ItsMillerTime Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hi Everyone,New to smithing here from BC Canada. I'm a Millwright (Industrial Mechanic) by trade and have been interested in Blacksmithing about as far back as I can remember.Back in high school, I got a taste of forging and casting in our metal shop, and recently my wife and I took some of the smithing day courses offered by one of the local heritage museums (Burnaby Village). I've been collecting as much equipment as possible since and trying to make as much time as I can to work some hot steel!Otherwise, while working for a large gear manufacturer here, I took over as head of maintenance in a heat treating shop they purchased for six years, so I gleaned as much technical knowledge of materials and processes as I could during that time. I also got to drool over the anvils that rolled through for a local smith as well as a local farrier shop.Anyways, I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can and hopefully meeting more people in the trade!Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyO Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) Hi, millertime, and welcome. I, too, live in the PNW, just outside of Mt Rainier.I'll make a recommendation to join the NWBA, a great way to meet local smiths. Anyway, welcome to the wonderfully addictive world of learning how to play with really hot metal.. Edited March 1, 2015 by billyO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 The guy that got. Me started was a millwright, and an awesome resource as well. Welcome to the group. I see the NW guys are trying to get you already, but I need to make a pitch for joining the Alaska club... Just kidding. You would have a hard time making meetings unless you liked really long drives... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyO Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 The guy that got. Me started was a millwright, and an awesome resource as well. Welcome to the group. I see the NW guys are trying to get you already, but I need to make a pitch for joining the Alaska club... Just kidding. You would have a hard time making meetings unless you liked really long drives... Not sure if the NWBA meeting are going to be THAT much closer.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Somehow I have made it to the NWBA conferences at Mt. Hood and it's a serious drive for me. Great folk at those conferences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 'from the WET coast' thought this thread was about wales or at least some part of the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hi Everyone,New to smithing here from BC Canada. I'm a Millwright (Industrial Mechanic) by trade and have been interested in Blacksmithing about as far back as I can remember.Back in high school, I got a taste of forging and casting in our metal shop, and recently my wife and I took some of the smithing day courses offered by one of the local heritage museums (Burnaby Village). I've been collecting as much equipment as possible since and trying to make as much time as I can to work some hot steel!Otherwise, while working for a large gear manufacturer here, I took over as head of maintenance in a heat treating shop they purchased for six years, so I gleaned as much technical knowledge of materials and processes as I could during that time. I also got to drool over the anvils that rolled through for a local smith as well as a local farrier shop.Anyways, I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can and hopefully meeting more people in the trade!Cheers.Good Morning,We are just across the pond from you. Vancouver Island Blacksmiths Association has it's own Blacksmith Shop at the Luxton Fairgrounds.Don't be shy about checking out our web-site www.viblacksmiths.com We will be having a Spring Workshop soon, date not confirmed yet.Quite a few of our members are also members of NWBA. Hope to see you, maybe at Luxton, maybe in Longview.Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) Welcome aboard, glad to have you. NWBA is a good outfit, very active a lot of our guys are or were members. Then again, if you want to attend a few of the Alaskan Association meetings to get a feel, you'd only have about one day's longer drive than some of our guys.If you and Neil team drive it's only about 40 hours straight through with meal, fuel and bathroom stops.Frosty The Lucky. Edited March 1, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Good Morning Frosty,I keep forgetting you are just up the Coast a bit. My wife an I were going to go to Alaska for our Honey-moon, something came up with my business and we still haven't made the trek. No Hexcuse, just haven't. Will Hightower and his wife have been in our part of the world, last time for CanIRON VI in 2007.We aren't the Wet Coast, even though we had 30mm in 5 hours, on Thursday night. The Wet Coast is up the Coast a bit, average rain fall, 150-175"/year.Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Morning Neil: Deb and I are looking forward to a visit one of these days. One way or another.Far away is a matter of perspective. From here you and Millertime look like next door neighbors, just like Will and I look like neighbors to you. Will lives a good 7+ hour drive if the road's good from here. Not that we wouldn't team drive if the situation arose.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsMillerTime Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks for the welcomes and advice! I would've responded sooner, but the flea market took precedence this morning. And I'll still call it the Wet coast, no matter what anyone says I'll look into the associations for sure! I wouldn't mind the road trips, just need to clear the schedule a bit more.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Ahhh, good priorities! Going and doing are more important than replying in some sort of misguided concept of a "timely manner".Get yourself hooked up with a local black booger gang. Every hour working with an experienced smith is worth many times that trying to figure it out yourself and asking us here.It's a long trip on a highly addictive, learning curvy road without end. Enjoy the ride we do. Finding fellow travelers to ride shotgun with is a joy. It's a no fooling brotherhood containing many thousands of members, spanning many thousands of years.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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