wirerabbit Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Nice to find this collection of forums. I will be reading through things in the coming weeks. By way of introduction, let me say that I am a potter, living in the Post Oak Savanna of Texas. Harvey moved me from Rockport TX to my current location, and building a new studio has been an ongoing process. As part of my clay education I have always wanted to include blacksmithing for both the tool making and the object making possibilities. My kiln yard is next on the build list and I have made sure to include some space for metal working (anvil, forge, welder, etc) and am looking forward to melting some metal! I will be asking a bunch of questions as I sink further into yet another way of making things. Taylor, Jeddo TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Well melting metal is foundry work not blacksmithing. In blacksmithing if you melt it you've made a mistake. Even forge welding is a solid state welding process. Now if you really do want to melt and pour metal; my I commend to your attention the forums over at alloyavenue.com which used to be backyardmetalcasting.com. If you are interested in smithing WELCOME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Welcome aboard Taylor, glad to have you. Glad to hear you're looking to educate yourself regarding different types of HOT work. As said already, melting the work is a mistake when blacksmithing as it is firing pottery. Before you get involved in ANY foundry work, casting metals spend extra time studying the safety precautions and PPE. Molten metal is extremely hazardous, one mistake can have molten metal raining out of the sky. Steam explosions can do worse than injure and cripple. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirerabbit Posted July 20, 2020 Author Share Posted July 20, 2020 Hee haw. Right you are. Of course I anticipate several mistakes, melting something one of the possibilities. Some great information on the forum. Thanks for the welcome, you two. Now I need to get back to surfing the forum. So many pestering questions... T in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 We like to help new folks get thoroughly addicted to the craft. It's sort of a mission you know. Several mistakes? SEVERAL!? Oh my am I glad you seem to have a sense of humor because I'm going to try to remember you said that to rib you with later on. Don't worry, I might remember you handed me a delicious straight line but I won't remember what, even if I write it down. It's a TBI thing. Learning blacksmithing is mostly a game of failure analysis and error correction so if you only make several mistakes you aren't going to learn much. It's about as much fun as a boy can have and not end up in jail. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 What was that saying that "getting good as a blacksmith was more a matter of making fewer mistakes and learning how to correct or hide the ones you do make". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 I suppose most of that follows but the part about hiding mistakes is what paint is for. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirerabbit Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 ...and grinders. T, near Jeddo TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 I learned early on it was a LOT less work to make things you don't need camouflage than it is to grind them nice. Those times were learning to weld but hold true for most everything. Painting IS easier than both though. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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