JWCarlson Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 New here, got to thinking about something that would be fun as a hobby in addition to things I already don't have the time to do. Going to be poking around reading up and possibly looking to get some cheap cheap equipment to start pounding away at some things. Quote
pkrankow Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 Welcome aboard! Cheap equipment is that, it may be better and more cost effective to make new equipment out of scrap materials. Making also educates on how to perform tasks and use skills that work for many many other projects. OTOH I am using some $7 hammers and a broken anvil and having a blast! Phil Quote
JWCarlson Posted November 25, 2009 Author Posted November 25, 2009 Can you explain what you mean? Where do you find broken anvils? I'm all for $7 hammers and broken anvils! That's what I meant by cheap, not necesarily new cheap. I just bought a couple books off Amazon so hopefully they are a good resource. Obviously the internet is a wealth of information but are there any concentrated areas that lay things out pretty easily for beginners? Quote
pkrankow Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 Start in the "getting started in metalworking" section, there are links to many many books that are out of print and fully reproduced. Go to the scrapyard wearing the right gear, work boots etc. and find a chunk of steel more than 50# and as heavy as you can get(over 100# is nice). Tall with a 3 or 4 inch by 10 to 12 inch top face is nice, that is about 12 to 18 inches tall. Don't think about what it was think about what you can use the existing shapes in the metal to do. You really need a flat area a little larger than your largest hammer head as well, and at least one clean straight edge. Call that an "anvil" because it is exactly what has been used for centuries. At scrap rates that will be less than $50 and better than my broken anvil. http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/thomas-powers-applied-anvil-acquisition-technique-3661/ If you find need to have a "London pattern" anvil, this is tops! You will need cash in hand for best results, but there are people who will give equipment to someone who will use it. My $7 hammers were bought new at a big box store. Truper brand. I bought a 2# and a 3#, and use the 3# almost exclusively. I also have a 3# drilling hammer for tooling, and altered another 3# cross peen hammer to be a diagonal peen. There are better hammers than these, but they are what I am learning with. They needed to have the wood handle reshaped to my hand and the head needed a lot of dressing to make a rounding face and nice cross peen. The face was somewhat angular and the peen somewhat chisel-like. They will be replaced...eventually. Getting hammer onto hot metal is always a treat. Phil Quote
tech413 Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 Hi and welcome to IFI!! The best source of information I've found so far is this site. Pull up a chair and pack a lunch and do some reading. You can find any info you want on smithing here. If it's not here, don't be afraid to ask. Adam Quote
Fe-Wood Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 I hate to do a plug for Mark Aspery's books because he is regular here and a heck of a nice guy but they are well worth the money and have good step by step instruction on usable projects and tools for beginners and more advanced smiths too. Start with book one and go on to from there. Good Luck, Have fun and Welcome! Quote
Thomas Dean Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 The only other piece of advice I can give is forget your other hobbies;) You won't be spending much time with them after you start forging and besides, the money spent of the other hobbies could be used on your NEW and BETTER one! Glad you're here, enjoy! Quote
Dan W Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 1. Fire 2. Something to bang with 3. Something to bang on 4. Something to bang Take a look at some of the blacksmith set ups in most of the third world countries. These guys are absolute genuses at working with almost nothing. Quote
ThomasPowers Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" is very much a scrounge it and build it yourself book, if you don't have that one GET IT! (it's 3 books in one; I'd start with the Modern Blacksmith if you are interested in smithing and branch out to the other two as you like) Quote
JWCarlson Posted November 25, 2009 Author Posted November 25, 2009 Thanks for all the replies guys. Purchased 3 books between yesterday and today: The Complete Modern Blacksmith The Backyard Blacksmith: Traditional Techniques for the Modern Smith Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop, Revised Should be a good start. Quote
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