May 30, 200917 yr 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
May 31, 200917 yr Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! I think the only member here that you need to be concerned about is Frosty. and maybe Thomas Powers. oh yeah, and... well never mind, you'll figure them out on your own. Glad you are here and don't forget, we like pictures of people's work!
May 31, 200917 yr Gee Thomas I'm at the top of you're "watch out for this guy" list? I'm honored! Welcome aboard John, glad to have ya. Do you filter the land fill gas for methane or do you use it as is with the impurities? I have an acquaintance that tapped a buried avalanche runout for methane and he's been heating and generating power for a few decades now. Best of all, every few years another avalanche piles another layer on his gas generator. Frosty
May 31, 200917 yr Author 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.
June 1, 200917 yr John, Is Will Rogers still teaching there. I was in the first class held there. No one showed up at fire on the mountain this year. May try to stop in. I am in the Asheville area. BTW the forges are modified Mankels. Ken
June 1, 200917 yr Author 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.
June 1, 200917 yr John, Thanks for the update. Had not heard of the Sylva gathering will look for it next yr. Hi to Tom and Carrie. Ken
June 1, 200917 yr Author Just to be clear, GUTM is a town festival, not a blacksmith gathering. No anvils, lots of corn dogs, clogging and crafts.
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