kryilce Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Hi everyone. I wanted to try to get a little bloomery working but I have no idea where to get the ore I will need. Does anyone know where I would be able to find ore in Massachusetts or nearby? Also any other tips for a first time smelter? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 The scale that falls around your anvil is a high grade iron ore. Dragging a magnet in local streams should work too. Biggest tip is try to participate in a smelt with folks who know what they are doing first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Umm, Thomas Powers' second line. It's hard trying to pick it up on your own. Not all ore is magnetic before roasting. Can try historical mining areas. They used to mine bog iron around Lake Massapoag and around Boston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Magnitite is magnetic, the black sand of gold panners and the iron sand of tamahagane smelters... limonite, goethite, etc isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 There were large colonial era bog ore deposits between Boston and New Bedford. There were a series of books published on the subject that focused on the production of iron, steel, and tools in the American colonial and post revolution era published by the Liberty Tool Museum up in Maine. Buy the books, look at the maps in the books, get in your car, have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 It may be worth your while trying to find a commercial ore for your first few smelts. Having a fixed grade of ore means that you are a lot more likly to have sucess and therefore more likly to be able to smelt your local ore when you find some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kryilce Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 Where would I be able to buy ore? iv'e tried looking around and it seems like everyone selling wants to sell in bulk. I did find taconite pellets here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wrist-Rocket-Ammo-Taconite-Iron-Ore-Pellets-5lbs-of-Rounds-/251315659131?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8394a17b but that seems kind of cheaty as it looks pretty refined already. Maybe that's a good thing though since you are saying I should go for a a consistent ore grade for the first few times? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 NO NO NO NOT TACONITE PELLETS! They are engineered for blast furnaces and so you will first have to crush them to get a smaller size and then the fluxing built in will give you iron soup---and light on the iron! The worst run we've done in 15 years was with taconite pellets---had to start consolidating the bloom in the forge using tongs to "nudge" the iron together as the bloom would splash if you tried to hammer it on the anvil! Now were you searching on magnetite and not ore? We once bought a bunch of 100 mesh magnetite sold for pollution control purposes that was lovely to use. Of course there was a 400# minimum order and shipping cost more than the stuff; but we split it amongst the bloomery crew and it was quite reasonable per pound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kryilce Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 I did try to search ore not specifically magnetite. I just searched magnetite and how about magnetite sand? http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAGNETITE-Sand-Massage-Therapy-Home-Spa-Meow-Kettle-Ormus-Water-Energizing-5-LBS-/270905274346?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f13366fea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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