May 25, 201412 yr I'm just starting Blacksmithing and I'm jus a forge away from heating up some metal. I've acquired an Kolswa 90 lb anvil, 2 champion blowers, 2 leg vices, and an assortment of hammers and a couple tongs... Just saving up for a proper fire pot.
May 25, 201412 yr Continue to save your money. That is a good thing to do, as long as the wife does not find out, or find the money. Why wait for a fire pot. Do a site search or the 55 Forge. Cost is less than $20 and most likely you can buy lunch with the left overs. After all the idea is to get your first forge up and running while you look for the second one. (grin)
May 25, 201412 yr Congrats and welcome! What's a firepot? :D Started on an improvised forge, still going on a improvised forge........(occaisionally cursing my improvised forge) but it works. Can put one together in a couple of hours...why wait?
May 25, 201412 yr Welcome aboard, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance. Fire pot? You going to try boiling it or something? Read the site's solid fuel forge section, you'll see more alternatives for good working fire pots and you can shake a poker at. Seriously, all it needs to do is keep some coal contained so you can control a forging fire, bricks stacked around an air grate hole in the ground, clay packed on a wooden table, etc. there are a world of alternatives. It's pretty common for folk beginning a new craft to want the perfect tools and equipment, we've all been there, done that and some of us have gotten over it. There are NO perfect tools, not really. Tools don't do spit, without the mid and hand of a human being they're nothing but highly refined dirt. It's our minds and hands that do the work and we won't get better at DOING waiting for perfect to show up. Unless of course waiting is what we want to learn to do. Frosty The Lucky.
May 25, 201412 yr I have had the pleasure to meet some of the LAMA (Louisiana Metalsmiths Association) at some of the HABA events. You would do well to meet up with them if you haven't done so already. Good luck, Jerry
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