Mel Fischer Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Hi All, Just getting started in all this. Have wanted to try smithing for years, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. I have done a bit of metal casting work with pewter and have built a little portable foundry to move up to aluminum and bronze. BUT, now that I've moved to the new 'homestead' as it were, I have the space to build a little lean-to shop and set up a forge, so here I am! Planning to start with a charcoal JABOD, since it's cheap, with plans to (eventually) make my own charcoal from scrap pine (which I have a good, free supply of from my work) I have a little track anvil to start with, and am in the reading phase now, but hope to start building the box soon. Planning to use bentonite in the box. Have wood to make it, but not sure on a stand yet. Until I build my lean-to, I'll want to move it into the shed, or maybe just build a cover for it - so many options! I have an interest in period, traditional techniques (I'm into medieval re-enactment) so would like to build a bellows as well (though will likely go with an electric blower of some sort for day to day playing around) Anyway, keen to get started and pound on some metal! Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Welcome! What time and location for Medieval? I do Y1K at times using an adobe forge and twin single action bellows and a simple anvil---based off the Hylestad Stave Church carvings. "Cathedral Forge and Waterwheel", Gies & Gies, has some very nice illuminations of smithing in it. And of course the Nuremberg Hausbuchs are an interesting resource. Online: https://hausbuecher.nuernberg.de/ various ones listed & linked on the left of the webpage. The Mastermyr Find, a viking era toolchest is a great source for tools; and many people have duplicated them! My anvil on it's side to show the mounting spike: Note this style anvil is documentable from Roman times to 18th century times! Let me know if you are interested in medieval/renaissance cooking gear as I've reproduced a bit of it and have sources I can dig up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Dear Mel, If you are going to use bentonite in your JABOD be aware that bentonite expands quite a bit when wet. That is why it is used as an additive in well drilling mud and why it is a problem if it is present when a foundation is laid. I too am into medieval re-enactment but I have not experimented with medieval techniques as deeply as Thomas. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Welcome aboard Mel, glad to have you. About using bentonite, it works but plain old garden soil works as well and is a heck of a lot easier to deal with if it gets wet. Bentonite no fooling turns into the nastiest slippryest gravy-like stuff you've ever had to deal with, with surprisingly little water. Worse than that it's actually darned hard to mix with small quantities of water. If you have access to powdered bentonite a 1/2 cup will turn a bucket full of sand into something you can compact like a rock. Maybe check around drilling companies you might be able to mooch a couple cups, just don't get carried away. All a JBOD needs is enough clay in the dirt to pack it reasonably solid when damp. I could be wrong but I'd put money on Ontario having dirt around somewhere you could poach a bucket full. Bellows are easy, they don't need to be what you see in illustrations or movies, a cloth sack works a treat and is ancient tech. Using an electric blower for charcoal is asking for a fuel hog of a forge. Charcoal requires far less air than coal, a gentle breath will make a HOT fire you can develop enough draft to forge with careful placement of the chimney / stack. I've welded with a wood fired forge using a prevailing breeze down out of a pass through glacial fields. A little scrounged pipe and a couple old gas cans for a funnel built too much fire but I had the wood so hogging excessive fuel was no deal. Except of course I almost needed a fire suit near the fire. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Fischer Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 Hey Thomas! My 'persona' is 10th century Norse, living in Yorvick around 945, so viking era is my primary interest, with 14th century scotland as a secondary, though I'm not really worried about limiting myself to one specific period at the exclusion of all others. I have not yet done a lot of research into those periods as far as smithing goes - I have done some on metal casting, which is another interest - want to make all the shiny belt fittings that I can't afford to buy Thank you for the links! I will give them a good looking over, they look like a good place to get started LOVE the anvil! That is Pretty!!!! 