Brett R. Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Let me first introduce myself. 28 yr old living in Cary, IL. I got into forging when I was in high school. I was lucky enough to go to a school that had a pretty nice little forging setup. I was one of the only students to use it, so there wasn't much in the way of instruction. But I was lucky enough to have a very supportive jewelry/metalworking teacher who kept the propane tanks full and the metal rack stocked for me. Pretty much let me do anything I wanted back there! I forged as much as I could in school for a couple years. Anyway, that all passed when I graduated from high school and I decided to go to college to get a degree in business. Ever since then I have wanted to get back to forging and be able to be creative with metal again. I have been wanting to set up a shop of my own, but am not really sure where to start. I don't know where to get tools or really have solid ideas about where I would put it. So I am wondering: Anyone know of a place I could go to work on projects? Thanks in advance! Here is a pic of my last project that I completed almost 10 years ago: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Welcome aboard Brett, glad to have you. There is a pretty active blacksmithing and metal working demographic in your general area. check the regional organizations sections at the bottom of the IFI home page and you'll be able to hook up with one close to you. Nice chandelier I like the way you formed the arms in curves, gives the heavy body a fluidity that's a nice balance to it's weight. Living in a city lends it's own trials to blacksmithing. Whatever the challenges buck up, we're pulling for you. <grin> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 IIRC the IBA conference is the first weekend in June; yup "INDIANA BLACKSMITHING ASSOCIATION 2014 CONFERENCE to be held at the Tipton County Fairgrounds in Tipton, IN, on June 6-8, 2014." I'd make a wager you could find everything you need to get started there---and not too bad a drive; I'm planning to drive from New Mexico to the Quad-State conference in Ohio this fall. Hope to meet you there. Friday, given good weather, I should be wandering around in Lederhosen with a hawaiian and the disreputable red hat as a tribute for a good smithing friend who passed away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 sounds like TP will be hard to miss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 sounds like TP will be hard to miss I don't know about that, I think the glare would make it hard to see the front sight. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EtownAndrew Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 You have to dress like Thomas to stand out. I apparently walked right past a bunch of people at Quadstate this past year that post on IFI and I didn't recognize them but would have liked to shake their hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeaty1387 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Anyone know what part of Ohio quad state conference is being held? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeaty1387 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Welcome aboard Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 You have to dress like Thomas to stand out. I apparently walked right past a bunch of people at Quadstate this past year that post on IFI and I didn't recognize them but would have liked to shake their hand. I suppose. I figure if I ever make it to a conference like Quad State I'll have to wear a sandwich board or tether a balloon snowman or such. Well, maybe folk who know me will just listen for the long stories. Of course if I run across someone in lederhosen, hawaiian shirt and red hat, I'll be hanging with him. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EtownAndrew Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Anyone know what part of Ohio quad state conference is being held? Troy, Ohio Here is a thread about last years event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett R. Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 Thanks for the nice welcome and comments! Unfortunately, I wont be able to make it June 6-8. I spend a lot of my time on a sailboat racing crew, and that weekend is a big event for us here in Chicago. I will have to catch the next one! Or possibly a different one in the Midwest? Sounds like that would be a perfect place for me to start meeting others and picking up tools. Hopefully pretty soon I will have something set up to forge and I can post some new projects. So much time away from pounding metal leaves me with nothing but ideas! Can anyone make comments on gas vs. coal. All of my experience is with a Forgemaster propane forge. Also are there any particular brands of forge to look for or stay away from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeaty1387 Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Troy, Ohio Here is a thread about last years event. Thanks I hope to see some of you there. Hopefully by that time I'll have made something I'm proud of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 My advice is to join ABANA, UMBA, IBA, and SOFA, and go to as many conferences and local meetings as you can. There should be plenty of guys in the Chicagoland area who might like a striker, and be willing to share space. Once you prove your not a goob;-) http://www.abana.org/ Conference is August 13-14 in Delaware, also look at local affiliates link for more options http://umbaonline.ning.com/events/Pontiac Conference is in Pontiac, IL in July http://www.indianablacksmithing.org/ conference is always first weekend in June as mentioned before, there are several IBA Satelite groups who meet in Northern Indiana and wouldn't be too long a drive for you. http://sofablacksmiths.org/ conference is usually the last weekend in September. IF you miss every other event, hit Quadstate. You can supply a complete shop by dropping a wad of cash in the TAILGATE SALES AREA!!! Which is probably the best in the world!!! The local meetings at Troy, OH have open forge time, and access to a power hammer or two. Puttin the cookies on the lowest shelf;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett R. Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 WOW! Indeed, thanks for laying that all out for me. Very much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Quad-State---you can camp on-site and spend the money you save in the tailgate area. A lot of the *old* blacksmiths virtual junkyard crew camp in a group and share food, stories, tips, shade/rain tarps, stories, jokes, Of course some folks will chicken out and go to local hotels, we try not to hold this against them... I hope to drive in from New Mexico for it and hope to arrive by Thursday at the latest so as to walk off my travel cramps in the tailgating area---and I don't really need anything! (Never stopped me before...) And yes it can be hard to recognize folks from their postings; several folks get around that by distinctive get-up---PTREE with his hats---one even had a *working* miniature power hammer on it, me with the disreputable red hat and on Friday the Aloha shirt and Lederhosen in honour of Paw Paw Wilson. Bluejeans and flannel shirts are common men are often bearded, (unfortunately the new job won't let me grow mine long enough to braid and hang anvils on this year). If you really want to stand out---wear a Tux! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeaty1387 Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 What I would give to hear all of your stories about forging. I plan to make quad state even if my wife kills me when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EtownAndrew Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Thanks for the nice welcome and comments! Unfortunately, I wont be able to make it June 6-8. I spend a lot of my time on a sailboat racing crew, and that weekend is a big event for us here in Chicago. I will have to catch the next one! Or possibly a different one in the Midwest? Sounds like that would be a perfect place for me to start meeting others and picking up tools. Hopefully pretty soon I will have something set up to forge and I can post some new projects. So much time away from pounding metal leaves me with nothing but ideas! Can anyone make comments on gas vs. coal. All of my experience is with a Forgemaster propane forge. Also are there any particular brands of forge to look for or stay away from? I can make a couple pros vs. cons comments on coal vs propane. Coal Forge advantages. With a wide open coal forge you can fit anything on it. Admittedly you may only be heating up part of a large beam or pipe that you are straightening or otherwise working on. After making a couple bends on a bar it will probably not fit in your propane forge anymore. I have tried forge welding in a propane forge and the Borax flux makes a terrible mess. In a coal forge the excess flux just goes away with the normal ash and clinkers. I think that some people have this worked out in a propane forge and probably change out a messy flux covered fire brick as needed. Propane Forge advantages Quick heat if you want to do just a little more forging on a piece that you thought was done. Quick to turn off and walk away from if the wife asks you to do something. You do not have to pay as much attention to the fire to avoid getting your metal burned/oxidized like can happen in a coal fire. Easier to watch the metal and see that it is at the right temp to pull out and work on. Due to flexibility the coal forge would probably be best to start with if there were not other considerations unique to your situation. I think that most smiths probably eventually end up with both so they can use the one best suited to the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett R. Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 Thanks for the thoughts Etown. Also, thread bump if anyone is interested in opening their shop up in the Chicago/southern WI area. Willing to contribute $, work hours, beer, etc. for the privilege. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrought Iron Farm Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Hey brett, I have one lead for you to follow. I used to work at a place called chicago hot glass and there was a forge right next store. we all used the same entrance to the building. I'm sure if you look chg you can call and get the name and # to the forging/blacksmithing shop. I wish I could go back there but there are some crazy stalker chicks that work in the glass shop so beware. good luck and let me know what u find out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett R. Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Right on! Thanks man. I hear ya on the stalker chicks. Sometimes you just have to know when to stay away... Are these the guys?: http://www.ericwstephenson.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrought Iron Farm Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Yeah I think that's the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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