Jakebob Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Hi all... im jakebob. I just got in to blacksmithing and i am still amassing supplies, i was directed here by one of the guys at backyardmetalcasting and it seems like a nice place. anyhow as my smithing goes i use wood pellets in a small forge i built thats powered by compressed air, i need an anvil mostly, and i use an old building piling to hammer on, but it has crappy rebound and makes a deafening noise. ill try to post pics of some of my stuff later once i figure out how to work this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Welcome to IFI Jakebob. Glad you joined the blacksmithing family. We will be looking forward to your posts and photos. I find it most interesting to watch how clever people are at adjusting and adapting their available resources to be used as blacksmithing tools and equipment. Many blacksmiths I know do a whole lot with very little, which amazes me. I believe "DESIRE" is the most powerful tool needed in a blacksmiths tool quiver. Be safe! Old Rusty Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 You did not say if you used the piling horizontally or vertically.Try loosely wrapping some light chain around the piling to kill the noise (ring). Go to the junk yard and browse for a while. Do not LOOK for an anvil, but SEE what is available that can be used as an anvil. The object should be heavy 75 to 100 pounds. If you happen upon a 200-300 pound or heavier object don't turn it down if it has the "right" shape. A collection of different heavy objects with a variety of different shapes, come in very handy for a blacksmith. Blueprints that may help are: BP0244 Junk Yard Visit BP0184 Look - See Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 overcome, improvise, adapt, these are the the holy grail of blacksmithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakebob Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 i use the piling horizontally, and i hammer in the center where the vertical peice is that connects the two horizontal peices, that is the only place where there is some rebound, and it dosnt make such a loud noise when i hammer there too. ok thats one of the things i made so far, its not much, and i think it looks better in person, but i still think its good for a second blacksmithing attempt- i just wish i had a forge that would allow me to heat all of it. That holds up a tiny windchime in my tomato patch now btw. oh... the second photo isnt blacksmithed but i thought you guys might get a kick out of it. its one of my aluminum investment castings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Welcome Jakebob! What makes the casting an investment casting? Are you selling them? It looks nice btw. How difficult is it to do aluminum casting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Jakebob: Looks like you have heated, beat and bent a piece of metal. Congrats. You are on your way to being a blacksmith. Do you feel the itch yet? Welcome to IFI. Stop by on Tuesday night at 10PM for the Live Blueprint Session. There is a link on the opening page of iforgeiron.com Always a good time to be had there. Again, Welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakebob Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 Ok on aluminum casting (im no expert by any means btw) An investment casting is a casting in where a wax pattern with sprues attached, like a ring or in this case her is "invested" in plaster of paris, the investment is then placed in a kiln, or something hot, to melt/ burn out the wax and dry it completely. metal is then poured into the sprue, and the plaster is chipped away when it is cooled. however i cheat on my simple plaster of paris castings by just pouring the plaster over a plastic matrix and just letting it dry afterward- since there is nothing on the back of "lady" i can just use that as an open mould. then i just dry that in a dehydrator, then pour. but for 3d things you need to do wax. I also plan to put "lady" on ebay just to see how my castings do, as i need cash to buy blacksmithing stuff. As for the difficulty of aluminum casting id say its pretty easy, it takes less skill, but alot more time overall with blacksmithing. I started out melting in a flowerpot, cast in concrete in an ash bucket, with charcoal. i also do most of my castings in greensand, just my detailed things like "lady" in plaster.- id say if your interested give it a try. check out melt metal, home metalcasting, backyard metalcasting Also i hope to build a forge to better suit my needs soon, out of furnace cement- i want to put a notch in either side, so i can heat metal on more places than just the end and i want it to hold up. am i going wrong with refractory, as i am a foundry guy and concerned about insulation, will something out of heavy steel work too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftjcook Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Hey Jakebob, That casting is neat! "Lady" seems to just jump right out at you! How much time does it take to clean them up after casting? Can you or do you polish them after that? Good luck with it on Ebay, Hope you do well with them. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 HI jakebob, I see you took my advice and came to IFI, well welcome. And for those of you asking about the casting I'll give the same advice I gave jake on the other forum, just in the opposit direction, melt metal, home metalcasting, backyard metalcasting The website is informational but the forum is where you can learn the most, and if you get bit by that bug too, then there is a few good websites out there on casting. welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakebob Posted June 30, 2007 Author Share Posted June 30, 2007 Good news, today i had the opportunity to talk to a few blacksmiths at a festival, it turns out there is a blacksmith supply store not more than 30 minutes away from my house. They offer classes there too, im in luck. as for the monitary situation it is looking up a little, im selling my boob ladies, i should make some more money as long as people are interested in voluptuous paperweights. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakebob Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 these are the pliers that i made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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