Woodyard Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Hello to all. I just got the bug bad enough in the last few weeks to get on with it. I have been interested for a few years in blacksmithing, but had a lot of other interests to contend with. I finally decided if I am going to do it, I had better get on with it,before I get to the point that I am not able. I have almost finished my semi truck brake drum forge and have already picked up an anvil ,a post vice, an old buffalo forge. I sent word to my brother who is a retired machinist that I needed an anvil and figured he knew where I could find one. Sure enough , he had two anvils, the post vice, a Buffalo Forge minus the fire pan and a few other tools. I am fortunate to have a pretty good scrap iron pile or three from my farming days. I have a pretty good bit of experience in wood working and some in metal work. I helped my brother in his shop part time for a few years, mainly turning pivot shafts for International bull dozers. I have been welding , repairing and tearing up for close to 47 years, learned to weld at about fifteen years old. You probably will not hear much from me as I will mainly be reading and gleaning info. I will probably have a question once in a while. Thank you for the forum and the opportunity to learn from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 cool. welcome to the forum from a fellow tennessean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Semi truck brake brake drums usually make much worse forges than car or light pickup truck brake drums as they are very hard to cut slots in the sides to allow long pieces to be heated in the middle with the piece horizontally in the forge. (This has been discussed a number of times here already). How are you dealing with this? I had a student once who made a semi truck brake drum forge and he finally filled it up nearly to the top with dirt to get the hotspot where you could access it. It was then obnoxiously heavy and he ended up abandoning it when he moved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Welcome aboard. It sounds like you've had one of history's easiest entrances into blacksmithing. Congrats on all the gear. All I can add about your gear is that pretty much everyone wants to see a picture of it all. My advice about further gear accumulation is for you to focus on tongs. It's my new "thing" to tell everyone. Struggling with hot steel and dropping it all the time makes you a worse smith. You want to be able to swing your hammer confidently knowing the hot work will sit where you told it to and take the bashing it so rightly deserves. Enjoy the learning curve! Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodyard Posted August 15, 2017 Author Share Posted August 15, 2017 Here are a couple of photos of the brake drum forge. I will cut a section out of sides if needed. I added another plate to make the bottom a little more evan since the photo. A diamond blade and reciprocating saw , water, and determination took care of the cutting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 need to open the air holes up more; what fuel will you be using? (and it looks like that brake drum has already been cut way down!) Remember you want to put your steel in horizontally and NOT at an angle! Didn't need another plate as you don't mess with the bottom, your steel will be at least 4 to 6 inches off the bottom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodyard Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 Here are a few more pics of my startup. The first one is my homemade forge with the blower installed. The second is the Buffalo Forge that came to me less the firepot. The anvil. The post vise. Most of this is in my old chicken house which is only a few yards from my main shop. I didn't want to soot it up or burn it down. d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 A fire pan isn't hard to manufactur. Even a old push mower deck with a plate would work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 Interesting anvil. Any maker's marks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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