4 hours ago, George N. M. said: If you are going to use bentonite in your JABOD be aware that bentonite expands quite a bit when wet. That is why it is used as an additive in well drilling mud and why it is a problem if it is present when a foundation is laid. 4 hours ago, Frosty said: About using bentonite, it works but plain old garden soil works as well and is a heck of a lot easier to deal with if it gets wet. Bentonite no fooling turns into the nastiest slippryest gravy-like stuff you've ever had to deal with, with surprisingly little water. Worse than that it's actually darned hard to mix with small quantities of water. If you have access to powdered bentonite a 1/2 cup will turn a bucket full of sand into something you can compact like a rock. Maybe check around drilling companies you might be able to mooch a couple cups, just don't get carried away. Hey guys! Thanks for the welcome. As to bentonite, yeah, I have used it before in making 'greensand' for sand casting, and yes, it does make a mess when it is over wet!!! From what I've been reading, it sounds like an ideal mixture of sand and bentonite for a JABOD forge has pretty much the same moisture level as is ideal for greensand! (i.e. able to clump without leaving your hand muddy, or squishing or crumbling, and able to 'break' cleanly), and I do have both, so will likely go with a mixture and pack it in as you suggested, thanks!!! 4 hours ago, Frosty said: Bellows are easy, they don't need to be what you see in illustrations or movies, a cloth sack works a treat and is ancient tech. Using an electric blower for charcoal is asking for a fuel hog of a forge. Charcoal requires far less air than coal, a gentle breath will make a HOT fire you can develop enough draft to forge with careful placement of the chimney / stack. I've welded with a wood fired forge using a prevailing breeze down out of a pass through glacial fields. A little scrounged pipe and a couple old gas cans for a funnel built too much fire but I had the wood so hogging excessive fuel was no deal. Except of course I almost needed a fire suit near the fire. Ah, okay, that's good to know, re the amount of air required with charcoal vs coal!! Honestly, I do like the idea of a hand powered bellows (note I said 'idea' and not 'actually using' as I'm sure I will be cursing whatever set I end up building a time or two hahaha ;D ) and I am keen to make a set of teardrop double bellows some day, but I think I have a pump somewhere that is similar in design to the one Charles uses in his Mark III Jabod build, so will likely start with that, since it's already made! (why reinvent the wheel, so to speak...) Thank you both for the great tips!! I'm really hoping to have some time to get started on my build this weekend - there are other 'chores' that must be completed first, but if there's time, I'm gonna try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Fischer Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 5 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Let me know if you are interested in medieval/renaissance cooking gear as I've reproduced a bit of it and have sources I can dig up. Oh, almost forgot! I am definitely interested in some cooking gear, I would really like a tripod or similar set up for cooking over the fire, and utensils!! I will be sure to hit you up for advice when the time comes, thank you! Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Try out the viking section of the wareham forge! http://www.warehamforge.ca/ Off till Monday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Fischer Posted September 26, 2020 Author Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) hah! Yes, I've been there many times I've actually met Darrell a couple times at some local SCA events I have a small saex that he forged (possibly from an iron bloom if I'm remember correctly - it was gifted to me by another friend) that is a prized possession A good reminder tho, it's been a while since I stalked through that page Edited September 30, 2020 by Mod30 Excessive quoting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 I've met Darrell at Quad-State over the years; been in the SCA for a while too---I have a 4 digit membership number starting with 23... I used to be part of Flaxy & Steve's smelting crew at Pennsic for about a decade IIRC. Short stack Scandinavian bloomeries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Fischer Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) I guess you've been in a while, my membership has quite a few more digits than that, and I'm coming on 20 years! LOL Only gone to Pennsic 3 or so times. My husband developed some health conditions that made camping in the heat/damp of Pennsic too difficult unfortunately. Saw some smithing going on, but not a smelt. That must have been a lot of hours of work! Edited September 30, 2020 by Mod30 Excessive quoting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 I lived 15 years in central Ohio which made going to Pennsic a lot easier---I haven't been back since we moved out here 16 years ago. Couldn't take all the "stuff" that made camping tolerable not to mention the smithing gear---in our campsite every tent had at least one forge associated with it; + the bloomery! As of this fall I have 42 years in the SCA; but pretty much only do local events now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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