Hello Folks! Nice forum you have here.  Have spent a few hours here and there reading various topics. Specifically about Hoods, Chimneys, and coal.

I am a retired engineer/tech (telecom and public safety radio systems) living in beautiful Central NY. Hate the politics, love the countryside and the people. Currently looking for part time work . . or to create my own part time work. We are also starting up a small 54 acre farm/retirement homestead in the hills of Oneida County. So I stay pretty busy.

Why Blacksmithing? Simply stated: I have been Hi Tech most of my life. I grew up on a Dairy Farm in NH and now that I am retired I want to go back to those roots, low tech, off-grid capable, more self sufficient. Low Tech. I discovered an interest in the craft about 20 years ago when I went to the Erie Canal Village outside Rome, NY and wandered into the Smithy. I spent the rest of the day there asking questions and watching the Smith work amazing things with his hands, hot steel, and a hammer. I am sure I drove the Smith near to crazy with all my questions. I didstinctly remember being amazed with the Forge Welding process . .  I had no idea that this was possible without modern equipment.

Early this summer I went to a farm auction and picked up an old Buffalo Forge complete with a Buffalo Forge Climax hand crank blower. The forge was piled full of tongs, hammers and assorted chisels, files and random pieces of iron for $100 for the lot. A good start. I spent a week or so restoring the forge and will be firing her for the first time up today.

I have picked up a few more tongs, hammers, punches etc at flea markets in my travels . . mostly for a few bucks each. I also picked up a nice Peter Wright 146 Lb anvil for the ~fair~ price of $300. Just this week I picked up a small post vise with aprox 4" jaws that is complete and works fine. I still am looking for a few Hardy Tools and a Nail and Rivet Heading bar.

 

When I did a search for coal I came up with two sources here in Central New Yorkistan; Aubuchon Hardware actually keeps Smithing Coal in stock so I grabbed two 50Lb bags, and Dennis Coal & Stove in Fabius has some kind of secret recipe super smithing coal (he will only say he got 10-15 tons a couple years ago out of PA somehere LOL). I will drive down there and grab a few bags of that also. Anyone have any experience with either of these sources?

So here is a few pics of my set up, outdoors under a tent for now . .

 

appx US$2 a pound for that anvil is a very good price for your area.  You have a great set up for starting; welcome to the Dark Side!

Good Morning John,

You need to get that forge fired up. You shouldn't "wait, looking for a few Hardy Tools and a Nail and Rivet Heading bar.". When your forge is running, you will have the ability to make any and all of your own Tools. The Tools you make are built with 'feeling' in them.

Start by making a nail, a four sided taper. If you use a piece of small coil spring (garage door spring or whatever is handy), you can use it as the tool that makes the square hole for your soon to be nail header. It doesn't need to be fancy, a piece of leaf spring can have multiple sizes of square holes in it.

And then..........     the beginning has begun.

Neil

Beat me to it. 

I can't post a link to a video here?? This forum format is starting to get on my nerves . . .

 

Video

Edited September 27, 201510 yr by John Galt

Who's John Galt?

 

Looks Good John, and things will start to go faster now that you know what your looking for.  By the way the name of my Shop is John Galt Forge but I'm located in Victoria Tx. so I don't think we will be stepping on each other

 

Russell Doerr

I can't post a link to a video here?? This forum format is starting to get on my nerves . . .

 

Video

ayn rand is/was a nut job..

ayn rand is/was a nut job..

you are welcome!

 

Welcome aboard John, glad to have you. Fire management is one of the surprisingly difficult processes to learn. There's a lot more to it than appears. Once you get the hang of it though you don't have to stand there all the time to heat steels you'll have plenty of time at the anvil with just a gentle turn on the handle once in a while.

We call those fire rakes and usually draw the end to a point to pick clinker out of the air grate more easily. Nice job on the finial ring. All in all it wins a well done! Keep it so you can look back and see how far you've come on a discouraging day figuring something out.

Don't know about the square punchy drift thingy but you've drawn a darned uniform taper, that's a well done too.

You're going to fit right in here. Do you like puns?

Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard John, glad to have you. Fire management is one of the surprisingly difficult processes to learn. There's a lot more to it than appears. Once you get the hang of it though you don't have to stand there all the time to heat steels you'll have plenty of time at the anvil with just a gentle turn on the handle once in a while.

We call those fire rakes and usually draw the end to a point to pick clinker out of the air grate more easily. Nice job on the finial ring. All in all it wins a well done! Keep it so you can look back and see how far you've come on a discouraging day figuring something out.

Don't know about the square punchy drift thingy but you've drawn a darned uniform taper, that's a well done too.

You're going to fit right in here. Do you like puns?

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks Frosty! Yes I do like puns . .

ayn rand is/was a nut job..

Bob S . . living in the Great American Redoubt . . I woulda figgered you to be a big fan of "Atlas Shrugged" . .  Jus' Sayin' . . .

As soon as I saw your name I was going to post "Who is John Galt"  but I see that I got beat to it.  Best book written.  When I moved to North Georgia I named our road Galt's Gulch.

I have t-shirts that say, "Atlas Shrugged, now in the non fiction section."

Very beautiful setup and Im glad to see people have ingenuity to create such beautiful pieces of art even if others don't see it that way. Keep on the easy work, it only gets more fun!

As soon as I saw your name I was going to post "Who is John Galt"  but I see that I got beat to it.  Best book written.  When I moved to North Georgia I named our road Galt's Gulch.

I have t-shirts that say, "Atlas Shrugged, now in the non fiction section."

 

I like you already WayneCo . .  me and Mrs. Galt are taking a very hard look at TN. Would be great to breath free air once again . .

How can I get one of those T-Shirts?

Very beautiful setup and Im glad to see people have ingenuity to create such beautiful pieces of art even if others don't see it that way. Keep on the easy work, it only gets more fun!

Thank you so much Aaron! Forge on Dude!!

Edited October 22, 201510 yr by John Galt

What size do you wear?  I have a couple of extra or you can Google Atlas Shrugged Merchandise.

 

If you want one from me send me an e-mail at [email protected].