Here we go then...

[OllieTheRed]

Howdy everybody, name is Oliver.

Not much to say, really.  Just back from living in England the last 5 years or so, nothing to do until I start courses for welding in the fall, so I bought a Budden and am gradually getting the bits together to start this journey.  Always wanted to get into it, never actually took the time or had the cash.  Things are different now, and I am making the time.

Here's hoping I'm in it for a long while, and I look forward to picking your brains. 

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Oliver, glad to have you. Saw your anvil in the other post, she's a beauty good for a couple few more generations of work. Don't get fancy looking for tools and such you don't really need that much: Smooth faced hammers, keep them under 2lbs. till you've developed hammer control. A good started is a cross pein or I'm fond of drill hammers. Drill hammers are a good weight and have shorter handles so they're much easier to control. If you have a feed store you might check them out for rounding (turning) hammers they have one flat face and one domed face. Think large shallow ball pein shape, they are very efficient forging hammers.

Have you decided what kind of forge you want to use? The forge section on Iforge has a lot of info all round, if you're going to build your own it's a good place to do some reading before making mistakes of your own. I'm lazy myself I prefer to let other folk make the mistakes for me.

Frosty The Lucky.

[OllieTheRed]

Been reading reading reading and to be honest, a lot of what I have read here has changed my mind about what I expected to do right off the bat, and how.

Like most, stars in the eyes and all that, I had plans to throw together this great gas forge and go to town on making the best knives (or whatever) anybody had ever seen.  Have definitely now decided to start from the ground up and build a solid fuel forge though, as well as make a retort and learn how to make my own fuel.

Will be frustrating, but I have tons of time and people to help, so learning properly is more important to me.  I am lucky enough to have figured out at a relatively young age that enjoying what you do with your time and profession is just as, or more, rewarding as the money you make in said profession so here I am, taking the steps to a better reward.  Hopefully.

Already decided on a 2lb crosspein and once I get the forge sorted the first project is a set of tongs... easy enough, eh???  Friend has sorted me with a pair of 150 gallon water tanks from cement mixers to cut up for the forge construction, as well as a 50 and 30 gallon drum for the retort construction, all for free.  Will definitely need to think of the best way to make something out of a pair of these, they have legs so can be stood up and are very stable.  Both right at 5 feet high and 2 feet across at the widest...  I see a lot of cutting and welding in my future.

Just hope they aren't galv... Haven't had a chance to look them over yet.

Thanks for the reply and words by the way, much appreciated.  I have already read a ton of your posts for info, I am sure we will talk again.

[jumbojak]

Tongs are very easy. Take two pieces of flat bar, drill a hole through both with enough material left for the jaws, bolt them together, heat, and twist the end. And, presto, you have a functional set of tongs. They don't look pretty or last forever, but it's a lot safer than trying to use vise grips or channel locks and will get you going so you can develop the skills to forge a more substantial pair yourself.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I wouldn't say that ViseGrips or water pump pliers are dangerous. I use them quite a bit when parts are squirming around in the tongs.

OllieThe Red---looks like a one eyed Minion taking a nap. Study the sideblast 55 forge on the blueprints here on the forum.