July 12, 201411 yr Hey there Timothy, you can PM me for any info you like. Do you have any equipment, or are you just getting started?
July 12, 201411 yr Hey BiggunDoctor sorry I did not get back to you, I was in New Mexico. Timothy I am in the NW also and just starting out.
July 12, 201411 yr No probs Gw. I have removed most of the material from Tim's place. There was quite a bit of decent material , so if you need something for a project let me know, I may have it.
January 9, 201511 yr I guess I missed it to, I just got a notification. Last I talked to Big gun Doctor we were going to set up a meet and greet . if everyone wants to let me know.
January 9, 201511 yr Sounds good to me. I am getting over the flu at the moment. Most Saturdays work for me, as I rarely have to work those.
January 13, 201511 yr We really should make this happen. I am back on board - my schedule is completely random, but I should have quite a bit of time off over the next couple of weeks. This coming weekend I am out of town though. Does anyone have a particular date in mind?
January 19, 201511 yr Hello , introductions are in order ,I have lived in Vegas all my life , getting a little older 55 this mouth, a mechanic / welder by trade just looking for like minded people to share info with . I have been welding all my life but new to blacksmithing , still trying to get all the stuff I need to get this puppy off the ground . picked up a 200 lb anvil " that needs a little rehab " a 5' tapered cone and I will be building a small brake drum forge. I bought a old champion hand crank blower that is rusted / locked up that I will need to restore before I can use it . I love welding and building stuff I have a miller 250 tig , a century 200 mig small plasma now I would like to round out my fun by learning some blacking skills . I tried to find some coal here in Vegas but cant seen to find any, so I ordered some from centaur forge ,I am sure I payed to much but it will get me started for now . Dose anyone know if a source for coal locally ?
January 19, 201511 yr Welcome aboard, glad to have you. I know you just told us you live in Vegas but we're not likely to remember longer than it takes to open another post. Soooo, if you'll put your general location in the header we won't have to keep asking. Better still you'll be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance. Any time you can spend with an experienced smith is worth many hours, days sometimes even days trying to figure it out on your own. You managed to find a cone mandrel!? <GASP!> Maybe not a terribly useful tool in a blacksmith shop but highly desirable none the less. They're use is limited mostly to truing up rings rather than forging operations. Still, I'd sure love to have one standing in my shop. <envious sigh> Before you start "rehabbing" your anvil, please post some pics of it. In most cases anvils don't really need anything but put to work, perfect only happens at the factory. Dings and chips are a fact of life for anvils and unless severe not an issue. Try calling farriers about coal, if the one you call doesn't know, s/he'll know someone who does. Farrier suppliers often carry coal but maybe not at the best prices. The yellow pages are more likely to help the hunt than the web, sometimes searching the whole world isn't as good as looking in your own neighborhood. Rebuilding the blower might be as simple as getting the rat and hornet's nests and rocks all the kids in the past 60 years have dropped in it cleaned out. Sometimes just taking a hose or pressure washer to it's innards will do the trick. Be careful breaking the bolts loose, it's cast iron and brittle. Heat can be your friend as are penetrants. Just don't force it. How about building or buying a gas forge? Smiths have been using gassers since before the turn of the last century. If you want to build, give me a holler. Frosty The Lucky.
January 19, 201511 yr Thank you for the reply sir, well I fixed the location, I didn't hit save the anvil has a fairly straight bed but has some chips on the edge . I was thinking of preheating it then some 7018 and see if I can get a machine shop to resurface it, here are some pictures am I just being to picky Try calling farriers about coal, if the one you call doesn't know, s/he'll know someone who does. Farrier suppliers often carry coal but maybe not at the best prices. thats some good advice on calling a farrier , I will do that thanks !! Rebuilding the blower might be as simple as getting the rat and hornet's nests and rocks all the kids in the past 60 years have dropped in it cleaned out. Sometimes just taking a hose or pressure washer to it's innards will do the trick. Be careful breaking the bolts loose, it's cast iron and brittle. Heat can be your friend as are penetrants. Just don't force it. I have not received the blower yet it is on the way . after working on old packards with my dad rusty old cast iron is a way if life , its coming from back east as long as it didn't sit in a wheelbarrow full of water I hope it will be ok I understand these things last forever. He said it was in his dads shop for the last 30 years , I have my fingers crossed LOL How about building or buying a gas forge? I have been looking into that , I have gas plumed to the shop now , so that's not to hard to buy into the speed and easiness of having gas at hand .
January 19, 201511 yr Winginit, I live here in the northwest and am just starting out smithing we are going to have a meet and greet here in town around the end of January PM me your number and I will call you when I have all the details.
January 20, 201511 yr That anvil is a winner!! so would you say its ok and I am being to picky, leave it alone and beat on it like a rental car . LOL
January 20, 201511 yr The anvil is fine. You may just want to dress the edges with a grinder to smooth them up. Different radiuses are nice when bending some items. Coal is available in Utah just outside of StGeorge. Last I checked it was $130 a ton. I am just about out, so I may grab a bucket of it to try out. I haven't gotten around to contacting SUFCO for an analysis. Did you find the anvil, and mandrel locally? What part of the valley are you in?
January 20, 201511 yr thanks for the reply The anvil is fine. You may just want to dress the edges with a grinder to smooth them up. Different radiuses are nice when bending some items. Coal is available in Utah just outside of StGeorge. Last I checked it was $130 a ton. I am just about out, so I may grab a bucket of it to try out. I haven't gotten around to contacting SUFCO for an analysis. Did you find the anvil, and mandrel locally? What part of the valley are you in? thanks for the reply , 130 for a ton sounds great, I just payed 100 for two 50 pound bags I am not real familiar with the different types but for the price I am sure it is more for heating then blacksmithing but I would try it for that price . that would be larger pieces unwashed ? . Saint George is not to far, I would run up their with the trailer and get some when I have used what I have . Do you have an address / phone number for the place ? Yes , I picked those up from some friends , I worked with in the steel industries for 8 years when the town was booming steel engineers and regional steel, made some good friends, I gave a 10 hp 3 PH 22 inch chop saw away to some friends back in the day so he could start his own businesses when I called around looking for an anvil he said I owe you come and get it so I loaded it up and he gave me the mandrel as well , good friends are priceless . that was one of the few times I helped someone out and it payed off in the long run . I am in the older part of town collage park east side . I would get excommunicated if I lived in summerland they don't like pack rats like me, that like to work on stuff . LOL
January 20, 201511 yr Hay biggundoctor , is this the place you were talking about Morwood coal & supply 4065 S 1630 E saint gorge UT 84790 PH 435-673-6282 If I understand this right 1ton is about 5, 55 gallon drums full , dose that sound about right .
January 21, 201511 yr That should be it. Pass on anything with large visible sulphur streaks. That is precisely why I live out in DaBoonies..
January 22, 201511 yr OK, Las Vegas Blacksmiths Any preference on meeting spot? I was going to talk to Big Dogs on North Rancho road see if I can get some tables reseved how does Saturday January 31 at 9:00 AM sound? Please post up, Thanks Gary
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