I'm a blacksmith.

[βeta]

Just finished building this forge in front of my garage yesterday. I'm not good at this whole "summary" business, so ask me questions and I'll talk about what I did and how!



EDIT: I can think of something to say.

Anvil: It's a 110lb anvil that was given to us. It's REALLY heavy. Needs to be refinished, the top isn't very smooth. Gotta figure out how to do that.

Blower: It's a lancaster hand crank centrifugal blower. It's about 100 years old. Bought it off of another blacksmith for $250. (The only thing I paid for) Most people go the cheaper route and use a small vacuum or something as an air source, but that's not my style. I wanted to have a silent forge. Also, I have much more control over airflow and temperatures because it's not a constant electric source.

Fire bowl: It's a brakedrum from a semi truck.

The stands: They're made of 2x3s and 3/4" ply. They were really fun to make because of all the angles required to get the tilted legs. (for stability)

Fuel: It's Kingsford charcoal, but that's just was on hand. It's going to run REAL coal as soon as I get some. Charcoal works, but not as well, and there's lots of sparks.

Metal: It's a railroad spike. I'm making it into.... nothing. I don't know, I'm just experimenting. It's my first time on a forge.

Grinding wheel in background: It's a treadle-powered grinding wheel. It was for sale as a lawn ornament on someone's front lawn, and I snagged it for $35. It's not really useful for smithing, but it sharpens a mean axe.


That's all I can think of, ask questions!

 

[robm]

That... is awesome.

I always wanted to try my hand at making knives/swords in this manner... is that what you're aiming at?

 

[βeta]

Armor first.

Making blades is not as fun as it sounds. You can either take a file or some other super-hard steel and grind it slowly into a blade, or you can fold a piece of high-carbon steel a bajillion times and then heat-treat it hard. It's so much easier to just buy a good knife. That said, I'm totally going to make knives.


I'm making samurai armor, tools, hinges, and other various pieces of useful hardware.

I also plan on using the forge as a heat source for melting and casting brass and pewter.

 

[XCVG]

Cool. But why did you spend that much on a blower? Is it really that awesome?

Anyway, make a sword, just because it's cool.

Tongs? Pansy. Gloves? Double pansy. JK, NOBODY is stupid enough to touch red hot metal.

 

[βeta]

The gloves were for the picture, I totally wasn't wearing them the rest of the time. I'm using big pliers until I make some real tongs.

The blower: It's awesome, look at it.

Also, that steel gets to be 1800ºF

 

[XCVG]

That blower looks like one of those hand-cranked bomb sirens from a war movie.

 

[βeta]

Only, it's older than movies. That's what's so cool about it.

 

[Mario]

Glad to see it's an anvil and not just an ASO.
Also, diggin' the hat.

 

[βeta]

I've got another smaller anvil that doesn't have a stand yet. What's an ASO? I love my hat.

 

[Mario]

It stands for anvil-shaped object, and it's an anvil mad from poor materials that will not stand up to real use.

 

[βeta]

Oh, I know that term. I just didn't recognize the abbreviation.

 

[Mario]

I'm just wondering, how do you make armor? Just flattening and bending pieces of steel or whatever?

Also, you really should wear gloves all the time. A piece of metal will go through your finger faster than you could feel it. Though I suppose gloves wouldn't save you from that. Just flying sparks.

 

[snowpenguin]

You're a blacksmith.

 

[βeta]

I'm just wondering, how do you make armor? Just flattening and bending pieces of steel or whatever?

Also, you really should wear gloves all the time. A piece of metal will go through your finger faster than you could feel it. Though I suppose gloves wouldn't save you from that. Just flying sparks.

Armor is made by a combination of bending, raising, dishing, and heat treating steel. Also, chainmaille. Plates are held together with rivets and hinges, and in many cases for Japanese armor; laces.

I'm really not doing anything that involves metal shavings, not until I start cutting sheet metal. The gloves are for when I'm adding coal to the fire or just messing with it, because the sparks hurt my sensitive princess skin.

 

[samjc3]

so are you a n00b with equipment, or do you actually know what you are doing? i was totally gonna try doing this.

 

[βeta]

I'm a noob armed with equipment, the Internet, a few fine books, and the knowledge of the more experienced people around me.

 

[snowpenguin]

Siggeroo.

 

[βeta]

 

[snowpenguin]

Lol. You're a blacksmith.

 

[ShockSlayer]

I should totally commission you to do stuff. No flax.

How fine can you get with smaller peices of metal?

>.>
<.<

Can you make batarangs?

SS