Introduction

[Bobby Campbell]

Hi,

I have just started getting things together to set up my humble work area. I have been interested Blacksmithing since I was little but have never attempted it.

I am currently gathering up some basic (I really do mean basic) supplies to try my first steps into the craft.

I appreciate all the information posted on this site as it has helped to give me ideas and steer me as I begin.

I'm currently working on putting together a simple forge (charcoal) from scavenged materials. I have limited access to equipment while putting it together but I think it will work out in the end.

I'm sure I will be asking lots of questions once I try to fire it up and will take any and all advice available. I learn best by attempting something and then adjusting my mistakes, of which I'm sure I will make more than a few with my first attempts. (I really do a lot of reading and studying and try to formulate a plan based on my research, it just doesn't always turn out the way I'd hoped).

I'm still learning to navigate the site and will post pictures of my progress once I figure out where they need to go. I'd like to consolidate a lot of the beginnings of my progress into one post to show how I start.

Anyway I look forward to your comments and any advice you feel like throwing my way.

 

Regards,

Bobby

 

[Glenn]

Photos can be attached to the posts you make.

You would be surprised how much fabrication can be done with a just a hack saw, drill, vise grips and a ball pein hammer. Cut to the desired length, clamp with vise grips, drill a hole and bolt things together.  Look for old bed rails to use as angle iron, thin wall pipe can be hammered flat on one end and drilled, and the list is only limited to your imagination.

Bolts or screws can be found in many places, including the ones you obtain by taking things apart.

Do not overlook the use of chisels, as they are great cutting tools.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Bobby, glad to have you. I hope you're clear of the twister herds running rampant in your neck of the woods.

You're over complicating the process on us. By "consolidating your beginnings" you're making it really hard to help you trouble shoot things. Just do this one thing at a time so perhaps one correction will deal with problems.

Take a look through the solid fuel forge section at all the charcoal forges, pictures, problems and solutions. THEN build a forge.

Find something heavy and hard for an anvil, RR rail is good stuff but certainly not the only field expedient anvil around. Do NOT wait till you find THE perfect "REAL" anvil. Waiting for the perfect tools is a recipe for never learning the important parts of smithing.

Just find a smooth face hammer don't get a really heavy one, 2lbs. and under are good starters. A heavy hammer does more work for sure but it's harder to control and makes mistakes permanent so much faster.

Chisels and hack saws are fine traditional cutting tools. You can make your tongs once you've practiced a couple of the basic processes.

One thing at a time is how the great chapels and such were painted or made.

Frosty the . . .

[Bobby Campbell]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I've been "lurking vigorously" for a while now studying plans for forges from charcoal to gas. Debated the pro's and con's of each (within my own limited understanding). I finally settled on charcoal more for the "real fire" feel if that makes even a bit of sense to anyone. I have access to scrap pallets etc....and am leaning toward making my own charcoal. (You either invest time or money and only one I have a bit of excess of right now). I would like to build a propane forge at some point but not at this time.

Frosty,

I'd never get started if I waited to get a real anvil as cash is pretty tight right now. =)  

I've rounded up two items to use as an anvil, one is a piece of RR track that I shaped a horn onto. The other is a piece of 6in round stock about 16 inches long. The round was a piece of scrap used to make a machine shaft. I need to face it as it still has the saw marks of the end from where it was cut, ( I think a light polishing with a flapper wheel will suffice once I round up a grinder I can use at home, or I may just use it as is and let the hammering smooth it out). I will post a picture of both once I can get them uploaded.

I do have limited access to a welder (used it to weld up a firepot out of scrap steel).

I'm sure my forge idea will turn a few heads even if its just to tell me how crazy I am. I started by researching firepots like those commercially sold and used them to get my overall dimensions. (again I have some pictures taken just need to upload). My project this weekend will most likely be putting together the material I scavenged for a table/stand for my firepot.  I'll have to purchase some stove bricks so may not get as far as I'd like this weekend.

So far I have $0 invested just some time and a lot of scrounging. I really think I can get a decent beginner setup for under $100 and have set that goal to see where I can get. The most expensive hurdle is past since I obtained the round stock. It won't be Ideal but it will let me practice hammering techniques etc while I learn, which will save me from destroying a perfectly good anvil if I was to start beating on one from the get go. =) 

 

[Frosty]

That piece of round shaft sounds pretty ideal to me. It's about 165lbs of steel, all sweet spot. You do know what the Japanese sword smiths use today don't you? That piece of shaft is WAY more anvil than they've been using for a couple thousand years.

Give it a rap with a hammer on the saw marks and see if it smooths them up. If it does just put it to work or use a sanding disk on it. You'll want to radius the edges too, sharp corners make for cold shuts. It's going to be a little close to the ground for comfortable hammering but that's what stands are for.

You'd have to give it an awfully imaginative try to come up with a fire pot that'd really turn heads around here. An old SS sink, BBQ, washing machine and brake drum, 55gl drum, etc. etc. and some clay make an excellent forges. It only has to hold a fire, nothing to it. Heck, you can use a wooden box, garden dirt and paper bags for the bellows.

Just because I use a propane forge primarily doesn't mean I don't appreciate solid fuel or know how to use it. One of the biggest drawbacks to a gas forge is everything in it gets hot where a coal or charcoal forge will heat a small area if you want. If I want to heat a small area, say a couple inches I have to fire up my torch.

Dig a hole in mineral soil, a short length of pipe and a blow drier and you have a solid fuel forge. Easy greasy.

If or when you want to build a gasser, give me a shout.

Frosty the . . .

[ThomasPowers]

I started smithing in OKC back around 1981.  I was using a charcoal forge, basically a "Tim Lively forge",  back before they existed, made it from a scrounged dry sink and creek clay.

I've drawfiled an anvil face to smooth out an old soft one before.  As alluded to already: 100 hours hammering hot iron will make you a heck of a better smith than 100 hours hunting "perfect", "real" equipment and 0 hours hammering hot iron.  I know you are recovering from carpel tunnel surgery so work with your Dr and READ EVERYTHING about proper hammer handle shaping and holding and hammering technique.  Do it right and no problems---may even help your current problems. Do it wrong and you are in for a world of pain.

Also try to find folks to carpool with to the Salt Fork smithing meetings!!!!!!! http://www.saltforkcraftsmen.org/

[Charles R. Stevens]

What part of oklihoma do you call home? 

Look up the "Saltfork Craftsmen" and go to the meeting closest to you, If you are in my area (about 40 miled due south of OKC) I'll be happy to help 

looks like you have all the anvile you need, tho as you learn more yiu will find how to shape that rail to make a more effective bick, as to the forge, Master Powers has pointed out that an old popcorn tin, a peice of pipe, a hairdrier and some good old okie red dirt will get you started. A big flowerpot, a oil drum, an old bathtub, sink, woden box, old steel toped desk, a cheep mecanixs tool cart... All will work to build a low tool forge, side blast is your friend for cheap, low tool forge building. Besides charcoal likes sideblast. 

2-3# cross pein properly dressed, hacksaw and a couple of files and you are off to the races, punch, drift and chisel being your first projects, falowed by a set of tongs... This is a build as you go hobbie

[Bobby Campbell]

Charles,

 

I'm in Sallisaw just West of the Arkansas state line.

 

Here is a picture of the round stock I'm going to use as an anvil. It is soft enough that the cut marks will smooth out when I hit it with the hammer but not so soft that it deforms or dents when struck. It has some rebound but not like what I have read about. I still think its a solid piece for me to practice on while learning.

Frosty,

 

You named off a ton of more interesting firepots than what I am currently making, although I have changed my direction 3 times today based on scrap I was able to find. I will start putting it together tomorrow and then upload a picture for suggestions. I already think my firepot is too shallow but I'll be lining it with clay as its pretty thin stuff, so mebbe I can deepen the dish as I put on the clay?

 

Still need some sheet scrap to finish out my table around the firepot, I have an co-worker who will be bringing me about 1/2 a bucket of castable refractory Monday if its still good, and some piping for the air. but I should be able to make a good start on it tomorrow.

Oh I salvaged and old pallet today and recovered two 6ft long treated 4x4s and some rough cut 6x6s...I have to stick a tape to them, but I'm working around in my head how I'm going to build a anvil stand for the round stock.

 

Glenn,

 

I really do appreciate the welcome as well as the advice.

 

Bobby

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2015 by Bobby Campbell
Clarity

[Charles R. Stevens]

Long way from me, but I know that there has to be a member of the Saltfork craftsmen in your neck of the woods. Saltforkcraftsmen.org. 

Dont overthink your firt forge

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

If you have access to a torch you might want to heat a a small part of an edge on the end of that shaft, and quench it with some water. Then see how hard it gets by running a file over it. If it was a machine shaft it is more than likely an alloy that will toughen up like 4140.  If it does get harder you can heat treat the top hammering surface.  

That shaft can also be laid on its side when drawing out bigger stock like on a London pattern anvil horn.

[Bobby Campbell]

Thanks Doc,

I may try that when I get access to a torch.

Charles,

I'm hoping I'm not overthinking it I'm going to start a forge thread over in the Forges area so as not to lump everything together like Frosty suggested.

I haven't made it over to the Saltfork page yet but I do plan on it, would be great to meet up with others and just being able to watch first hand how things are done.

I have quite a few pics of the work I did on my forge today I'll be uploading there in just a bit.

 

Edited May 10, 2015 by Bobby Campbell
clarity, and a mistake