boattlebot Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 On 6/11/2018 at 3:28 PM, ThomasPowers said: Iron in the hat usually is done by people donating blacksmith related stuff to the club; it could be a hand forged item, or tools or materials or books.. so what would I put in it? or would I be excused considering this would be my first meeting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobS Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 You are donating a blacksmithing related item to the club fundraising raffle. The money made from the raffle is added to the club treasury. Item could be anything you have made (hooks, candle holders, hammers, tools, etc.), materials (hammer handles, handle materials, steel, etc.), books, and so on. Basically anything blacksmith related that someone of some level of skill might find useful. Some clubs ask that you pay a $5 fee to the raffle if you didn't contribute an item. Now obviously, you aren't expected to donate hundred dollar items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 ok I think I got it. maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Don't get too worried about the whole Iron in the Hat thing. It is usually only a big deal for our branch at the main "All Hands" meetings (multi day affairs with a big demonstration, Matt Parkinson did a multibar damascus kitchen knife at the last one, meals...) where the various chapters try to get together and have a larger group meeting. We use it to raise funds for annual scholarships for one week classes at blacksmith schools (we fund three a year for members in good standing). We run our Iron in the Hat basically exactly as Thomas has described: donations of blacksmith related items for the raffle. Tickets are $1 each and they go in the respective buckets for drawing at the break. Not everyone donates, and as a guest you won't be expected to do so (but you certainly can if you want). First time guests get a great deal on a $5 attendance fee for the meeting. Typically there is a $5 per meeting fee for regular members if you want to forge to cover fuel, equipment and material costs (don't remember if you have to pay that as well as a guest). Many folks bring projects from home, but there is a small rack of scrap steel to pick through. We also more often than not have a demo at the beginning of the meeting. We have around 10 active forging stations. They do get filled up at some meetings, but typically the newbies wash out after an hour or so of forging and stations open up. If that changes we will have to switch to scheduled shifts, but it is no big deal. Lately we have been using propane forges at the meetings, but we do also have (6) coal forges. More important than bringing an Iron in the Hat donation is to bring a good open minded attitude. Be patient and polite and you will go far with the group. Remember, no one is there being paid to teach you, you take classes for that, but we don't mind advising beginners. You can learn a lot from observing, even beginner's mistakes, as well as the more accomplished smiths. We have most tools in the shop, but if you want to bring your favorite hammer or tongs, that can't hurt. Do wear proper forging clothes if yo want to participate: no synthetic fabrics, closed leather shoes, long pants... Safety glasses are mandatory for anyone on the forging floor (we do have some loaners in the shop, but bring your own if you have them). I will probably be at the meeting this weekend. Please introduce yourself if I am there and I'll show you the ropes. I'll be looking for a short brown hypno-toad??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Every club I've been in it has been totally voluntary if you participate; new folks are not generally expected to donate; but may want to buy tickets to get example of forged work, tools, materials, etc. I usually only bought tickets where there was something I could really use or really wanted; but often donated tools I found at the fleamarket or yard sales. (If I own any "new, fancy" tools they will have been from winning Iron in the hat...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 18 minutes ago, Latticino said: I'll be looking for a short brown hypno-toad? it's this weekend? thought it was the 28th? I'll be the guy with the red bike. odds are I'll be wearing my standerd uniform of blue jeans brown boots black tshirt and leather vest. and the meeting is at arc and flame right? and thank you for knowing what a hypnotoad is. most people just assume it's a frog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Sorry, meeting is the 23d at Arc and Flame. Must have moved it from the normal third Saturday as there is a big class this weekend with Rory May (of YouTube fame). Red bicycle, or motorcycle? Good either way, but if you are under 16 may need to have a parent stick around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 2000 honda shadow vt1100. it's a big heavy vtwin. love that thing. your hear me long before you see me haha I'm 24 so I'm good on the parent front. 23rd got it. 8am right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Yes, but I likely won't be there that early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 I'll try to be. first meeting and all, might as well get there early to try and get a feel of things. plus it'll let me get through the city while most people are still sleeping off Friday night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Went to my local scrap yard the other day and found this pile of solid round bars. I grabbed the one square bar that is in the right hand side of the picture. All of these bigger ones would make great anvils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 well after a week of trying to figure this out I finally have it set up. 4x4 with a 3 inch od to 3 inch id exhuast connector hammered into to the top of the 4x4 and then put through the box. (it's resting on the floor not the box itself. the top looks uneven becuase the top of the box is all concaved and messed up) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 Well it'll work till you build something better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 that's basicly what the goal was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 The more you do the higher the goal moves. That is still really minimum stability and support but the more you use it the more you will learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Every time I thought I'd made a touchdown, I found out they had moved the goal posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 yea sounds about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Hex bar is often medium to HC steel; JLB that piece on the right hand side would have gone home with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 so after using it today it'll do for now. it's on the list to upgrade tho but it'll work for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 There was a couple hex bars in that pile. I am going back tomorrow for more after i get the gas line back in my truck. I think the one in the picture was about 12 feet long. There is another one above the one you see. It is laying on that tire under the leaf spring. I also grabbed the small bar poking out in the bottom of the picture and the other one laying on the ground at the top of the picture for making tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 If they look to be from the same source, grouped by location..., I'd get a short piece and check it with the spark and quench tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Before I stocked up on the big lengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I might grab the big lengths any way. I was looking up hex bar and found a lot of it is 1018, 4140 and some is another alloy 12L14 that has lead as an alloy to make easier machining. If its 1018 it would make great tong material. It just sucks having to work the steel down to tong usable dimensions. If its 4140 it would be excellent for hammers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I have some that is low Mn 1084 according to the spark spectroscopy readout. (was from a MatSci building being decommissioned so it could have been an outlier). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 12L14 cuts like butter in a lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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