I’ll be making this stack of scrap into a Creeper from Minecraft for my son. Won’t be much forging involved other than maybe square punching the eyes and mouth. 

Made an octopus tree ornament for Elizabeth last night. Just an acorn nut, regular nut and some 1/4" pop rivet shanks. 

Last weekend I made Ayana her first tree ornament. Should have used the letter stamps because my engraving skills were lacking that night. Might have helped if I clamped the ornament instead of holding it And engraving. Oh well, when she grows up she will surely know I made it with that sloppy writing lol.

Very nice Das, it’s better that it’s in your handwriting, all the more reason for her to treasure it forever. 

Hows Pittsburgh? My brother and I and our sons are heading that way in a couple of weeks for a father/son weekend to catch a Pens and a Steelers game. 

Edited December 4, 20187 yr by FivePointsForge
Fat fingers

Thanks FivePoints. Maybe when she's a little older she can make her own with me. 

Oh, Pittsburgh is cold and wet. Saturday was in the 30's and raining, then sunday it was in the 60's and beautiful so we went and picked out our tree at a local farm. Now we are back to cold and wet lol. Around this area be ready for about anything. Especially road construction and traffic. 

Got this done for my Mother in-law. She recently built an outdoor fire pit but did not have a poker for it.

My kids like to do some Smithing with me in the shop and I needed to get them some aprons to stay clean/safe. I figured since it was so close to Christmas, why waste the easy gift idea? Also figured instead of giving them each an apron, I'd give them their own apron, personalized with their name on it. I wasn't sure the tanning process used on the leather so took precaution to have plenty of ventilation when I burned their names in.

You named one of your kids Hobart?...

Today (Sunday), one week, and a weekend to get your projects finished. 

 

Thomas,

I really can't think of anything too clever to come back with, sorry. Thank you for the ribbing! As I'm sure you're aware, Hobart is the brand name of the aprons. But that would have been convenient if it was our last name.

Yes; I was a SOFA member for about 15 years and went by the old Hobart Headquarters going to every meeting.-

As a comeback "You should meet the twins; Lincoln and Miller!" (And Victor is a bit gassy...)

Or you should see their middle names Mig & Tig.

Tombstone, Rod and Stick?  (my Daughters have multiple middle names...)

This RR Spike cross has always been a hit for us. Split the vertical spike, forge down & cut off the horizontal spikes to fit in the split and forge weld. The copper wire is to allow the cross to be hung on the wall or set it in the cedar base. The rust on the cross arms represents the blood of Christ.

All that's left of a 20' bar of 1/4" square mild steel. Spent three days making ornaments and bottle openers, for kids and their parents waiting to see Santa.

Sounds like a fun and busy 3 days. And an interesting event having a blacksmith at a place for kids to see Santa. 

It's nice, gives the kids and parents someplace warm to be. All in all about 21 hours of forge time. I got help every now and then. Which gave me time to make my hanger. Which was a fun quick project that people got to guess what it was.

Nice! I like it. 

Reminiscent of the one in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"...

I took my forge to a local church's "Little Town of Bethlehem" display for several years---using the early style anvil and a charcoal forge---I made charcoal on the spot with a raised firepit---which was extremely well appreciated by the other folks in the presentation who were also out in the cold.

I was sorry when they stopped doing that display.

Had the nephew up to visit, and asked if he wanted to make an ornament. As he is only 8 years old I decided to skip the hot metal part, so I pulled out some 16ga sheet, cut a tree out and filed it so it wasn't sharp. The rest was all him. He asked a few questions on how to curve it and make the lights, but once I told him how to use light taps at the step in front of the horn and how to use a center punch, he did it himself. 

He colored it on both sides with sharpies and then it was clear coated. Had a bit of color bleed with the clear coat, it was fine when we sprayed, but as it dried the trunk had bled up the tree and the green settled into the low spots. Good teaching moment for the nephew. Just because it didn't go how you wanted, it doesn't mean it's a bad thing. His mom reaffirmed it when he showed off his handy work and she mentioned how realistic the trunk looked with the "branches"

I like the color bleed. It really enhances the 3rd dimension (depth) aspect of the project. Like a real tree, it creates a shadowy hint on the inside of the tree. Near the bottom where the branches may be a bit thin, you can see the trunk. Well Done!

I may have to try a variation of that with some of my grandkids; might use brass sheet as I have a bit of it and then patinate and remove the patination for "gold" ornaments on the tree....

Your nephew did a fine job, one he should be proud of.

I'll pass on the complements. I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear them.

Toasting forks for the aunt. 3/8" H.R.

I may add a matching poker but I'm out of 1/2" and don't feel like drawing out 5/8... 

Desmato, nice clean lines and evenness on your tines.  I think your aunt is most fortunate!  Good job!