Aaron Price Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 I am new to smithing and have only been doing it a few weeks. I have been getting a lot of information from this website since and before I started so I thought I would join. I use this old buffalo forge that I found in a scrap pile at my buddies house. Biggest problem I have faced so far is finding coal in my area. I have been just using charcoal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Welcome to IFI! If you haven't yet, please READ THIS FIRST!!! Nice rivet forge. Since charcoal likes a deep fire, you might find it useful to build up a deeper firebowl with firebricks or a sand and clay adobe. Lots of good discussions about this in the solid fuel forges section; take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 12 hours ago, Aaron Price said: I have been just using charcoal. Hey, nothing wrong with charcoal! Hot, cheap (free) and clean. Probably better in a side blast forge though, so yes, as John said, maybe make the fire bowl a bit deeper. Nice old blower. They are quite common here and the old timers referred to them as Buffalo blowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Charcoal also smells a lot better than coal does, and does not put out the yellow green smoke when first starting up. Charcoal has been used for centuries, nothing wrong with it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Some of us like the smell of coal smoke, thankyouverymuch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Probably the easiest way to find coal is to figure out where other smiths local to you get it. The easiest way to find such smiths is to find the nearest ABANA affiliate and ask at a meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Welcome to the insanity. That would be the Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas and there is a chapter in your region. Great bunch of folks and can supply coal to members at a reasonable cost. https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/187-blacksmith-organization-of-arkansas/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Price Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 Thanks I will have to try that out. I finally figured out what my anvil is today. It was from a barn that my step moms parents have. It is evidently a 100 pound Vulcan. It is in bad shape though. Missing chunks and is cracked. The hardy hole end is broken completely off. But it will work for now. I got stuff free and have always wanted to do this so it has worked out so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Still, you are ahead of many who are still desperate for a heavy chunk of metal for a makeshift anvil. Noth8ng wrong with charcoal but, seriously, the smell of coal is a part of smithing that drags you in. If you smell too much of it, though, you might have a health problem. Welcome aboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Welcome aboard Aaron, you are going to fit fright in here. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 5 hours ago, Frosty said: fit fright in Now, now — don’t scare the lad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Auto correct was auto reset with the automatic upgrades I can't stop from happening EVERY STINKING TIME I OPEN MY COMPUTER! GRRRR. How do we start a class action suit to stop the idiocy? If Aaron isn't scared already he isn't paying attention but you ARE right John, I didn't intend to increase the fear, if he can weather the idiocy of opening his computer he'll fit right in! My call for a class action suit to stop idiocy is of course a joke. Idiocy can't be stopped, idiots are too clever, evolution in action, sit back and enjoy. Nothing else rational we can do. Let's see what auto whatever does this time. Fingers crossed as I submit Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 As they say, if you make something idiot-proof, they'll build a better idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Price Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Nothing is fool proof to a sufficiently proficient fool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Easy for You to say! Welcome to iforgeiron! Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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