I hope this is the right forum to post this, but I wanted to make a progression page to keep everyone updated on my road to smithing and keep a record for myself as well. So right now I'm in the process of gathering some parts and drawing out ideas how I want to make my forge. I'm thinking of getting a metal utility cart and putting a brake drum in it, and have a place to put tools etc.on bottom until I learn to make some hooks for it :). And notch the sides for longer pieces abd the tray could help hold more coal as I needit. Ijust talked to a friend that recently moved back, he said his dad has several anvils and he has a 60lb one he's willing to part with but he's looking to find me a heavier one though if not I can take the 60lb one which is awesome just coming across an anvil to start with. So I'll update that if that goes through, hope it pans out. I will keep posting as I gather and build and start learning on this page.so stay tuned.

Be sure to visit some blacksmiths in your area and check out their setups.  You will want to include a decent post vise in your setup.  This could be mounted on its own heavy stand.  Good working tongs are essential to work small stock.  It is a never ending list of tools.  But learn to use what you have.  Observations of other smiths with years of experience will be worth you time.  I am sure there are many smith scattered around Texas. 

I want to visit some blacksmiths, but i can only find one close by one town over. Ive tried calling and emailing but no response. It says on their sote they do seminars and host classes every now and then, but no dates for classes, they arent open when im off the clock. They do horseshoes etc. but based on some of the pics i saw they have a very nice looking smithy, husband and wife smiths, its pretty awesome. If anyone has contact with the Flatland Forge in midland texas please let me know how to get ahold of them.

I love tools, i cant wait to start my collection of handmade tools and gadgets. I taught myself when i was prbably 15 how to make rings and weave chainmail, now maybe i can get back on that and make some things to go with that type of work once im more proficient with working metal.

If they're shoeing they're probably busy most of the time, folk are pretty spread out in your neighborhood so I suspect they get a lot of road time. They'll get back to you. Flatland Forge sounds familiar, might be subbed here on IFI.

 

Keeping a personal journal here maybe even a section sounds like a decent idea. I can't think of an objection, if there is Admin will get with you in a PM and figure out something workable.

 

There are times I wish I'd kept a personal journal but even when I tried to start I never remembered to enter anything. I have one short one I made on a vacation road trip but that's been it. What should a blacksmith's journal be called? "The Black Book" would certainly get people's interest. "The Black Journal" wouldn't be bad. "The BS Journal" might get some ribbing, certainly would if I used the title.

 

It's gotta have an appropriate title you know. Something with a little panache and gravitas would be good. You know something the grand or greatgrand kids would look on in awe when their dad got it down to read to them.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

If anyone has contact with the Flatland Forge in midland texas please let me know how to get ahold of them.

At your service sir,

http://www.flatlandforge.com/

Have a look at some of their you tube vids also. Real good people.

George

If they're shoeing they're probably busy most of the time, folk are pretty spread out in your neighborhood so I suspect they get a lot of road time. They'll get back to you. Flatland Forge sounds familiar, might be subbed here on IFI.
 
Keeping a personal journal here maybe even a section sounds like a decent idea. I can't think of an objection, if there is Admin will get with you in a PM and figure out something workable.
 
There are times I wish I'd kept a personal journal but even when I tried to start I never remembered to enter anything. I have one short one I made on a vacation road trip but that's been it. What should a blacksmith's journal be called? "The Black Book" would certainly get people's interest. "The Black Journal" wouldn't be bad. "The BS Journal" might get some ribbing, certainly would if I used the title.
 
It's gotta have an appropriate title you know. Something with a little panache and gravitas would be good. You know something the grand or greatgrand kids would look on in awe when their dad got it down to read to them.
 
Frosty The Lucky.

ha i like those titles, and your right that is a good idea, i can record my progress here for review/opinions/tips/banter and a personal journal as well i can sketch and plan ideas to, and things i learn. Every forum ive been on ive kept a record(truck forum-nunchaku forum-bass player forum) hopefully people will be interested in my story.

There's a nunchaku forum? I'm almost more surprised to see the proper name used. It's been more than 40 years since I did a nunchaku kata. Naw, I never tried to go fast enough to bean myself. A few of us did get carried away once and really ticked Sensi off by beating the stuffings (literally) out of the heavy bag. Teenagers, what can I say. <grin>

 

Oh yeah your story, I'm interested already.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Haha yes there is, I worked my way up to be one of the administrators on it. It's all about freestyle chucking. People look at me funny or in awe lol cause I'm 6'1" about 275lbs and I can do spin kick tricks and xtreme martial arts too.on top of learning traditional martial arts, judo and jiu jitsu.

 

Valth

Posted Today, 05:39 AM

Haha yes there is, I worked my way up to be one of the administrators on it. It's all about freestyle chucking. People look at me funny or in awe lol cause I'm 6'1" about 275lbs and I can do spin kick tricks and xtreme martial arts too.on top of learning traditional martial arts, judo and jiu jitsu.

 

MMA?

