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I Forge Iron

Coming back home


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I just stayed away too long! Trying to decide if I should go back to work after retirement. But the work finds me, and I just bought a great 4x8' table made with 3/8" plate on channel with angle iron legs that I will be putting in a 2-1/2 car garage.

I have a buzz box stick welder and access to a 110v wire welder and I own the "pony" size oxy/acetylene cutting and heating torch set. I am a retired Millwright with all the hand-tools a tradesman carries. In short, I am going to start-up a shop.

This is a great website and I sort of forgot that by staying away too long. My first action was to check out the video on anvils, which helped a lot. I'm interested in ornamental iron-working but not necessarily in going all the way back to traditional blacksmith methods.

I received a birthday greeting from I-forge Iron that reminded of the resources at the site, so birthday greetings are not the corny idea one might think; score one for social media and the administrator Glenn. I hope I got his name right because he knew mine. Like Dale Carnegie said: "Everyone loves the sound of their own name."

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Rusty,
There is a little trick blacksmiths do where we can put a rod into a hole and the fit is so tight that you can NOT remove it by hand. And we do that using a 2 pound hammer. Now that your retired, put the micrometers away, just eyeball the sizes, and enjoy life. (grin).

Welcome back to the site.

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You're right about Millwrights being fussy. But it's mainly for the sake of the trade. Working with metal is integral to Millwright work and has always been a favorite of mine. I consider myself in good company here at the forum and I am always willing to learn something new.

I have cut many holes with a torch eyeballing the the bolt that goes into it, and to make the hole handsome I drive a drift pin into it while the iron is still red. Often I could produce a sized hole that at first look appears drilled.

I am looking forward to being here!

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Rusty check out FABA Florida Artist Blacksmithing Assoc. good group of people who are interested in all types of metal work good source of local contacts. They meet once a month.

@Francis Cole: thanks for the FABA tip, that is just the kind of information I was looking for!
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Guest mod07

Rusty, click Post reply, then after entering text, scroll down to Manage attachments, then click the method you prefer to locate and upload your photo's

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Rusty,
There is a little trick blacksmiths do where we can put a rod into a hole and the fit is so tight that you can NOT remove it by hand. And we do that using a 2 pound hammer. Now that your retired, put the micrometers away, just eyeball the sizes, and enjoy life. (grin).

Welcome back to the site.


First, Welcome Rusty. If those are Pony bottles then what did I buy :-)

But, hey Glenn, you grabbed my attention! Can you describe the "trick". Thanks Rob. Edited by piglet_74
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Welcome Rusty,

As Francis pointed out you should get with the gang at FABA (I am a member from Tampa) the meetings are every week; one at each corner of the state. We alternate Saturdays, different groups meet in different locations. That is done so members can occasionally visit other groups. I normally go to the SW (3rd Saturday) I will be there hammer in hand tomorrow. You are closer to the NE group but can visit any or all of them. We would love to have you visit and that goes for any of you, pass through Florida and visit the FABA group near you.

Checks us out at:

Florida Artist Blacksmith Association

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@swordsmandp: I just got "back" to Florida about a year ago. I intend to get in touch with the Florida groups. I apprenticed out of the Tampa Millwright local over thirty years ago. I was already a welder when I started and that fact often meant the difference between getting placed or not getting placed.

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Rusty,
I was watching a millwright cut a bolt hole with a torch once. The job enginer came up and was giving him, hedoubletoothpics for torch cut holes.
The millwright just kept at it, shut off his torch, picked up the drift and worked over the holeand dropped a bolt in it.

The engineer just turned around and left. LOL :)

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