Casper the friendly ghost Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Hey. Im new to IFI and to smithing, looking to start up as a hobby. Im still gathering things to get started, but i really looking forward to working with everyone here. Ive been reading through the mountain of information on this site for almost two years. What an impossible amount of information to sift through. But I know that the members on here are gonna steer me in the proper direction. Thank you in advance for all the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Welcome Casper from North Carolina ! What would you like to make? Do you have a place to set yourself up? What tools have you gathered so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 Im kind of a jack of all trades, so id like to make all sorts of things but first ill probly focus on blades. i have a lean to behind my place. So far i have a piece of railroad track as an anvil for now, a 20# tank (forge) and 33# tank (supply), some parts for burners, and a hammer. Im about to start the process of building the forge(i will show design for advisement, and pics for you) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Welcome to IFI!!! If you haven't yet, please https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/53873-read-this-first/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 "All sorts" can get odd indeed---I know a smith that made forged Titanium parts for satellites and have seen pictures of forged work to make the main driveshaft for large ocean going ships out of real wrought iron 100+ years ago; I've also met a smith who worked in a Hospital during WWII make custom braces and splints... I generally tell folks I'll do anything but horses. Yesterday I received a commission at work to make a double cubicle hook as our new cubicles are too small to use multiple single ones. So I'll probably get a bunch of orders from co-workers when they see the first one in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 On 10/31/2018 at 8:23 AM, Casper the friendly ghost said: Im kind of a jack of all trades, so id like to make all sorts of things but first ill probably focus on blades. Having your options open is a good start, and with that I would try to steer you off blades to begin with, since they require a lot of knowledge about steel, heat treatment, lots of grinding and more. Think small, make some hooks to whack on a wooden post, fire minding tools for the fireplace are good start. Most important, make stuff you enjoy making. One thing you will not enjoy using is your railroad track. If there is a junkyard nearby, try to find a large axle that you can stand on it's end, or an old forklift thyne or similar chunk of steel. Best of luck and keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 19 hours ago, Casper the friendly ghost said: What an impossible amount of information to sift through. Welcome to IFI... I found that starting with the pinned stickies helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 4 hours ago, Marc1 said: Having your options open is a good start, and with that I would try to steer you off blades to begin with, since they require a lot of knowledge about steel, heat treatment, lots of grinding and more. i had planned on doing just that, because i like trying to make anything, but a personal goal of mine is to become a bladesmith. i know it is the trend right now but i don't give a rip i've always wanted to make knives, be it for myself or others. (im not dismissing your advise at all, i value it greatly) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 5 hours ago, Marc1 said: One thing you will not enjoy using is your railroad track. im not a fan of it but we use what we got right, hahaha, but seriously i've got my eye on a hay budden or a peter wright anvil that I plan on buying at tax time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 We snagged another one, lol. Welcome to the addiction try somthing like this for the track If you haven’t built the gas forge yet I would suggest building a side blast forge to get started with wile you gather parts (that’s going to be a big forge for most work, a helium/Freon can might be a beter option to start). Use the rail on end unlike you find somthing more substantial. Here are some ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 7 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: If you haven’t built the gas forge yet I would suggest building a side blast forge is there a build in the gas forges thread for one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 The side blast forge is a solid fuel forge not a gas forge. It's generally simpler and cheaper to build than a gas forge and so a good introductory forge for beginners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 thank you for correcting me on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Look in the solid fuel section for the threads about the JABOD (Just A Box Of Dirt) side-blast forges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 If it wasn’t such a PITA i would think we have reached critical mass to split the solid fuel section into bottom and side blast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 You might have a point Charles, they're certainly distinctively different types of forge with pluses and minuses of their own. Maybe a sub category for side blast forges time has arrived. Doesn't the person who first makes the suggestion elected to make it so? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Luckaly for me and the forum at large I don’t have administrative powers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 i plan on building my side blast this weekend, dont worry ill show pics of the build. thanks charles for pointing me in this direction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 It will get you forging now, and then you can relax and design and build a gasser at lever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 On 11/1/2018 at 4:31 PM, Charles R. Stevens said: If it wasn’t such a PITA i would think we have reached critical mass to split the solid fuel section into bottom and side blast Most topics in solid fuel section cover both subjects, making it impossible to decide which section they would go into. There is also the question needing to be asked of what purpose would it serve? We currently have enough people that cant understand where to post things, and separating the subjects that belong to both would only confuse them more, not to mention I aint going to spend my time going through the over 80 pages to sort and have to actually read many of the 25,834 unclear titled posts to decide which area they belong in, and no one else would do it, (I just finished sorting out 10 pages 250 threads, and 2,750 posts for another sub section) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Thank you for cleaning up the forge section and moving the related solid fuel posts into one place. This should answer many of the questions the viewers would have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Steve your a buz kill. All kidding aside I appretiate all your hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper the friendly ghost Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 im new here an i greatly appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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