Meadowgrove Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 I'm slowly coming to a point where I can't blame anything else but myself for not getting anything done blacksmithing wise(honestly everything else too, but this is a smithing forum). Please help me avoid looking into the mirror and tell some of the BEST and most ridiculous "Yes, but.." excuses you've encountered along the years. I'm sure there are many! --- This is a lousy attempt at humor, don't take it too seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Excuses to *NOT* blacksmith? Boy are you in the WRONG forum! But I'll give it a try: I'm not smithing today as I'm in a different country than my forge and anvil and it's snowing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Welcome to my world, one would think a guy on disability would have time to get everything done he wants.simple fact is motivation can get scarce with depression, and redoing manic projects is just a PITA. Tho right now I have 3 excuses, I have a horse in training I am behind on, I have an RV I am repairing as temporary housing and I need to build the mark III JABOD forge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowgrove Posted December 7, 2017 Author Share Posted December 7, 2017 Your excuses are waaaay too valid, more like... actual reasons! Yesterday I couldn't work on my JABOD because I had stacked some stuff on it and "didn't know" where to put the random scrap. Today I managed to put said stuff in the garage, but the JAB still lacks the OD, because it's "freezing out there". Temps at -2°C, I had to laugh at myself. Most winters I still check the mailbox barefoot when it's -25°C It's truly wondrous how one's head can get wrapped around a thought one knows is false... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 A couple weeks ago it was too cold. It warmed up and the footing is too icy. The shop is almost 100' from the house and it's wet, lumpy ice all the way. I haven't seen these episodes of People's Court or Judge Judy! Gotta take Deb to work and pick her up. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 My excuses for not forging: My forge isn't getting as hot as I'd like it to and I'm thinking (read: procrastinating) I need to build a better propane forge. Which leads to the second excuse... I'm bummed that my first forge welded billet attempt didn't come out quite perfect and I'm in a funk about it (See: forge not getting hot enough - procrastinating). I have several wooden spoons that I need to make for Christmas presents (they're not exactly getting done either). I'm struggling with some warm glass work I'm doing that's not turning out as expected (Mixed two different brands of supposedly COE 90 glass that aren't liking each other's company). I'm in the middle of modifying my 3D printer to print with wax filament, so I can continue the knife collaboration project from Theo. And a red-shafted flicker got into my attic, and aside from spending some time yesterday (that I'd like to say I had set aside for forging - but I really didn't) to create a path out for him/her/it, I need to find and plug his/hers/its path in, so I don't have that problem again. Dang, It's no wonder I haven't had time to forge recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I intended to make some eye punches for my wife, who is making a cobra out of an old rasp. So out to the forge I go but before I fire it up, I had to break up some coal lumps the size of a fist. Then I found some nails I made to anchor an anvil that I moved outside last week so I set them in the stump, quietened that cast steel farriers anvil set in calking really well. Oh yah make some punches, but the dog is barking like a crazy person. Went to check on that and found a small fox that she had cornered in a big brush pile. Drag her inside the house so it could make it's escape. Hmmm time for a nap, guess I'll make the punches tomorrow when I get back from the doctor appointment. Got back from the doctors and was so elated that my CT scans came out clear that I forgot about the punches and now it's too cold outside to do any forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearded Guy Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 23 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: Welcome to my world, one would think a guy on disability would have time to get everything done he wants.simple fact is motivation can get scarce with depression, and redoing manic projects is just a PITA. I'm with ya on that one. With limited work (8hrs a week) for the past 4 months, and officially laid off for over a month now. I figured I would be spending every possible moment forging and working on projects, but motivation can be a purdy big hurdle sometimes. Also looking for a new place to move because this lovely double-wide I'm in now is too expensive (so the girlfriend decided to buy me a house instead of renting). Making excuses that I need to pack up some stuff, then I get sidetracked looking at IFI and watching videos about forging and building power hammers instead of packing. Vicious circle that is sometimes hard to get out of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowgrove Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 Stress eats away creativity, loss of creativity eats away happiness, depression causes even more stress... It can get lethal if you can't get out of the loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 My excuse yesterday was that it was cold out and I got sucked into watching a series on Netflix. tonight I have to work on my brothers car and then my jeep is next since I lost heat today and realized its puking coolant everywhere. