Forging Fever Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 My name is Timothy and I am 26 years old. I work for Alaska Airlines as a Ramp agent in the Northern most city in the US, and I have Forging Fever! Have you ever heard of Gold fever? Well it's exactly like that but substitute Blacksmithing for mining gold. Until about 2 weeks ago I never seriously considered becoming a blacksmith. "Hey that would be cool!" or "dang that's awesome!" and watching Forged in Fire on cable was about as close to blacksmithing as I was ever going to get. Then one day the switch in my head flipped and it wasn't just "that would be cool" anymore, it was "I have to do this!" For the past couple weeks I have been consuming every scrap of reliable information that I come across about blacksmithing. It fills my thoughts and my time. I have already started accruing various pieces of steel to use in my smithy. Here is what I have so far: 1 piece of steel of unknown grade 3"x8"x25.5" @148 pounds (this will become my anvil) 1 piece of used up 3/4" cutting edge from an old plow bucket (a section of this may be added to the 3x8 anvil piece to provide a Hardie hole, but I imagine that will come much later.) 1 piece of 1/4" X 3' round of unknown grade 1 tow pin from an old D7H CAT dozer (I plan on forging a cross peen hammer out of this. I also found a rasp file in the cab of the dozer) 1 bent crowbar (hex stock) maybe 5/8" X 3' with a rounded claw on one end. 3 broken claw hammers (to be forged into other useful things) 1 double faced hammer maybe 2 pounds 1 teeny tiny cross peen hammer with no handle (I'm guessing this one will be too small to use, but I'm listing it here anyways.) I will update this post with a picture of my accrued materials sometime tomorrow. So far that is it, but on the bright side the only thing that accruing this scrap has cost me is time and some gas, although not very much gas as my town is about the size of a postage stamp, but then again gas is $6.50/gallon at the moment. My coworker at AK Air also works for sanitation department of Public Works and alows me free reign of the equipment bone yard and metal scrap. He is also going to get me some left over refractory cement and fire brick from a recent overhaul of their trash incinerator. I'm very excited about that last part as I plan to build my own gas forge ,including the burners, the body will be two used up heavy duty truck brake drums that I was promised from a friend of mine that runs the Public Works heavy equipment shop. I also plan to ask him for a used wheel loader arm pin to make a horn for my anvil. There is no scrap yard or recycling center here so most of this stuff ends up in the landfill anyway. Other than work and forging fever, my time is spent at home with my family. My wife Christina of 5 years this September, and our son Liam who just turned 13 months old. Most of my family, parents and siblings, live in lower Alaska just North of Anchorage. I am looking forward to meeting all the other members of the Alaska Blacksmithing association that are in the valley near my parents home in Palmer, AK. I'm hoping to make it down to Anchorage in June for the class with Mark Aspery. I am very excited about that possibility, but my attendance of that function is semi-conflicting with an event that my wife has committed us to here in Barrow. It will take some convincing and compromise but I have my heart set on attending. I can hardly wait to start forging and I look forward to being a part of this amazing online community. P.S. Sorry if this was a bit rambly. P.P.S I use a lot of made up words such as rambly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 Welcome! Sounds like a good start; but please watch out for the Birch trees! (if you read enough on this site you'll understand) Why the heavy duty truck drums? I know a professional smith that once made a propane forge just from kaowool with a couple of piece of tie wire holding it round. HEAVY makes it hard to move and does NOT improve function of it. Look into something like a used propane cylinder. I believe that Wayne Coe has plans for that type on his website. Now if you want to make a cradle to hold the forge then the heavy truck drum would make a good floor piece for the stand Also look into using an INSULATING refractory; save you a LOT of money and time over the years. I figure you would know the value of insulation up there.