I've never really been a big fan of it, but I do like training. My teacher tried to get me to start amateur fighting but I'm not really into the competing side of it. I like the discipline and art behind martial arts and a sick workout lol.

That's cool. Just noticed that your list of martial arts were the basic staple ones of a well rounded mma fighter.

I studied tukong which is developed for Korean special forces it has a mixture of taekwondo and shaolin styles. Then from there it was xma, mainly weapons not so much flipping but I learned my share,then jiujitsu then they talked my big self into being thrown in judo. Broke both thumbs first couple weeks of that lol. Now I'm gonna have to watch my thumbs and hammers haha.

Watching your thumbs while hammering is a B-A-D idea.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Discipline and art, you are already a blacksmith, add ancient ways and you are on a roll.
Just remember no one can succeed with out first learning to fail.

So came across a brake drum from a local business today but I'm not sure how to make it work. The center hole is pretty big like 5-6 inches across, and it has like 8 large holes around it. Any tips how to make it work as efficiently as possibly? I'll post a pic of it later.

you can weld some small stock, i think square would work best, over the hole, I've seen some forges made like that, you don't have to worry about them melting, seeing how the airflow should keep them from melting, or you could get a plate, thickness of your choice, i'd go with 5mm or so that fits over the hole and get busy with a drill

Brake drums have holes, the large one is for the hub and the ones surrounding it are the lug holes. Lots of ways to deal with them if you have a welder you wouldn't be asking. Lacking a welder isn't a big thing either, find a piece of steel whatever thickness, it doesn't really matter so long as it's mild steel. Cut it so it fits in the drum flat in the bottom and drill a few holes to match the lug holes. If it's thin steel, sheet say, drill all the way through and drop a few bolts through and use washers and nuts on the far side to secure it. Drill and maybe jig saw about a 2" dia. give or take its not critical hole to match the hub hole's location. Attach your tuyere to the bottom side and lay a grate over the inside, hook up air and build your fire.

 

If you end up with say 1/4" plate you can drill and tap the holes and just drill a series of holes for the air grate. You can use the holes under the drum to bolt the tuyere to the unit as well.

 

Lots of ways to skin this cat without a welder, think hand drill, jig saw and some hand tools.

 

About the tuyere, that's a multi-skinnable cat as well. Probably the most popular home build tuyere is from plumbing pipe, using a 2" dia. "T" a 2"x4" nipple a 2"x6" nipple and another nipple, call it x. The 4" nipple attaches to the bottom of the fire pot, over the air hole OR to the cover plate, If you use a bolt pipe flange attaching it is as simple as drilling and tapping a couple holes or nuts and bolts, etc. Next down is the "T" and inline with the top nipple you screw the 6" one (I'll get to the ash dump in a bit) Then the last nipple screws into the leg of the "T" and sticks out horizontally. The last nipple receives the air from the blower, bellows or neighborhood kids treading the skins.

 

The ash dump is easy in my world, I use an exhaust flap cap clamped upside down to the bottom of the lower nipple. I attach an arm to the counter weight so I can lift it with a poker, tongs, yard stick, whatever and dump the ash.

 

The tuyere on my large forge is welded up from truck exhaust pipe but to the same basic design. Long vertical pipe, shorter horizontal Ted in and an exhaust flap cap on the bottom. That's all welded to a flange that is screwed to the bottom of the forge table with the air grate above it.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

I am not sure where in West Texas you are located but, there is a blacksmith that is set up at the Chicken Farm Market in San Angelo.  There is another, father and son in Paint Rock, not too far from San Angelo.  I am told that they do really good work.  Good luck.

I used to live in San Angelo when I was stationed at Goodfellow. Had a house on Wilson St, up on the north end of town. Bet you can find sucker rod easy peasy.

Excellent advice, I think I can definitely lay some plate down in it and just downsize the center and build my tuyere from there. Oh and yes I can get rods easily, matter fact I have small rod sub right next to my front door that I got when I worked in the oilfield. It's everywhere

Flatland Forge is Jim Poor and his wife last I knew. They were or maybe still are comptetive farriers. he makes some high end farriers hammers and other farriers tools. I would think that his clinics or classes would be geared toward the farrier. I am sure he could also do other types of classes, but he has a lot of name recognition with that crowd so they would be the natural client.

Just talked to my buddy he's going to Lubbock this weekend to pick up that anvil I mentioned earlier. he said its 60-75lbs, can't wait to get my hands on it

So I have another question about my drum I was just thinking about. It's very deep maybe around 8 inches give or take. I've been trying to read how I can do it to have proper air flow etc. I was thinking maybe I could use the plate we discussed but instead of putting it over the hub and lug holes I could make s bigger plate and set it on the landing inside where it gets larger make a hole and put the flange on that cause the tuyere pipe will fit through the hub hole, I think gravity would hold it in place with the pipe hanging on it. Then pile the coals up from there? It's still probably 5 inches or so after that

That'll work alright. You'd be better off using a shallower brake drum but spacing a flange in it to give you a good depth is a tried and true method.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Here's the anvil my buddy's dad has for me, any idea what kind it may be?