JKindy Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Well thanks to RandyT, a friend from another forum who lives near me, I have found another new hobby..Blacksmithing! Eversince he brought his forge and anvil out to the Michigan Bushcrafter's Meet, I have been wanting more. My brother, father and I went to the Pioneer Days two months ago, and got even more of the bug. Always on the lookout for an anvil, I was at the local scrap yard dropping off an old shed. I asked if they had an anvil and lo and behold they did. $150 for a big ol ugly orange hunk of metal. We looked at it, and decided not to get it. Well I went back the next day with a ball pein hammer to check the rebound and look at it closer. I bounced back good, didn't look too bad, so I bought it. On the way out I put it on the scale; 200#'s! Less than $1 / lb! Got it home (dad's), cleaned it up, painted it black and put it on a stump. Well now the ball started rolling down hill. Found a brake drum, after looking for two weeks. The scrappies pick them up faster than I could get to the brake shops. Put it on a 30 gallon drum for starters and hooked it up to the air compressor. A couple of bags of Kingsford ( I know, not a good choice) and we had fire! I t worked for the weekend. Made a couple of hooks and some forge tools. The next weekend I made a stand for it and got an electric blower from Grainger. Since then we have gathered some hammers, an old copper coal bin my Dad gave us and bits and ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKindy Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 I picked up this little coal bucket today from an Estate Sale for $7. More of a decoration, but it will work and looks good too! Here is my first set of tongs, not very good, but functional. I wanted to see if they would work before I spent too much time on them. I'll refine them later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKindy Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 They worked great! Very simple twisted end, self riveted. The piping from the blower, still gotta make a hinged ash trap door. Added two half rings around the top to help keep the charcoal in. Started using Lump Charcoal, much better. Logo on the anvil. Vulcan made in 1946, right down the road from where I live. Jeff Kindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 I'm sory to see you have been bitten so bad You've got a nice bit-o-kit going there. Now all you need is time and materials. I wish my first tongs looked that good :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 very nice I like the tongs, my first set looks just like that with only one difference. the jaws. Mine are flat instead of convex like yours. the rest of your set up is great have fun with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Great kit and probably the best apron decorations ever!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 How long have you been making knives? I tried to find pics, but couldn't :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKindy Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 How long have you been making knives? I tried to find pics, but couldn't Not long enough to put many up on here. All the knives my brother and I have made are up on BushcraftUSA.com. Posts unde MIDVM-LFB and Deisel. Thanks for the kind words. And BTW the apron is not mine, it belongs to my brother, I like it other than he screwed up the skull. It looks like an alien now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 You'll find that the tongs won't hold the work firmly.With rounded jaws the contact is in a line across the mouth and this will act like a hinge. The jaws need to be flat. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 You'll find that the tongs won't hold the work firmly.With rounded jaws the contact is in a line across the mouth and this will act like a hinge. The jaws need to be flat. Good luck! I agree, the more surface contact between the tong jaws and the work piece the better grip you will have. flat jawed tongs are great for blades, curved jaws are good for things like round bar and bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKindy Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 I agree, the more surface contact between the tong jaws and the work piece the better grip you will have. flat jawed tongs are great for blades, curved jaws are good for things like round bar and bolts. This is what I found to be true. I will flatten the jaws. The work pieces kept wanting to twist on me, I just thought it was the way I was holding them. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWCTool Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 The setup looks very nice. Along with the tongs, I like your forge. Some people do not like that design, but my first one was very similar. It lasted for quite some time and got the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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