Slowly but surely getting set up.

[Du7ch]

As a beginner hobbyist, working full time in the US Army, I don't have a vast amount of time or spare finances to devote toward honing my skill and setting up my equipment.

I'm lacking actual traditional items but making do without. Yesterday I had the chance to do some more fabrication of my makeshift tools.

Lacking an anvil, I've shaped a rough anvil from a section of railroad track and have been using a block of steel as well. Without a real usable anvil horn, I've made a stake/bick anvil from a piece of scrap I had acquired.

[Du7ch]

With further thought, I figured I should post a few pictures of the rest of my set up.

Lacking a usable stand and table at this time, I've been working low to the ground with an in ground charcoal forge and the block of steel stated above staked to the ground.

[njanvilman]

Many a smith have done with a lot less.  Look up some of the videos on forging on YouTube.  Some has some amazing footage of working in what we consider primitive conditions producing great results.  What are you using for the forge?  It looks like a hole in the ground with charcoal?  As long as it works.  If you have time to get off base, there are lots of smith in Texas that would help you out.

[Frosty]

Your kit's coming along nicely Dutch. Keep your eyes open for a broken truck axle, stood on end flange up they make fine anvils. The shaft gives it great depth of rebound and will work as a horn. The flange already has a lot of handy shapes for bottom dies and the lug holes are excellent pritchel, bolster and hardy holes. Though you DO have to custom make bottom tools to use the lug holes, a couple pins and you have a built in bending fork. Sure an axle, depending on what you find, will require a degree of grinding to finish suitably but nothing a right angle grinder won't do and quickly.

 

Am I a fan of large axles as anvils you ask? The best field expedient anvil I've ever used was a large axle of some sort I buried in a sand bar flange up. It's been probably 30 years ago and I still kick myself for not bringing it home with me.

 

You're doing just fine Dutch, keep your eyes open and be imaginative.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[SJS]

Industrial sized scrap is fun to get your hands on... I got one of the 6" diameter axils from Ptree makes a great sledging anvil, or an anvil to build a power or treadle hammer out of. Its 454# with a 22" diameter flange upset on the end. Lots of good scrap around, and lots of old tools lurking about ask and keep asking, if everyone you know!!!!!!! Everyone you meet, knows your looking something will pop up;-)

[Du7ch]

Many a smith have done with a lot less. Look up some of the videos on forging on YouTube. Some has some amazing footage of working in what we consider primitive conditions producing great results. What are you using for the forge? It looks like a hole in the ground with charcoal? As long as it works. If you have time to get off base, there are lots of smith in Texas that would help you out.

I'm using an old brake drum in the ground with piping and for now, my wife's blow dryer. Lump charcoal is in abundance here and thus has been my go to. Naturally I plan on building a mini gas forge for my use.

I have had an immense amount of help from Thomas Powers, being on the furthest west part of Texas, most of the others are 8+ hours away.

I will be trying to make it to the SWABA meet in Albuquerque in February.

[2ndChanceCowboy]

Hey Dutch looks like you're doing fine as you have shown. I'd take the advice for getting with a few smiths that way. Enjoyed the pictures thanks.

I once knew a guy named Dutch. Yes know the chances are about as good as winning the lottery too. You aren't a brother rag'nar by chance are ya? Smile. If so, you'll know who I am real quick I'd say.

Anyhow, chances are very slim,,, Wish I had a axle like sjs stated in above post. My 1st forge as a kid was a coffee can with cement n a old rainbow vacuum. Was really good for starting fires too when windy. Those were the days for sure,,, Always say, we only limit ourselves most times.

The best one I ever witness in person was some indigs in Argentina whom used wood in a hollowed rock. An bike parts for blower n drive. Yet you're way ahead of those guys.

[DSW]

Being in the military you have a lot of facilities open to you that you may not be aware of. Our base had a fully equipped wood shop almost no one used that was part of the rec program. The near by sub base had a fully equipped auto shop with welders, cutting torches, computer diagnostics and so on. There were also a lot of under used facilities on base that weren't "officially" open  for use, but could be accessed if you asked the right people. There were plenty of maintenance shops and repair facilities that were under utilized as they are there in case of emergencies. If you talked to the shop guys or the NCO in charge it was possible to get access to these areas many times when they weren't in use. Many guys are more than interested in helping someone who has an interest in things similar to what they do. A few small gifts like a few cold ones after work or a few bottle openers can open a lot of doors and get you access to things you might want or need.

 

I used to scrounge all sorts of goodies out of the scrap bins on base after checking with those running that area.

