Thought it fitting that my first post is to check in here!

Hobby only and so far just some tinkering with a blown solid fuel forge made from a wheel rim.  Mainly used to melt lead and aluminium, and to anneal material for machining.  Looking to build a small gas forge and do a bit more.

Located in Perth, WA and would enjoy looking over someone's shoulder to learn a bit more.

G'day DS9! Good to see another Australian on here. As you can see from this thread, there are a few of us, and from memory, a couple of West Australians. I am about as far away from Perth as you could get, but if you ever find yourself over this way, you're welcome at my forge.

Good luck with your early forging. There is a lot to be learnt from the experts on this site.

I'm near Bundaberg so also about as far away from you as possible DS9.

Meanwhile my forge area is coming along

but I've still done bugger all work in it, too many other projects for now. 

A true Australian shed there. Even the bag of Bunnings Lump Charcoal. Looks good in black and white too.

Yeah, I thought the B&W was appropriate, trying to make it look more "period", although it's not a working setup yet and is used to store other crap like fire extinguishers and spray cans. 

Interesting. So here's my forge in B&W.

 

They look great in B&W eh? 

I see you have a taller stump next to the swage block, I do that so if I need to use the block laid flat I put it on the taller stump so the height is better. Is that what you do?

Also, I've been wondering if I really need a hood and flu over my forge, you don't seem to and I have plenty of room so maybe not.

Hey graynomad, how are you getting on with the bushfires there??  Some horrific reports on tv from your area. We are all good here, except for some extreme heat. Hope you're safe and well.

We're good for now, but I've started getting our motorhome ship shape in case we have to bug out.

I have some outdoor welding/grinding jobs I'd like to do but I think it's wise to hold off for now given the weather conditions. I don't want to be the cause of another fire eh?

Meanwhile on the forge front, I've cleared out the smithy area, got my blower working and connected it to the forge, getting close now.

Good to hear you're OK but prepared to move if necessary.

Your forge is looking fine. Let us know when the first firing happens.

Fires and now cyclones. We had a wild night with Cyclone Owen before it headed out to the Gulf. Now it's turning round, intensifying and coming back to Qld. If the forecast track is right, graynomad, we are in for another battering here and you can expect some heavy rain as far down as Bundy. That should quench your fires and get some greenery up.

I see the media are calling it a Zombie Cyclone (back from the dead). Typical media hype.

Yeah it looks like we're in for some rain at least, hopefully not too much wind though, I live in amongst the trees, don't like wind

G,day all 56 year old boilermaker/welder wanting to learn craftsmanship,inspired  again by two curve/tappered "S" holding this 130 plus year homes wall together it was hidden till  9 months behind a timber framed shed, that when they new there stuff!

Welcome Bean.

So is that space the location of your smithy? Or will you forge in the shed I saw on the other thread?

Sorry for late_ish reply graynomad ! it will go behind my new shed the old shed went six months ago

Hi i'm Dan

Totally addicted to the blacksmithing craft.

I live in Sheidow Park in South Australia and am really looking for a blacksmithing group that is south of the city.

I am a hobbyist for now.

G'day Dan

Try these blokes , couple of em " lurk " around IFI from time to time .

https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/103-artist-blacksmiths-association-south-australia/

http://www.artistblacksmithsa.org.au/live/

Dale Russell

On 9/14/2008 at 2:55 AM, Dale Russell said:

G'Day ta all youse AUSSIE'S out there ( & youse know who youse are too )

Seein' i's been with the site from almost 1 day & was the only AUSSIE for such a long time ( was the token AUSSIE for a LONG LONG TIME ) & in the last 12 - 18 months a HEAP of us ( AUSSIE'S ) ave joined the site twas thinkin' maybe we's should ave'a " Roll Call "

Hi I’m Don from Ingham North Queensland, I’m a qualified Blacksmith/ Spring Maker but I haven’t swung a hammer in the last 35 years having just retired I’m looking forward to doing some smithing, been a member for a few days and I’ve already received some great advice. 

Cheers

G'day,. Don.

I had a retired blacksmith from Ingham way turn up at my demo at Historic Village Herberton the other day. I think he said he worked with the blacksmith at Macknade Sugar Mill.

Hey! That might be you! If so, I'm glad you took my advice to join up IFI.  If not, good to have you along anyway. Come up to Herberton for a chat and a bit of forging.

Any of you guys know where I can source 6mm square bar??  I used to get it from Orrcon Steel in Cairns but they are not supplying it any more. Had no luck with Tonkins or Onesteel. I use a lot of 6mm for troll crosses, letter openers, pendants, key ring holders, twist hooks etc etc.  I guess I will have to freight it from somewhere, but I've checked the usual suppliers on the 'net with no joy. 8mm square is getting hard to find, too.

OK, so what have you all been doing for ANZAC day today? A very long day for me … local town Dawn Service at 4.00am followed by a couple of other services and a day of blacksmith demos at work. A good public holiday crowd.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them."

I have heard that a few times today!

On youse Ausfire .

Sad to say I missed my first Dawn Service for 10 yrs by forgetting to set my alarm , was quite annoyed with myself to when I woke up ..  

Dale Russell

 

Dasher from West Aus., hobbyist, new to smithing , but many years of steel fab experiance, which may, or may not help, looking forward to learning a bit.

On 4/19/2019 at 7:02 AM, ausfire said:

Any of you guys know where I can source 6mm square bar?? 

Hi Ausfire,

Tell them to do a bit more shopping around because we can get all those sizes in Adelaide no problems so they are still making them. If all else fails I can probably get some and ship it up to you but freight from SA to Cairns is not going to be cheap. I suppose I could cut some down to 1m lengths and post it up!

Maybe I'll have to attempt to take some time off and come for a drive with steel and coke in the back of the truck.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew. Orrcon (Townsville) told me that 6mm square was not produced in Australia at all, and it was not marketable enough for them to import it. I was hoping to find somewhere that had old stocks.

Yeah, freight from Adelaide to Cairns would be a bit much. What company do you buy from?