[TheForge] Pure Iron and time

[Ray Miller]

If I can humbly agree with George. Our time is the most valuable asset 
we have. One of my perceived faults by others is the lack of 
housekeeping in my shop. I'd rather make something, practice something 
new, teach myself something or design something, than spend a lot of 
time cleaning up. It has never cost me time and until a recent break in 
at the shop I could put my hands on anything I owned, despite the 
clutter. I am also a little spoiled because I have more space than I 
need and therefore do not have to be efficient with it or keep very 
organized. (5600 SF on the first floor and 3200 SF upstairs, although I 
haven't spread out that much that I use upstairs, yet).

Ray Miller
Cincinnati

George Dixon wrote:

> Aside from any initial equipment costs; anvil, forge and the like - 
> the only thing in a blacksmith shop that I have ever found worth 
> considering as a 'cost', is my time.
> I'm using a fairly large amount of pure iron bar and sheet in the 
> current project.  The time saved in forging (not to mention the cool 
> displacement pure iron exhibits get when its hot and then forged) is 
> substantial.
> When I was teaching myself blacksmithing, I used an oxy-propane torch 
> for heating because it allowed me to get to work faster than a coal 
> forge. It also allowed me to work in snippets of available time, when 
> building a coal fire would have used that available time.  The gas 
> cost vrs the time made available to practice or work, again, matters 
> not a bit.
>
> Materials, such as pure iron over mild steel and new tool steel 
> instead of coil springs, are the smallest part of a project's 
> cost....unless the wrong one is chosen.
> Blacksmithing as either a profession or a hobby is facilitated by the 
> right materials and the right attitude about the value of time.
> As Chaucer opined, "Lyfe so short, and the crafte so long to learn"
> And that was said before the invention of the 30 day billing 
> cycle........
> G Dixon
>
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