[Everything Mac]

Being in the military you have a lot of facilities open to you that you may not be aware of. Our base had a fully equipped wood shop almost no one used that was part of the rec program. The near by sub base had a fully equipped auto shop with welders, cutting torches, computer diagnostics and so on. There were also a lot of under used facilities on base that weren't "officially" open  for use, but could be accessed if you asked the right people. There were plenty of maintenance shops and repair facilities that were under utilized as they are there in case of emergencies. If you talked to the shop guys or the NCO in charge it was possible to get access to these areas many times when they weren't in use. Many guys are more than interested in helping someone who has an interest in things similar to what they do. A few small gifts like a few cold ones after work or a few bottle openers can open a lot of doors and get you access to things you might want or need.

 

I used to scrounge all sorts of goodies out of the scrap bins on base after checking with those running that area.

 

 

I was going to post exactly this. - There is bound to be some workshops kicking around with some decent kit that isn't being used. 

 

Best of luck 

 

Andy

[Du7ch]

I've been practicing that. I get a lot of scrap cut offs from a welding and fabrication shop on post currently.

I had my eye on a few freon tanks in our maintenance yard that I was inquiring about. Unfortunately they have recently disappeared and are no longer available to me, so there goes my propane forge body.

I'll have to go see what they may have on the main base that may be available for my use.

I appreciate it gentlemen!

[ThomasPowers]

I believe I have a couple of Freon tanks back at my shop I picked up to use as forge bodies for folks starting out.  I'll try to remember to bring one back with me this weekend.

[Du7ch]

Funny story... Not 3 hours after I posted that last night (roughly midnight, and I was still at work, alas, I haven't been home in 3 days but can practically see my house from my office~) I was perusing the maintenance yard looking for a spare "elongated fuel transfer attachment" to fuel up one of my HWMMV's and wandered across a stockpile of 6 freon tanks and a military air tank set aside. As much as I wanted the air tank, it's proportions were too large for anything I will have planned for quite some time, so I let it sit in the pile either until I break down to my obsession or some other passerby snags it up.

 

On the other hand... It would do well cut in half and capped with pipe caps (The same we discussed in the Ladel blanks topic). That one tank could very well make 2 decent sized double burner propane forges much like the one I was taught on at Mr. Thomas Powers' Shop away from Shop. Hmm... The possibilities are endless and I am ultimately distracting myself from accomplishing more work today even though I'll likely be working well past midnight for yet another night this week.

[DSW]

Old air compressor tanks make great grills and smokers. Not exactly a blacksmithing project, but a good one to open doors for you. I know a couple of shops that had their own grill out back for lunch or whatever.

[VaughnT]

Dutch, at your level, research is a wonderful thing.  You've already got a good forge set up, so you really don't need more than a few hammers and some tongs to start producing stuff.  

 

I always advocate buying new gear when you can, especially things like tongs, because it makes your life so much easier.  I know a lot of folks will tell you to make your own tools, but that idea can get to the point where it's more of a drawback than an advantage.  If you are a novice, why complicate things when a nice pair of brand new tongs is only $40?  Yea, it's money out the door, but it also gives you a quantum leap forward in terms of metal handling and manipulation.

 

The best propane forge design I've ever seen didn't require any freon tanks or fancy tools.  Self-tapping screws and some sheet metal.... I'll have to see if I can find a photo of it again.

 

Keep up the good work, and thank you for your service.

[Du7ch]

Unfortunately, the one thing I'm missing is honest to goodness tongs. I have various pliers and such that I use but haven't broken down and ordered the tong blanks from Ken's Custom Iron, which are less than $10 each due to the flat rate shipping. I can order 4 with the same shipping and handling cost as 1. Why waste that money at this time? I'll likely fire up the forge and make a set this weekend if my work doesn't get in the way (Working toward a promotion currently).

[VaughnT]

Dutch, there's no harm in buying those tong kits; I was just looking at them myself.  By the time you do all the work to get to the point that the tong kits are, you will have burned up a lot of time and fuel, both of which cost you money.  Plus, they still leave a lot of work to be done, and that's good practice.

 

Even if you only buy one pair, it's hardly a waste of money because you couldn't afford to buy three more at the same time and save on postage.  That one pair of tongs will jump start your forging ability.

 

As a beginner, you need three sets of tongs:  1/4" - 3/8" - 1/2"  

 

With those three pairs, you can make a bunch of s-hooks and dinner triangles, both of which are really easy to make and don't require fancy tooling.  So, you get good practice and something marketable.  Put them on craigslist, use the proceeds to invest in more tongs.

 

Just one pair of tongs to hold 1/4" round stock will allow you to comfortably make a ton of s-hooks, drive-hooks and steak flippers. 

I'll admit that I'm something of a stickler/snob when it comes to tongs.  I've seen far too many instances of people struggling with the wrong type of tongs, making the job 10x harder than it should be, and getting hurt in the process.  There's nothing like that moment when time slows down as you watch some scorching-hot steel flipping through the air!  All for the want of some decent tongs.