Skunk Piper Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 My sons, dad, and I have wanted to try smithing for a number of years..so for Christmas I got them all hammers and tong blanks from Ken's Custom Iron and my wife surprised me with a r.r. track anvil made by one of our friends. So I have been reading and learning as much as I can on this site and this is what i came up with to get started. Its 1x6 pine with plywood base on an old bbq cart. Fill is some old adobe bricks and cat litter. The fire pit is 6x8" and 3.5" deep. I got a bag of anthracite coal from TS since its walking distance from my house. It's not perfect but we're having a blast and learning lots. Thanks to everyone on this forum for all the knowledge sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Welcome to IFI... Looks like you're off to a good start. Have you read this yet? READ THIS FIRST Don't be upset if your thread is moved to the proper section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Welcome aboard, glad to have you. Definitely read THAT first, it really helps. The forge looks good, how about a pic of the fire trench? Maybe even with a fire in it! You guys need MUCH BETTER eye protection than I see in the pic. Daily glasses are NOT GOOD ENOUGH! My trifocals are poly carbonate safety glasses with side shields and I wear a face shield and or safety goggles too when I'm doing dirty work. Protecting your eyes is the most important safety measure you can take. . . Okay, not burning the house down is close unless there are people in it at the time but you can buy a new house. Flip the rail over. Using it flange (base) up is only wide and isn't stiff enough to make a decent anvil. The rail is more rigid so it is more effective. You don't need a large flat surface for an anvil, when you do need flat work lengthwise. Most of the time you'll work across the anvil and the slightly rounded contact surface of a rail makes forging easier. Next time you pick up a piece of rail mount it on end and grind various bottom tools in the web and flange. Charles posted a number of excellent pictures of the tooling you can make on the end of a rail section. If you run out of room for tools, flip it over and use the other end. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 http://www.hybridburners.com/documents/verhoeven.pdf here you go, download and print this off, everything you need to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I know how to make a trench forge and how to use one I was just wanting a look see at yours. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunk Piper Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Irondragon, I have now read That, sorry i should have read it first! Frosty, I will get a picture of the pot tomorrow after I clean it out, and thanks for all the tips. I know we need better eye protection..we just got caught up in the excitement that it actually worked! We managed to get 3 pairs of tongs finished up and goof around with some scrap metal. I was kinda thinking what you said about the r.r. track seemed like I was fighting it more than working with it. Sly, Thanks for that download..that'll keep me reading for quite a while..which is good I like learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Acualy I will one up Jerry turn the rail so it is standing on end.worka even beter that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I suggested mounting the rail on end and you by name I just couldn't find your post to link to. Link us please, Charles. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 We still don't know where in the world you are located, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunk Piper Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Right, I've updated my profile...and here's a couple pictures of the fire pot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Frosty , is this the link you where looking for ? https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52308-a-collection-of-improvised-anvils/ Dale Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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