bulldogge Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Hello all, Just getting started here in central Maine. I have a late 1800's anvil which is a little beat and a coal forge which still needs to be put together. Looking forward to tired arms and shiney metal Fraternally yours, Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Hey, buldogge! Welcome aboard! Couple of bits of advice: 1. Put your location in your profile; you can do this in Settings. This will not only help area smiths connect with you, but also affects questions about availability of materials, pricing of supplies, etc, etc. 2. Before asking any question, do your research! There is a HUGE amount of information on IFI, and almost any question you can think of has probably been asked before. Learning how to navigate the forum to find the answers you need is an important skill in its own right. (Pro tip #1: the pinned posts at the top of each subsection are always informative and helpful. Pro tip #2: the search feature in IF isn't particularly good; instead, do a Google search for what you want and include "iforgeiron" as a search term.) (2a. A word of warning: some of the most knowledgeable members of IFI are also some of the crankiest curmudgeons you'll ever hope to meet, and they are sick to death of having to answer the same uninformed basic questions time and time again. Everyone here is a volunteer, and you have the chance to get solid, practical advice from smiths with all manner of experience and skill. Respect their time and expertise.) 3. When you do ask a question, be specific! Informed and specific questions will get you good answers. 4. Read the threads on getting started in blacksmithing. Think about the kind of work you want to do, and research that. (Warning: many of the older posts lost their illustrations in a software debacle a little while back. The text is still good.) Read about what other people are doing. Think about what tools you have, what tools you need, and what tools you can make. Don't get too fancy too fast. Don't give up. Now, go read the thread at http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/23500-what-do-you-need-to-get-started-in-blacksmithing/! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 check out the New England Blacksmiths sight as well, some really good blacksmiths and events in Maine each yr. esp during the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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