Lance G Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Hey all, I've been lurking here for a week or so. Randomly found this website from a google search and man am I glad. I've been browsing the forums and soaking up as much information as I can. I'm an aircraft structural mechanic in the US Air Force. I have some experience beating sheet metal into shapes I mostly want, and along with that a little knowledge of some heat treating processes. I decided it was time to go further into it and learn how to forge, so I am a complete newbie, and am excited to learn. I'm an avid outdoorsman, and I love the thought of being self reliant. I do like modern conveniences though so I am by no means an off the grid person or a prepper. I really enjoy working with my hands and fabricating things. This is purely a hobby for me, and I cant wait to get everything together to start. I look forward to getting to know all of you in the months to come. Lance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Look up the Salt Fork people; http://www.saltforkcraftsmen.org/ lots of hands on face to face help available in your state and WELCOME! You work at Tinker? There used to be a blacksmith on base to make weird tooling to fix planes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance G Posted August 15, 2017 Author Share Posted August 15, 2017 I don't know about a blacksmith but I know they utilize several machinists for special tools. I'm sure there probably is, but it wouldn't surprise me if they contracted that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 well I was in OKC back in the early 1980's so a long time for changes to occur...Now I just drive through it on the way to Arkansas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDDstudios Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Welcome to "I Forge Iron." Hope you have enjoyed the many topics that these forums have to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Welcome to the madhouse, I'm at the movies in Norman as I type Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance G Posted August 15, 2017 Author Share Posted August 15, 2017 I'm out in Choctaw. I plan on checking out the Salt Fork Craftsmen when I get a chance. I'll be in Mississippi in Sep-Oct so it might be a little while before i get a chance to go to one of their meets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Welcome aboard Lance, glad to have you. Thanks for serving. You don't need "all the right tools" to get started, the MEL is short and improvisation is the blacksmith's stock in trade. You need: a hot fire, something to beat against, preferably hard steel but a smooth boulder works just fine, something to beat with, any smooth faced hammer around 32oz. is a good starter and lastly some poor defenseless steel to beat the stuffins out of. The rest follows as you progress unless you have the money to speculate with. Hook up with the Saltfork gang, they're good guys and will help you get set up all round. You're really going to love the craft, you get to work your will on steel without having to worry about the tight tolerances you do on the job. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance G Posted August 15, 2017 Author Share Posted August 15, 2017 Thanks Frosty! I plan on checking out the swap meet on saturday for some tools. I might be getting a little ahead of myself, but I plan on building a gas forge, probably something pretty small to start. I've seen a lot of good info on here on building them and the burners, plus I really enjoy building things so I'm gonna give it a shot. As far as metal goes, my family has an old farm in NE OK, there's lots of scrap out there so i got a lot of stuff to practice on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Also try the pawnshops in Percell. It's usualy farrier spacific but some times a good find, mad to building, as one can only hand forge about 6" at a time, a single burner is a great idea, brick piles work, but unless you get the good bricks Mike recomends the thermocycling kills them pretty fast, round, oval and "D" shaped forges about a foot across and 8" deap lend themselves to castable and/or ceramic wool. Wayne Has plans for a small two burner on his site that is nice. I have to rebuild my proforge, and I have desided I do not like the price of durability of the OEM liner, so you and I will be playing the same game... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Ooh ooh let us help Charles! Huh, huh, will ya please? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I was going to come to y'all (sorry Glenn, that was a word not a contraction ;-) hat and hand and beg. Let me start a new thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodell Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 I new to all this also and just down the street in Harrah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I presented the Salt Fork's first conference workshop in 1997 and was called upon again in 2003 to give another workshop, both of them at David King's museum in Guthrie. The Salt Fork Craftsmen is surely worth looking into and joining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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