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnotherViking Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 "it's too cold" - You're literally playing with fire... How does that excuse even work? I have no suitable stock, or the kids are in bed and it's too loud are my usuals, either that or I'm stuck in work hammering a keyboard rather than an anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I've often marveled how people could see me with my wedding tackle about 16" from the coal fire's hotspot in the summer with no issues and then think my around feet 3' away would be warmed by it in the winter. Forging in Central Ohio in the winter I learned to stand on a piece of plywood either on the snow or on the concrete, and to keep the snow swept off the anvil face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said: I've often marveled how people could see me with my wedding tackle I'm marveled at the very thought! Do you have any pics of with your wedding tackle? Is it Mrs. Thomas' or your's and no, PLEASE no pics of it in use. This is a family site and I can't get mental floss. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 Mdgrv, The first thing I do when depressed is to turn on ALL the lights inside and outside a.s.a.p. Then it is time to adopt additional other measures. Depression is a serious matter and should not be trifled with by anybody. I have been there and done that. You are certainly not alone. Regards, SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 For those of you who don’t understand the difrence between being depressed and suffering from depression. Depression is when your brain chemistry gets out of whack and mimics grief. there is no trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowgrove Posted December 9, 2017 Author Share Posted December 9, 2017 Let's try to keep this thread jolly and light-hearted, even if the underlying reasons are serious. The moment we stop poking humour out of it, the big D wins! --- Didn't fill my JAB today 'cause it was already full... Of snow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 Ah yes the famous Japanese Snow Jabod technique! (often used with their "snow on anvil" technique...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 Excuse tonight is to not work on my brothers car and To forge lol. "Looks too involved changing the timing belt And water pump" lol. So I'll work on my post anvil.....tomorrow I'll work on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 My usual “yes, but...” is that I have too many little projects half done and can’t bring myself to finish them because there are other things I’d like to learn...and to do new things I need to make new tooling instead....but I don’t have thick enough tool steel...oh, wait, this auger drive shaft is perfect, but I’d have to cut off the section with the hole in it...I’ll have to hot cut it because my portaband will choke on this stuff...but darn my forge blower is too anemic and it’s a pain to keep the fire hot. I’ll go back inside and keep searching for the just right blower. Ten minutes later I’m reading some random website and/or being dad. But, I JUST set up a new blower that turned out to be amazing and did a test forging. Now, with this new blower, I have to redesign my forge back into a true side blast style with a sand/ash base. I find I’m at my best when I have a specific goal, a design, a drawing and someone expecting it to be done. Otherwise I am scattered...but that’s how I am with life in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Lately, it's too hot is the usual excuse. And sometimes you just have to clean the gutters and rake the leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Olson Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Cant forge....have to put new roof on shop. Cant forge...have to put new siding on the shop. Cant forge...have to put new roll up door in shop. Cant forge...have to rebuild the engine in daughters dodge charger and it takes up all the space in the shop for 6 weeks because the machine shop could not figure out which version 3.5l engine it was. Can't forge...have to vacation...have to go fishing..have to go up north for weddings..... Did not forge all summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Great photo of your workshop, Das. It looks like a place where work actually happens. What is the function of the wheel below your anvil block? Maybe I'm missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Lol Aus, that wheel is just there for decoration. Till it finds a better home. Keeps it out of the way. There is another on the other side as well. Any time I have cars to work on everything gets piled up in that left corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnotherViking Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 You could always attach them to a lump of chain and use it as a hold down if they were heavy enough (just throw it over the top of your piece)? Decorative and functional Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 On 12/8/2017 at 11:36 PM, Lou L said: I JUST set up a new blower that turned out to be amazing and did a test forging. Ah, the ongoing saga of @Lou L and his blowers! Glad this one is working out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.