So, I finally finished building my forge.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, guys! I couldn't've done it without you.



Take a look

Now I just need to get an anvil, some coal, and a proper cross-pien...

What is your pan diameter- do you know what vehicle the drum came from? A nice job.jet

Looks good.

Just don't wait for the anvil, coal and "proper(?)" cross pien. find a piece of rail or other heavy hunk of iron or steel, some charcoal and virtually any hammer over a pound and light'er up.

Nice job so far.

Frosty

My first anvil was a sledgehammer head sunk face up into a bucket of concrete. I still use it for drawing out forks and such. Looks really nice and simple. I hope it serves you well.
good luck,
Archie

Hi Eyrian, great job! To echo Frosty, now's the time to get smithing, don't worry about the best of the best tools, they'll come in time if and when you need them. Some of the great things about Blacksmithing are that Blacksmiths a good scroungers and visualisers of something useful and useable out of what others think is just rubbish. I think part of the visualisation skill comes from the work we do, seeing the finished object in the raw material and working out how to do it, making the tools and jigs you need to get the job done. Good forging and have fun.

I bought a good cross peen from Lowes or Home Depo. It is 2 and 1/2 lbs.

Just don't wait for the anvil, coal and "proper(?)" cross pien. find a piece of rail or other heavy hunk of iron or steel, some charcoal and virtually any hammer over a pound and light'er up.

With my recent experience, I'd have to second this. Luckilly, when I decided to start I had the cash and the opportunity to get a nice small anvil. I started fixing up my forge which turned out to be the hardest part....

Charcoal, a light hammer, and something to hit it on would have impressed me just as much, I think, especially if I had the forge you do.

Go ahead, you know you want too. :)

nice forge now u just gotta light er up and get smithin!