What Would You do?

SBuzek

SBuzek

Basic Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
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Sacrilege I know but I have not fired up my forge for the last 7 months.Mainly from working a full time job and getting into folders in a big way.I really like making Damascus but it's really hard on my bad shoulder.I built a mini press and it helped some.
So my question is: should I just let my forge sit or should I sell my stuff.I know it won't rot but i vary from week to week.One week sell and get variable speed for my grinder(I use step pulleys now) to help my folder making or let it sit and see if I get back into it later.:confused:
All comments are welcome.
Stan
 
SB, hands down I would keep it. It may gather some dust, but in a couple of months you may feel like forging again.

You know yourself best, so if you may never use it, sell it.

Good luck!!
RP
 
If it is a physical thing then I would sell it. If the shoulder is not getting any better get the Vari Speed. I do not forge as I have really bad carpal tunnel and a bad elbow. A few swings with the hammer and it would be flying out of my hand without warning!
 
VFDs can be affordable or stupidly expensive, I would say get a Teco FM50 VFD, non-nema4x 240V can be had for about $150 for a 2hp. Keep the forge even if you only use it once and a while because if you sell it and want to use it, what will you do.

I have pretty much abused my body over the years with sports and other rough and tumble exploits and I know all about the aches and pains. My current list of pains and unresolved injuries are, left elbow as most people know, left shoulder, and my right knee. The shoulder I did in pretty good a couple of years ago. It needs surgery, but because of being on Workers Comp for the elbow, if I get the shoulder fixed they cut me off. So it has to wait till I am back to work and have enough time back to qualify for sick leave. The knee is a reoccurring injury from my time in the military and hockey in my youth. It has been scoped once and is acting up again, clicking, locking and swelling.

Even with my body falling apart I am moving ahead on my forge build. I may only be able to use it once or twice a year, but at least I will have it when I want to use it.
 
Stan
I'm 60 yrs old and know that I have physical limitations that I didn't have when I was younger. What happened to your shoulder? A couple of years ago I slipped on ice and hurt my shoulder. It took three years for it to heal. If there is a chance that it could heal then by all means keep the equipment. If it is something that will never let you swing a hammer then maybe it's time to get a power hammer.

Option 2
Forge teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy knives that don't require a humongous hammer.

Option 3
Rent out your forge and/or give forging lessons. Oh yea, get that variable speed controller.

If you love forging maybe you don't have to give it up completely, but you may have to give it up mostly. Another health story. My Dad had a heart attack and a damaged heart valve severely limiting what he could do. What he discovered what that he could continue to do many of the things that he used to do, BUT... only for short periods of time.

I wish you the best. You've gotta do what's right for you. It's a tough decision.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
Tough call. I'll sell just about anything before I'd sell a tool. That being said, you just about never go wrong following your passion. If you're into making folders, go for it. Get what you want to do it better and have more fun at it. If it means selling the forge, so be it. Would it be difficult to replace if you wanted to have at it again? Should you get another one some day, maybe you would make some changes and not get the same one anyway?
 
Stan, I know how bad you want that variable speed grinder. I'd sell it if it was necessary to get a new grinder. I love mine and don't know how I got by without it. You can always make another forge.
 
I would go a totally new direction. If you really like making damascus, save to buy a press, after you get variable speed. With a press, it is pretty easy on the body to make damascus and it will increase the value of your folders.
 
Do you need the money to keep your home or feed your family? Sell it.

Do you need the money to finance something you really want to do? Sell it.

Can you swing your mortgage/grocery bill without selling a tool that you know works for you? Keep it.

Can you wait a few weeks or months and upgrade your other tools without selling it? Keep it.

Both "keep it" answers depend on if you will be able to use it in future. If your shoulder prevents you from hammering, focus on grinding and sell the forge to someone who will use it.

Bottom line is, do whatever keeps you afloat AND keeps you doing work you enjoy.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.More food for thought,will probably let it sit and gather dust for a while longer till I make up my mind.
Stan
 
Stan,

Sorry to hear about your shoulder, i hope that you find a way to have it repaired.

If you can afford to keep the forge, keep it; that is what i would do.

I know i am not offering much here but i wanted to respond to your thread and take the opportunity to thank you for all the help that you have provided on this forum. You are always one of the first to respond to questions that i and others have, and your opinion is highly valued.

-John
 
Thanks for the kind words John.Yeh really don't need the money so I'm just gonna let it sit and see if I get back into it in a while.If not I can always sell it later.
Stan
 
variable speed is nice but its not that important. I learned to grind wide open. I have 5 machinces know and still a lot of times i go back to a old worn out burr-king that runs in highspeed only. I have step pulleys on one machine and the rest have variable speed. I like the step pulleys about as good as the variable speed machines. toys are nice but they dont make any better knives
 
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