well welllll welllllll, aren't we observant, yup, typed too fast and made that mistake, railroad spikes of course, silly me, now, let's see.... another bell? howsabout heat treating that axe, or just sandblasting the coat hooks, aggg, I just want to heat something and smack the xxxx out of it.

It's one that's pretty commonly made; most of my anvil stands are made from old RR timber baulks; luckily not ties but larger stuff. Still stinks when hot metal hits it!

Frosty and ThomasP, I hate to be the barrer of bad tidings BUT!... The BEST place to hide things in in plain sight! So East TEXAS is the best place for afore mentioned hazardous materials. I do have 60 acres on which few folks venture and yet it is in plain sight. A well traveled road runs the width on the south side and yet you can't see my house or shop. So, with all that in mind, my place is a far cry better. Nuff said. Case closed. Period.

how far are you from San Antonio, maybe I will come by and start a pile? I'll be in Tx in January.

I'm 7.5 hrs >or< from San Antonio. 120 miles east of Dallas just off of I-20. Come on, I'll have a fire going!

While I was in the smithy yesterday, an awful sharp pain started flaring up in my right foot, only hurts when I lift it, but it was bad enough to cause me to shut down and go inside. Now, I wake up this morning, and it's worse than yesterday!! So now, instead of just letting it rest, my addiction is telling me to find a way to stay off of it as much as possible (i.e.-put a stool in the forge area, to rest on) question, anyone in the group have disabilities that makes them stay off their feet when smithing? if so, how do you do it? I'm pretty sure that this is a temporary thing, but I have too many projects in my head, and my hands are already beginning to shake. I think delerium tremons may be setting in!! help!

I have a lab stool with a nice backrest, a foot ring and swivels that I use when my feet hurt in the forge.

I don't seem to get as much power into my hammering and my back hurts more afterwards from leaning forward; but at least I can adjust the hight to use it at the anvil!

I really am an addict. So it's either this blacksmithing stuff which I love or I could always go back to drinking myself into the grave which was nearly what I did. Think I'll stick with my hammers and my forge they are far less dangerous Besides were all gonna die soon enough, might as well actually live while were alive. Blacksmithing gives me that adrenaline rush and feeling of being alive. I don't think i could give it up, metals in my blood (and I don't just mean the heavy metal toxins lol) :P

If you walk through the house with a glass of iced tea in one hand and a 24 inch pipe wrench in the other, and no one makes a comment .......

When your friends stop asking how you're doin, and always start the conversation with " what have you made lately?" you might be an addict!!

I cant possibly be any kind of -holic, I don't go to meetings, but I grind so much sometimes my hair rusts in the shower, and theres coal dust in my wallet

"Meeting smiths in different parts of the country?"........if that is an indication of blacksmith addiction, what does it say when one travels over 14,000 miles roundtrip to visit and work with smiths from the other side of the planet?? Or wants to order 30 tons of coal....just to be on the safe side of having enough??

Heck, Richard, Deb and I can't be much more than 4,000 miles from you. Should we expect you to drop by anytime soon? I'll be happy to stock up on whatever for you.

Frosty

Richard.........naw forget it. :D

Frosty....cases of Guinness
Ian..maybe next year
:)

I haven't been able to do any forging lately, but I did meet with an artist recently who is paired with a painter, the painter sets the backdrop, and the metal artist makes a tree to set on the painting to give it a 3-D image. I understand he has several pieces about our area allready in place, bought and paid for, so I want to get a list of them and do a tour. He has graciously agreed to let me come and see his studio after the holiday, he said he tried blacksmithing, but realized it would take him all his life to get where he wanted to go. So my goal is to learn how he does what he does, and attempt, in my own small way, to see if I can coerce him into our group of blacksmith artists, to enlighten him about the difference of going it alone, vs. having a fantastic group of like minded metal artists to learn from and bounce ideas off of. I will see if he will allow me to take some pics, and if so, I will post them.

well i do believe its an addiction and there isnt a cure... a few years ago i was in dire straits .. i had 2 broken arms at the wrist and was in removeable casts ... i wasnt even allowed to touch a hammer for a couple months ... i was in at my parents place being taken care of and found out about a blacksmith conference locally ... i had to go check it out!! that was the toughest conference ive ever been to! i almost put a hammer in my moulth and started hitting things! i ended up with a small (100 lb) anvil and swage block so when i could finally get permission to hit things i didnt have to wait to get my forge stuff from home...well i gota go get the shop running....

Frosty....cases of Guinness
Ian..maybe next year

Let us know when, we'll pick you up at the airport.

Frosty

dablacksmith, I've been there with the two removable casts and doctors telling me I could not lift anything heavier than an ink pen (they wanted paid). Two years went by before I could begin swinging again... I don't know what was more painful, the injury, or the lack of being able to do the things I love...

My harbor frieght band saw broke in the stupidest place you can imagine, the tensioner bracket support plate, looks like crap metal, tried to fix it, rather than welding, it just disintigrated, ordered replacement, 10 weeks expected delivery agggggg, so into the Grizzly catalog I went, a bandsaw that used to sell for about 460 or so is now about 100.00 off, so it's on its way, ohboy ohboy ohboy, can't wait to start cutting somethin, anything, maybe I'll make a spork! gotta go by the scrap yard and get some pipe for cat tails, and candle cups, anybody got a plan for a menorah? pant pant pant

Well I know I am addicted. I had two weeks when I could not forge anything and finally went out to the forge last Sunday and about six hours later (seemed like 1 or 2 to me). my wife came out to see if I was taking her out like I had promised. She took one look at the big smile and the relaxed look on my face and told me to keep on going. I know I'll pay later!:o

I decided to get up early and get some dragon's breath before the guests arrived, I had seen a little candle holder in the hammers blow recently, so I figured it would be something to do, and darned if it didn't come together, now satisfied for the time being, showered and relaxed, I see that this addiction at least produces, rather than just consuming, like most others.
May your holiday bring happiness.

Ok, it's bad... I've not been able to get to the forge for nearly a month. I'm not coping very well. I left for work an hour early tonight, got to work 10 minutes late cause of all the scrap I stopped to pick up on the road... But I got some good stuff! Now I am here at IFI trying to get my "fix" and I wandered into the tailgating area... oh my, anvils, hammers, cones..... I actually went and checked out my mad money to see what I have on hand... just as I thought... not enough... I'm afraid putting the item on Santa's list might not work out, first Santa ain't got much money either and it might sell before I get to the item I want... plus I've been as bad as possible hoping for some more coal!

I can feel my heart pounding and I feel all jittery... I got to go, time to drive home, maybe I can find some more scrap? if nothing else I can hold one of my hammers as I make my drive???

Oh brother you got it BAD!

You must NOT delay any longer, pack up all that evil hardware, tools and stock and ship it to Blacksmith's Anonymous Safe Storage, Meadow Lakes, AK. to get started on the cure.

Oh for your own sake please hurry!

Frosty

I'm afraid if I touch any of my equipment right now I may not get it un-frozen from my hands... I wouldn't recommend putting your tongue on the anvil right now either!