Mike Ameling Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) Hi. I've been blacksmithing part-time for several decades, and pretty much full time since 2001. Most of my work is replicating historical tools/items - from the early 1800's on back to early Roman times. I am more interested in the tools/items of everyday life over the centuries. I also help out Jay Hisel at his Big River Forge workshop over in Lansing Iowa. So I get a bunch of modern structural/sculptural iron work mixed in. And now these ... infernal machines ... take more of my time. Just another newfangled language to learn - at dial-up speed! Mikey - that grumpy ol' german blacksmith out in the Hinterlands p.s. In my avatar, I'm the guy on the left with the ... choppa. Part of our living history group. Edited March 7, 2009 by Mike Ameling bad spellin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Welcome aboard Mikey, grumpy or not we're glad to have ya. So, how about some pics, we love pics. You could start with a full sized shot of your Avatar. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Yeah, you just want to oooogle the "toy" we are standing in front of! And then there is that 1926 Whippet, and that 1927 Lincoln (if I remember correctly). Some of the "gang" are also extras in a new gangster movie coming out soon called Public Enemies. I'll see about posting some pics. I make a lot of fur trade era flint strikers, muskrat spears, ice chisels, and flint strikers from any time period from very early Roman times B.C. up to the present. I have some on display at the National Museum of the American Indian, Grand Portage National Monument, the Museum of the West, and even the Museum of Welsh Life in Wales. Yesterday I made up two 1700's era small shovels. And I need to get Jay to post more of the forge projects on his Big River Forge web site - like that larger than life deer skull with full antlers we forged up, or that pair of interior wood doors I covered with random sizes rectangles of copper glued and nailed on with brass nails. Or that coffee table in the shape of a tree - with the branches holding up the glass top and the roots curling down around a group of rocks to form the base. The ... toys ... we play with. Mikey - that grumpy ol' german blacksmith out in the Hinterlands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Oh, sounds good. Let us know if you have any trouble posting pictures. Till then jump on in, we like to talk. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Welcome Mike, thats a fascinating branch of blacksmithing your into. It's fun making contemporary items but it must be great making working items from the past. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Good to have you aboard. Nice to see a neighbor join up. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Good to have you aboard. Nice to see a neighbor join up. Finnr The upper midwest seems to be the hotbed of smithing activity, we have alot of members in that area. As far as being "the grumpy old man from the Hinterlands" my grandpa also fit that bill, when he was a blacksmithing in the 40's he would charge according to how well he liked you, and if he didn't like you, it was likely you would get cussed in both English and German when you left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Well, I got some pictures posted - a couple dozen. No problems - except for the slow loading time because I am on a dial-up connection. Here's the thumbnail/link to that full-sized pic of my avatar. And there are several more pics of the ... gang ... playing gangster - and several vehicles. Plus a few cowboy/old west pics. Making working/functioning replicas of historical iron work is fun. But it is a ... niche ... market. You are often dealing with a museum or park. Or you are dealing with people involved in Living History. I've made tools for Roman Legionaires, Vikings, and all manner of people involved in 1600's to 1800's North American history. I made a lot of camp gear for one Viking era club, and replicated most of the smithing and woodworking tools found in that Mastermyr tool chest. Even set up a semi-portable Viking era blacksmithing shop - with a large granite rock for the main anvil, with several small stake anvils. And a side-draft charcoal forge with two single-stage small bellows to feed it air. Fun stuff. And it keeps me from having to ask you if ... "you want fries with that?"!!!!! (but I need to take more pics!!!) I learned a lot working for Jay at Big River Forge. I mostly did the forging work, while he and Dan did the designing/welding/fabricating of a lot of modern metal work. Lots of gates, railings, spiral staircases, signs, etc. And I was starting to learn mig/tig welding when things started to slow down for the business in general. Luxury items are the first to be cut back on when times get tough in the economy. Jay has that Plasma-cam computer controlled plasma torch, and understands all that CAD stuff. I just beat up iron/steel. Still having problems understanding what some current people want in "modern" iron work. I tend to have to go back and add in more "hammer" marks - to make it look more ... hand-hammered and rustic. Again, no problems on loading the pics. Mikey - that grumpy ol' german blacksmith out in the Hinterlands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Hey Mike, Sorry to have let this thread slip by me... I normally catch 'em quick. Welcome anyhow! I've seen a lot of your work over on the FF Forum, and it has all been first rate. Glad to have you over here. Look forward to hearing from you. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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