What tools and equipement do I need

[Underwoodsman]

Hi

Complete novice just about to venture into the world of smithing and wondering what tools and equipement I will need!

The short of it is that we run a small mental health project at a woodland site. We make charcoal and do green woodwork/primitive skills. I was looking to set up a couple of forges (probably break drum forges as we don't have a lot of tech to hand) to make up some bowl turning hooks and take it from there really.

Would really value some advice on what you guys would recommend. There is no power for starters so recommendations for bellows would be great, (box bellows probably aren't suitable for this setting). And if we are making some tools what is the best way to get the final edge on them? (aware that this would be best done back at the workshop, but what kind of grinder might suit us? would a linisher be useful? We will be straigthening out coil springs for starters (pot holes are bad here at the moment and it is a good source of HC steel for us to play with!)

Sorry for all of the questions but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Leo

[John B]

Hi

Complete novice just about to venture into the world of smithing and wondering what tools and equipement I will need!

The short of it is that we run a small mental health project at a woodland site. We make charcoal and do green woodwork/primitive skills. I was looking to set up a couple of forges (probably break drum forges as we don't have a lot of tech to hand) to make up some bowl turning hooks and take it from there really.

Would really value some advice on what you guys would recommend. There is no power for starters so recommendations for bellows would be great, (box bellows probably aren't suitable for this setting). And if we are making some tools what is the best way to get the final edge on them? (aware that this would be best done back at the workshop, but what kind of grinder might suit us? would a linisher be useful? We will be straigthening out coil springs for starters (pot holes are bad here at the moment and it is a good source of HC steel for us to play with!)

Sorry for all of the questions but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Leo

Hi Leo, You haven't entered your location, someone near may be able to help, and I think if you go to Dave Budd's details and PM him if he doesn't see it on here, he would be able to help you as he has the experience of regularly working with a hole in the ground forge and hand bellows, and you don't get much simpler than that. Have a look at his website

I am sure you will get other responses from members here too

[Don A]

Sounds like you really need a copy of The Complete Modern Blacksmith by Alexander Weygers.

The Complete Modern Blacksmith by Alexander Weygers

You might check any local libraries.

You seem to be right in line with what Weygers was most interested in. He was great at scrounging materials and fabricating tools, and wood-working tools were one of the main things he would make.

Good luck.

[Mainely,Bob]

There was a recent thread on here about bellows,what size and how to make them.In that thread was a post that showed how to make simple and effective hand powered bellows using water filled drums,bellows and slack tub combined.You may want to check that one out as it would be great for your back woods ,no power site.If you find a source for free drums(tell them what you`ll be doing with them)and they have alot to give away and you don`t like the ground level approach to forging then you may want to look into making elevated forges using those too.I`d say follow the Ol` 55 plans but the Blueprints on this new site aren`t working yet.Maybe someone knows where else to find them.

If your primary purpose is to make hook tools for foot powered lathes then you may want to research a fellow named Robin Wood from the UK. Lots of good info on his site as this is what he does,treadle lathe bowl work using hand forged hook tools.I Googled "Robin Wood,bowlturner " and he came right up.

[NRunals]

For the tools I would suggest a few hammers, you can usually get some decent ones at a flea market for $5-10, something to use as an anvil (real anvil, rail road rail, fork lift fork), and some sort of tongs/pliers. Then you are able to make tongs chisels and pretty much any other tools you'll need.

As far as edge finishing goes, I pretty much only use files/sandpaper/whetstones.

Here are some pictures of some interesting, easy to make bellows. (I took them from Brent Bailey's website www.brentbaileyforge.com )

[ThomasPowers]

Hammers: a couple of larger ballpeins and at least one small sledge will work

Anvil: look into improvised anvils---like one made from a junked fork lift tine
with the steel oriented vertically so that the mass is all under where the hammer
lands!

Forge: I have worked out of a corner of a campfire before, raking hot coals
over to where a small bellows was set up with a couple of fire safe rocks
helping to contain the charcoal stack so it was deeper and narrower for forging.

Tongs: good fitting tongs are a safety item! However I have used visegrips from
the fleamarket to bootstrap making tongs.

Bellows: may not like unsheltered conditions but work well---be *SURE* that
have a checkvalve to keep charcoal from being sucked into them. (Lots of
the cheap "fireplace" bellows lack this *mandatory* item) They are simple
to build though. I would not use leather but a treated canvas for the sides.

Hand crank blower: perhaps the best way for your set up; but they are
harder to find a good one and can be expensive.

POSTVISE can't get around this one. A good postvise is a must have tool
for the smithy IMNSHO. Not very expensive in OH region; worth the expense
in the NM region. Where in the world you are we don't know.

Once you get good you can forge quite close to final size; then anneal, file
(good files are quite easy and fast to use and result in far fewer accidents!)
to shape and heat treat and only then do you need to touch up the edge
with a hand stone or hand crank grindstone (one of the small bench mount ones)

Weyger's "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" is *the* book for you as he
addresses starting from zero and finding and making everything *and* has
a full section on making woodcarving chisels that can translate to your needs.

[ArtWerkz]

Thomas nailed it. The only other things I would add would be safety gear ie: eye protection etc etc.

[shortdog]

As far as a bellows goes, you could make a jug or bucket bellows. I tried to steal a picture of this to post here, but it didn't work out. I'll try to describe it. Let's go with the jug....

A gallon jug with the bottom cut out is the start. Duct tape some sort of hose ( an old vacuum cleaner hose was used in the picture I saw) to the neck of the jug. Cut a small opening in the side of the jug near the top. In the picture, a plastic flap was taped on the inside at the top of the hole, so as to cover it, but still be hinged. This flap would have to seal. Another option for this would be to just cut a palm sized hole and have someone run the bellows by covering this hole with their hand while working it.
The jug assembly is now placed bottom down in a bucket of water. To operate, pull the jug up until the bottom is still submerged. Cover the hole in the side and push down. Viola! Air blows out of the hose! This could be done with a bucket and drum as well. It would probably be a good deal of work after a while, but it would allow you to get more people involved with the project.
Other than the tools everyone else has mentioned, I'd suggest various sized drums. One for a slack tub. One for a heat treat quenchant. One for holding vermiculite for annealing.
Good luck with your project. If you start out with the basic minimum tools (something to get it hot, something to hold it, something to beat it with)and a source for advice when you get stuck, you can make whatever tools you need to complete nearly any project. Again, good luck.

[tcreeley]

The coil spring steel straight you can us to make some punches. I find for sharpening and large whetstone wheel or a small electric one is great for edges which I then temper bronze or yellow. Be gentle with spring steel- doesn't work at the super high or super low temps- cherry(low) to orange is good. avoid fast cold complete quenches - can crack it.

grab an electric motor and blower arrangement out of the dump - squirrel cage housing- makes great blower with toggle switch. I hate bellows- too much work- vacum cleaners anything with air coming out - dryers etc.

All good-- watchout for rail road anvils- brittle and pieces can fly off- bad for the eyes. Try safety glasses until you get used to the flakes and slag coming off the forging. Easy to catch sneakers and melt a piece down to your foot. Water handy is a must. Sprinkle it on the fire to control the burn. I use a tin can on a long handle with holes drilled in the bottom.
Have fun.