Hi my name is Scott I live and work in the southern Oregon Rogue Valley area.

I have worked metal all of my life, I am a CNC programer running 5 haas  CNC mills and lathes. I am also a accomplished welder in MIG, TIG, arc, and oxy/accetyline.

I have always wanted to learn the art of blacksmithing as a stress relief from the daily precision metal work .

I have most all the tools to set up a small smithy 3 good size anvils, 2 large post vises,20 or so hammers and tongs, and have also built my own gas forge.

I am looking for some one in the area that shares the blacksmithing bug as I do, and prefer some one with good experience to give me direction so I do not pick up bad habits.

 

Welcome abourd

Thank you for the reception Charles, I guess there is not very many blacksmiths in southern oregon.

Welcome aboard Scott, glad to have you.

Have you checked out the NWBA? It's a very active club in the Pac NW, then there's the CBA which covers California and then some. It's been quite a while since I was in Medford and wasn't doing more than scanning phone books for smiths so I'm no source. I was hunting good knapping obsidian last time I was through so unless I drove past a sign saying Blacksmith I cruised on.

Boy am I helpful or what eh?

Frosty The Lucky.

Howdy Scott, I'm in KFalls, also a machinist and weldor, and do mostly art smithing (forged railings, hinges, sculpture) for a living. I think my burb has more smiths than the rogue valley, don't know why. Anyway, you're welcome to come over for a Saturday if you get inclined. Look up Olene Machine on the google, you'll find me. 

Hi Scott & Welcome to Ifi 

Well you're guess is wrong LOL there are smiths in you're area ! I will try & dig up some Phone # when I can

Paul B is the closest he is in rogue river, there are at-lest  2 other guys there been a long time since I talk to them

we use to have a meet in grants pass every so often @ Roys  not sure if he is doing anything anymore

theres smiths in Medford - grants pass - central point - K falls / Mike & more there - CA - Crescent city - Eureka -

Weaverville & so ON !!

We are in the CBA - & are group is called the Jefferson Smiths of northern Ca & southern Or a hands on group

I am also a welder since 1976 & a blacksmith also getting into glass blowing some

I live in crescent city theres 3 smith here I know of + the want to bees ?

if you get this way give me a call 707-464-7015 Steve

STEVE'S Welding & Repair & Fab

Thanks for all the feed back I will keep looking and make some more phone calls .

I have the itch that will not go away and I think its here to stay. so I guess I will just have to make it part of my life.

my problem are time and space and getting a handle on the basics. If i can get ahead on one of these, the rest will fallow.

I have read several books and watched oodles of youtube videos, but nothing compares to hands on with a smith who has time in the fire.

I do not want to waste someones time but I am a very fast learn, and very motivated to learn as much as I can about the magic that happens in the fire. I am not looking for a profession or even a hobby I want to create things from metal, grand things large and small.

so if there is a some one around the rogue valley give me a ring any time my number is 541-821-2992 thanks Scott

Scott: You're going to find most smiths don't think of helping someone learn the craft as wasted time. We generally just LOVE to encourage the addiction. Heck why else would we be hanging out here answering questions?

Frosty The Lucky.

this is the very first project I have ever struck with a hammer and also the forge that I built my self the burners were turned on the lathe and the venturei  completely adjustable.I use miller welding tips for gas nozzles and stainless steel sch 40 bell for the fire nozzle. the flame is running 5 psi out of a 100lbs tank

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I can't view the pics without subscribing to Google and I ain't.

You can attach the pics easily enough if you have them saved on your computer. Click "choose files" option below, browse to and select the file from your machine. It'll upload to your post. Just try to keep the file size reasonable say in the 100k+/- range.

A bell reducer is generally WAY too aggressive for the nozzle flare it causes bad turbulence and reduces stability and induction. Of course that's just my interpretation of what you wrote. Pics are WAY better.

Frosty The Lucky.

hows that?

and by the way all 4 sides of the are independently adjustable up and down and I can get steel to the point that it starts to spark.

the flame is completely stable

Frosty I see your name on here quite a bit so I value your criticism.

all four sides are adjustable independently or can be removed all together.

the burner in the picture is running at 5 psi and is completely stable it starts to flutter at about 1.75 to 2 psi but is stable from 2.3/2.5 to 8 psi and does not produce any more heat after 8 psi.

I run a restricted bypass on the number 1 burner as a pilot flame and use the number 2 burner as my heat and shut it off between heats. running the pilot burner keeps flame from escaping and heating the venturi also i can turn both burners on and holy hell! also the venturi's are turned units that i made on the lathe that are also fully adjustable for air restriction and I use miller welding tips as gas jets. all gas lines are stainless compression lines.

That's a beautiful flame I don't have any critique. I pictured something more resembling a bell reducer for the burner flare when you called it a "bell." It's obviously a long way from a bell reducer and seeing as it's working so well trying to "fix" it would be silly.

Nice set up, well done.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks for the compliment. I have a tendency to over build and over think most all of my projects

Scott, that looks good, tell me and I'm guessing here but based on the amount of crap er. Useful stuff you have lying around stored have you ever thought about becoming a blacksmith?

Some things require a lot of thought up front to get right, most don't really. We're all guilty of over thinking things if we let ourselves.

For all the times I've told people to keep things simple my new forge is ridiculously over thought and worse, I made several fundamental changes so trouble shooting it is problematical. Even I don't listen to me so maybe I should lighten up on the kids eh?

Frosty The Lucky.

I am a very well compensated cnc programer  and have been rebuilding transmissions on the side for three years hence all the cap ( nearly 250 trannys built ) so it's time for me to do something for myself. I like projects that take time and that I can be really proud of things that you can not, buy but see in pictures

At my point in life money is not my problem knowledge is what I need and crave

I LOVE the learning curve so we're on that same page. Have you checked out  Ausfire and Scrapartoz  's posts? If you were to somehow come by tranny innards you might  find some inspiration. 

Were a guy to want to do some bladesmithing I think trannies were filled with forged parts and might be good for stock.

Uh, it's a blacksmith thing to put most any steel in a fire and see how it takes to being beaten on.

Frosty The Lucky.

I have more gears and bearings then I could ever use (over 2000 pounds) so if there is anyone ever in southern oregon they are welcome to as much as they can haul I also have a large supply of clean  356 cast aluminum borings and red and yellow brass borings great for casting.

Hey man!  I am just building my forge now. I am super interested in smithing as a hobby and an outlet for creativity, something that i find lacking in my life. Im guessing from what little info you passed on about yourself, you have stuck with it and excelled. I live in meddie, near Phoenix. Would you mind if i gave you a jangle?

Hey Mesquite0 give another ring your number you left goes to someone else. I have been working alot  so have not been able to fire up the forge in a while but that has not changed my passion for the art.