Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Hello all, I've browsed through the the stickies and its information and found some insightful work! Everyone on here is so nice and I'm eager to pursue this hobby. I wish to create armor and weapons for me and my friends for their SCA battles (likely not using said weapons). I have experience in welding, receiving a certificate in gas metal arc welding. I'm following up on some leads to get an anvil for free or cheap. And I have a barn of tools, I also have a large deep tractor rim that I can use as the forge. Any recommendations for a novice at black smithing? I am eager to hear advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Hello and welcome. It would help if you'd add your location to your profile so we know where you are from. That way members can make suggestions as to groups in your area you might like to join, or places near by where you can take classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I also have a large deep tractor rim that I can use as the forge. Any recommendations for a novice at black smithing? I am eager to hear advice Look at the 55 Forge. Use the tractor rim for other projects. Welcome to the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) Ok, I updated my location, but I don't have a 55 gallon drum, but I may be able to get one Edited June 19, 2015 by Chase N. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Welcome aboard Chase, glad to have you. The tractor rim is WAY too big unless you're going to forge really big things like radar dishes. I used to make basket hilts and helms for SCA fighters. Just make sure they pay you 50% up front and the rest on delivery. Not saying SCA are less trustworthy than most it's just a good way to make sure any customer doesn't lose interest after you've started.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 I meant the front rim it's about 2 1/2 ft in diameter, the gear is for friends, but they're willing to give me some funding, how do you recommend I start armorsmithing? And what materials do you prefer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) Look for some Georgia clay and make your own forge. Look up side blast forge. Nothing more then a depression and a air pipe horizontally about 3-4 inches off the bottom of the depression and about 1/3 of the way into the depression. Dad gum simple is overstating things by a whole lot. Edited June 19, 2015 by Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Ok, I'll look into it, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) 9" is a big fire pot for most work, you usually can't forge more than 4-6" at a time.What kind of armor do you want to make? Most sheet steel work can be done cold with occasional annealing over the BBQ. How much experience do you have sinking and plannishing? If you've done body work, that's the training you need afterwards armor is just another shape.Chain maille? Ring maille? Scale? It's mostly patience and chapped hands.Frosty The Lucky. Edited June 19, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 I was looking more into plate armor, and I don't have much metal work experience outside of the welding I've done, I'm 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Also, what size/type anvil should I get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Plate armor isn't a beginner's project. Start out making van braces, greaves and such. Getting simple curves right is challenging enough.For bracers and greaves you're basically rolling maybe half a truncated cone. First you'll need to start the curve, close it up and then plannish it. Useing say 18ga. you can almost do the first processes by hand plannishing will require plannishing hammers and a horn. A piece of polished pipe in a vise works well.A shield is decent experience for large scale work and no I don't mean a targ a Roman shield is much easier. Warp plywood into the basic shape and clad it in 18-20 ga. steel. The training will come in when you roll the steel cladding around the edges.A good first step into compound curves is a shield boss so a targ. When you get to this stage give a shout we'll kibitz.You don't really need an anvil for armouring. You'll need a sinking block, softwood on end works nicely but wears out faster than hardwood. When you progress to helms you'll probably want a bouge ball or a ball stake. Oh heck, you'll end up with more stakes than you knew existed so a stake plate is a practical tool. An English wheel is DE BOMB for armouring you'll need sheetmetal hammers and dollies. Body shop tools, same same.I'm sure there are plenty of guys here on IFI with a lot more and more current experience armouring than I and I'm sure there are armouring sites that'll line you out with specific info and references to classes. Basically armouring is a very specialized arena of metal smithing and while a blacksmith COULD make armour proper armourers were specialists and that's what they did. Heck, usually only parts at that, there's be the guy who made helms, another who made breast plates or carapices another who made gauntlets. Now THERE'S a specialty, articulated gauntlets are a major chore. Anyway, a suit of armour involved probably 6+ specialized professionals.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase N. Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Thank you for your advice it's 5:30 am and I've been doing a lot of research about the process, I still need to learn a lot of the terminology, but I am not deterred! I hope to learn a lot, I'll probably visit a library and checkout a couple of smithing books to learn a thing or two but with your advice I'll go through my steps and maybe you guys could offer criticism. I'm not necessarily rolling in cash with my little job, but I'll still try to get those items Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) If you can find some old school auto body classes you may find them of use. Places that still teach use of the English wheel, hammer and dolly work, sinking and bag work, etc. not the simple hang the fender stuff many do today. You are looking for one of the old guys who can make a fender from scratch from flat sheet. Some high schools run auto body classes at night, as do some community colleges. Edited June 19, 2015 by DSW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 A little more detail on the rim to forge project.a 30" rim at least 8" deap can be made into a sevisable forge, my experiance with side draft forges has shiwn it is better to bring the tuyer out at the side of the fire hole. So lets look art what you need to do to this thing, first suport it on legs. Idealy the top of the forge will be level with the hight if your anvil, so there are basicaly 3 hights for anvils (4 if your forging anvils) stand up strait and put your arms down at your side. Mesur from your first knuckle of your index finger to the ground, closed fist to the ground and your rist to the ground. So the shorter nomber is were heavy forging and top and bottom tools, the middle is for general hand forging and the higher is for finer work. Because my suggestion is to make it adjustable. It dosnt have to be quick change, but you will find the hight you need may change as you progress. I find that 3 legs work well for round forges (and les than flat floors). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I have more but i cant seem to post or PM it to you. I will try to post the rest later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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