bennyandthejets Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 (edited) Hello Everyone. I am new to I Forge Iron. As the title says I live in Iowa, the North East part to be more specific. I have been a machinist/toolmaker for 23 years and have a genuine interest in mechanical things and making things out of metal and wood. A former co-worker stoked my interest in Blacksmith work and I am finally getting to a spot in my life where I enjoy expressing myself through my craftsmanship. You guys have a xxxxxxxxx support community here and I would love to network with you to swap ideas with and learn from. Not sure how many smithy's we have in my neck of the woods but I would like to meet you and see some work/tooling and pick your brain a bit. Edited April 27, 2020 by Mod30 language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Good Morning Ben, Welcome to our world. You are familiar with removing material to get to your final product. NOW, you are going to learn about moving the molecules to a different position, to get to your final product. A simple aid to figure out what it will look like and how much material you will need, is 'Play-Doh'. Yes some call it Plasticene or Modeling Clay. The key factor is, YOU can hold it in your hands and manipulate it with your fingers. Play-Doh works identical to Hot Metal when it is in it's Plastic State. The same motions you use to move the Play-Doh, is exactly the same sequence and procedure to move hot metal. There are very few 'RULES', but there are lots of guidelines. A simple 'rule' is S.O.R. (Square, Octagonal, Round) when drawing out. The same as squeezing between your fingers, it gets smaller and longer. Then you turn it 90 degrees and square it up (or rectangular). Then you knock the corners in (octagonal), Then you use small/lighter hammer blows to make it round. You can finish(?) it round with 'hot filing' with a worn 'Farriers Rasp'. Welding, you add metal. Cutting, you remove metal. Machining, you remove metal. Blacksmithing, you move metal. Please post your area in your avatar. There are quite a few Blacksmith groups in your area. After this COVID-19 goes away, you can hook up with someone who lives very close to you. Enjoy the journey! Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Welcome aboard, I suggest reading this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST It is full of tips like editing your profile to show your location because we won't remember it once leaving this thread and so many answers depend upon location. There are others and some may help in flying under the moderators radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyandthejets Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 Thanks guys. Great feedback. Well I got in trouble for using a naughty word on my first day and the moderator took a whole point away from me (whatever that means, lol) Sorry for the vulgar language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Most of us have "fallen afoul" before; I was once moderated because of a typo. Don't let it get to you; just try to do better. The owner of these forums has decreed that he wants kids to be able to read and participate here without causing their parents worry over language or behavior. As I have 8 grandkids, I fully agree! Now as to jargon: as I use the words: A smith does smithing in a smithy; the smithy being the building. I acknowledge that some other places and at other times use it as the person. Do you have any machine tools? Lots of blacksmiths could really use some machine work; (said the guy needing some 25# Little Giant dies; and LG have already said they don't accept kidneys...especially from diabetics.) You might be able to trade for blacksmithing equipment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyandthejets Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 Thomas, I have a 6 year old and a 9 year old and several nieces and nephews. I understand protecting the yungins. Yeah I did google the term "smithy" after I wrote my entry and found out my context was a little off (that's not unusual for me though, LOL!) As far as machine tools - I am a programmer/supervisor/toolmaker in a small specialty machine shop that has wire edms, vertical cnc machining centers, waterjets, and surface grinders. Most smaller tooling is not an issue for me to build. We build details for molds and dies everyday. I would entertain the idea of trading work for tools. I lack pretty much everything for equipment. I have no anvil. I have no forge. I have no tongs. I have a few hammers. But I do have a persistent drive to learn. Thanks for the reply Thomas. Enjoy the grandkids and drop me a line if you think we can trade horses sometime. Thanks, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Do a bit of research and save a bunch of money. TPAAAT Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique JABOD just a box of dirt The new standard for anvils Anvils: A beginner buyers guide High tech anvils A collection ofimprovised anvils BP001 Easy to make tongs There is a bunch of information on the site that will help you in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyandthejets Posted April 28, 2020 Author Share Posted April 28, 2020 Thank you Glenn! I will put the TPAAAT method to use and report back in to you! There is so much information on here I am kind of overwhelmed at the moment. We have an Amish community close by that sells supplies for farriers. I may make a trip out that way in the near future and do some interrogation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Welcome aboard Ben, glad to have you. The moderator didn't award you the point that never goes away, that's a "feature" of the OS they use for the forum. The moderator can't edit and or leave an explanation without clicking a button and the endless zero point thing comes with it. Don't wait till you have all the "right" tools to start practicing the craft. There is a very limited number of must have tools, your: brain, a functioning hand, at least one eye and the desire to do. All the rest can be improvised literally on the spot. Finding and making more specialized tools helps of course but they're not REALLY necessary. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyandthejets Posted April 28, 2020 Author Share Posted April 28, 2020 Frosty, An old toolmaker told me many years ago "a good craftsman doesn't blame his tools." Sounds a lot like your train of thought with grabbing a hammer and getting after it. I am going to see what materials I have available and try to make something like brake drum forge to get started. Thanks for the words of encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 That's a great big roger, Ben. The best tools on Earth are nothing but highly refined dirt, it's the clever monkey with the great big brain and thumbs that does anything. Some of my best memories forging were sitting around a campfire with a drill hammer and whatever I could find for an anvil and scrounge for stock. I'm not much of a drinker so I'd play in the fire instead. Got to be a pretty good down hearth cook in the 20 years I was a field guy. Look for something smaller than a brake drum, rotors are better unless you want to heat something really large. Drums tend to waste a lot of fuel. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyandthejets Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 Hey Frosty, I wanted to check in and give you a Sit-Rep on my forge and anvil pieces I am starting to acquire. As it sits I have been able to scrounge up an old chevy 2500 brake rotor for my forge, I bought a bucket of refractory cement from Menards (25 lbs), and 50 lbs of bituminous coal. I have a buddy that runs a weld shop so I am buying some steel for a frame to hold my brake rotor forge. I did spring for a 2 lb. Nordic Forge rounding hammer. I did this because I found out Nordic Forge is located about 50 miles from me in Iowa and I like to shop local. So I need to devise a blower next. Thus far I don't think I have $100.00 invested. I am doing my best to stay on the cheap! I will post some photos soon. Thanks for the support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Good to see your smiling initial Ben. What's the refractory cement for? A bellows is pretty easy to make with basic tools, canvas works as well as leather. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyandthejets Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 Hey Frosty sorry for the delay in response. I have been in a state of confusion the last 8 months, lol? I thought if I lined the brake drum with refractory cement it would keep insulate and keep the heat projecting towards the part. Am I overthinking this? Every heat treat oven I have been around had refractory cement lining it also. Maybe it would not serve purpose unless I was making more of a box or knifemakers forge surrounding the part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 It has been a while. hmmm. . . We'll have to dock your check. You're confusing two different pieces of machinery. A solid fuel forge vs. a closed furnace. For the most part, old brake rotors are so common the only reason to dirt in one is to make them smaller and more conical. Saving them from the heat is secondary, they're too easy to replace. A propane forge on the other hand is an entirely different machine, the proper term is "reverberatory furnace". The burner flame heats the furnace liner which then radiates IR which heats the steel/iron. An all too common terrible mistake is using refractory cement or mortar as a forge liner of any kind. I and others have been trying to stomp this myth out but internet video "experts" keep it alive through their ignorance. Cements and mortars are formulated to stick things together NOT survive as a flame contact surface in a furnace. If you decide to build a propane forge please, PLEASE use a high alumina water setting castable, REFRACTORY. That's refractory, period, no suffix. There may be a lot of designators in front of it but not behind. Oops, sorry got off on a ramble. All you need to shape your brake drum just use garden soil, sandy clay works well. Add JUST ENOUGH moisture you can squeeze it into a hard clump in your fist, then ram it hard in the drum with a mallet or end of a piece of lumber. All the insulation that is any value to an open solid fuel forge is from the fuel over the fire's heart. Part of heat management is learning how to keep your work at a level far enough above the air blast to be out of the oxidizing zone but not so high it's out of the sweet spot. (heart) There is a zone where all the oxy is consumed but the heat hasn't been dissipated through the coal/charcoal. The zone above the heart is where coal cokes and as it puffs up it makes insulation. Charcoal is itself a good insulator. Fire management is a skill set in and of itself. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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