Forging ahead.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I posted in the "what other hobbies" thread that I am starting to get into some hobby blacksmithing. I figured I would post up and the work progresses. 

 

A little history. I have always thought is was very interesting and I remember as a kid wanting to spend time at the demonstrations whenever the family went to any historical period museums where they have characters living like they did in the day. Well needing one more hobby like I need ANOTHER hole in my head I did it anyway...lol. 

 

I did quite a bit of research and reading, joined an online forum that is world wide and spent hours reading there. I decided i would like to go the route of using a coal forge and that I wanted to build it myself. I pick up a damaged anvil from a member here and to my surprise my wife got me another one that is in very very good shape. I picked up a post vise too. So then I was in possession of the 3 main tools of a smith. I have to make everything fairly portable because I will basically be doing it in my driveway and will need to put everything away in the garage after each use. And (and this is a very big AND.) I need to keep the garage open enough so my wife can park in there during the winter. 

 

So as of this date the forge is built and I have run two fire in it so far. I am focusing on tooling and developing my techniques for now, but I want to dive into some blade making down the road. I'll try to keep this as kind of a diary of the progress and welcome comments and critiques. 

 

This is the forge completed. it has a variable speed electric motor and will reach forge welding temps with ease. You can see a couple tools for tending the fire that I made on the first day. A poker, a rake and a few hooks to hang on the forge table. I don't have a picture yet but on the second day I made my first set of tongs to handle the materials better than a pair of vise grips.  I also made a rack for the anvil stump to hold all the hammers within easy reach. 

Edited January 6, 2016 by Culvercreek hunt club

[stoneam2006]

Following...

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[grampy]

Very cool hobby! Looks like you have everything set up nicely too. Have fun and keep us posted on your progress!

[The_Real_TCIII]

That's really cool. Now if you can get your hands on some Valerian steel I'd like to commission a sword!

[hunter49]

 Cool ,have fun, good luck!

[landtracdeerhunter]

Good for you Culver. Your stoking up the fire on a loss trade. I wish you much success.  I built my forge out of a old rear tractor rim center and an old fuel oil furnace blower. I use mine outside and found a three sided hood with a top works much better in wind.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Good for you Culver. Your stoking up the fire on a loss trade. I wish you much success.  I built my forge out of a old rear tractor rim center and an old fuel oil furnace blower. I use mine outside and found a three sided hood with a top works much better in wind.

Building a removable shield is on my to do list. I can see the benefit of one  even during the first firing. How long have you been at it and what to you work on?

[thphtm]

My Dad had one made out of cast iron for the bottom with a hand crank blower attached.

He did make a 3 sided sheetmetal hood about 3' high curved at the top with the back removable. My job was turning the crank handle when he would wan't to get a piece real hot. I wish I had kept it, Still have the anvil though. 

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

My Dad had one made out of cast iron for the bottom with a hand crank blower attached.

He did make a 3 sided sheetmetal hood about 3' high curved at the top with the back removable. My job was turning the crank handle when he would wan't to get a piece real hot. I wish I had kept it, Still have the anvil though. 

forges are very easy to build. The anvil is the "hard" part. (pun intended). tough finding one in good shape that isn't like a house mortgage. 

[Dinsdale]

Look forward to seeing some projects.

[Lawdwaz]

Great job CCHC..............can't wait to see the progress!

[nyslowhand]

Too early to put in an order for a Katana? Anyways..very cool hobby!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Too early to put in an order for a Katana? Anyways..very cool hobby!

A tad bit soon. I will keep you informed on the progress though...lol

[landtracdeerhunter]

Building a removable shield is on my to do list. I can see the benefit of one  even during the first firing. How long have you been at it and what to you work on?

 

I use to help a blacksmith decades ago.  Today, I use it for a stress reliever. Take a piece of old steel and turn it to something usefull.  To many irons in the fire can cool the coals, LOL.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Well I fired up the forge on Saturday. I made some parts that I needed to fabricate some tools for upcoming projects. I took a run at my first set of tongs and not totally disappointed in how they came out. I only had 1/2" square stock so it didn't leave much meat in the rivet  area but they are handling the 1/2 stock in the forge very well and with the longer bottom lip it makes picking small parts out of the fire very easy.

I welded all the parts up on Sunday and they are ready for my next fire.

Fuller hardie tool

bending fork hardie tool

spring swage for drawing out and shaping round 1/2" and 3/8"

Twisting wrench for making those classic twisted square bars.

 

One more set of tongs for now and I will be off and running.  

[philoshop]

I shipped a handful of worn out chainsaw chains to a 'smith last summer who makes knife blades with them.

Chain loops make for some very interesting Damascus blades.

 

This is not the guy I shipped them to, but it's an interesting site with some good pics. Mouse over the individual blades to get close-ups. Cool stuff!

 

http://www.ironriverknifeworks.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=63

 

Let me know if your hobby heads in that direction.

[Lawdwaz]

Looks like fun Bob. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Leg vise stand complete and my first bottle opener. Of course. Lol

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Well I took a class on forge welding last night. It was only about 3 hours after the instruction and the demonstration part ate up some of that. We were making a flux spoon to take home to use when the students forge weld. Flux that we used was borax. We started out with a piece of 1/4" round and a 20" piece of 3/8" square. Cut the round into fourths and folded them in to make a bundle. forge welded the two ends and drew down to 3/8". Then  welded the bundle onto the end of the square stock. twisted and then untwisted the bundle to give it the open look and drew out the hook on the handle. On the opposite end we partial cut and folded back about 1-1/2" of the 3/8" and welded it to itself. Then drew out and shaped the spoon bowl.  Sounded pretty easy, huh? LMAO

 

We ran out of time so I still have some straightening and cleaning to do for the finished product but pretty pleased with how the welds came out and how well they held. Probably won't be counting on this process with a MIG welder over at my buddy's house, but it is nice to know and how to do it. 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday night is a class on tenons and riveting. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Was a beautiful day yesterday so I lit the coal. Wanted to work on my Riveting and mortises so I gave a candle holder a go. I had the glass sitting around the garage so I modeled it around that. It's about 12" tall for scale. 

 

 

 

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I don't know why these pics are sideways. Sorry. This is the only place that shows them this way

[Big Indian]

Nice stuff, when I was in 6th grade, our school took us on a week long trip to "Ashokan" on the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County. We learned about the outdoors and had the opportunity to make things in the blacksmith shop.

 

I still have the fireplace poker I made, in 1976. (Funny thing is I still act like I'm in 6th grade)

 

Good luck w/ your hobby and keep posting your creative endevors

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Well just about done with another little project. It has been hard to find the time to do more. The forge needs to be wheeled outside and the weather hasn't been the greatest. The little lady had decided she doesn't like the smell of burning coal.  I told her...simple solution. Next up building a propane forge. lol. it will do 90% of what I will get into but when dealing with bigger pieces i will still need the coal. The stand on this fireplace set would have had to been done in the coal forge. 

 

This is all done except for attaching the broom corn and lacing the broom. The antlers parts are clear coated and the steel is just rubbed down with a turpentine/beeswax and linseed oil mixture.  broom will be on the stock with the small forked antler. 

 

Edited March 30, 2016 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Finished the broom last night. All complete

 

 

I have rotated this damned picture every direction and it won't post upright. Gotta love technology...lol

 

Sorry

Edited March 31, 2016 by Culvercreek hunt club

[stoneam2006]

Nice....how did you attach antlers?

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk