John McPherson Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Our community college welding department did not have a blacksmithing club, so I formed one. I am now the faculty adviser. Maybe you need to start a regional sub-chapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I was a co-founder of a smithing group, started as some friends who would get together to drive the 2 hours to SOFA meetings and finally we started a local one for some of the "folks" who didn't carpool with us. Start up was easy---we would have "executive"meetings at the local fleamarket when we ran into each other there. Came up with a good name and "talked" the group into existence! Getting kudos for hauling off "trash" is a great way work around various rules on disposal of state/local government property! My best scrounge was when they were cleaning out an ancient Welding engineering building prior to demolishing it. I met the guy in charge and he couldn't give away the stuff---state property, couldn't sell me the stuff---had to post it for sale to all other Gov agencies, etc; but he could *pay* me to haul it off! With payment in kind he got things cleared out; we got good usable stuff and the University got a far cheaper cleanout! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunsmithnMaker Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Since this will turn into a followed me home post, I will update what I have said already about the railway "dump". I contacted Town and State, and was told by a person from The State Agency of Transportation to "go ahead and pick stuff up". I wrote down the pertinent information in case someone needs verification. Glenn, Thank you for the information about Brentwood. I looked up the travel distance and it is 180+ miles away from me. 3 and a half hours to get there probably. (Now I really need that motor home LOL) I just happened to check my local phone book and there are 2 blacksmiths listed. Unfortunately if you have seen my thread about smiths going out of business I think both of the listings are now out-of-business. So, no one to easily start a group with. I'll keep trying though. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Just cause they went out of business doesn't mean they have no interest in smithing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 GSM and others interested in Vermont blacksmithing- We are doing just fine. I just posted a response to this mini thread over in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scampbell Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 well i went to see how my car was coming along {at a frends repair shop, just nextdoor to exeter's forge&fire..} and was asking if joe was interested in selling me one of the two coal forges he had aquired when they closed.... and well like the title says ........ it well i guess THEY followed me home! the best part is they were free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Too late to edit my last post, so here goes.... I promise this will be the last off topic post here. 95% of ABANA and other groups dues-paying members are hobby smiths, part-timers, and wannabes. Most of the folks doing the demos at big meetings are pros, the few that care enough about the craft and about other people to share their knowledge with us. Many if not most professionals consider us a waste of time at best, and a threat to their market share at worst. The reason I never got into blacksmithing out of high school was, like many people have lamented here, nobody wanted to talk to me for five minutes, let alone take on a fool kid as an apprentice. I meet people every day that would love to take blacksmithing classes at our college, but there is no budget and no space right now. I am chipping away at solutions to both. But I have students who turn out work that wins art contests and becomes gifts for the Trustees, so I stay noticed, in a good way. Again, if you can't find a local group, start one! Even if is just an informal, once a month thing. That is how most chapters get started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Was going down the street and happened to see this hood laying out to be taken away. I called and talked with the guy and he said that if I wanted it to take it. ...........So I did. Figured somebody around could use it. I think that Ironbud is going to get it. I have to do a little straightening of some dents. But it's made of light guage stainless and will make a great forge hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Was going down the street and happened to see this hood laying out to be taken away. I called and talked with the guy and he said that if I wanted it to take it. ...........So I did. Figured somebody around could use it. I think that Ironbud is going to get it. I have to do a little straightening of some dents. But it's made of light guage stainless and will make a great forge hood. Really nice find CG! Some things just fall into our laps. Most things however just fall on my head. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downsfish Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 We just took my oldest daughter to school in Idaho from Alabama, 36 hours each way of CLOSE family time. On the trip back as I filled up I noticed an Antique shop next door, so we stretched our everythings for about an hour and I found this vise outside with the "junk". I love junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazyassforge Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 That vise was in Missouri between Nebraska city Nebraska and Kansas City! I looked at it on the 29th of December! It was out in the consignment area. But when I looked at it there was not a price tag. Someone put a lot of effort and thought into that thing. Let me know how well it works. Bill Davis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny O Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Nice simple design, I must make one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Farrar Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 We just took my oldest daughter to school in Idaho from Alabama, 36 hours each way of CLOSE family time. Which college in Idaho? I attended Boise State University before joining the Army then made the move from Boise to Huntsville after Basic Training.... Definitely won't forget that SHORT trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourne101 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 i was driving around stillwater, NY a few months ago and found a guy getting rid of a champion400 blower in perfect condition and a forge table with a one foot square firepot