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 Welcome aboard Timothy, glad to have you! I haven't been to Barrow since the late '70s when I substituted for one of the guys on the Airport drill crew, old story but cool, I've not only been to Barrow I've drilled holes in your airport runway. Hows that for a little random rambly? I WISH I had access to the town dump! We have scrap yards but they're under single buyer contract so we aren't allowed to buy anything from them. See if you can find a smalish piece of plate for a foot and weld your anvil to it on end. It will make an excellent anvil. Have your friend keep an eye open for a length of heavy wall sq tubing, 2 1/4" is ideal as that's an equivalent size to what trailer hitch receiver tubes are made of. Dot approved hitch receiver tube is really expensive but 2 1/4" works just fine. This will make you a portable hardy hole if welded on end to a piece of plate for the foot. You may live in the most remote city in America but you have access to pure gold for resources! Too cool. Having relatives in Palmer is perfect, I'm in Wasilla myself. Next time they go into Anchorage they can pick up some Kaowool at E.J. Bartells and flat rate it to you OR drop it off at AK Airlines, have another baggage smasher slip in on a flight for you. Take a look at Wayne Coe's website for forge plans and read through the gas forge section on Iforge before you start collecting materials. You'll waste a lot less time and money and be much less likely to paint yourself into a corner. Be sure to give me a shout if you can make it to the Mark Aspery clinic. I'll be the guy wearing the "Frosty The Lucky" Iforge T shirt. Oh as a last note, ALL words are made up and I can get a little rambly. Or so I've heard. Last last note, we LOVE pics and a few of the folk here have been watching the Aurora camera websites. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 Here are the Pics of my stash minus the broken claw hammers (they weren't in my truck). I was wrong about the size of the cutting edge it is actually 1.5" thick not 3/4". I'm not exactly sure how I got that so wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 That chunk of steel looks like it'll make a great anvil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 I have a job of work to do before its ready but I am Stoked! I found it on the beach, when I first saw it I thought it was a piece of C channel, then when I tried to nudge it with my foot I realized it was solid steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 If you have enough pallets or other wood you can build a solid fuel forge that burns just the wood. Look for the 55 Forge plans and the side blast modifications. You can use any cylinder such as a old water tank or what ever is available for the solid fuel forge. Besides it will reduce the scrap load on the land fill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 Alaska Airlines is practically a Pallet factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 By the way that last pic I added by mistake, it was a diagram I made up for the Gas Brake Drum Forge I am thinking about making. Thomas brought up some good points about how heavy its going to be and I may abandon the Idea but I think I'm going to wait until I get my hands on brake drums to decide what to do with them. I will have a nearly unlimited supply of them once they thaw out of the snow bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 16 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Welcome! Sounds like a good start; but please watch out for the Birch trees! (if you read enough on this site you'll understand) Also look into using an INSULATING refractory; save you a LOT of money and time over the years. I figure you would know the value of insulation up there.. Thomas, thanks for the advice about the Heavy break drums. I will probably end up using them as base stands but we will see. Also I don't think that I will need to be looking over my shoulder for the "Great White" anytime soon. There isn't a tree around for hundred of miles. Yes I do know the value of insulation, its currently snowing as I type this. By the way, Frosty if you need refuge from that Birch the airbed is always ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Timothy, good to have you on board! Looking forward to meeting you at the clinic. It will be a hands on class and you will leave with at least 2 tools that you get to make. Frosty has a propane burner design from pipe fittings that is quick, easy and hot. there will be several running at the class if you want to take a look. We have meetings every other month, so if it works in your schedule please feel free to join us. our next meeting after the class is July 9th in Anchorage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 Thanks Teeny, I really hope that I can make it down for the class. This is an awesome opportunity, It's kind of amazing that Mark is coming to Alaska right when I decided that I'm going to become a blacksmith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 That small cross peen would be great for texturing. Littleblacksmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Well Little, judging by your profile pic, you would know. Thanks for the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 scored some more metal! Above are 1 center and 2 corner cutting edges from the snow bucket at work. The mechanic just put on a fresh set before putting the bucket to bed for the summer, and he let me take the old set. Below is a tow pin off of a Dump truck and one of my busted claw hammers. The last three is a pin from a wheel loader arm at different angles. I think I'm going to forge some drifts and use one of the corner edges to make a heavy punch plate of various shapes and sizes. There are 10 holes already conveniently spaced to start the process. I'm not sure what I will do with the rest of it yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 You have all the cutting edges and skid shoes you'll want hanging around your shop for all time you won't need more, ever. Cutting edges and skid shoes are abrasion resistant we used Vascowear edges on the graders ad plows. It wears grinding disks faster than they grind it. It's of little use other than as wear edges. I've heard of it being made into shears but little else. The pins on the other hand are good steel for hammers, bottom tools, dies, etc. it's typically 4140 or the equivalent. Hope to meet you at the class. