New from New York

[Jon108]

Hi everyone!

Happy to be here, among so many people with lots of knowledge and experience. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome aboard... have you read the Read This First thread up in the blue banner. We won't remember your location once leaving this post, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show it, as so many answers depend on knowing that.

[Jon108]

Thank you

I will read all that I am advised too and I am humbled by those of you with experience and knowledge 

[ThomasPowers]

So what are you interested in doing?  What equipment do you have?  Any special skills already?

[Frosty]

On 7/18/2020 at 7:00 PM, Jon108 said:

I will read all that I am advised too and I am humbled by those of you with experience and knowledge 

Relax Jon, we aren't really that hard to get along with, common courtesy is usually more than enough. Welcome aboard, glad to have you.

I won't repeat Thomas's questions though it's a good start on getting to know each other.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Jon108]

Thanks Thomas and Frosty,

I have a home basement wood and metalworking machines and tools. 
I have a shed since 2014, with a Chile two burner propane forge and some tongs and hammers.  I also have 3 post leg vices (two in the basement shop, one in the shed). 
I also have a 30” rail mounted vertically and a heat treated chunk of H13 mounted opposite the track. 
Everything is portable in the shed. 
Most of my experience is in stick welding with my miller Dialarc  

I also have a portaband saw in the shed with a table  

I have a TW-90 belt sander for stock removal in the basement along with a mill and lathe.

I love to weld, and have been slowly getting into learning about knifemaking and blacksmithing.

I am still concerned about using the forge in the shed , for a chance leak in propane connections

I have a manifold that connects two twenty pound propane tanks to the forge burners.

I have not used the forge enough to be comfortable with the connections.

 Thanks for any advice

ps

I have many more machines that I use occasionally.

[ThomasPowers]

Test the connections for leaks with soapy water solution.  Turn the propane off at the tanks whenever you leave the area.  No problems.

Also your "post leg Vises"  are most likely either "post vises" or "leg vises" or even "blacksmith vises"; "post leg Vises" makes me wonder if you had previously truncated their legs!

[Frosty]

Propane is pretty stinky stuff so unless your sense of smell isn't working you aren't likely to have an unknown leak. A little propane rated paste thread dope will take care of fittings. There is no rule about how often to do a leak test, a little soapy water dabbed on fittings will show leaks immediately. From a lifetime's habit The last thing I do before turning the lights off and closing the door is a tank valve check.

Your BIGGEST CONCERN is CO from the forge fire. Propane forges generate Carbon Monoxide prodigiously and you need to take serious precautions to make sure your breathable is as CO clean as possible. 

Do NOT turn the tank valve off HARD, tank and torch valves have precision valve seats which turning off HARD tends to mess up causing leaks after which you have to crank it down hard. Unfortunately that only works for a while, then it's new tank time. I'm not trying to scare you just help preserve your equipment.

I only exchange tanks at the local propane company's yard, they test every tank before filling and replace leaking valves as a matter of course. When I have one filled I stand right there to make sure the attendant does NOT crank the tank valve hard. One place I won't allow the attendant to connect the hose, open or close the valve. Well, okay, touch the tank. They have a manager who demands they crank the valves as hard as they can. 

 Chili makes a fine forge. I think all we need are some pics of your setup, we LOVE pics you know. 

Thomas and I aren't dog piling you, we just happen to be online about the same time mornings.

Frosty The Lucky. 

[Jon108]

Thank you Thomas and frosty,

I will heed your advice.   
I prefer to forge outside in front yard of my shed, as I do with stick welding. 
I do have a CO detector in the shed, but if I am using the forge in the shed, I leave both windows and one door open as well as an air mover pushing air out of the window. 
It is attached to a hood that I can use to stick weld inside the shed. 
I can only swing that mini sledge for about 30 minutes in this heat.

I will try a hammer I bought some years ago which is about 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. 

I tend to be a slow learner.  I also try to be very safety oriented whenever I do any of my hobbies. 
I spent two years learning stick welding, by practicing laying beads and padding. 
I would practice with various types and sizes of electrodes as well as various thicknesses of steel.  This taught me the basic ability to learn from the puddle, and to whip and pause for 6010. 
Only then did I move on to making stuff. 
If I am able to forge a knife, I probably will send it out to be heat treated .