I first started blacksmithing around 3 years ago and only this year got really into it, so still sort of new. Currently I'm just going to a shop that lets a group from my uni use their forges for a bit, but the organization of that right now is really sporadic and I'm itching for more. Planning on joining local guild that does an open forge night and meetings and asking around there for more ideas on how to set up a workshop at home. I've always sort of like working with my hands so its not surprising I'm enjoying myself with this.

Howdy from eastern Oklahoma! And welcome to the forum!

we’re always glad to have new members!

i don’t know anyone personally out your way but I’m sure there’s active people there who will respond soon, 

I was stationed in Norfolk years ago are you close to there? 

Heya!! I'm sorta close! I flip flop between Cville and Virginia Beach depending on whether I have classes or not. Norfolk itself isn't out of my range when I'm down there.

Welcome from the Ozark mountains.

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. Do you have a name, nickname, handle, etc. we may address you with? 42eyeballs is a bit cumbersome and you may prefer something we didn't make up for you.  What do you have in your kit now? What do you want to make?

Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard for 7500' in SE Wyoming.  Glad to have you.  I hope you find the craft as rewarding as I have for the last 44 years.  It can be a hobby that pays for itself which is not something that can be said for a lot of diversions.  It has been a good addition to my life through good times and bad.

You will meet all kinds of people here at IFI.  Ages range for early teens to late 70s.  Education from probably drop outs to advanced degrees.  Just stay away from any topics that you wouldn't want a 10 year old girl reading including sex and politics and everything will be fine.  We LOVE pictures of your shop, tools, and projects.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

Welcome, 42, from the virtually extremest southwest corner of the U S of A...

Were you to sign every post with "Alex", I reckon that would do the trick...

Robert Taylor

Thank you for the welcomes! And yes I can start signing off with my name haha. Next time I finish something I'll be sure to post pictures.

Alex

And OF COURSE if I were thinking in a cognizant manner I would've remembered you put your name in the subject and by time I read Robert's post it was too late to edit mine. <sigh> Having sort of stock welcomes for new folks can bite a guy in the butt occasionally.

Nice to meet you Alex, I look forward to getting to know you. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Don't feel bad, I completely missed that, even went back and read the responses and couldn't figure out where Anachronit58 saw the name.

I realized it after seeing the notice in my email, reading Robert's response, doing a little head scratching and seeing the notice again when I went back to my email. You don't have to beat me in the head with the obvious . . . more than 3-4 times.

Is THIS a memorable way to welcome a new member or what?

Frosty The Lucky.

Hey you guys (y'all ), I missed it too.  That is why I called him 42.  Had to come back with an edit to add the "Alex" part.  Sometimers, it's what's for who? 

Who's on first? Wait, is that, who IS or who WAS on first?

Frosty The Lucky.

Who, Jerry!

I remember visiting my Sister in Manassas VA back in the 1990's and wandering around where a builder was turning an old farm into MacMansions. It still had a fencerow of *old* farm equipment that they were bulldozing to take to the scrapyard or dump---lots of real wrought iron and HC steel there.  Unfortunately I had flown out there on  business trip...Not like the good old days when I once took a 90# carryon of scrap metal on the plane with me---they weighed the suitcases; but not the carryons! 

Right, Robert.

Frosty The Lucky.