Lee Cornell Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Hello IFI! I’m a pre-newbie outside of Athens, GA. I’ve had an interest in smithing for years and now that my sons are finishing college it is time to give this hobby a try. The last few months I’ve been reading lots of forums, watching YouTube videos, and learning, learning, learning before I buy equipment and start setting anything up. I live on 2 acres in the country with no nearby neighbors and my workshop is detached from the house so hopefully I won’t bother too many people and critters with my new hobby. I look forward to getting to know this community and learning from the experienced “elders” here. Lee C Athens, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Welcome aboard Lee, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the gang live within visiting distance and lots of info has regional implications. Hook up with the local smithing organization every hour with an experienced smith is worth many hours even days figuring it out on your own. Don't wait to buy equipment to get started. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS PPE. Safety glasses minimum no synthetics near the fire, etc. Find something heavy and hard preferably smooth for an anvil. Check out the solid fuel section for LOTS of ways to build a HOT fire, a hole, wood, piece of pipe and a blow drier works a treat. A couple smooth faced hammers in the 2 lb. range, something to cut stock with, garage sale chisels are good or a hack saw, whatever it only has to cut steel. Finish the list off with some stock. Please skip the rebar, it's a whole different learning curve to make it useful stock. Just buy a stick of 3/8" sq or 1/2" round hot rolled ad you're set. Scrounging is always viable but you run into the evaluating found steel another learning curve but you use what you have or what turns your crank. However you decide to go, don't wait to get the "right" tools, etc. build a fire and go for it, we'll help. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Blacksmithing has a strong "time in grade" factor. More time usually results in better results even if your equipment isn't "perfect". I've seen a number of people who were quite upset that their perfect set up was producing poor work while other people were using improvised set ups and doing great work---the difference was the amount of time they had put into learning and practicing the craft! You sound like you have a great place to work; can you get your kids to strike for you during vacations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 May I suggest Go to the meetings, You will learn more in a day than you can imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 Welcome to the forum, strait jackets on the right, meds on the left. Keep your hands off my crayons! Certainly learning hands on from an experienced smith will speed your skill development, but like all things in blacksmithing don't let that stop you. We can help you find a suitable anvil. It might not be a london patern. It may very well just be a large hunk of steel. We can help you set up a forge for $20 or less. Find and dress hammers and lay hands on somthing to use as tongs. All up, $100 or less and we can get you forging. We can even coach you as to how to corect your mistakes and how to forge items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 MAN I LOVE that first line Charles, it's so suitable it makes me feel all at home and everything. Remember, it's NOT the tools that do the work they're just highly refined dirt, it's the human with the big brain and thumbs that make it all work. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 I thought your crayons were cast into a ribbon burner block? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 I thought your crayons were cast into a ribbon burner block? The voices are telling me you may touch those as soon as the forge warms up. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 Not as of yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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