IForgeIron 2023 Mini-Donation Drive and Updates

Twitter is crashing, Reddit is dying, and IForgeIron is still here - we're antiques. Every few years, the internet changes and we ask for your spare change to keep going. It is that time again. 

Donate Here

As always, I've already paid the bills, so we're at no threat of being shut off.  But coming up this fall, we have some major decisions to make.

• $300/yr: Forum Software & Anti-Spam Services
• $260: A Bunch of dumb fees we pay for other software
• $100: We get to renew iforgeiron.net/org this time for a bunch of years.

In classic fashion, we'll strike out each goal when achieved.

The last donation drive two years ago in 2020 carried us through COVID-19's uncertainty. Thanks to you, we survived the pandemic. 

Should We Remove Ads?

Glenn and I don't like the way ads are served on the site. Traditionally, they cover around half of our monthly bill, which is nice, but we pay the rest. These ads are generic, uninteresting, and annoying. You don't want that and neither do we.

We have three options going forward:

1. We remove ads all together.
2. We partner with one of the equipment dealers.
3. We become an equipment dealer.

My father spends countless nights and hours on the phone talking to forum members. I countlessly worry about some dumb server box in someone else's closet. It has worked for all of us because you're reading this now. We've always viewed our blacksmithing expertise as education. 

First, we can remove ads all together. I can pick up extra hours at work and the donations can take us across that goal. Second, we can talk to the major suppliers. We tried about a decade ago, they were insulting and dismissive. The short of it is, we defended Uri Hofi's rights to his hammer design while they copied it. Third, we can become a dealer ourselves. Getting into ecommerce is messy. We'd like to avoid that unless you feel there is a need.

Donors Will Get A Badge of Honor

As always, we'll enable the badge of glory on your profile that tags you as a supporter. If you've donated and haven't gotten the glowing message, please message Glenn or me with your email address and we'll sort it out.

Every donation goes directly into our bills. Any amount helps.

Thank you for keeping us going for over two decades!