CactusBob Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Hello everyone, my name is Bob and I live in Az outside of Tucson. I've been interested in blacksmithing for quite awhile and back about August I decided to take the first step. After a lot of reading here and elsewhere I started picking up equipment. I found a piece of plate steel (4 X 10X 23 about 300 lbs) at the scrap yard for an anvil, mounted that to some RR ties in the ground, built a brake drum forge and acquired a post vise which is on a piece of telephone pole buried about 3ft deep. I have learned that Blacksmithing is magical. If you have a piece of steel in a coal forge that uses a hair dryer for an air supply, even of low if you step three steps away, pour and drink about 8 ounces of water it makes the steel disappear! Now if I can just find out how to make it reappear I will be on to something So far I have learned that beating hot steel with a hammer is fun and when people ask me what I've made so far I smile and say a mess. I am going to try to spend more time reading and listening than talking so hopefully I can get something to sink in Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Welcome aboard, Bob! If you haven't yet, READ THIS FIRST. Stick around here long enough, and we may not be able to make your steel reappear, but we will help you learn how to make something from nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shimanek Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Hi Bob and welcome. A hair dryer may produce more air than you want; a waste gate is a good idea, such as a Tee fitting. Coal fires are nice for precision heating....good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CactusBob Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 I did try a waste gate but never thought of using a Tee. I used a rolled piece of aluminum with a partial hole cut in it . the cutout was pushed in the tube and turned to act as a damper, if that makes sense. 2 hours ago, JHCC said: Stick around here long enough, and we may not be able to make your steel reappear, but we will help you learn how to make something from nothing. I'll take you up on that, Thank you Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Luckily the disappeared steel pile is much easier to hide from SO's and neighbors compared to the scrap pile.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4elements Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 That disappeared steel became iron oxide. There is a way to make steel appear from iron oxide called smelting. Sadly it is a much more difficult and involved process than the original disappearing act. Someday I hope to try it but not with any steel I've "dissapeared" first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CactusBob Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 5 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Luckily the disappeared steel pile is much easier to hide from SO's and neighbors compared to the scrap pile.... I am one of the very fortunate ones, My SO doesn't mind me taking up a new hobby, she knows sooner or later she will be getting presents. My neighbor has opened his scrap pile to me and I just found out a couple days ago he built a rr track anvil and is asking me about a forge. Looks like another convert I will send here 5 hours ago, 4elements said: That disappeared steel became iron oxide. There is a way to make steel appear from iron oxide called smelting. Sadly it is a much more difficult and involved process than the original disappearing act. Sounds like a good reason to visit the neighbors scrap pile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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