We just moved into a new to us house and my 9yr old daughter went straight to the shed and found some wire and made the outline of a snail. She then asked what else can I make a snail out of?

I found some light flat stock, put 2 bits of round bar in the vice and said you can use that to make the bends. I showed her once and left her to it.

I was so happy to see what she made. We then center punched 2 holes and glued in some nails for eyes and then she painted it.

She is very artistic and I am so glad she is showing an interest in metal work. I am only starting to set my shed up and have a gas forge on order so will be able to make a lot of cool things with her.

My 6yr old had a go as well so may need a bigger shed!

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 20241 yr by Mod30
Request remove multiple posts

20 hours ago, BillyBones said:

Alexandr, I am not sure what you mean by wood oil, is that linseed oil or something similar?

HI ! For the street I use teak oil. Usually from this manufacturer. For furniture I use oil with wax, it is well sanded and polished.

Made some Christmas tree icicles this morning 

Alexandr, thanks. 

That bathroom shelf is akin to the one i am building. The one side with the door will be a bit wider and open. The doors, 4 of them, will be on the bottom. 

I love that you let the natural beauty of the wood stand out. I think that the iron and wood compliment each other much better when the wood is left natural. 

The hammer-in at my shop went pretty well yesterday. Not a big group, with the IBA state hammer-in taking place on the same day, but we all had a good time. My demonstration was a first try at making a 2lbs ball peen. It didn’t turn out quite to my liking, but let’s me know what to change up in the process. Just so happens that things are working out that the January hammer-in will be at my shop again and everyone wants to see attempt number at the ball peen.

This hammer-in had a very different feel. I was the only member to swing a hammer. Usually, a bunch of different smiths are forging. It may have been from me setting up a more formal demonstration. Either way it was a good day!

Keep it fun,

David

 

Only got out to the shop on Sunday this weekend.   Helped my youngest move into a place with her videoed and more importantly, away fromher mother.  

Anyway I have in the past made a skeleton key bottle opener using half inch round but was never happy with how it would finish up.   Yesterday I started with 1 x 1/8 flat stock and had much better success.  I also was working down my 33 later damascus billet, I need a power hammer , and got it to where I want to for the ax bit for my zombie killer pole ax project.  If been playing with designs and realized it needs to really look past apocalyptic.  I've modified my original design to have a skeletonized ax and hammer forge welded onto the central blade that is going to be based off a falchion.  I'll get a drawing up later today.   I got the frame forged out for the ax as well.  The body is going to be wrought.  Just practicing my sockets to get that ready.   Also last week forge welded on a but to my first chisel attempt.   

A funny story: I’m working with the owner of a downtown coffee shop on the design for a sign. She really liked my drawing and sent it to her landlord for permission; he replied that he liked it and to go ahead.  

So, I’m in the yarn shop yesterday, taking advantage of the big table to spread out a big piece of cardboard to enlarge the sketch to full size, when a guy walks in, looks around the store, looks over my shoulder, and makes a startled noise. When I looked up, he takes out his phone, opens up photos, and shows me a picture of MY drawing, the very same one I’m working from right there!

 It turns out that he’s my client’s landlord, and he was just as surprised to see the original in front of him as I was to see the picture on his phone!

Maybe not that surprising since Oberlin is only 7700 folk.  Coincidences happen more often in small towns.  Still, an unexpected surprise.

Did this lead to a conversation about blacksmithing?  A new business lead?

G

A few years ago I made some furniture for the hallway, but it was missing a table. Now it was time to start making one. In search of new ideas I visited a market where decorative elements and artificial plants are sold.

On 12/17/2024 at 12:47 AM, George N. M. said:

Did this lead to a conversation about blacksmithing?  A new business lead?

Yes, and possibly: he might need some railings/grab bars at the entrance to his home, to help his aged father in and out of the house. We shall see.

On 12/14/2024 at 6:43 AM, Tap Tap Bang said:

She is very artistic and I am so glad she is showing an interest in metal work.

Good job. It's great she is interested in metal art. Might want to put a date and her name on the bottom so years down the road she can remember when she started. 

Nice work All. Alexandr, that is a unique table top. I have a friend with one that has a creek scene in it. It's fascinating to look at. 

