Just wanted to take a moment and say hello. After a lifelong interest in metalworking, I've finally decided to actually try blacksmithing. My dad got me started welding when I was about 10, and not long after I remember trying to heat up a piece of rebar in the charcoal grill so I could hit it with a claw hammer. :) Blacksmithing has always interested me, but for some reason I never pursued it. Even after finding some friends that are accomplished smiths, it took a few years for me to decide to jump in. I've been reading on here and a few books, and have acquired a lot of the components I need to get a forge set up. Hopefully before long I'll have something to show for it, if nothing more than the fun I had turning otherwise useful metal into knots of scrap. :lol:

Welcome you will have a ton of fun here

Sam

For where you live check out the Fiddler's Grove Blacksmith Association. They are hosting the September meeting of the Appalachian Area Chapter Blacksmiths.
September - Fiddler's Grove, Lebanon, TN, hosted by Fiddler's Grove, contact Daniel Pelletier, (615) 330-0901
. It is a subforge of the http://www.appalachianblacksmiths.org/

Thanks for the welcome, y'all!

I'm going to check into the Fiddler's Grove group in the next couple of days, a friend of mine is involved with them. I picked up a small forge today, so I can take my time building the larger one I have planned. Also met another smith that isn't too far away that I hope to be able to learn some things from.

Thanks for the welcome, y'all!

I'm going to check into the Fiddler's Grove group in the next couple of days, a friend of mine is involved with them. I picked up a small forge today, so I can take my time building the larger one I have planned. Also met another smith that isn't too far away that I hope to be able to learn some things from.

I am sending in my application to join the Appalachian Area Chapter of Blacksmiths tomorrow and also plan on attending the Fiddler's Grove meeting in September. I have completed my smithy, but I want to work with some experienced blacksmiths first, instead of possibly teaching myself bad habits right out of the gate. I'm also planning on attending a weekend class at John C. Campbell in November.

Since we're practically neighbors and getting into blacksmithing at the same time, it would be great to have someone local to work with on occasion.

I have completed my smithy, but I want to work with some experienced blacksmiths first, instead of possibly teaching myself bad habits right out of the gate.

Since we're practically neighbors and getting into blacksmithing at the same time, it would be great to have someone local to work with on occasion.

That's about where I am. Don't forget that the Fiddler's Grove group is usually demonstrating during the Wilson County fair! That's the sole reason we've gone to the fair the last couple of years, yet I still took my time getting into it on my own. It would be nice to have someone local to work with.