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Hello form Thomaston Georgia


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Hello everyone,

Have been looking at the form for a longtime and after another botched forge weld I decided to joined today. I am new to blacksmithing, been at it for about 6 months now and am having a great time doing it, but can't seem to find anyone in my area that also smiths so I am looking forward to learning from the knowledgeable people on the site. 

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How far is the Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild from you?  When I lived in Ohio we got up a group to rideshare to the SOFA meetings 2 hours away.  Learning to forge weld is really really a whole lot easier if done 1:1!  (If you do go to one of their meetings, ask around if any experience smiths are located closer to you.  I remember one fellow complaining there was no smiths in his area until he visited an Affiliate meeting and found the President of the association lived 1/2 mile down the road from him...)

http://www.ocmulgeeblacksmithsguild.org/

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20 hours ago, Glenn said:

What are you trying to forge weld, the type and shape of the metal. What have you been doing so far in order to make the forge weld? Type of forge? 

Gleen it is mild steel started 1/2 thick making an ax and putting a bit into it but can't get get mild to weld. I started but grinding everything nice and clean got it red hot brushed fluxed and put it back in until it was a bright orange took it out and gave it a few taps, brush flux and back in. I did this 3 more times and nothing so stopped opened it back up and am going to grind it clean again. 

17 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

How far is the Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild from you?  http://www.ocmulgeeblacksmithsguild.org/

Thomas, I just checked looks to be about an hour away. I am going to send them a message on their FB and see when would be a good time to go check it out and talk to some people. 

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21 hours ago, JHCC said:

IDFC was asking if your forge is coal or propane, not what kind of propane (or coal). Looking at your answer, I'm guessing that you're running propane; is that right? 

That said, Welcome to IFI! If you haven't yet, please https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/53873-read-this-first/

Yes propane that is correct, it is a Devil 2 burner I am using Borax as a flux and did more taps than blows to try and set the weld. As for the temp I couldn't tell you how hot it is I don't have anything to measure the temp. I think I will put a mild steel bar into the forge with it when I think it is close try and bump them together to see if they stick so I can get an idea of the temp. Thanks for the welcome and I will take a look at the link.

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Re-read your post.  May have misunderstood.  Are you punching the axe eye and just welding in a high carbon bit, or making a welded eye (like the Aspery video for making axes, see below)?  If the former you don't need to get it quite as hot to weld in the high carbon bit, in my experience, but the mild to mild steel weld for an axe is not a first forge welding project IMHO.  You might want to start with something a little easier, say a faggot weld at the end of a piece of 5/8" square rod (with proper upset scarf) to give enough mass to make a flux spoon.

Also checked on the Devil forge.  In addition to doors I strongly recommend sealing and coating the loose refractory blanket.

Aspery Axe video

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On 6/21/2019 at 9:28 AM, Latticino said:

Re-read your post.  May have misunderstood.  

Thank you and JHCC for the response. As for the forge I did put refractory over the blanket and am getting ready to add more do to it starting to flake. I do have a door on one side and have fire bricks blocking the other to get it to heat quicker, about a one inch gap at the top of the forge. It is a mild to mild steel weld with a 5160 bit but haven't got to try and put it in yet! LOL I will give it a try aging next week think I need to step back for a few days from it for now. Going to the local fab shop and check and see if they have any tool steel large enough for me to drift and draw out. Any suggestions on what would be a good steel for it would be appreciated.

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Hi CP.

When I first started out and before I got some good hands-on guidance, I really struggled with forge welding in my propane forge. Turned out I simply wasn't getting the steel hot enough. As soon as an experienced smith had showed me the lemon yellow I should have been aiming for, I cranked up the forge, blocked the doors and did it first time. No problems after that so persevere and you'll get it.

Re axe steel, it depends what you'll be using it for - woodsplitting, camping, etc. I would suggest you let the tool's use direct what steel to use - what proerties do you want/need? For outdoor use you may want to try something corrosion resistant like 420 stainless, but this will come at the cost of edge retention. For general purpose camp axe, I'd probably go with 1060 - but I'm sure others will have their own views.

 

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"I couldn't tell you how hot it is I don't have anything to measure the temp"

Isn't it very difficult to blacksmith when you cannot see?   Blacksmiths have been using their eyes to measure temperatures for over 3000 years.

Now being able to correlate metal colour AS YOU PERCEIVE IT with temperature is a learned skill and why learning from someone who knows the ropes is generally the way to go---especially as when they say it's "Cawtaba" and you look at it and think "ripe grapefruit". Trying to learn from books or even videos, (Most cameras don't deal with high temp colours well!) is an added difficulty. My favorite example is "Cherry Red"  I get a lot of students who assume that means dark red/black like a Bing cheery  when it's actually an orange.yellow like the pie cherries common when that term got started.

When getting started take a piece of 1/4" mild rod and point it and heat it in the forge.  When it wants to stick to workpiece when you prod it, then the workpiece, (and rod),  is up to welding temps.

 

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Thank all for the response I am going to try the 1/4 then I will know the color. As for learning from someone that would be outstanding and am going to a Guild on their next meeting distance is my problem but might find someone who lives closer to me at at the guild. 

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3 hours ago, Chris The Curious said:

Wish I could find a worn out farrier's rasp..........need one for my black smith's bag.

Check the yellow pages and call (not email) a local farrier, they usually go through rasps pretty quickly. Might have to ask a couple few.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Good idea, Frosty.  But I've been blessed with a "Pay it Forward" gift from a member of the forum so there's going to be one on it's way to me soon.  Nice bunch of fellows here, to say the least.

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