Hi all, just got most of my stuff up and running, really haven't found any place to hang out, until I found IFI so here I am.

 Hey Beginner Blacksmith, take a moment to put the Godley Tx. in your profile. Then show us what you make.....good to see ya.          Dave

I went back and added it, thanks. All I have made so far is some round stuff square and some square stuff round, tried pounding out some tong blanks and a few tools I needed at the time. I'm looking for some other smiths to hang out with and get some ideas.

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. Is that your shop . . . Beginner? If so all you'll need do is let some of the local smiths know and you won't lack for company. You have some fine kit there. That anvil looks to be set pretty high, are you very tall or have you gauged it's height against yours?

The old Little Giant's are all set up for folk running only a little over 5' tall. I'm shrunk down to 5'7" and still set my LG on 4" x 12" timbers laid flat and through bolted together to bring it up to a better working height. Most guys still forge upward curving tapers because they're holding the work too high.

Your forge is also really low looking. I am getting so many mixed signals looking at your set up I'm beginning to think there are 3 of you.

Frosty The Lucky.

I am a beginner, I ran closed die forging hammers all my life, never got to work on the open frame hammers, but learned a little watching. You are right, the anvil Stand is way too high, but I can't lower it by myself. I built the forge out of scrap with no plans. I like the height of the hammer. There is only one of me. My kids have no interest in manual labor. Watch for all this stuff on eBay after I die, they always ask me how much is this stuff worth.

No eBay , will it to friends, and others who show interest in the craft. EBay is full of collectors. I am single and figure when it gets time to move my stuff along I will give it away, or sell it for what I paid for it so someone who has a real interest can get a good start.

90% of this stuff came from my Farher who also was a industrial hammer operator, I started working in the forge when I was 17 for $4 an hour in 1976, the coal forge belonged to my Great Grandfather, I think I'm the last one in the family with interest in the craft. There are only a couple of blacksmiths around here that I know of. Maybe there are some on here close by?

There are some fellow Texans on here, not sure how close though.  

Bit over 600 miles to get in my neck of the desert. Godly is near Dallas/Fort Worth.

When are you planning on kicking the bucket?  I got family in Corsicana who would be happy to help me move it.  I can be there in 2 days.    My standard answer when folks ask how much items are worth is "not worth a single penny".  Ends the conversation.

Another good answer is - Not enough to go to jail over.

Wouldn't that depend on the penny?

Frosty The Lucky.

On 3/8/2016 at 11:49 AM, Beginner Blacksmith said:

90% of this stuff came from my Farher who also was a industrial hammer operator, I started working in the forge when I was 17 for $4 an hour in 1976, the coal forge belonged to my Great Grandfather, I think I'm the last one in the family with interest in the craft. There are only a couple of blacksmiths around here that I know of. Maybe there are some on here close by?

Your 3rd photo looks suspiciously like Martin Forge on southside...  

Quite a few folks in the immediate DFW area.  Like you I've only done round/square, square/round & making small machine piece for repairs at work.  

My son does show some interest making corkscrews & openers for his favorite craft brew store, & small machine piece for repairs at work.

We,re the "dirty hand" engineers at both places.  

Actually, that pic was taken in 1984 at Shultz Steel in South Gate Ca, we used that powdered glass on a lot of jobs, inconel and wasp alloy, and some other nickel based alloys, the tall guy was a guy named Walt Miller, best scale blower ever in my book.

Welcome to IFI anyhow & your shop pictures are impressive! 

well if your ever my way give me a shout! would love to have you over! not sure how likely it is that you'd be over here, but thought I would mention it.

                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith

Well Little Blacksmith same to you if you are ever in my neck of the woods, met these young gentlemen about a year ago at the Chisolm Trail blacksmith shop, we all finally got some free time to get together