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I Forge Iron

New guy intro


robodog

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Just a quick word of intro.

I just inherited a complete blacksmith shop. My father was a hobby smithy for about 40 years. Over the years I have played around with his stuff from time to time but never really spent much time learning it. Anyways, now I'm setting up the shop and learning what I can. Still have not fired up the forge as I don't have a chimney yet. I've been reading books and poking around on the web.

I have a decent mechanical aptitude, having done a lot of woodworking, some plumbing, and some electrical work over the years. I am a professional pilot by trade, so I have a good understanding of how high speed aluminum tubing moves.

Live in rural (yes there are some rural parts) New Jersey and my shop will be unheated but well protected from the elements.

I also inherited oxy-acetylene tanks and an arc welder. Don't know much about either of those things, but I'm looking for a local welding class to take.

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Welcome, If you can take a class at a community college for welding that would probably get you all you need on the arc and the oxy-acet. torch. Then go to some hammer ins and start to meet people in your area.
I hear that pilots have some kind of polish for plastic that is used on windshields and instruments to remove scratches. Can you let me know what works for that and where to get it?
Rob

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I hear that pilots have some kind of polish for plastic that is used on windshields and instruments to remove scratches. Can you let me know what works for that and where to get it?
Rob


Hi Rob,

I fly commercial aircraft only - 757, 767, 777. Our windshields and instruments are all glass - no plastic. They don't scratch. Birds and bugs - that's about it. Small, general aviation aircraft DO use plastic in the windshields, and I have heard of such a polish, but honestly don't know much about it. I just took a look at Sporty's Pilot Shop. They have several products, but I'm not sure if they actually REMOVE scratches. They seem to be designed to protect against scratches.

Good luck, Roger
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Hey Robodog,

Welcome to your new obsession. I can't explain it any other way than to call it an obsession.

You have been truly blessed to inherit your fathers blacksmith shop. My condolences on the loss of your father.

Blacksmithing will invade your mind. You will look at every piece of scrap iron and every rusty hunk of metal as though it has a great potential that has not yet been met and it is up to you to help it achieve that goal.

It's a great hobby and it will cause you to meet a great deal of interesting and knowledgable people. This site is a great place to learn. There are so many people here that are willing to share what they know. There are people here from all corners of the world. Perhaps some from places that you have flown to and from. Get to know them. It's worth the ride.

Mark<><

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Welcome aboard Roger, glad to have ya! I think you'll find nobody here moves metal as fast as you're used to. Not that occasionally something we're working on doesn't take off on us, we just duck or run is all, NOT drive it somewhere interesting. :rolleyes:

Get yourself hooked up with the NJBA, you'll find plenty of help there. Say Hi from Frosty to Bruce Freeman if you see him.

Seeing as you fly heavies do you get to Anchorage International? If so look me up, we can play with fire and hit things.

Obsession, addiction, afliction, . . . whatever, semantics don't matter having your way with plastic iron does!

Frosty the Lucky.

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To remove scratches in plastic is like polishing steel, finer and finer abrading/rubbing compounds,jewellers rouge, or liquid metal polish (like Brasso)

Try the methods on a test piece first,


A friend of mine got a new to him car that has haze on the headlight covers and I was thinking of the airplane polish to remove it. No real scratches.
Thank you Robodog for the lead.
Rob
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Just a quick word of intro.

I just inherited a complete blacksmith shop. My father was a hobby smithy for about 40 years. Over the years I have played around with his stuff from time to time but never really spent much time learning it. Anyways, now I'm setting up the shop and learning what I can. Still have not fired up the forge as I don't have a chimney yet. I've been reading books and poking around on the web.

I have a decent mechanical aptitude, having done a lot of woodworking, some plumbing, and some electrical work over the years. I am a professional pilot by trade, so I have a good understanding of how high speed aluminum tubing moves.

Live in rural (yes there are some rural parts) New Jersey and my shop will be unheated but well protected from the elements.

I also inherited oxy-acetylene tanks and an arc welder. Don't know much about either of those things, but I'm looking for a local welding class to take.



Welcome robodog. It's awesome that you are starting with all that equipment. I imagine your dad would be very happy to know you were using his tools. None of my kids are much interested.


Flush out your local ABANA chapter and attend a few meets. That's the fastest way to start learning.

The arc welder (stick ?) and oxy acet rig will be *very* useful but they both take a significant investment of time and effort to learn. MIG is a lot easier than stick. A community college welding class is a good place to start but when I attended the one in my town, all I really learned was how to turn on the equipment and deposit some metal. It took me quite a while practising on my own before I could reliably lay down a decent bead. But it's well worth it. Being able to weld opens up a wide range of possibilities.

Mechanical aptitude and experience with tools count for a lot when learning blacksmithing.
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