first forge weld

[BillyBones]

Ok...... so i know this aint no big deal to yall old timers but i would like to share my experience. So the lessons i have learned.

1) take your time, let the metal heat slowly.

2) dont force it, let the hammer fall lightly and try and not rebound it. Press the metal together i guess you could say.

3) flux aint glue. this i already knew but ya dont need a lot is my point. A  good sprinkle will do

4) hot flux burns but 15 minutes in the slag tank takes the burn out. (had a chunk hit my hand, no blister 24 hours later. soak it in that water)

I do have one question. Another guy i know told me to put a light coat of PB'laster on my anvil before i started. Well i tried it thinking that even if it dont help, oil dont hurt steel, and since my anvil is in a rust prone area it definitely aint gonna hurt none. Just wonderin if anyone else has heard of this and why would it work better. I am thinking it has something to do with what ever it is in PB'laster that eats away rust on things, and rust being oxidation which is bad for welding.  But anyway dont know if it actually helped or i was just finally successful.  

So on to the pictures, but first its been a minute since i been on and just hope everyone is alright and keeping at it. 

The first is a side view on my knee, the second i tried to get a pic of the cross section but thats the best i could get. 

Like i said no biggie to many of yall but its a new level for me, kind of proud of myself.

[ThomasPowers]

Unless you are welding your billet to your anvil, an anvil coating should not have any effect save for releasing toxic fumes and cooling the contact point a bit more...

[BillyBones]

Thats what i figured too, i was getting my chain jerked.

But that i have found the technique it is coming, not to say easy, but not to difficult. 

Thanks for all the help yall.