- Joined
- Oct 21, 2006
- Messages
- 1,652
I originally made this thread on another blacksmithing forum (without anything ot do with blades) but I thought it would have some value here for all those aspiring makers who think that the ability to forge blades is out of reach. Over the past 2 weekends I spent time getting to local blacksmithing get togethers both to learn, and to tailgate. The absolute best resource you can find to get tools when you're starting out are other metal workers in your area.
Smithing get togethers have a tradition of tail gating. This is true whether it's a small several person hammer in at IG's, or a large regional gathering of your ABANA affiliate or an ABS meet. Even myself, I try to make a point of never going to a gathering without bringing something that someone else might find more useful than I do. There's an important thing to remember, BRING CASH. I always carry my checkbook to an event just incase, but you will find much better deals with cash, and a lot of people wont take checks from people they dont know.
Here are pictures of my aquisitions from the last two weekends to show that you can get started in blacksmithing for quite a low cost overall.
I picked up this firepot / standalone forge made from a brake drum and welded up with a clinker breaker and ash dump, and the gorgeous handcrank blower at the new england blacksmith's spring meet. This blower is in imaculate shape. You know you have a really good blower when you crank it and let go and it keeps turning around for a while after you stop. I paid $200 for the forge and blower.
http://www.tharkis.com/images/coalforge.jpg
I then hit the hardware store near me which I found out actually will get bituminous smithing coal and bought 250lbs for ~50 bucks
http://www.tharkis.com/images/coal.jpg
Then this last weekend I picked up this huge shear and this small leg vise (with excelent threads) for 50$ together
http://www.tharkis.com/images/shear.jpg
http://www.tharkis.com/images/smallvise.jpg
I'm going to build a portable mount for the vise, because my large shop vise is attached to my bench, and weighs over 110 lbs without the bench, so it's not very portable.
Lastly I purchased this 125lb stake anvil (yes 125lbs, aka monstrous for a stake anvil, largest I've seen myself) for 105$
http://www.tharkis.com/images/stakeanvil.jpg
True, Iv'e spent a lot of money in the last 2 weeks on more smithing equipment for my shop, but when you look at it, for 405$ plus some gas, Iv'e in the last 2 weeks obtained a complete forging setup, including vise, anvil, and fuel for a LOT of forging. Yet relativly that's a very very small amount of money I've spent by being patient and doing a decent bit of driving to get to the right places >_<
Smithing get togethers have a tradition of tail gating. This is true whether it's a small several person hammer in at IG's, or a large regional gathering of your ABANA affiliate or an ABS meet. Even myself, I try to make a point of never going to a gathering without bringing something that someone else might find more useful than I do. There's an important thing to remember, BRING CASH. I always carry my checkbook to an event just incase, but you will find much better deals with cash, and a lot of people wont take checks from people they dont know.
Here are pictures of my aquisitions from the last two weekends to show that you can get started in blacksmithing for quite a low cost overall.
I picked up this firepot / standalone forge made from a brake drum and welded up with a clinker breaker and ash dump, and the gorgeous handcrank blower at the new england blacksmith's spring meet. This blower is in imaculate shape. You know you have a really good blower when you crank it and let go and it keeps turning around for a while after you stop. I paid $200 for the forge and blower.
http://www.tharkis.com/images/coalforge.jpg
I then hit the hardware store near me which I found out actually will get bituminous smithing coal and bought 250lbs for ~50 bucks
http://www.tharkis.com/images/coal.jpg
Then this last weekend I picked up this huge shear and this small leg vise (with excelent threads) for 50$ together
http://www.tharkis.com/images/shear.jpg
http://www.tharkis.com/images/smallvise.jpg
I'm going to build a portable mount for the vise, because my large shop vise is attached to my bench, and weighs over 110 lbs without the bench, so it's not very portable.
Lastly I purchased this 125lb stake anvil (yes 125lbs, aka monstrous for a stake anvil, largest I've seen myself) for 105$
http://www.tharkis.com/images/stakeanvil.jpg
True, Iv'e spent a lot of money in the last 2 weeks on more smithing equipment for my shop, but when you look at it, for 405$ plus some gas, Iv'e in the last 2 weeks obtained a complete forging setup, including vise, anvil, and fuel for a LOT of forging. Yet relativly that's a very very small amount of money I've spent by being patient and doing a decent bit of driving to get to the right places >_<
