GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Hello, first off let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Brian and I am a beginner blacksmith trying to accumulate the tools needed for a beginner. I Need a anvil and a forge mostly, maybe a few sets of tongs as well. If you know of anywhere in Georgia that I could locate these items it would be very helpful. I am planning on buying a pre-made gas forge, I know I could build one cheaper but I do not have a welder.So if u have a propane forge or can build one or know of anvil please post some pictures along with location and price please.Thanks everyone for all your help!This site is very influential and shows the true quality of a knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleardayone Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 You don't need a welder to build a forge. I've made mine from a piece of black stove pipe, insulating wool, and soft refractory bricks. All together maybe $50. My burner is made from pipe fittings from Ace hardware... http://www.youtube.com/user/lanemoore If you are willing to spend real money, spend it on a real anvil!! I used a Harbor Freight ASO for a while. It worked fine just took more heats and time. Great for a beginner! There are lots of options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Welcome aboard! I used stovepipe and self drilling sheet metal screws for my current forge body. My previous one (too hungry to feed it was so big) was pop riveted using common steel pop rivets. Then again, buying means you spend less time making tools and more time hitting steel, so take your pick! Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Oh, don't forget Tuesdays (tonight) are Blueprint night in the Chat area. It is at 10 pm Eastern. Blueprints are how to's on many many various topics of blacksmithing. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 A big chunk of scrap steel is the traditional starter anvil, and often much cheaper than the real thing. It's also vastly preferable to cast iron. Also read this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 thanks for the tips guys. where would i go about finding this insulation and what is it called? i did some searching online but everything i saw was very expensive.perhaps you guys know of a place that sells it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Georgia mtns of n ga? where exactly are you, I am in chatsworth area, so nearby are calhoun, dalton, ringgold, ellijay and surrounding areas. maybe we can help each other in the future. while I do not have a forge for sale, I can make them or if you are nearby, I can help you make your own. I have discovered forges are not hard to make, just hard to understand and tune, when you have more to learn. as for anvils I agree with mattbower, as well as others, a large chunk o steel will do for an anvil until you can find a better one. as has been said manytime on IFI most of the world doesn't use london pattern anvils, infact I dont. I use a rail road car coupling knuckle. I have yet to find a london pattern or "real" that i both like and can afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 mtns of n ga? where exactly are you, I am in chatsworth area, so nearby are calhoun, dalton, ringgold, ellijay and surrounding areas. maybe we can help each other in the future. while I do not have a forge for sale, I can make them or if you are nearby, I can help you make your own. I have discovered forges are not hard to make, just hard to understand and tune, when you have more to learn. as for anvils I agree with mattbower, as well as others, a large chunk o steel will do for an anvil until you can find a better one. as has been said manytime on IFI most of the world doesn't use london pattern anvils, infact I dont. I use a rail road car coupling knuckle. I have yet to find a london pattern or "real" that i both like and can afford. I am located in Blairsville. Just a little further north than ellijay and blue ridge.That would be awesome. I am starting with my brother so ill ask him what route he wants to go with the forge, but cheaper is better and that would help a lot if i could focus more money on a nice anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Your vary close to Campbell Folk school, I know its kinda pricey but if you want to start off great you and your brother should go there and take a beginners blacksmith class. A great way to start a new craft is with a expert for a few days. you'll get to see the real potential of forge work with some of the great teachers there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 Your vary close to Campbell Folk school, I know its kinda pricey but if you want to start off great you and your brother should go there and take a beginners blacksmith class. A great way to start a new craft is with a expert for a few days. you'll get to see the real potential of forge work with some of the great teachers there. ya i live about 15 mins from it. i'd love to go. and i have seen what can be done in person. went to my first hammer in last weekend at trackrock campground and it was a blast. really got my blood boiling, just watching the blacksmiths made me wanna hammer away at something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 I was just there saturday. knife guild had a hammer in at trackrock campground, next on is I think in march. your only about 1 1/2 hours from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 I was just there saturday. knife guild had a hammer in at trackrock campground, next on is I think in march. your only about 1 1/2 hours from me. lol well im sure i saw u there. i was there from about 930 am until 4 or so.were u one of the blacksmiths? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 lol well im sure i saw u there. i was there from about 930 am until 4 or so.were u one of the blacksmiths? 