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 The small cross pein is a tin smiths riveting hammer, but it's good for small kids. I second the big solid as an anvil. Even tho the cutting edges are a pain to work with, they make amazing tools, wear resistant, and they typicaly stand heat. But they are hard to forge, harder to cut and as Frosty points out, expensive in consumables to shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Talk your friendly mechanic into taking a strip off one end of that sharpened cutting edge, and then split that in half and you'll have 2 cut offs. One can be notched and wrapped with a rod for a handled tool. The other can be for your hardy when you figure it out. Looks like you are off and running with the scavenging, packrat gene must be strong, you'll fit right in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 2 hours ago, Dogsoldat said: Looks like you are off and running with the scavenging, packrat gene must be strong, you'll fit right in Haha you have no idea! My dad was the supervisor at sanitation here for several years. 11 hours ago, Frosty said: You have all the cutting edges and skid shoes you'll want hanging around your shop for all time you won't need more, ever. Cutting edges and skid shoes are abrasion resistant we used Vascowear edges on the graders ad plows. It wears grinding disks faster than they grind it. It's of little use other than as wear edges. I've heard of it being made into shears but little else. The pins on the other hand are good steel for hammers, bottom tools, dies, etc. it's typically 4140 or the equivalent. Hope to meet you at the class. Frosty The Lucky. Frosty, that is good to know. I will hold off from collecting anymore for now. My in at the heave equipment shop may be able to help me with cutting them but I will have to buy him some drinks later to find out. The pin from the loader arm may become my anvil horn at least for now. And I do hope to make a hammer eventually. I still need to get my hands on a "grownup" sized cross peen. Speaking of the class, would you be able to send me the details so I can figure out if I can make it or not? Thanks -Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Sweet! My dad was "just" a mechanic that grew up poor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 My Maternal grandfather was a mechanic. I wish we lived closer to him growing up. It would have been amazing to learn that skill from him. He just turned 76 a couple days ago and doesn't get around very well anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Once you do get an "actual" anvil, you could turn that large block of steel int one heck of a striking anvil, and then you can forge a cross pein hammer on the striking anvil. Littleblacksmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 You already have a REAL anvil, stand it on end and put a stand under it. If you must have a horn have someone weld a bucket pin on it. Shape it first. Okay it will be "real" once you start using it for an anvil. London pattern anvils are a recent development horns are a development of the sheet metal trade, armorers I believe started the things. Now everybody just HAS to have one, think of it like Twitter for the iron age, sometimes useful but not necessary. I believe Tristan has posted the clinic info here and on the Alaska club FB page. It's a closed FB group but Tristan will let you in no doubt. That's "Teenylittlemetalguy." Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Fever Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Yeah Tristan told me about the FB page yesterday I just forgot to sign in. I don't do Facebook all that often. I haven't logged in for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 2 hours ago, Forging Fever said: My Maternal grandfather was a mechanic. I wish we lived closer to him growing up. It would have been amazing to learn that skill from him. He just turned 76 a couple days ago and doesn't get around very well anymore. Mechanics are really undervalued in my opinion, my dad was one the same age as your grand dad and the amount of skill involved was really an eye opener for me. I wish I had paid more attention then. Metalwork and mechanical skills seems to run in families. I had foundry men, machinists and mechanics all through my family. Not surprised you are drawn to it as well since you have a mechanic in the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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