Earthquake Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi my name is Casey and I live in Las Vegas. I am tring to set up a small Blacksmith shop in my back yard to make knives and do some other blacksmith work, I am in the process of building a forge... The base is made from 3/8" plate and the sides are 1/8" plate, I am using a fan motor from a air hockey table I got off of E-bay, same with the tuyere. I am tring to find a hand crank fan but have not found one yet. I am looking for a foot switch to turn the fan off and on so I dont need to use my hands. I was thinking about lining it with refractory cement, do you think it needs it? I have a couple of ASO's I bought one before I knew much about them and a friend of mine dad gave me the other one. The one I bought is a 110 pound-er that is cast steel, its one of the ones from Russia with the diagonal Hardy hole, I am thinking about making a high carbon steel cap for the 55lb cast iron anvil and brazing it on around the edges while the surface is still straight... I also have a PEXTO stake my uncle gave me... I made a stake holder out of a brake drum for a semi truck, I was going to use it to make my forge but I think it would have been too deep. I am a welder/fabrcator and I used to run the water jet machine at the shop I was working untill they had to close there doors, I like to make my own tools and this made making them and other things easy. I am looking for a good anvil but they dont show much here in Vegas. I will be using lump charcoal because its hard to get coal here in town and I think its illegal to burn it here anyways. Are there any guys on the forum that are in Vegas? Hopefully I will be up ad running here soon, I have a jack hammer point that is dieing to become a knife. Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Welcome to I Forge Iron, We have a few members from your area, and last I heard using coal is a problem there. Charcoal should be fine, just keep a package of hot dogs near by in case code enforcement shows up. :) but I have been wrong before. there are always gas forges later on if you get really serious about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrhappybottms Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I am in Vegas, but I am getting started myself. So I'm not sure how much I will be able to help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meancoyote Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Hello, I am a fabricator too, I live near but not in las Vegas. This may be worth reading http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/17444-blacksmiths-in-las-vegas-nv/#entry326186 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthquake Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 I wont say I'm newbie to blacksmithing but I dont know a lot, I was working with this Russian named Boris when he came to the shop I used to work at, [universal Brass] He was a master blacksmith. This was in the late 90's, he got xxxxxx xxx at the guy running the shop and moved to San Diego but I learned a little working with him. He had a 100lb "Little Giant" power hammer that would do a days work, I made a few sets of custom door handles with it, I was the Brake and shear guy in the shop for 10 years and then I started running the waterjet machine it was a lot of fun, I also did some machine work using the lathe and mill for the company. Like I said I like to make my own tools when I can, I built a English Wheel and modified a Harbor freight bead roller while working the WJ machine, they let me do just about any thing I wanted to when we were not busy... Here's my English wheel... It was not quite done yet Here is my Bead roller that started life as a Harbor Freight unit... I cut a new frame from 3/4" steel plate and replaced the hand crank with the aluminum hand wheel. I made a VW engine stand... I had it painted by a guy that did some of the painting for the shop. I designed a few parts for old VW's and sold a few [i wish I had acess to the WJ now, I have guys that want some of the stainless parts I was making] I hope they start a new shop soon so I can go back to work. Sorry to sound like I'm bragging, Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meancoyote Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I want to start building a power hammer soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Welcome aboard Casey, glad to have you. There are a number of smiths and knifesmiths in your general area, some post here on occasion. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Hey Earthquake, I am out in Moapa Valley, but get into Fabulous Las Vegas most weekends. I started smithing when I was back in CA. Currently the tool maker for a shop in LaVerkin Utah, and had my own shop years ago. Tim McCoy is in Las Vegas, and I have been helping him out as he has been getting set up at his house. I can get coal out of Utah, last I checked it was $130 a ton. I have been thinking of getting a load, so if you would like some I can pick it up at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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