8:30-2. I was there with my wife and son. she was the one with the red hoody one before it warmed up. I spent most of the day over in the corner talking to a few smiths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Take a look at the anvils japanese swords are forged on---may change your definition of a "nice anvil". The London Pattern anvil is more of a "swiss army knife" anvil---lots of features allowing you to do a lot of different things; but probably not as well as with dedicated separate pieces of equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 look at the anvil thread called "first come, first serve". I posted a craigslist georgia anvil the other day, at a reasonable price ya i've looked all through those threads and all that are around me have been removed, all but the super clean fisher in tenn. i emailed the guy and got no response yet. I hope to find a descent one at a reasonable price. im biting at the bit to get some forging in lol. But i still have to buy/build my forge...just a work in progress gathering all the needed supplies,but im NOT giving up, im gonna continue my search! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 Just in case anyone is still looking in this thread I am still searching for an anvil.I am going to attempt to make it to the Graham, NC auction if I can not find one by then, only bad side is I live roughly 4-5 hours away and it starts at 8:30 a.m. So if you know of anyone selling a anvil or of anymore auctions within 2-3 hours from Blairsville,GA please pass that information along and it will be much appreciated. Thanks again everyone. I LOVE THIS SITE AND THE WORK OF THE BLACKSMITHS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide911lover Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Just in case anyone is still looking in this thread I am still searching for an anvil.I am going to attempt to make it to the Graham, NC auction if I can not find one by then, only bad side is I live roughly 4-5 hours away and it starts at 8:30 a.m. So if you know of anyone selling a anvil or of anymore auctions within 2-3 hours from Blairsville,GA please pass that information along and it will be much appreciated. Thanks again everyone. I LOVE THIS SITE AND THE WORK OF THE BLACKSMITHS! ive got a vulcan (approx 100?) that im selling for 250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 ive got a vulcan (approx 100?) that im selling for 250. thanks for the offers everyone, i just purchased a 100lb fisher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don't tread on me Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 thanks for the tips guys. where would i go about finding this insulation and what is it called? i did some searching online but everything i saw was very expensive.perhaps you guys know of a place that sells it Go here My link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaBlacksmith33 Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 oooooh nice deals there. i like how you can buy the 1/4 pints of ITC. Also like that they have pre made burners/kits and the insulator. Thanks for the link.I have 1 ? though. If i were to build a forge out of a 20 gallon propane tank or a small air tank how much insulator would i need,what thickness, and how many layers so that it will hold up to forge welding temps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Hopfinger Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Here is another link that you may want to check out. It has quite a bit of info on the site on building gas forges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 There are a lot of ways to go building a gas forge. The most common mistake for beginners is to make something too big. IMO the easiest and most dependable design is a small tube forge lined with ceramic wool and fired with by an atmospheric burner. eg Ron's Freon Tank Mini Forge http://ronreil.abana.org/minifor1.shtml another version: http://zoellerforge.com/simplegasforge.html. The wool and the ITC 100 to coat it, the propane regulator and the needle valve will be the main expenses - probably less than $100. You can find these supplies online at Zoellers site or Ellis Custom Knife Works and others. Depending on what plumbing parts you have to buy or can scrounge, you should be able to make the whole thing for less than $150. You can buy ready made versions of these forges for $250 and up. Thousands of these little forges have been built. It's a tried and true design and very simple to make. You dont need a welder. Ordinary "garage tools" will do the job. My only warning is to stick closely to the design on your first forge. If you have no experience with forges and burners, it's easy to make a simple mistake that will prevent the forge from working properly. I see this all the time in smithing forums. Blacksmiths are the kind of people who feel they can reinvent any piece of equipment they see. Generally an admirable attitude but in this case it needs to be restrained. Start a thread under Forges/Gas Forges and you will get all the help you need. Seek out your local chapter of ABANA and go to a couple of their meets. I expect they will be very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Post in wrong thread. 'Scuse me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatdaddy Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 There is a guy in Austell, Ga just west of Atlanta that usually has anvils for sell. He advertises regularly in the Ga Farmers & Consumers Market bulletin. If you don't get the bulletin, contact the Ga Dept of Agriculture to subscribe. I bought my 1st anvil from him. He had all kinds, brands, & wieghts. He also had an old coal forge and various tools the last time I went up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurtis Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 You can also access the Georgia market bulletin and search the ads online from the GA dept of Ag website. I've seen him advertising different anvils for some time, he must buy them up and resell them. I'd love to check them out but Austell's a good 4 hour drive for me :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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