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mr60n3r

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Hi I’m from southwest Missouri. I’ve been interested in smithing for a long time but had really no place to get set up. A few weeks ago a co-worker expressed the same interest. We decided to use his shop and Divide up the tool costs. So far we have 2 unsuccessful attempts at forging rebar tongs.  

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Welcome aboard, glad to have you. Do you have a nick name, web handle or something less clumsy we can address you by? We might remember something we can pronounce. 

Sharing shop space can work out well, sometimes not, it's well worth taking a shot at it though. Have you talked him into joining Iforge? We REALLY enjoy helping folks become well ad truly addicted to blacksmithing.

What kind of forge do you use? Anvil(s), etc.? How about some pics of your: equipment, tools, shop, etc. We LOVE pics.

Do you have something in mind to make? 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Everyone just calls me Bo. No pictures atm but we can get some working with a 2 burner I got on Amazon and a 70# cast anvil. As far as projects go.  We would really like to get a set of tongs made. Then hardys and work our way into blade smithing. 

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The easy tong BP is about as good a way to make a pair to start as it gets. Take a look at the improvised anvils here.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/42290-another-rail-road-iron-anvil/

You'll find most cast anvils sold currently at large stores, etc. are iron and poor anvils. Does yours show marks in the face? If not you might have lucked into a cast steel one. Anyway, anvils are everywhere they just aren't necessarily shaped like the ever popular London pattern anvil. Any reasonably heavy piece of steel makes a fine anvil, a hardy hole can be made as a stand alone, search out Portable Hole on Iforge. 

Don't bother with the site's search function it sucks, use the one you usually do and add Iforgeiron to the terms, for example, "Portable Hole Iforgeiron"

in Frosty The Lucky.

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That will make it worse. Without a solid full surface join between the two pieces it'll lose energy fast, the cast iron is way better. Just keep your eyes open for a piece of bar stock, a truck axle, RR car coupler, etc. They make fine anvils.

Frosty The Lucky.

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What do you have for shop tools? If you have a grinder yard, garage, etc. sale punches turn right into hot punches Hole punches that is. Pin punches work best as they don't taper, tapered punches work well for putting a taper in one end of a hole intended for a rivet.  A little coil spring and some hammer time is a good way for beginners to develop basic skills AND their tool kit. Punches, drifts, chisels are common every day hand tools for the smith and a good place to start learning about medium carbon steel. ;)

If you want to buy new, search the internet or call a farrier (horse shoer) in your area and ask where he buys smithing supplies ad tools. There might be a blacksmith or farrier supply in the phone book. The paper yellow pages and a telephone call. Trying to contact companies online is a good way to be put in the ignore folder. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Figure out what type hole you want to make.  Then make that punch from mild steel.   It should work for a limited punch run if you hit it 3 times, remove the punch from the hot metal and cool the punch.  This will improve your hammer skills as well as your punch making skills.  That way when you get tool steel for the punches, you will know what to do, and what shape you want the punch to be.

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Welcome to the insanity...:)

We have some friends in SW MO one lives in Ozark and posts here occasionally another is in Newtonia. Until covid we would go up there for hammer-ins. If you are in that area Google Blacksmith Friends of Newtonia.  They have a Facebook page and are a great bunch of guys & gals. If you hook up with a club and can attend some meetings you will learn a lot more than trying it on your own. Might check into BAM Blacksmiths association of Missouri, they have chapters state wide.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/223-bam-blacksmiths-association-of-missouri/

Also there is our group the BOA Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas. We have a NW chapter and have meetings at different members forge's/shop's in NW AR. Our meeting are on the second Saturday's of the month. Sadly since the pandemic some meetings had to be canceled and My wife & I haven't attended any since the start in 2020 but now that we have received the vaccine, we will start attending again soon.

Edited by Irondragon ForgeClay Works
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