Ive been mostly busy with other stuff but I had a secret santa gift to make for our production manager/friend. He liked something I made last year with a forged skull and I've been wanting to try to make one as the pommel of a knife.

I planned on a small knife but it got a bit big as I was really rushing it and it got away from me. It's nowhere near what I planned but I needed to just get it done so every little mistake turned into a design change. 

Least the pommel idea worked great and he really likes it as it is. One more evening and I could have gave it a much more finished look. 

 

Super cool knife Mr. Wolf. Awesome for a pirate. 

Thanks.

Arrr Captain Cuttlefish's seafarring scurvy squid cutting knife. 

Forgot to mention it is made from sucker rod. 

Reminds me of a knife i had that had a hilt of gold. I gave it to young Jim Hawkins father at the Admiral Benbow for room and board. Capt. Flint gave it to me from his treasure when i was first mate on the Walrus. 

"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest—
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest—
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"

Started out planning on a blacksmith knife but that changed suddenly.  I have a little filling to do to get the guard in place properly. 

22 hours ago, Daswulf said:

Nice work All. Alexandr, that is a unique table top.

Thanks Das !

No horses to shoe today so I locked myself in the shop. Productive day, got a 3-hook coat-rack forged (Christmas gift) then moved over to the TIG station and fixed the shoeing box that a crazed Thoroughbred kicked across the barn; then over to the South Bend lathe and started turning a brass range rod for a caplock. Good de-stress day! Matt.

Hickory, I have found that on coat racks to give a fish tail finial is much more desirable. It does not poke the fabric. On the hook end not the riveted end just to clarify. 

Nice work though, simple and elegant in my opinion. 

Are the rivets copper? They look like it in the photo to me. 

Billybones - good thought. Yes, the rivets are just copper slating nails. We use then for riveting pads to horseshoes all the time.

Matt.

I didn't mention the hook ends because those are about minimum width unless you hang heavy clothes. Copper looks good on iron and is also a good choice for the screws you use to hang it on the wall. Yeah, I think all of us who have been doing this stuff for a while know copper plated hardware is hard to find and expensive.

However there is an old technique and I mean OLD. Bring the part to a dull red and brush it vigorously with preferably a stainless steel brush and then brush it with a copper or brass brush which will deposit copper or brass on the hardware.

Be gentle screwing it into the wall, they have a coat of copper, brass, bronze, etc. about like electroplating. OR of course you can just electroplate your hardware, it's easy but takes time and worse you don't get to play with fire doing it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Pre-New Year rally. Lots of work to be completed before the end of the year.

Good to see you posting Alex. When do you not have lots of work to complete?

BIG clock and ornate wall sconces. Beautiful as always.

Frosty The Lucky.

Good start Chad. I think only the professionals end up with what they intended initially but hey, even they might just say that Sometimes. 

 

Nice work Hickory. 

I like the work in progress pictures Alexander. 

I am not a huge fan of copper and iron together. A bit is nice, like the rivets, but the stuff like coffee scoops with a copper bowl is to much for me. I like the iron highlighted by the copper, unless of course you are highlighting the copper with iron. Those copper rivets do that. 

I make hooks with leaf finials and an upset on the opposite end tapered to the leaf. They look like tree branches. I do the brass brush technique just on the leaf. With the dark branch and brass leaf i like to think it looks like a tree in the fall. 

Anywho, i have finally got done sanding my shelf/cabinet thingy. I think i may start sprouting leaves i have inhaled so much dust. Got all but 2 pieces a nice coat of linseed oil. I figure one more coat tomorrow and i can do assembly, will have to be taken apart and put back together on site though. Unfortunately i had to let the soon to be owner know that there is no way i will be done by Christmas. I am off work for the next 2 weeks so i am shooting for the weekend after. 

Here is one of the side pieces, i ordered the wrong screws and got stainless, my black ones will be here tomorrow. The one little tie together piece is on backwards in the pic. 

 

I'm with you about mixing different metals being best if one is only a highlight or accent. I need to see a reason for large % of both together.

Your shelf cabinet thingy is coming along nicely. Uh . . . Which tie together piece is backwards and how can you tell?

Frosty The Lucky.