folks.

even better painted, now you need to make another and put them out for people as a welcome sign

Thanks folks for the kind words. JohnB very nice work with nails....gave ideas. Sam, a box of 100 of these large nails is under 20$, bookmarks go for 3$, I have been told the roses should be 8$. A neighbor asked if I lengthened the stem part and made it a hair pin instead, an idea.

Congrats!!

um, try a search for tongs, but to hold you over........

So this weekend I have a Blacksmithing Demonstration at an Antique Tractor pull. It is a 2 day event and I am there for both days. This works well with a Blacksmith, I get to educate, demo, and even sell a thing or two. One thing I have been doing this summer is making leaf bookmarks out of horse shoe nails. To get ready for the show I was making a few bookmarks when an idea popped into my head, (insert bing sound here) why not try to make something other than leaves with the head part of the nail. So, with this little idea in mind I went to work. Flattened and elongated the nail head. When this was done I took my hacksaw and put a few cuts. Then I flatten out the edges more with the ball peen, bend a 90deg and wrap the elongated strip around it's self to make it look like a flower / rose. I wire wheel them to clean them up, coat them, blacken, or even a slight brassing and then I have a bookmark made from a horse shoe nail. Unfortunately since I just started making them this week, they take a little time, about 45 min., but hey maybe by the time this weekend is over I will be down to 20 min. I will post next week and let you all know how popular they are. Have a fun and safe long weekend.

yeah, that is a VERY nice rose for your first time out. What process are you using to make it. I do a wrap around myself.