MikeTausig Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Greetings folks, A quick intro for ya. I’ve been lurking and reading info on the site for a few months, then finally registered about a month ago. Knowing how most sites work, I held off on my first post until I read every single sticky on the site - in all general areas. Lots of info, so it took a while to make my first post. 45 year old single dad, currently living in Hemet, CA - about 40 minutes from Palm Springs (for the older folks), or 50 minutes from Coachella (for the younger folks). Math nerd, numismatics, music & vinyl geek, Grateful Dead fan and concert taper, outdoors, gardening, wood/metal work... to name some interests. Me and my 14 year old son moved here to help care for my ailing parents (I just couldn’t put them in a home) about 9 months ago and are getting ourselves set up. While I’m not a blacksmith by any means, I learned basic metal work and welding to the point of at least being able to teach my son the early pieces he needs to know. He is CRAZY intent on making knives (after watching all seasons of “Forged”), regardless of my explaining it’s knowhere near as easy as it looks. After nearly 5 decades on this earth I’ve learned how to scrounge, so I’m putting together a small setup at home. Should be fun, and I’m looking forward to remembering how to do all this stuff! Lots of great info on this site, only surpassed by its membership. There are some extremely talented and knowledgeable smiths and blade makers (among others) here. Hope to meet some of you in conversation. Mike “Little Mountain” Tausig Hemet, CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Welcome. tell about your small set up at home. I too have a small setup at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Welcome aboard! From what I have heard, anvils can be hard to come by on that coast. Don’t wait for a traditional one to find you. Check out the threads on improvised anvils and take the insights from the scrounge masters on this site. My advice is that you go ahead and buy some decent tongs to get started. My personal experience starting out was that bad tongs was the biggest factor in limiting my early success...and it made smithing much more dangerous. To this day, when I don’t have the right tongs to get a task done, everything becomes more difficult and dangerous. Everything else can be improvised and scrounged! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Welcome! In regards to tongs I would suggest using long stock that you can hold onto by hand instead of using tongs. One less thing to fiddle with when learning. Check out the 55 and JABOD forges, as well as the improvised anvil thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTausig Posted July 7, 2018 Author Share Posted July 7, 2018 Thanks for the notes folks, and I appreciate the tips. As I’m just setting up the work area, no photos yet. I have a fairly decent selection of wood working machines, but just now acquiring the metal stuff. I got a 90 LB H-beam with 8” flange (16” length) that will be used as an “anvil” until I can determine whether he’s into it enough to warrant the investment of an anvil. As noted above, finding a used anvil is a challenge. Rather, finding them is not hard, but paying less than $10/LB is. Ive read through all the forge ideas here and am aware of the JABOD and other “homemade” ideas. I will likely use an old BBQ or oil barrel half and go the refractory and insulation route. I don’t mind spending a few bucks to get him going, but id like him to learn on coal. Ive got loads of questions, but I’ll put them in the appropriate sections. Just wanted to give an intro. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Easy getting an anvil under $10 a pound, just buy a new one. a 125# JHM is around $700. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 However I beam, even large I beam makes a terrible anvil compared to just a solid lump of steel; it is equivalent to buying him a yugo to see if he is going to like driving a car. I beam is also excessively LOUD to use; make sure he wears hearing protectors and also give them to any neighbors withing eyesight of his set up. a 4"x8"x8" chunk is about 80 pounds and ran me US$16 at the scrapyard and makes a MUCH superior anvil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTausig Posted July 8, 2018 Author Share Posted July 8, 2018 Thanks for the idea. I’ll check into something like that. We live in an unincorporated area, so I’m not concerned about decibel level - I make him wear cupped cans on the noggin. ...and while it’s essentially the same thing, it’s H-beam, which has expandable sealer sprayed (and expanded) under the flanges as a dampener (both aurally & striking). But yeh...I understand what you mean. Cheers. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 You should be able to scare up a thick chunk of scrap in your area. Check out the improvised anvil thread for some ideas and where to scrounge up the materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTausig Posted July 8, 2018 Author Share Posted July 8, 2018 Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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