[TheForge] YAK Dolars YAK OMEGA QUESTION

[Aaron Silver]

Well, since you asked, here's my breakdown:

~$300 for my forge (rivet forge with hand crank blower and a handfull of tongs)
~$100 for my primary anvil
~$75 for my backup anvil (heel is cracked at the hardy hole)
~$40 for my post vice
and call it another $150 for miscellaneous, some metal bought new, some 
hammers, coal, etc. That also includes some pipe fittings to make a coal 
forge out of a gas grill, and the regulator to make a gas forge out of a 
helium tank.

That does not include classes, memberships, etc. For a hobby that I don't 
get nearly enough time to spend on I've got a setup that is actually 
useable, and fun to work with. I feel I paid a bit much for the forge, but 
got great deals on the anvils and vice so I'm about even or ahead of the 
game. The setup I have means I can do the work that is within my current 
range of abilities, so I don't HAVE to have whatever toy catches my eye. 
And if I see a toy that is a great bargain, I can have the pleasure of the 
"great find"

Aaron Silver

At 10:10 AM 11/24/2002 -0600, you wrote:
>Every once in a while someone asks,
>"What does it take to get started?".
>"What will it cost?"
>
>The answers invariably end up being some
>variants of, " Grab the barbecue, a
>hairdryer, a block of iron, hammer,
>pliers and your significant others
>permission." " With good scrounging,
>maybe nothing."
>  <G>
>
>The first taste is free.
>
>Nobody ever asks the other question.
>When is enough enough.
>
>So, for a hobby, non commercial smithy,
>at what point have you folks decided
>enough is enough? Not including the
>separate outbuilding, memberships,
>conferences, and the lawyer or
>psychiatrist?
>
>How much did it cost so far? What have
>you included?
>
>My answer first/
>
> From my side I am feeling really well
>equipped. In addition to the basic kit:
>anvil, forges, tongs, vises of several
>descriptions and hammers, there is the
>two stage compressor, power hammer,
>treadle hammer, welder, plasma cutter
>layout table and jig table, screw press,
>hand and bench grinders and wire wheels,
>power hack saw and various odd bits that
>are more interesting than useful.
>
>Net cost over 4-5 years? Probably around
>$12,000+. As this is the only thing I
>splurge on for myself, I do not keep a
>real accurate tally, nor do I spend a
>lot of time bargain hunting. If
>something falls into what I have judged
>a reasonable range and I can afford it,
>that is good enough.
>
>I fully realize that my hobby shop has
>more toys than a REAL blacksmith of 100
>years ago would have, but this is the
>land of opportunity <G>.
>
>
>No longer using the barby and the hunk
>of track,
>
>Mike Graf
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