[TheForge] Starting up

Thu Jan 5 15:36:39 EST 2006

Oops, Guess I missed the first letter.  The letter I responded to said it was
from LrdThorolf at aol.com, which is an email from someone in the SCA......I
think.

I guess that it was someone else's reply to Andrei's letter, and I didn't read
the entire response.

Andrei, forget what I said about the SCA, but the stuff I said about the book
"The New Edge of the Anvil" is still to the point.

Thanks Mike for pointing it out to me!

Daniel Kretchmar
www.irontreeworks.com
Traditional Woodworking and Blacksmithing

Daniel Kretchmar
www.irontreeworks.com
Traditional Woodworking and Blacksmithing

Quoting Jerry Frost <frosty at customcpu.com>:

> Welcome aboard Andrei:
> 
> There's been plenty of good advice, some better than others.
> 
> I'm with Phlip, perhaps I should say we're of the same mind. Do NOT wait 
> till you have all the right tools to get started. You'll be waiting forever.
> 
> Your minimum equipment list is:
> 
> 1) A safe place to make a fire. Living in Romania you may not have access to
> 
> propane, living in a major city though you might. Let us know if you have 
> propane available we'll post all kinds of info for buying/making a propane 
> forge. Coal or charcoal is probably pretty common. If the city isn't hard on
> 
> smoke, coal is probably more economical. Charcoal on the other hand is 
> pretty easy to make yourself and burns without smoke.
> 
> A coal or charcoal forge is extremely easy to make and can be as simple as a
> 
> shallow hole scooped in the dirt with a piece of pipe for the air blast. A 
> small washtub lined with clay works really well. You'll need a deeper fire 
> for charcoal than coal but this is a small detail.
> 
> 2) Something to beat against. An anvil is preferable but almost anything 
> heavy and hard enough can serve. Probably the most common improvised anvil 
> is a length of rail road rail. My best ever improvised anvil was a large 
> axel of some sort buried with the wheel flange up at a good working height. 
> In a pinch a boulder will serve.
> 
> 3) Something to beat with. Hammers from 1-3lbs 500-1500gms. I strongly 
> disagree with air hammering. Do NOT just swing a hammer like you're 
> hammering unless you actually hit something! This will cause all kinds of 
> wrist, elbow and shoulder problems down the road. Set a piece of wood at a 
> proper working height and hammer on it. Proper warm up and exercising is 
> important but don't hurt yourself doing it.
> 
> 4) Something to hold short work with, tongs, pliers, vise grips or even a 
> split stick will work. I recommend making a couple pair of tongs as learning
> 
> projects. Heck, make tongs all your life, you can sell them. <grin>
> 
> 5) Finding stock to work with is something I can't help you with. You'll 
> have to scrounge, buy or deal for what's available to you.
> 
> Tell us a bit more about what you'd like to make and we'll be able to be 
> more specific.
> 
> Ries is right on the money concerning reading material. Alexander Weygers 
> book "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" is my first recommendation. Especially
> 
> for those who'll have to improvise a lot.
> 
> Till you have the right tools just build a fire and beat on some hot steel 
> with a hammer. You'll learn more than you think.
> 
> Good luck, have fun, play safe.
> 
> Frosty
> -------------------------------
> If it ain't forged
> it ain't real.
> Wrought iron is.
> The FrostWorks
> 
> Meadow Lakes, AK.
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Andrei Pandelescu" <APandelescu at ubisoft.ro>
> 
> > Good day,
> >
> > I am reading on posts here for about half a year or so, and since then
> > managed to get a more "rewarding" job so I think I might be in the 
> > position
> > to actually doing something instead of just reading.
> >
> > In order to get started properly , and to take full advantage of this
> > mailing list, I'd like to ask the more experienced members a few details
> > first, if you don't mind spending a few time to help a young wannabe
> > blacksmith start his thing.
> >
> > 1. What tools do I need? Numbers, details...
> > 2. What type of anvil should I get?
> > 3. Where can I find patterns for what I am supposed to do?
> > 4. What do I need to make a forge or could I replace that with something
> > else for starters?
> > 5. Where can materials be bought?
> > 6. Some books or other kind of reference about materials, treatment and
> > shaping.
> >
> > I don't know if this is and exhaustive list of questions, if you think I
> > missed some details please - fill them up :)
> >
> > Thanks a lot for your patience and your time.
> >
> > Have a nice day!
> > Andrei
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> > 
> 
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> 
> 