Arkans Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Okay, building my first forge, took an old 20 gallon air tank and cut in half longwayscut a hole and ran 1"1/2 inch black pipe in the bottom with holes drilled in the center. I did buy some fittings to fit the hose of my shop vac to the end of the pipe, covered that in gravel then filled the tank with sand the dug out the center. Currently I am dressing hammers I bought from Harbor Freight. Using the engineers hammer to make a rounding hammer, and cleaning up the face of the cross pine hammer. For an Anvil, I am at a loss... I am looking at a couple I found on EBay. Seen a few reviews on you tube and they were favorable. One is 66lbs and the other 110lbs. Finding the funds for these won't be too bad. If anyone has any more information or input it is welcome. Just don't suggest I sink 2 grand into a new hobby right off. my plans, once I get my anvil is going to be to work on tools, tongs, Sweges, hardies, etc etc. so being new at this I am open to advice, suggestions, and I am always willing to learn. I have taken this as a hobby, and I am looking forward to expressing my creativity with steel and iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 A collection of improvised anvils Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique (TPAAAT) BP001 Easy to make tongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 See my welcome on your treadle hammer query. Look at the improvised anvils threads here on IFI. A piece of railroad rail mounted on end makes a fine first anvil. The reviews of the Vevor (?) anvils that are sold on ebay have been OK but you can start with something much less expensive than those. If you get one I'd go with the 110# version. Do NOT but any of the Hrbor Freight cast iron anvils. They are a POS and not worth the money because cast iron is too soft. Yes, you can build a propane forge but also consider a JABOD (Just A Box OF Dirt) solid fuel forge to start off. Again, there are plenty of threads about them here in IFI. Look up your local Artist Blacksmith Association of North America affiliate and join and attend meetings and events. You will learn more and faster than on your own. There are a number of IFI folk in OK. You may be within visiting distance of one or more. "Ny hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Howdy Neighbor! and welcome to the forum! your a whole 10 minutes up 59 from me here in peavine! my kid boy goes to daycare up there in westville! I bet ya I can find ya an anvil post vise ect… Imma send you a PM with my Phone number so you can gimme a shout an swing on down to the shop here in peavine and we’ll see what we can’t do to get ya fixed up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Arkans, you are indeed fortunate to live so nearby a goldmine such as Twisted's place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Welcome aboard Arkans, glad to have you. Billy in Peavine has you covered for most of what you'll need. A couple words about your forge. A shop vac is WAY too much air blast! It will work a LOT better if you use clayey soil from a ditch rather than gravel and sand in the forge. All you need is clay that will pack hard if damp then mix it about 1pt. clay to 3pts. sand. That's not exact, it just needs to pack hard. Do NOT make it wet enough to mold, just moist enough to hammer in with a mallet or the end of a 2x4, The sane allows it to expand and contract without cracking like a dry mud puddle and prevents steam from becoming trapped and spalling. (Popping and blowing HOT sand and coals out of the forge!) Rather than using the pipe with holes drilled in it, check out "side blast" forges. The problem with the pipe with holes air blast is it makes the fire WAY too large and are much more appropriate for heat treating long blades, not general blacksmithing. You can only work 4"-6" of stock at a time and any that reaches forging temp without being refined under the hammer will suffer grain growth and become embrittled. A blow drier makes plenty of air for the blast but see what Billy has for hand crank blowers, those are highly desirable for solid fuel forges and lets you learn fire management hands on. I'm going to stop rambling, I tend to get carried away. Do some reading here and we'll help with your questions. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 9, 2022 Author Share Posted December 9, 2022 Frosty, thank you for the advice! I was at Billy's this morning and described to what i was thinking. I have been working today but my brain has been engaged and plan to talk with him about my new idea for a forge... after seeing his set up and what I have to work with here at home... I came up with a new design. (Go figure) that is similar to what he has, he has already messaged me about some items he has that he can sell so I plan on talking with him about what would be best. I am thinking about running coal like he does. ( the smell of a coal forge is awesome and has been teasing my nose all day since being there at his forge.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Welcome aboard. I second all the advice above, in particular about taking every opportunity to watch/hang out with/study with other smiths. An hour with a good teacher is worth a month of trying to teach yourself from instructions in the forum (excellent though they may be) or from watching YouTube videos (most of which are of questionable value anyway and may even present risk to life and limb). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 I know i have not posted here in a bit, and i am excited, so today i bought a cast iron rivet forge form Twisted, as well as a hand cranked blower. I do have some work to do before i get full started, i have to take a few things loose from the old forge (it had some kind of belt driven motor on it with a weighted actuator, looks like it had a cast iron pulley that broke at some point) I would love to restore that, but there was some kind of gear in that pulley, so finding the broken part would be impossible, (doesnt mean i wont save the old parts in case i get lucky. Also did a bit of pawn shop hopping and flea markets, looking for punches and chisels, files, scrap, and stumbled on a Horizontal metal cutting band saw. I have not gotten it home yet, but will do so in the morning. So, tomorrows plans are to get that home... replace battery terminals on my wife's car, cause if i don't i might have to live in my little shop, and it doesn't have a heater. I am also going to run out to a place i know to get some red clay and try to find some sand. once i have that, i need to pile up some wood to burn for pot-ash and once i get the new grate, ash dump and Air plumbed in. I will be ready to start beating on some Iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Can't wait to see your finished setup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 I found some online line like mine, i think it is a Champion forge, it used to have a handle mounted on the side that worked like a pump handle to work the blower, the old blower is still down there, but that busted flywheel that would have kept it form being restored, then searching round today, i found another flywheel... looks like an exact match to what is there now. so do i try to restore the original, or just use my buffalo blower and make my own ash dump and blower set up. I think it would be cool to restore it but would it be worth the time and money, i can get the other flywheel I found for about 100.00 shipped. The one i found comes with the geared shaft attached. Regardless, i have to get the rust off, and take it apart either way, so i am going to work on it tomorrow. i have all the rusted bolts and screws soaking in PB blaster now, and i am going to have to grind off a few screw heads and either tap them out or drill them out. once i get it apart, i will take a closer look at all the parts and make up my mind. If i do decide to restore, i have a 55 gallon drum, i am going to cut it and pack it will dirt and use the buffalo blower to get up and running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 I would restore it if it were mine. To make a better penetrating oil, mix 50/50 Acetone and Dexron automatic transmission fluid. It works 100 % better than PB Blaster and as good as Kano Kroil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 ty for the acetone/atf tip, i have some aft, but no acetone at the moment... but will work with what i have until i can get the acetone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Welcome the max house, medication on the right, strait jackets on the left! appropriate your SO’s (or other appropriate female relation) finger polish remover, wal-la! Acetone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 Would be great, but I married a country girl, only time in 10 1/2 years of marriage I seen her wear fingernail polish is when we got married. And took it off within an hour after the wedding. Now I have no idea what happened to the remover she used then, but I don't think I have seen the bottle since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Then I guess it’s time for a trip to the dime store… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Arkans, for derusting use regular vinegar, Evaporust ($) or electrolysis. Electrolysis setups are all over Youtube. Strong acids like muriatic (hydrochloric) acid are a bit more dangerous and problematic to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 21, 2022 Share Posted December 21, 2022 If you're going to paint it anyway, buy some Naval Jelly it converts the rust back into iron and leaves a phosphate (?) coating that takes paint well. Don't forget to rinse, neutralize with baking soda and rinse again and let dry before painting. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 25, 2022 Author Share Posted December 25, 2022 I didn't really plan on painting it, guess that's an option, but I like the blacken steel look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 It will be Parkerized like a black rifle, literally. Paint or not as you wish. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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