anthony9597 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Hi, I'm a 15 yr old that lives in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada and I want to get into blacksmithing. I really want to start blacksmithing but I have some questions. What is the best way to make a cheap forge? I have a blowdryer but thats it lol. I would like to know a good place to get a cheap anvil near me, what other substitutes are there to just get started? also what do you burn in the forge and where do you get it from? can you get them by making a campfire? also where do you get the steel that you forge? where can you find good forging steel? and if there is anyone that lives near me, what is a good junkyard with lots of supplies? I cant spend a lot of money, so really cheap advice is appreciated :) Thanks, Anthony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Have you glanced at the section marked getting started? Have you looked into the area marked forges and maybe the 55 forge? how about checking out the anvil section?...So many questions.. so many answers..you can fill in a lot of te blanks by looking around here..ABANA has a website that lists their groups by location. Near the end of the front page on here there is a section for local groups to post events...i suppose i could look up each of the above sites and provide you wih hot links to get ya goin,,,,,naaaaa :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 This has been covered again and again in blacksmithing sites, I would suggest using the search function. Note you do not tell us what you plan to do with the forge; so please tell me do I need a dump truck or a 2 door commuter car? Kind of had to know with out *DETAILS*. A simple forge is a hole in the ground with a piece of blackpipe leading to the bottom of it. A more comfortable forge can be made from a brake drum supported at waist level. You can burn coal, coke or charcoal in such a forge. Charcoal can be made on the spot by transferring coals over from a campfire. (Do not use briquettes as most of the stuff in them is NOT charcoal but trash as far as forging goes). Does Canada have public libraries? Here in the USA I can go to the local public library and use Inter Library Loan to borrow a copy of "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" which will cover pretty much ALL your questions with hundreds of pages of information---far better than a page or two on a website. I get most of the steel I use from a local scrapyard. When I need new steel I go to a local company that uses steel and will also sell it to me---they make and repair traditional windmills. They sell it much cheaper than the local lumber yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Welcome aboard Anthony, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in your header you may be pleasantly surprised to find out how many guys on IFI live within visiting distance. A thing to remember about blacksmiths, we tend to be pretty blunt and to the point so don't think folk are blowing you off by telling you to try reading the sections on IFI before asking questions. To become a competent blacksmith you are going to have to figure things out yourself so good researching skills are REALLY handy. Literally everything you asked, including "is anybody near me?" is covered in depth here. Also, don't think we're NOT helpful folk, we LOVE good questions and go to great lengths to answer them, even if we have to make stuff up. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (a hint to get started on the right food---don't say you want to make a sword as your first project!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramsies11 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 cheap beginner anvils are usually railroad rails, or you can go by your local feed supply store and get a 55lber for 75usd. most people prefer coal, i cant get it for any good prices around here, so i buy LUMP charcoal. you can also use wood from old boards and such. just ask your parents permission on using tools and what to cut up. (i got in trouble for that the other day when i turned a pallet into forging material.) a campfire will work, it just wont work well. if you do use a camp fire, have a LONG tube going in it and have your hair dryer on the end. there isnt really cheap and good forging steel, depending on what your doing, i get scrap iron for my projects, and i use old rebar cutoffs from masonry class still in alot of my projects. another option for fuel is wood chunks, if you have a woodshop teacher, they probably have a couple scrap bins full of cutoffs and such. ask to buy that, its all really good for forging in my opinion. also, what sizes your fuel is, is very important. i prefer somthing a little larger than buck-wheat for my fuel, its packs easy, and retains heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT KNIVES Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 You can watch my video on youtube, My first forge by Rambokidx7...Im 15 in Alberta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Well a good heavy chunk of steel is far better than a railroad rail which is better than a cast iron ASO and usually far cheaper. If you use a campfire---transfer the coals to a forge (I made a shovel out of a piece of gravel shaker materials so I can shake out the ashes and small bits and only move the big stuff over to the forge.) As far as good and cheap forging steel automotive coil springs are generally free or cheap if you buy them as *scrap* and not as "parts" but it's easier to learn on lower carbon stuff---which is expensive at Big Box Stores but a lot cheaper at steel stores and cheaper still at scrapyards and may be free as scrap pieces from companies that use steel. I go to my local scrapyard first and if they don't have what I need I got down the road to a Windmill Supply place that sells steel on the side about 1/3 cheaper than the lumberyard in town! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maillemaker Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 if you live in an area that has been used for agriculture, small family farms usually have a scrap pile that has useful material. Be polite, and offer to make the owners something in appreciation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadmetal61 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Search modern blacksmith on youtube he has a few good starter turorials and all around good information and look at the the blacksmithing general forum the "what do you need to get started in blackmithing" thread there will put things into prospective as far as tools go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Renaud Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 yes check out Modernblacksmith he's in Nova Scotia and he sells forges and his prices are right if you want to buy one their made of modern materials. His videos will get you started. and like someone already said start out with small easy projects like hooks candle holders etc. It's very easy to get discouraged starting out trying to make things like knives or swords when you haven't done any smithing at all. Build your skills slowly and you will love being a smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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