Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Just wondering if any of you guys have forge startup traditions like me. For a long time, I have made a habit of making 3 nails at the beginning of each day. 1 to the club, 2 to inventory. It serves well to loosen you up, and it keeps you in a stock of cheapie product to sell at shows. A couple days ago, I decided to start making a chain. I add 4 links to it every day just to warm up my forge welding skills. And, in a few months I should have enough chain to surround our demo area out at shows. Lets here it, anyone else do something like this or am I just a crazy blacksmith? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 i make 5 nails, then i make a wall hook, then i make 3 chain links then i do whatever i had planned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Uh oh... guess I have to up my nail production... can't be having you outdoing me :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Uh oh... guess I have to up my nail production... can't be having you outdoing me well how long have you been doing this tradition, i have only been smithing for 7 months and i only have been making nails for a month and only forge on weekends when im not in school lol and im gonna start making 6 links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I walk around the shop and make sure all my tools are where their supposed to be from any projects left over from the day before, and there's plenty of water or pepsi in my shop fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 well how long have you been doing this tradition, i have only been smithing for 7 months and i only have boeen making nails for a month and only forge on weekends when im not in school lol and im gonna start making 6 links I've been doing nails for years, though I just got back into blacksmithing over the summer, so I only have a few hundred nails. And, just a tip, for making chain, a pair of chaining tongs are a godsend. I finally made a pair today and it cut my time in half because I was no longer fumbling with the links in the fire. I also found it handy to pop the initial weld on my daughter's RR track anvil that I set on the corner of the forge before I move to the bick on the big anvil(I have a coal forge with a 2x3 table). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 I walk around the shop and make sure all my tools are where their supposed to be from any projects left over from the day befor, and there's plenty of water or pepsi in my shop fridge. I do much the same, but I just look at that as normal prep work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-hr Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Bob Thomas of the NWBA told me this a couple years ago, When you first walk in the shop in the morning, squat down low and have a sniff. One never knows if the propane or acetylene didn't get turned off last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Good safety tip for those who use gas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I've been doing nails for years, though I just got back into blacksmithing over the summer, so I only have a few hundred nails. And, just a tip, for making chain, a pair of chaining tongs are a godsend. I finally made a pair today and it cut my time in half because I was no longer fumbling with the links in the fire. I also found it handy to pop the initial weld on my daughter's RR track anvil that I set on the corner of the forge before I move to the bick on the big anvil(I have a coal forge with a 2x3 table). ya i need to pick up my forge, right now i use a small forge that was my grandfathers farriers the inside demensions are 1'x1'x1' and it has a 10"x10"x6" fire pot i use coke, my new one is 30"wide x 40"long and has a smaller round firepoti only have like 50 nails, i think im going ot buy a pair of oc chain makers tongs soon im not so good at making tongs yet and have no way to form the bit, again i am just starting josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 oh and as i am ending a day in the shop i weld up a peic of cable or a damascus billet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urnesBeast Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 From Outliers by Malcom Gladwell, I understand it takes about 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to become world class at something. I heat up a fire poker and tally up the hours on a piece of wood, and make a poke for every time I have fired up the forge. Gives me a nice growing, visual reminder of the time I spend. I suppose a stump full of nails would be similar. A friend who took aikido at the university for 13 years (slow to graduate) had the oldest index card in the box, with one tally mark per session attended. It was impressive to see both sides of a large index card with the smallest tally marks possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 From Outliers by Malcom Gladwell, I understand it takes about 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to become world class at something. I heat up a fire poker and tally up the hours on a piece of wood, and make a poke for every time I have fired up the forge. Gives me a nice growing, visual reminder of the time I spend. I suppose a stump full of nails would be similar. A friend who took aikido at the university for 13 years (slow to graduate) had the oldest index card in the box, with one tally mark per session attended. It was impressive to see both sides of a large index card with the smallest tally marks possible. that is what i do ihave a stump that is about 4' in diameter and 3' tall and every time i make nails one goes in the stump and every time i make a forge weld i put 1 burn mark on the side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I open the doors turn on the radio and wire brush my anvil set up my tools and light my fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Start the fire, drag all the tools out, set up the workspace, make sure everything is where I can get to it and where it is supposed to be. The first thing I do is put in whatever I want to start on that day. While that is heating, I put in a Fredricks Cross or two that have been pre-cut and make them first. That way I have something to give away should I get any visitors. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 well, I usually start off by making 12' feet of chain, two hooks ( one for each end ) then forge four nails (to hang it up next to the other 24,OOO feet that I made last year,) Then I make two or three hammers, ( because my helper loses them at an alarming rate) , then at six a.m. ,when we are warmed up we start forging for the day,...30 shutter dogs,..four or five locks with three keys each, if my helper is tired we take a coffee break ( around eight thirty ) after break, we have to start the serious work, but then again,... thats a story for another day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkunkler Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 And, just a tip, for making chain, a pair of chaining tongs are a godsend. I finally made a pair today and it cut my time in half because I was no longer fumbling with the links in the fire. I and probably others would like to see those chaining tongs. Sounds like they'd be real handy. Could you please post a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I and probably others would like to see those chaining tongs. Sounds like they'd be real handy. Could you please post a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Yep, pretty much Josh except I didn't forge mine from scratch, I modified a pair of pickup tongs I grabbed from a flea market this summer, so they don't have the bolt head clearance, just the cross channel for grabbing the chain from the end. I am always on the lookout for tongs at flea markets that have a beefy bit that I can reforge to suit if I can score them cheap. Being as I am without a power hammer or press right now, making tongs kinda sucks. I tend to keep a stock of random tongs that I can forge to fit because it is easier. Today, I also decided to start finishing all the hooks, and other misc. stuff I have had laying around for the past 3 months. Heated them all up, brushed 'em, and waxed about 1/2 of the pile. I'll do the rest tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 well, I usually start off by making 12' feet of chain, two hooks ( one for each end ) then forge four nails (to hang it up next to the other 24,OOO feet that I made last year,) Then I make two or three hammers, ( because my helper loses them at an alarming rate) , then at six a.m. ,when we are warmed up we start forging for the day,...30 shutter dogs,..four or five locks with three keys each, if my helper is tired we take a coffee break ( around eight thirty ) after break, we have to start the serious work, but then again,... thats a story for another day Ah... so what you are saying is that you are a robot in an industrial forge eh? ROFL... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Bob Thomas of the NWBA told me this a couple years ago, When you first walk in the shop in the morning, squat down low and have a sniff. One never knows if the propane or acetylene didn't get turned off last night. Propane sinks, Acetylene rises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Ah... so what you are saying is that you are a robot in an industrial forge eh? ROFL... well i do it all with had hammering no power or air or treadle hammer to help but gonna build a treadle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.