[TheForge] Crowdsourcing Question

mazrim at comcast.net mazrim at comcast.net
Mon Jul 8 22:30:08 EDT 2013 

Yeah, I fabricated a robotic arm from aluminum for my final project in college, already have safety glasses. I have been scouring the web for months now and have a large folder of bookmarks. I will be working my way through the book as son as the weather cooperates, 90 degree days are not fun, and that is without the forge heat 



Lloyd W. Giddinge 
mazrim at comcast.net 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer" <artgawk at thegrid.net> 
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 10:21:22 PM 
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Crowdsourcing Question 

An excellent beginning! 
My Weiger is an idol of mine and nicely illustrates that you can do smithing with almost nothing, as he did so elegantly. 
Mr Weiger also said you could just squint instead of springing $2 for safety glasses...bad idea. 
The web is resplendent with whole blacksmithing eductions such as never before in the whole of history, 
open to your browser...Lucky you! 
Go for it!!!! 


On Jul 8, 2013, at 7:09 PM, mazrim at comcast.net wrote: 

That book is actually on my list on Amazon, I plan on getting it soon. I managed to find a great deal on craigslist for a propane forge and anvil together along with a hammer and 3 sets of tongs. As soon as the weather cooperates I am going to work on getting it setup.The book I am using for starting is "A Blacksmithing Primer" 


Lloyd W. Giddinge 
mazrim at comcast.net 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bruce ." <freemab222 at gmail.com> 
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 7:11:57 AM 
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Crowdsourcing Question 

GET ALEXANDER WEYGER'S BOOK, "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" 
("shouting" intentional): 
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Modern-Blacksmith-Alexander-Weygers/dp/0898158966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372157201&sr=8-1&keywords=weygers 
Available locally in many book stores. 

What I read in your posts is "inexperience". Weyger's book (cheap at 
twice the price) will show you how to do things you never knew 
possible, including how to build a forge. 

Even better is to get out and meet blacksmiths. Most of them will 
delight in getting you started. Even Jerry Frost would (if you happen 
to be in Alaska) -- he was annoyed because your first thought was for 
money. People like Frosty tend to just up and do things and forget 
that the Harvard Business School proclaims that one must draw up a 
business plan and get investors -- money -- before starting a new 
venture. 8^) 

Trust us -- it doesn't take much money to get started, and you are NOT 
going to get your shop and equipment "right" on the first try, so 
don't even worry about that. 

Your biggest concern is whether you can make smoke wherever it is you 
plan to set up your forge (and coal smoke can be quite noxious and 
objectionable to neighbors). If so, you can use coal. If not, you 
must use gas (propane or natural gas) or possibly charcoal (which 
makes little smoke). 

Your second concern is fire safety -- and local permits. But if you 
have a portable forge (think turbocharged barbeque) and you put it 
where it wont set buildings on fire, etc., you might slip by the 
permitting process entirely. 

Tools are the easy part. Hammers are cheap at flea markets. A big 
chunk of iron or steel will serve as an anvil till you find one you 
can afford. 

This is why you should look up your local ABANA affiliate. You will 
learn more just seeing how other people set up their shops, and 
watching them work, than you ever will out of books. 

By the way, many people say you shouldn't use charcoal briquets for 
forging. That's only partly true. Briquets contain a clay binder, 
which is messy if used in a forge -- the air blast will blow it 
around, and it might stick to your hot metal. But they produce good 
heat, so you CAN forge with them, they're just several rungs down on 
the list of preferred fuels. 

BTW, the only professional swordsmith I know made his own gas forge 
and forging press. 

On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 9:46 PM, <mazrim at comcast.net> wrote: 
> I will be starting by working my way through some books I have that include beginner projects, hooks, tools,pot hangers, latches/hinges, etc... I planned on getting my first set of tools on ebay since I found some cheap ones and then using them to make my own set once I gained the skill and knowledge, then re-selling them cheap and using the ones I made. After I learn the basics i plan on making gardening tools, cutlery, and decorations. When I am good enough I plan on making knives, swords and armor. I coolect swords and knives now, but I would like to collect ones that i made myself. The forge I was looking at getting is http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gas-Forge-Blacksmith-3-burner-Knifemaker-deluxe-LP-propane-by-Majestic-Forge-/190859060141?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c701623ad . I had decided on this one because the burners are controlled individually and it will work for what I am starting with, along with my future projects. I know it is more than I need to start, however
  

I 
> have always tried to plan for the future instead of having to upgrade continually. 
> 
> 
> Lloyd W. Giddinge 
> mazrim at comcast.net 

-- 
Bruce 
NJ 
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