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What did you do in the shop today?


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Hossfeld for the BINGO! Thank you John! You were right Scott H should've rung the bell! Who doesn't know Hossfeld benders? At least what old timer doesn't. Who needs a memory, I have the iforge gang? 

Frosty The Lucky.

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finished up a bick for my anvil to work on rings and bottle openers out of a 1in tie rod, and got to learn my press better

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afterwards I was going to do a leaf ring but the leaf broke off so i made a different design on the fly thinking i need to make the scrolls smaller as i think they would catch on thingsIMG_0546.thumb.JPG.744c14546c2e6fd416247ce356d228fd.JPG

M.J.Lampert

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I absolutely love my Hossfeld #1. I don't often have an excuse to use it but, when I do, it saves me a lot of time and effort.

I got it for free about 4 or 5 years ago; the engineering fab shop where I went to school was scrapping a bunch of old equipment. I got a couple manual shears, a large metal 12-drawer workbench filled with many dozens of metal files (mostly 6" triangle slims, but a lot of other types, too), and the Hossfeld #1. The Hossfeld came with the original steel mounting cabinet to store the dies, and a shop die package. The handle was missing and one of the die pieces was broken, but everything else was there. I made a new handle from a 1/2" x 2" bar, and I haven't needed the broken piece yet. I would have celebrated about it in "It Followed Me Home", but I wasn't a forum member then lol.

As IronDragon said, they are still in business. In fact, I bought a die to bend angle iron the hard way from them about a year ago.

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I haven’t posted in almost a year, give or take.  Not for lack of working or motivation, quite the contrary, I am forging multiple days a week.  I can’t find the time to make it to the ‘local’ guild/group meetings, I work every weekend (and I work 3rd shift).  I just bought my first coal forge, used.  I have been working off propane since I started basically.  I really need to figure out getting together with the other smiths to help me get this coal forge going so I can put the gas on the back burner, lol.  I honestly feel bad not making it to the meetings and I assume people either don’t take me seriously or assume I’m antisocial/don’t need or want their help but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  I started down this rabbit hole later in life than some, not as late as others.  Just with I could be free on weekends to get together with the other smiths and grow my knowledge/get better. 

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It's not like your local club is making you punch a time clock you know. You're not the only one pursuing the craft when you can get the time. Nobody's going to judge you on attendance. . .  Well, nobody I'd think has an opinion worth worrying about anyway.

New coal forge eh? So where are the pictures, if there aren't pics it didn't happen you know.;)

Frosty The Lucky.

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9 hours ago, TastefullyPeenedIronWorks said:

I really need to figure out getting together with the other smiths to help me get this coal forge going

Start a new thread over in the Solid Fuel Forges section. 

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I have found that old car, buggy, or wagon springs are very good blacksmithing material.  They are a simple alloy which hardens and tempers well, unlike many modern springs.  My advice is to grab them whenever and where ever you can.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

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I agree, about twenty years ago I picked up about 200 pounds of springs and wrought iron fittings from a closed buggy shop that were buried out in the back when the shop closed, probably in the '50s. Most if not all is gone now.:(

Today, I made a new haft for an old original Ike Doss Ozark hoe. The friends of ours that gave us all the stuff for our resource pile had it and broke the haft years ago. It was the least I could do and it brought back good memories from when Ike was teaching me stuff.

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JHCC, will do in the next couple of days, once I’m off night shift for another spell, believe me, I’m sure I know just enough to get myself into lots of fun trouble that is funny!  (Sorry, the kiddo and I have been reading lots of Doctor Seuss)

Frosty, see above, lol.  I promise pics will be coming soon!  You make many valid points.  I, honestly, think I just needed to vent/moan/complain about not doing as much as I think I should be able to.  Maybe if my dog can learn to strike….

While waiting, please feast your eyes on these rather indecent looking snails! (The spikes are for planters or gardens)

One final treat…Flowers and Butterflies!  The horse shoes are recycled from farriers, I did not forge those portions.  

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My point was, blacksmithing is fun so long as you're not making too much of a job of it. The flowers and butterflies would make a nice marketable product, with some bright colors they'd be attractive garden art. The snails would go like hot cakes, I'd buy a couple. 

Getting the Kiddo involved?

Frosty The Lucky.

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Blacksmithing is the best job I’ve EVER had and I hope it becomes a full time gig; if I’m that lucky I’ll never ‘work’ again.  The flowers are all painted up, they are selling - that’s a start.  The snails are a joy to make, made my wife one that fits in her palm.  
my daughter gets involved in her own way(s). (She is 9 going on “19” and certainly acts that way).  She is an unbelievable source of encouragement, always holding my projects and giving me great feedback. She makes little things with play-doh and modeling clay and I often remind her that she could learn to do that with a hammer, it translates so well.  

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Your daughter can forge copper ground wire with light tools on a sledge hammer head anvil. Lots of good lessons forging copper. 

Chasing and repousse is another excellent light metal art form. You'll have to forge a set of chasing punches so it's a win win for both of you. ;)

Fold forming is another I have almost no experience beyond making the basic leaf, session one project.

Encouragement is such a good two way street.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Chasing and Repousse is an ancient art form, there are a lot of online sources to help learn.

Fold forming is relatively new art form, Pioneered(?) by Charles Lewton Brain, A web search will turn up plenty.

Deb, my better half has a touch for it but prefers bent wire. When she feels like messing with metal. I did get her to participate at the anvil with encouragement from the club and darned if she isn't good at the anvil. It's just not her thing. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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