Right, well basicly i've had a look through the site, and tried searching the forum's not no avail. (all the word's were really common:( ).

So, i'm starting to get some info and bit's together, for making my forge.

I have one real big question, which is where to get materials from and what materials to start with.. Any info, would be much appreciated.

Don't flame me if this has been covered ten time's before, I honestly did search alot.

Thank's alot.

Rich

What kind of forge, and what materials would you be able to get at? Propane or charcoal/coal???

(BTW, this thread is just another reason as to why we should really get a forum section dedicated to forges.)

Well it's gonna be a charcol forge.

And i'm going to be looking at making a forge similar to this one LINK To Site

I wanna find out what materials are easiest to use for basic forging to get used to it, before moving on to a proper project. I wanna move into something like bladesmithing, among other thing's.

Thank's, Rich.

The front page of IForgeIron.com has a section called getting started which will link you to IForgeIron.com > Lessons in metalworking > Blacksmithing. Both should answer a lot of your questions.

Do a forum search for lively washtub forge and you get only 8 returns with THIS being one.

Thank's.

Sorry i looked through the main page, but not being exactly sure what i was looking for looked through alot of them, and ended up getting confused. So i thought i'd ask.

These all good for help with the actual forge idea!

But what about, the basic forge-able, materials, and good places to get them from. Sorry to be a pain.

I'm gonna start getting stuff together for putting together the forge tomorrow. Then it's just getting some tong's and some metal to play about with.

Rich

what materials are you talking about? the refractorys?
you can use what they were saying in the link.. or you can use a mix thats 3 parts sand to 1 part portland cement which can take more knocks when you accidentally hit the side of the forge or stab it too deep into the fire. And I know people say it will "blow up" or spall, Ive never had the problem though and its been used right after it was rained on. Maybe its God's protection? I don't know. Just make sure there arn't any pockets of air in it when you make it and you should be covered.

Sorry.. I meant, the metal that is going to be shaped etc. When using the forge.

Where is it best to get these from, buying or scrounging.

My fault.. Thinking everyone is a mind reader...

Rich

no problem man.
check out metalsupermarkets.com its where i get alot of steel.. and they are everywhere other than that its rebar from homedepot.. or whenever i see somethin laying around on the road... or if someones throwing away an old bed frame or somethin. but probably wanna ask first on that

Okay, thank's. xxxx I was confused earlier.. But now it make's alot more sence just gotta read up a little more and i'll be sorted, for a first play about.


Thank's alot guy's gonna keep looking about any other idea's anyone has to help starting me off would be much appreciated.


Rich

There are threads in the forum addressing most of this already. Finding that one pearl of wisdom in the ocean is the problem.

Look for used steel, throw a way items from the dust bin. Ask first. The reason you ask is there may be more ready to be thrown out, they just have not had the time yet. Most metal (steel) can be forged but avoid galvanized (zinc coated) material.

Look up BABA. They may be close enough to attend some of the meetings or direct you to a meeting in your area.

Do not worry about the questions, that gives others a reason to assist you and point you toward the information you need.

If there is a building site near you have a look for some left over reo bar. Its good to practice on.

Thank's alot guy's taking this all in. One day I hope I can give it back to someone else another time.

Rich

Hello Ethersin. I went through the same issues. I use dirt packed around a sort of brick frame. Depending on how you want your forge, you can make a side-draft forge, or get creative and make it to suit your needs. Do you have a blower? You can use hair dryers and shop vacs(inverted to blow instead of suck)or buy and hand cranked one.. As for steel, your best bet(if your scrounging like me) are leaf springs, preferably from pickup trucks because they are thinner. Happy forging!

Michael

Vehicle scrap yards are terrific places to find steel, coil springs and leaf springs are great for knives, crowbars usually have a usable amount of carbon and old files make great knives and can be found often at garage sales or farmers markets.

Metals can be found scrap yards public sale's and flea markets can have a variety of metals worth scrounge up

Often you can get lots of free goodies just by helping a neighbor clear off the rubbish they have accumulated. Makes for good relations with the neighbor and a load of usable Stuff for you.
Finnr

I got all my metal from helping clean up a mechanic's shop. Forge looks like a good design to me. By what I've read, sounds like your wanting to make blades. If you know a sawmill worker, you can get sawmill blades, if you know a farmer, you can get disc plow blades, or if you know a mechanic you can get leaf or coil springs. Even your neighbor might have an old lawnmower blade to spare. My best advice is to ask around, and your bound to find something.

Welcome, Ethersin.

The question of scrap materials vs. new is one of those dilemmas modern smiths face, a lot like gas vs. solid fuel. Just like gas vs. solid fuel, each has its advantages and disadvantages. New is generally more expensive (and can be hard to find certain sizes, materials etc. in reasonable quantities in this country) but you know what it is and it'll come in a useful size. Scrap is cheap. It can be as cheap free, but you will probably have to do a lot of work to get it useful; if all you can find is 1inch rebar or old railway iron and you need 1/4inch round, you've got a lot of work cut out. (Mind you, this is good drawing practice, and the old smiths had to make EVERYTHING from fairly large billets of iron.) This is a problem for professional smiths as their time is valuable, so even 5 minutes straightening a coil spring could be money wasted rather than buying a

Thank's for all the help. Well I live next to a mechanics garage, and he has lot's of old banged up cars, around... I'll see what i can get.

My closest scrapyard closed down for health and safety, but i think there is another one near by.

I live near helston/falmouth.. So not really im basicly at the other end of cornwall... But I might try getting up there one day.

I have plenty of blacksmith's around where I live there are a few forges that i didn't even know about. Maybe I'll go talk to one of the smith's there and see if he'll let me watch or give me any help.

Well off to B&Q today, see what bit's i can get for my forge..
On the lively's forge that i linked.. can i use like a fire clay, or something similar for making the 'mould' or refractory (correct me if im wrong on that). Well hopefully you'll know what i mean.

Thank's again.

Well i went to B&Q... and that was a waste of time. There was nothing down there at all. Luckily, my girlfriends dad has donated a metal bin to me. So i can use that. Fire cement down there was something like

if you go the way I did, before too long you will have picked up so much stuff, that you will run out of space. I am always looking for more, but the old furrow rakes and farming stuff is abundant around here. Old fencing, leaf springs, rail road spikes, just about any old steel is something waiting to be transformed into other stuff. Occasionally I go to auctions and by scrap piles because it is wayyyy cheap, good luck, my interest in this endevour has transformed my life into something so much better than it was before.

You don't need to buy fire cement; there are mixtures available which call for sharp sand, Portland cement etc. Much cheaper and available from B&Q, Travis Perkins, Wickes...

Can you give me an example of a mixture. The one on the, LivelyKnives website is, earthen clay and sand halfy halfy. I feel like your spoon feeding me, but it is getting me there.

Soon i'll be on my way!!

Cheers

Today I got some fire cement, which is like a gloopy mixture, and i also got some cemement sand, i've got a bucket, which seems to be a greyish iron or galvonized steel bucket.

I bought a 32 oz. pein hammer, i'm now just trying to find a pipe for my air pipe, would a copper pipe under the fire cement work? Or a sort of a scafolding pole...

Thank's.

Look for black iron pipe (non-galvanized). It is just plain iron pipe to most folks and is used for all sorts of things. Slightly used pipe is just as good as new for this application.