Zeba Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I'm just starting out in blacksmithing with a basic solid fuel forge, hammer and an anvil shaped object, but I don't know what suppliers there are in the uk for metal and coal(or coke as I have heard that is good) any advice to help me get started is much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Can't help with suppliers in the UK, but I have seen the new guys misusing the turm ASO. Do you have a lousy cast iron chunk of junk that is shaped like a London pattern anvil but sucks up the energy from your hammer blows like a sponge, or a largish chunk of steel that, tho it isn't shaped like the anvil of Saterday cartoons dose a good job of aiding your hammer in squishing hot steel into shape? A hunk of rail iron (train, crain or trolley) a drop of round, square or plate atleast 2" thick and long enugh to have some mass, a sledge hammer head, a large exivator/dozed pin, broken train cuppler ect. Is infact a serviceable anvil, not an ASO, an ASO belonge in your back garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeba Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 It is a large sledge hammer head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 1 minute ago, Zeba said: It is a large sledge hammer head. Then it's an anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Yup it's an anvil; just not a London Pattern anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I have coke, many types of steel, wrought iron, tools and much more, if local call in. also going to the wilderness gathering to trade this weekend near stonehenge, 'pig and Applestock' near naseby next weekend demoing and stratford on avon demoing in about a month. which part of the country are you in? you may want to add it to your profile to save people from asking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeba Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 South Wales. I'll add it to my profile now, thanks for the tip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 will you be going to any of these events, stratford is probably your nearest, if you need more details just ask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 7 hours ago, Zeba said: I'm just starting out in blacksmithing with a basic solid fuel forge, hammer and an anvil shaped object, but I don't know what suppliers there are in the uk for metal and coal(or coke as I have heard that is good) any advice to help me get started is much appreciated. Hi and welcome to the site, if you are in South Wales you should be aware that at Methyr Tydfil there is the Ffos y fran land reclamation scheme which is producing open cast coal suitable for forging, this can be sourced from local coal merchants under the name Gloda, it comes in a choice of three sizes, as smiths we tend to use the cobbles. A local supplier can be found here http://www.supaheatfuels.co.uk/steam-raising-coal-13-c.asp As for metal, there are many steel suppliers, try yellow pages steel stockholders, or you could look on some of the small industrial estates and see if there are any fabrication or metalworking companies, If you ask and explain what you need it for they may be able to help, also scrap yards, (or recycling facilities) have metal, including car salvage yards for metal to use for tooling. There are many blacksmiths in your area, so visit and ask them if they can help. Have fun with your new past time, if you are ever passing and we are open feel free to drop in at Westpoint and have a chat and a cuppa. See www.blacksmiths-training.org.uk for dates when we will be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeba Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 Why specifically the cobbles? what affect does it have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Yea, I know--it's obvious but I want to harp on the subject anyway. Everyone focuses on the tools they need because that's a lot more interesting subject but.... (this has to be read in the voice of your Mom chewing you out when you were about 10 years old to be of full impact) Safety glasses that you'll actually wear. Put as much time in this as you do for any other top tool you buy. They should be nailed to your head 100% of the time so why would you cheap out on such a tool or choose uncomfortable options? Doesn't hurt to keep cleaner for them handy also--we've all tried to keep going with glasses covered with sweat dribbles and it doesn't have a good ROI for the tiny bit of time saved. Shoes that can take a 2000 degree f/1100 c heavy steel object accidentally dropped on the toe without making your next forging project a fancy peg-leg for your newly acquired stump. Clothes that don't melt into lava and stick to your carefully groomed exterior, making you all the rage in the body modification crowd. Gloves you LIKE to wear when needed and which don't make you twice as clumsy--the wrong gloves feel like one is wearing clown mittens, the right ones make you feel like a stud. Ear corks--lots of styles and variations to protect those weird holes in the side of your head so take time to find a type you'll actually leave in/on for more than 30 seconds at a time. harping mode off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 18 hours ago, Zeba said: Why specifically the cobbles? what affect does it have? General opinion from a number of 'smiths who have switched to it, How you manage the coal fire also determines favoured size. Seems to work better/easier than great lumps by bringing workpiece nearer to the heat from the burning fuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 13 hours ago, John B said: General opinion from a number of 'smiths who have switched to it, How you manage the coal fire also determines favoured size. Seems to work better/easier than great lumps by bringing workpiece nearer to the heat from the burning fuel Are you getting the names mixed up? Quoting you from the "South west coal distrobution" thread... "There are three grades/sizes most smiths seem to prefer the smaller(sold as a domestic use fuel as Gloda)nuts or large nuts but not the cobbles." I've been buying a few wheel barrows full of the middle size nuts from a local steam railway to test it out, in the last batch I bought off them was a noticeable amount of the small nuts (Gloda), which I found to be more useful as they're quicker to coke down and sit tighter together. On 17/08/2016 at 8:12 PM, Zeba said: South Wales. I'll add it to my profile now, thanks for the tip You're swimming in blacksmiths in that part of the UK. (My theory being that folks go to Hereford to do the degree course then like the area so much they stay there). Ring a few of them up saying you're a free spare pair of hands on the odd day, they'll snap you up. You'll wait a year asking around on internet forums about local suppliers etc when a local smith can tell you what you want to know in 5 mins...and you'll be learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 My Mistake, when we bought coal in from the South Wales and South Yorkshire coalfields we used to break down the cobbles into smaller pieces, even to the size of the sweeping up slack which was down to a fine dust like consistency, and we also used water on it to control the fire (Hence slack tub), Nowadays it comes prepacked and sorted, It is the smaller sizes that are prefered by the majority. Some wet it, others don't, depends on what works best for you. Check with smoke control regulations as it is not classed as a smokeless fuel, but semi smokeless. Apologies again for the mistake, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 12 hours ago, John B said: My Mistake Dear oh dear oh dear. Tut, tut, tut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Find a fuel that is easily available and learn to use that fuel. I got a load of coal that was mixed from tennis ball size coal to coal dust. Came at a very good price. Problem is that it did not burn well or to my satisfaction. When you separated the fines from the lumps through 3/4 inch expanded wire metal, the lumps would burn well, the fines or dust would burn well, but they did not play well together. My grate is two 3/8 bolts across a 3 inch opening. The fire cokes up the coal fines and dust and very little is lost down the large openings of the grate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 12 hours ago, Joel OF said: Dear oh dear oh dear. Tut, tut, tut. Are you quoting my wife ??? Those who don't make mistakes, never do anything. It is also one of the reasons why this site is so good, if their is some doubt regarding information, someone will usually step in to query it and get an answer. Not necessarily a definitive answer, but an acceptable one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 4 hours ago, John B said: Those who don't make mistakes, never do anything. John I must disagree. Never do anything is a mistake. (grin) Go ahead and make a mistake so you can fix it and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Mistakes Glenn, been there, done that, got the T shirt, and no doubt will continue to carry on making them, while you are breathing, you never stop learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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