for $100! they were in my truck and i was on my way home in less than 20 minutes quite a step up from my little brake drum forge and hair dyer lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsberg Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I think that vise is an old caulking vise used for horseshoes, or at least originally used for such. Great find! Caleb Ramsby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Well it followed the other guy away from my home... I finally made contact with the local scrappers, gave them all the stuff I couldn't use and then gave them a tour of the shop and dusted off my blacksmithing spanish and told them I would buy such items for way more than the going scrap rate and gave them my card. Fellow told me he had just scrapped an anvil about a week ago---ARGHHHHH We'll see if anything turns up---he asked if I would be interested in some metal the size of my anvil *stumps*! Even if cast iron they would make a heck of an anvil stand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agita Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 @Downsfish That is a really cool vise. Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Y Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I made a swing through the salvage yard here in Billings last week and stumbled into a haul. I was just looking not really looking for anything in particular. I picked up the three 8x8 inch pieces of copper. 2 are 1/4 inch thick and the last is a 1/2 inch thick. Not cheap at $4 a pound, but I never see anything like that in a scrap yard. The chisels and files and three hammers were in two 5 gal buckets. I noticed two good drifts in the mix and that got me to purchase the entire lot. I won't need to buy any chisels for years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunsmithnMaker Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I picked this up last night so I had to wait to post here until I could get some pictures of it today. I knew you'd like to see the whole setup in good light. As you can tell the original handle is broken, but the seller gave me a piece of wood I could use to craft a new one. The tongs vary in condition and some are stamped ATHA Made In USA. The rest all look handmade. This is a pretty good start to a small scale or portable forge with original equipment. If it ever gets warm around here again I may have a chance to make repairs and start using it. We'll see how my homemade forge compares, and I already have my son interested in learning how to make knives on his own. Maybe he can earn his merit badge for Boy Scouts with one of our forges. P.S. I thought I added this to the It Followed Me Home thread. ?? Thanks for moving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 There used to be a blacksmithing merit badge. I have a handbook from the early 20's that has the requirements, now if I could just find it. Found them online; Merit badge requirements 1. Make an open link of 3/4-inch stock. 2. Forge a chain hook out of 3/4 x 1/2-inch soft steel or 3/4-inch round iron. 3. Make a bolt of 1/2-inch iron. 4. Bend and weld three links and form them into a chain, these links to be fastened to the hook of Requirement 2 by a ring, and links and ring to be made out of 3/8-inch iron. 5. Make a straight lap weld of 1/4 x 1-inch stock. 6. Make a rock drill. 7. Temper a rock drill. 8. Explain how to harden and temper a cold chisel. Boy Scout Requirements, ({{{1}}}) Edition The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Handbook for Boys, 1948 Edition Original Requirements 1. Upset and weld a one-inch iron rod. 2. Make a horseshoe. 3. Know how to tire a wheel, use a sledge-hammer and forge, shoe a horse correctly and roughshoe a horse. 4. Be able to temper iron and steel. Boy Scout Handbook, 1911 Edition The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Handbook, 1911 Edition A lot of badges get dropped due to lack of interest, machining was one of them. Ironically one I never earned with a machinist father,and what I later became myself. I wonder if blacksmithing could be brought back, since we have 1,000's of potential MB counselors on this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Farrar Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 A lot of badges get dropped due to lack of interest, machining was one of them. Ironically one I never earned with a machinist father,and what I later became myself. I wonder if blacksmithing could be brought back, since we have 1,000's of potential MB counselors on this site. Fortunately we can all still be merit badge counselors for blacksmithing. There is a "Metal Working" merit badge with two options to it: blacksmithing and machining. The book is packed up for my move this next month, but I recall the few skills to demonstrate in a single project include twisting, punching, rivetting, and I believe drawing out and upsetting. Popular projects used for this are simple twist tongs and candelebra's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Thanks for the info Eric. They have changed a lot of the MB requirements since I was last involved with a scout troop. I started at 13, got my Eagle rank, assistant Scoutmaster, then Scoutmaster for 11 years. I stopped when work got in the way That was around 1999. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I made a swing through the salvage yard here in Billings last week and stumbled into a haul. I was just looking not really looking for anything in particular. I picked up the three 8x8 inch pieces of copper. 2 are 1/4 inch thick and the last is a 1/2 inch thick. Not cheap at $4 a pound, but I never see anything like that in a scrap yard. The chisels and files and three hammers were in two 5 gal buckets. I noticed two good drifts in the mix and that got me to purchase the entire lot. I won't need to buy any chisels for years to come. Nice haul! those tubing scrolls look interesting, did you make or buy em? Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Biggun, It's amaizing what was taken as the norm for merit badges in the past as to how low the standard and requirements(for all things) have become! Thanks for the interesting info! Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Y Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Nice haul! those tubing scrolls look interesting, did you make or buy em? Ian Hey Ian - I am "cheating" on a project and purchased the scrolls from Kings Arch Iron. Made the project less expensive for the client and made a sale for me...hard to argue with $$ in my pocket. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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