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I Forge Iron

What did you do in the shop today?


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Many thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

It was just a piece of mild steel flat bar, pretty much just a decorative piece (or letter opener at best) to try and learn some basic techniques in a relatively short time (took a little over 2 hours)

No heat treatment, and very much burnt (I was struggling quite a bit between getting a decent grip with the tongs during the final stages of rolling the handle and figuring out how to maintain a coal forge).

It was done during a beginners workshop down at a local forge, so trying to cram in drawing out, basic shaping, etc into a short session.
I'm in the process of setting up a small gas forge at home to practice, so i'm hoping to just work on basic techniques, perhaps making some tools and go from there... doubt i'll be making anything I would be chopping with for several months at least.

 

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23 hours ago, littleblacksmith said:

I should have thought of that, safety glasses will deffinantly be brought next time.

The "Safety Glasses with clear lenses" from Harbor Freight are cheap and effective; for ten bucks, you could get half a dozen pairs and not worry about them growing legs.

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14 minutes ago, PVF Al said:

Good job, Just Another Biker. Way better than my first forging. Enjoy the journey. Al

It certainly helped that the guys running the workshop were fantastic instructors!
On my own i'd probably end up with an unrecognisable burnt bit of flat bar with a few hammer marks in it.

My biggest issue was the extractor hood over the forges... I may have been a little too tall as a bit burn on my forehead can attest to :D

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Hi,

Did some welding on a tractor rim. Went to the GP for redressing my thigh. Pounded out 60 pieces of half done S-hooks for tomorrow's interactive demo. Tried a money clip prototype, made of copper. A costumer suggested it, I want to make them of copper, SS and old woodsaw blades - let's see which is the best. (For sure copper was very comfortable to work with. No heat needed, shaped nicely, got enough workhardening to hold well.)

Bests:

Gergely

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16 hours ago, Reeltree said:

Are the vise jaws above the table top, hard to tell in the pic

Just enough so I could go 90° Towards the table.

If I set it any higher it'd interfere with using my assembly table for large objects.

Everything in my shop has to be a compromise as it serves primarily as a wood shop for my furniture making.

Taking on this blacksmithing hobby is to add forged items to my furniture.

Drawer pulls & handles. 

Corner banding & accents.

 

 

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Thanks everyone!

10 hours ago, ggraham said:

What kind of finish or no finish at all?

This is several hundred miles from seawater, but still in the east coast rainy zone.  So paint finish required, but not hot dipping.  Sandblasted, then zinc solids primer, then automotive primer, then 2 part epoxy top coat.  

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I spent some time in the shop working on a belt buckle this morning. When a buddy come over to help with my truck we spent the rest of the day trying to get to bolts off my exhaust system. When I decided it was gettin late and it was about time he should probably go home (his girlfriend kept calling Adkin where he was) he said, "let me see your furnace." So we to the shop and I put a piece of 1/2" round in the little gasser so he could hit it a couple times. There was a light in his eyes I recognized from the first time I hit hot steel. He tells me I'm gonna have to teach him a some stuff. I guess I need to figure out how to do something where I can get some of the people together wanting me to show them some stuff and let them get their hands dirty. 

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This morning I forged a pair of small flat jaw tongs, a horse shoe heart, and then 'cause later I had a buddy who strikes for me and his daughter coming over to forge a cross necklace (that I had never made before) I decided it might be good to do a little practice one, and it when all right. Then they came and we forged a couple cross necklaces, and he forged a little fishhook bracelet that I was quite impressed with as I hardly helped with it.

 

                                                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith 

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12 hours ago, Judson Yaggy said:

Thanks everyone!

This is several hundred miles from seawater, but still in the east coast rainy zone.  So paint finish required, but not hot dipping.  Sandblasted, then zinc solids primer, then automotive primer, then 2 part epoxy top coat.  

thanks for the reply. as noted by others, looks good, finish looks simple and appropriate for the piece.

George

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Finished working in my truck today and got everything out back together. The guy that came out to help yesterday came back so he could get some forge time. I obliged and lit the fire and off we went. He wanted to make a knife, I assured him it's not the best beginner project. None the less we took a stab at it and it wasn't long before he got frustrated and I talked him into trying something else. We made a hook for him to have something to show off and get his gears going. Started with 1/2" square simple because that's what I had on hand (would've rather used 3/8" or 5/16" instead but currently out of stock) and I did a taper on the top end and he did the hook side all by himself. We put a half twist in it and punched a hole for hanging. I think the punching was the best part because he just couldn't believe you could do that so easily. I'm gonna have to adjust and/or make some tongs and get some more steel before he comes back so we have some more projects we can do. 

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Found a couple of old wheel braces in the scrap while looking for something else. They made good simple candelabras after a bit of bending in the forge. Had to adjust the holes a little to make them suit a standard candle. Found some heavy bases, essential for things holding burning candles.

 

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